Here’s a brief list of what Character Developers do:

• Conceptualization: Developing initial ideas and concepts for characters based on project requirements, themes, and audience demographics.

• Character Design: Creating visual representations of characters, including their appearance, clothing, accessories, and distinguishing features.

• Personality and Backstory: Defining the personalities, motivations, backgrounds, and relationships of characters to make them believable and compelling.

• Visual Development: Collaborating with animators, illustrators, and other team members to refine and finalize the look and feel of characters.

• Style Consistency: Ensuring that characters maintain consistent visual and thematic elements throughout the project, aligning with the overall artistic direction.

• Iterative Design: Revising and refining character designs based on feedback from stakeholders, ensuring they meet artistic and narrative goals.

• Storyboard Integration: Ensuring that characters are integrated seamlessly into storyboards and scenes, enhancing narrative flow and visual storytelling.

Here’s how YOU can become one:

1. Develop Artistic Skills:

• Drawing and Illustration: Start by honing your drawing and illustration skills. Practice sketching human figures, animals, and various expressions and poses. Take art classes if possible to learn foundational techniques.

• Digital Art: Familiarize yourself with digital art tools and software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or other painting and graphic design software. Many character developers work digitally, so proficiency in these tools is important.

• Study Anatomy and Proportions: Understand human and animal anatomy, as well as proportions and perspectives. This knowledge is crucial for creating believable and expressive characters.

2. Build a Strong Portfolio

• Create Character Designs: Develop a portfolio showcasing your character design work. Include a variety of characters demonstrating different styles, personalities, and genres (e.g., fantasy, sci-fi, realistic).

• Show Process Work: Include sketches, concept art, and finalized character designs to demonstrate your creative process and development skills.

• Tailor Your Portfolio: Customize your portfolio based on the type of character development you want to specialize in (e.g., animation, video games, film).

3. Gain Relevant Education and Training:

• Bachelor’s Degree: Pursue a degree in illustration, graphic design, fine arts, animation, or a related field. While not always required, formal education can provide structured learning and opportunities to build skills and network.

• Online Courses and Workshops: Enroll in online courses or attend workshops focused on character design, digital painting, and animation. Platforms like Schoolism, CGMA, and Udemy offer courses taught by industry professionals.

4. Develop Technical Skills:

• Digital Tools: Master digital painting techniques, use of layers, texture creation, and other digital art fundamentals. Understanding 3D modeling basics can also be advantageous, especially in industries like gaming and animation.

• Character Design Software: Familiarize yourself with industry-standard software used for character design and animation, such as Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, or Blender.

5. Network and Gain Experience:

• Attend Conventions and Events: Attend industry events, conferences, and conventions related to animation, gaming, or digital art. Networking with professionals and showcasing your portfolio can lead to job opportunities or freelance gigs.

• Internships and Freelance Work: Seek internships or freelance projects to gain practical experience. This allows you to apply your skills in real-world projects and build a professional reputation.

This is a very brief and general plan. To know your specific academic path for this career please talk to an advisor at the college or program you plan on attending!