What techniques can you use to create expressive characters?

A character has nothing to do with the way he/she/it looks. Appearance is the last thing you have to worry about. That's why a good actor can act like the bad guy as well as the good guy. The script defines the character. By reading the script the actor, in his mind, has to build a behavior to give expression to the character in the script. In animation the role of the actor has to be played by the animator. Simpel as that. And like in LA, he has to be able to draw. bend, tune a liveless something in a convinsing living thing that acts like the hero or a bastard. If the police could go on appearance, the jail was filled with the bad guys and the world a paradise.

Other than unique shape, color and form what is more important is how we see them act and communicate certain emotions through body and gestures. If to express we need to suddenly make our character jellylike even though they have a solid structure, one should go ahead and try. I encourage my students to break the form of a character if they can express more and generally the outcome is surprisingly better. As we deviate from the expected norms in designing a character, it brings attention to itself what's left is to express through them. To explain simply to create expressive characters is to focus on expression, form and color and other design principles will follow.

Gran parte de dise?ar un personaje se trata de comunicar visualmente las características que definen a este. Para esto sirve tener en cuenta: La psicología de las formas: intuitivamente interpretamos diferentes formas con diferentes personalidades. E.g. los rectángulos suelen denotar estabilidad, los triángulos u objetos con puntas van a evocar peligro, y los círculos suelen evocar dinamismo. La psicología del color: colores más cálidos van a tener una personalidad más activa y alegre, y los colores fríos una personalidad más pasiva u oculta. La silueta: la silueta informa el porte y la personalidad del personaje. Una silueta clara ayuda a que el personaje y su rol sea más legible. Procura tener estos tres elementos definidos.

This is an acting role, first and foremost. No matter how outlandish the character, your voice should be grounded in some kind of reality. Just as a visual artist has to consider perspective when creating art the same goes for creating a voice. How does this character express joy, or sadness? How does this character get angry. Characters like Bugs Bunny or Sponge Bob are beloved because they are relatable in some way. They have funny voices, but they are fully fleshed out characters that feel REAL.

Apply design principles to convey emotion. Consider shape language, color theory, and visual hierarchy in character design to evoke specific feelings, ensuring the visual elements align with the character's personality and story.

I couldn't agree more with the importance of using body language to create expressive characters. I keep emphasizing to my team that understanding anatomy is key in our field, and it goes beyond just design. It brings characters to life. Paying attention to the rhythm and flow of movement can enhance the overall visual storytelling experience. From the way a character walks to the simplicity of their facial expressions, every detail contributes to the narrative.

Even the macro expressions on the face can say a lot more than what is spoken verbally. The same goes for body language. Body language communicates faster than words to the receiver. Our sub conscious mind is programmed to observe these better than what we see and listen. So I can say that body language plays a vital role in character development.

Observe other people and animals' body language from life. Combine elements and movements of both in the character. Always considee what the character is thinking. This will affect its action. Never imitate another animated film. Never film yourself.

When acting a scene consider what the character is doing. What is the character's body language? How are they holding themselves? Are they pushing something? Are they running or sitting still? Are they inside or outside? In a quiet room or on a loud train? What is their facial expression? A voice actor is often recorded BEFORE a character is animated. Choices you make about the physicality of the scene will help spark ideas for the directors and animators. Keep the choices appropriate for the scene and environment and most importantly, maintain the character's personality.

Utilize body language to express emotions. Experiment with poses, gestures, and facial expressions that communicate the character's feelings. A character's body language can significantly enhance emotional storytelling in animation.

Know how to use your references but push beyond reality by exaggerating features and movement. I always ask myself, "how can I push this more to create a more dynamic expression/movement?" Experimentation helps create innovation. I'd rather go over-the-top with animation at first, then reel things in with polish where needed. Outside of work, I watch a lot of animated shows and movies to study the masters!

Collaborate with voice actors to bring characters to life. Align vocal nuances with the character's emotions. Integrate dialogue that complements the character's personality, providing additional layers of expression to enhance animation.

Exaggeration can help here too (depending on visual style of course). Making the expressions and body language movements larger than life can make them easier to quickly recognise and reduce cognitive load, especially in busy or fast paced scenes.

A perfect Lip Sync, whose lips can be read, with all the vowels and consonants vocalized in a meticulous manner. both accessible communication and facilitating understanding are important. Facial expressions are often accompanied by words that reinforce language. Likewise, a perfect world would change the character's facial movements when changing the language.

You are the third leg of that character coming to life. This is a collaborative art form. You are giving voice to a character someone else has drawn with dialogue someone else has written. Your choices about pitch, accent, speech patterns will help this character come to life. Always remember, whatever choices you make MUST maintain the character's reality and be a choice that you can do consistently. Have an interesting direction for the voice to go, or an idea for an improvised line? If it adds to the performance and scene and makes sense, offer it. If it gives the character a surprising trait or adds something engaging or funny it will often get used but if it doesn't work, be ready to move on.

Go Outside! Inspiration & reference doesn’t have to come from watching other animation resources sat at a computer. Look at the world around you is and how it’s layered, how things move, and behave in different situations. You can then build your own take on how a sign flaps in the wind, the sea laps the shore, or how a character might react! Creating from your own perspective and experiences is a great way to ensure your animation has your unique take.

Yeah there's nothing better than referencing the real thing. There's a reason you see Pixar behind the scenes draft scenes overlaid with some video of expressive acting by the animator. A lot classic Disney literally rotoscoped over actors. If you want to create something that connects with your audience, observe how things actually work in the real world and exaggerate it to make your work interesting.

I'm a great believer in the power of reference, if you know how to use the internet intelligently, you can find anything to make your creation and animation easier. expressions is something very subtle, undoubtedly one more technique in the large portfolio of knowledge that it takes to be a 2D illustrator and animator.

Does this character remind you of someone you know? Do they remind you of a famous celebrity? Maybe they make you think of a character you've seen in a movie. All of these things can be a basis for creating a character. Sometimes it's a combination of two or three people. Sometimes we even do impressions of our favorite uncle, or cartoon character. We are all inspired by the art we enjoy to create new art. Just remember, you are trying to make something new so take your inspirations and build on them. Combine them in interesting new ways. Draw from your life and experience and use your own perspective to make something truly unique.

Gather references and seek inspiration from real-life interactions. Observe human emotions and behaviors to inform your character animation. Studying authentic reactions adds depth and relatability to your expressive character designs.

Seek feedback on character designs and animations. Use constructive criticism to refine expressions and emotional resonance. Regularly revise and iterate based on feedback, ensuring your characters effectively convey the intended emotions.

Experimenting is how animation was ‘discovered’ early animators were creating magic, trying different things and experimenting with materials and technique. Be different and don’t follow all the rules, we can push the boundaries to discover exciting ways to do things in animation!

Experiment with various expressions, movements, and emotional states. Embrace variation to explore the full range of a character's emotions. This experimentation allows for unique and authentic character expressions in animation.