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The-Ez β TUTORIAL: Easy Character Design
Published: 2013-07-13 15:55:53 +0000 UTC; Views: 23735; Favourites: 703; Downloads: 214
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Description
I did this back in 2011 exclusively for a web site a friend and I were working on, but the site's defunct now. I was super sad to see this tutorial go with it, so here it is in all its resurrected glory.
I'll also post the other two or three tutorials I did for the site, and I'll be sure to link them here when I do.
It's just it takes a good hour or so to pop everything into a JPEG, so yap. I'm calling it. I'm lazy. 
Do let me know if anything in the tutorial is unclear or stupid, and do let me know if you have any suggestions for other tutorials! 
Thanks for everything, guys!
==
Characters featured here are from an old project of mine called Shmucky that's fallen by the wayside over the years. I hope to pick it up again someday, because I'd love to write and draw something fun for kids. I did a few colour pics of the project before taking a hiatus, so feel free to check it out!
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Comments: 34
woah! This is very useful :3
Thank you
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I know this is from 2011, but it's super helpful. Thank you!
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Thanks, your tips and tutorials are amazing!
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Omg thank you! This seriously helped! I never understood how to apply keeping characters in proportion besides a typical standing pose. But sketching out the heads for whatever pose I might be doing is seriously useful, I never thought of using that. xD
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You really have an amazing talent, God Bless You! I hope you'll keep drawing more and share with us! Thank you for the tutorials - they are very helpful!
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This was great. you are great and this is sooooo much help!
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This helps a ton! I've been frustrated with anatomy and all that latelyΒ Β Though I'm getting better and better and am aiming to make it look decent by December. I do think it's possible since I've gotten down simple palettes and such, even a bit of cel shading... ish.Β Β
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I'm glad it helped!! 
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Thanks!! I'll be sure to have fun
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This is a great way to approach character design! Thank you so much! Like everyone below: I LOVE your art!Β
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hair tutorials? colouring in digitally tutorials? 
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YES TO ALL THOSE. I SO WANT TO! 
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Very cool! When I draw my characters, I often have a hard time keeping their sizes correct in relation to each other-- I think this trick will help a lot! Thank you!
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Cool stuff! I like Preston Blair. I have a seriously huge old book by him called 'Cartoon Animation' that was published back in 1980. Great book!
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Thanks Ezzie..added it to my favorite tab for future ref
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Pffffff no I don't!
Hope it's useful!
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Awesome tips! Thanks...I really need help with the consistency of the designs of my characters, and this sure does help!
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Sorry if this is unsolicited, but I can share some advice.
Character consistency has two steps. First, ESTABLISH THE CHARACTER'S PROPORTIONS. Draw up a character sheet and write notes about the character so you can remember it. Second, PRACTICE DRAWING THE CHARACTER. Take some sheets of paper and draw and redraw the character, as quickly or slowly as you like, multiple times until you can do it from memory. Think of how Bart Simpson writes things out on the blackboard during detention. You're doing the same thing, just with drawings.
What's important to keep in mind that you will have to practice drawing every new character you create, and you might have to go back to your character sheets several times during your character's "lifetime".
Hope that helped. Do ask me any questions if you got 'em.
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Wow! Thanks! This really does help!
You see, I know the basic features of my characters. Blue eyes, curly hair, etc, etc. But it is hard for me to sometimes keep up the exact design for said characters. So thank you so much! You're the best, Ez! Mwah!
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This is great!! awesome tips there. I always struggle with having my characters look like themselves when redrawing them. I eventually achieve it with tons of practice on expressions and stuff but these shortcuts are so good that I even wonder why I never came up with this -.- I am specially fascinated with the whole "easy to remember" thing, it's amazing.
I think I'll give a try at redrawing characters using this
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Yeah, I'm all about drawing fast, so I use shortcuts and cheats whenever I can. 
I highly recommend that you draw up character sheets if you don't already. I always make mine super informal with tons of written notes so I can remember the finer details. (like this one at the bottom: [link] )
Sorry for the unsolicited advice. 
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I used to make character sheets loooong ago with head-body proportions, different angles and expressions. (I was a drawing noob then). I'll try the notes thing, I've never done that.
love your character sheets! they look like those disney animation studio notes. Thanks for the advice!!
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Nah, the key is to keep it super informal. I find that the more I personalize it, the more fun I have, and then it doesn't even feel like work or anything. Sometimes I pepper my notes with jokes or doodles, just to surprise Future Ez. 
Keep it light and fun and make notes that make sense to you. You'll remember how to draw your character for longer, because you know, all that psychological association stuff kicks in.
GOOD LUCK!!!
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Keep it informal and keep it fun! What has worked a lot is drawing characters with a back story. When they have a story they kind of get my love 
I really really feel the need to draw these days!! I had stopped drawing for over a year (aside from my product sketches for school) and my improvement stopped :c so sad. Thanks for the advice!
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