Character Traits

[These  posts were originally Hosted at my Word Press blog, but due to them being a bit muddled and lacking less clarity, i have moved them here to segregate them to only this course. If need be, you can see the originals here; https://charlottezxz.wordpress.com/2014/10/19/my-group-idea/
I have removed some form there and instead i am placing them here.]

DESI 1085 – Character traits

We all know of iconic characters such as Mickey mouse and his fellow companions such as Donald duck, Goofy and Pluto and it’s highly probable that just from a mere shadow or silhouette of those characters, we’d be able to identify them right away due to their deliberate and distinctive traits. To employ deliberate, unique traits into characters gives them their own ‘key’ to identify them with, visual clues! From the big rounded ears of Mickey Mouse, to the rounded beer-can head of the Homer Simpson. Of course, these are just the visual clues and the body language, dialogue and sounds all also come into effect as identifiers – but for now, let’s focus on the visual clues.

How do you tell who a character is?

What does a character like Asterix have going for him? How would we know who he is if we blotted all colour – leaving only a silhouette? His small stature helps convey it, but its the winged appendages on his warrior helmet which really stand out. The big shoes and the very simplistic and cartoony hands too. But its the head shape and wings which really convey Asterix – they also even move and flap to match his expressions.

Disney have always been very good at exaggerating features and Morph here form Treasure Planet is no different. What distinguishes Morph? For a start, the gluttonous and jelly like body does. It bubbles and ‘Morphs’ as he does into a strange, bubbly ghost shape. He almost always conveys a puppy like expression, with tiny stubby hands and several floating jelly bits. Oh and don’t forget the big cute eyes.

To any anime fan out there, i’d guarantee the majority of you or them, would identify Luffy here right away. The main character of the most popular anime in Japan, One Piece, Luffy is a star among st the genre. Identifiable from his iconic straw-hat upon his jet black wavering hair and let’s not forget the simplistic clothing of sandals, tunic and shorts. And his body proportions are in a different shape, a kind of thinly slim and ‘rubbery’ shape.

In the world of games, i’d also say this guy, Sonic, is one of the most iconic video game mascots alongside the likes of Pac-man, Mario and others. Dating back to the retro age, he sports the iconic big white gloved hands and big shoes. But he is also an identifiable animal – a hedgehog – with an identifiable colour of blue.  He has a very simplistic design, with the three back quills forming the most recognizable part of him, just like Asterix’s winged appendages did for him.

From the four examples above – all from different mediums, although, some of them cross over, such as Sonic having a cartoon, each main character has his or her own visual clues or assets which are unique only to them. Each character has their own colour palette unique only to them to which no other character will have. Of course, the creator or artists style and sense of design will influence a character’s design even more, meaning  that characters can often be identified by their creator through the style and presentation of them.