A few times a month we review some of our readers’ favorite posts throughout the history of Vectortuts+. This walkthrough by Scott Jackson was first published on May 8, 2009.
In this walkthrough, I’ll give an overview of how a character developed from the initial outline to the final site. . mascot and then go on to create various poses for different parts of the site.
This character was originally created for an Envato site that didn’t take off, and the artwork wasn’t being used, so I’ve reworked it. this a bit to turn it into a Vectortuts+ character. Let’s take a look at the process of creating the mascot for this website and learn a lot of tips along the way!
1. Introduction
Character and mascot design is nothing new and has existed for a long time. time, but with the advent of the Internet it has experienced a renaissance. On the web we are faced with a daily barrage of information, data and images. Using a site mascot can be an effective way to remove this information overload and connect with the viewer on an emotional level. Mascots and characters can be used as part of a logo or on their own, but the advantage they have over a logo alone is that they have their own character and personality.
I used Adobe Illustrator to create the mascot using its most basic tools and functions, and that’s why I’m going to concentrate on showing the development and workflow involved. Hopefully this will give you an idea of character creation and help you create your own mascots.
I’ll also give a rundown of some of the best character design sites on the web and leave some pointers. as we go along.
2. Free Character
For further inspiration and as a bonus, the good folks at Vectortuts+ offer you the chance to download the original files for your own use. which is a super freebie. Please refer to the download file for more information on usage. The character is available in AI and EPS formats.
3. Summary
Although this is a fictional studio, it was originally based on a real Envato project. However, for the purposes of this tutorial, I’ll take this mascot to be for the Vectortuts+ site, giving us a target to use as an example.
The mascot is to be “The Tuts Guy” and should be Be a representative of Vectortuts+ readers, and also of the tutorial writers. A positive, friendly disposition and an appeal to all age groups. To look professional but still casual. Also, it should fit in with the site’s color scheme, so you can easily incorporate the character into the page design.
4.Before you get started, here are a few things to keep in mind
By their nature, site mascots are for use on the web. Remember to set your file to RGB.
As mentioned in The Brief, the character must be able to fit into the site’s color scheme. With a human pet, this can be done by using the clothing and hair to match or accent the room. With an animal or a fictional creation you have much more flexibility.
Pay special attention to the target audience, the image and the site. Let’s also look at some more tips.
5. Proportions
Will the character blend in with a logo or headline? If so, the canvas is usually a wide swath and the use of a tall, upright figure can make you appear lost and diminish facial features. So what can be done about it?
Make the height of the characters as close to their width as possible.
6. Crop the image
By trimming the upper part of the body and concentrating on the most important features, you can save valuable space and increase the impact of pets. You can also see how the more condensed character lends itself much better to the header format.
7. Image Dynamics or Depth of Field
It can be very helpful for the designer setting up the site, if you provide a mascot on a story, sideways elevation, as this can make it much easier to integrate into the design of the site. Alternatively, depth of field can make the image more interesting.
8. Line Weights and Outlines
I don’t have a hard and fast rule when it comes to line weights or whether should be used line work at all. While not using any line work at all can give the pet a light feeling, it can also get lost in the background, especially if you’re busy. Using lines and/or a thicker outline can give an image more presence and definition.
9.It’s all in the eyes
There is a saying that the eyes They are the window to the soul. In character design, the eyes are the first thing we connect with. We connect when we first meet a character in the same way we do when we first meet someone, so it’s important to factor this into your design. Eyes can communicate a great deal of emotion very quickly and add life to a character.
It’s easy to think that the more complex the rendering of the eyes, the better, but in fact, when done correctly, a couple of dots can do this just as well.
10. Getting started and putting my ideas down on paper
Although I have a Wacom tablet, I rarely use it to sketch ideas. I prefer pencil, paper, and the ability to make sense of a chaotic pile of ideas strewn across my work area.
At this stage, I try to put anything and everything on paper before examining it to see what works for me Then I refine the drafts before using a layout panel for final drafts. I prefer design pads to tracing paper as they are much cheaper and pencil work is less prone to smudges.
11.Time to go digital
I rarely send pencil sketches to a client. I usually go the extra mile and transform them into vectors, especially if there are going to be multiple poses of the same character so they have a clear idea of the end result. This has led me to mostly not use a scanner in favor of taking a snapshot of the pencil erasers with a digital camera, or even my cell phone camera, which imports quickly and easily via bluetooth.
I’ve worked on a number of variations here for the client to see.
I’m going to assume I’ve received feedback and we’re going to go with character No.4, but I feel like it would work better without the goatee. Here is the main character (minus the goatee) that will appear on the home page of the website, but now I need to develop the characters for the rest of the site.
12. Let’s go back to the images
All of these will have a very similar location to the main character, so there is an opportunity to reuse elements from the original character. This not only drastically reduces your workload, but also adds a sense of continuity to the site. Having the separate parts of the character on individual layers is helpful here, as moving the arms and tilting the head can transform the pose.
Mascots should not have a background that suggests their purpose. , but adjusting the pose and adding some simple props can communicate this to the viewer.
Using the original drawing for the main character along with a design panel gives me a bit of an edge when it comes to the other poses. As for the rest of the poses, it is a matter of sending them to the client and making the necessary modifications until they are satisfied with them.
The following are the finished characters. It only remains to supply them to the client in the format of their choice. In this case, you can download the original files for your own use here.
13.More Information and Inspiration
Here’s a rundown of some of my favorite sites based on the character design for more inspiration:
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Mojizu.com – Moji is the Japanese word for character and that’s what this site is all about. It’s a community of character designers where you can sign up for a profile and submit your own Mojis. A weekly Moji War pits them against each other in a contest to find the Moji Champion through a series of rounds.
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Ilikecharacters.com: A relatively new site dedicated to showcasing the best in character design created by artist Steve Rack.
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characterhunter – A blog that follows an ongoing search for character design on the streets of Tokyo. A good one if, like me, you like kawaii (cute). Written in French about Japanese design, this site shows how mascot design can cross language and cultural differences.
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40 Character Illustration Tutorials From Smashing Magazine: A Recap monster of 40 character design tutorials.
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vinylpulse: character design that has been moved into the 3D world.
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patching up: if you’ve ever loved turning your work onto vinyl, this might be the place for you.
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