character design is hard work

when i say i'm working hard it means i'm thinking a lot
17 Jan, 2026 #art #original characters

character design was never a strength of mine. much like everything i do, i only make things that i think look cool without thinking twice about what it might evoke in the viewer. shapes and texture are a good way to make people subconsciously associate things with another, in this case it could be a feeling or personality

i'm currently working on a reference sheet for my character trevor and it's making me remember how much i suck at shape language. i made a different outfit for him that i really like, but it absolutely does not fit the setting he is in or even his personality. the leather and spiked choker makes him look quite dangerous even though he is very sweet! i guess it might be fun to have other characters find out he's not as intimidating as he looks

Trevor's newer outfit (left) and his regular one (right) — trevor's newer outfit (left) and his regular one (right). looking at it again i could've made it edgier, but how often do you walk down the street and see someone dressed like that?

i did mention in my last blog post that "i've been getting into some more industrial [and] it's kind of influencing my art" so the outfit change did not come out of nowhere. i think i'll keep his main fit alongside the new one just for fun