Discover the art of bringing characters to life through drawing and design. This workshop introduces you to the fundamentals of character creation, from developing an initial idea through to constructing engaging and stylised figures. You’ll explore essential drawing techniques while learning the foundations of proportion and structure, building confidence through guided exercises and demonstrations to pose your characters with strength, energy and personality. Over the duration of the workshop, you’ll progress from stick-figures and simple shape based sketches to developing a fully realised character design. Along the way, you’ll experiment with stylisation techniques, gesture drawing, costuming and visual storytelling. Whether you’re a beginner eager to start designing your own original characters or an artist looking to strengthen your stylisation and storytelling skills, this workshop will equip you with the tools and creative insight to design compelling and memorable characters. This workshop focuses on the designing phase of character construction and will not be delving into colouring or rendering techniques. [T2989]

Introduction to Character Design

Course Description

Bring your characters to life in this dynamic, hands-on drawing workshop designed to build confidence and creativity. 

Whether you’re new to drawing or looking to strengthen your visual storytelling skills, this course introduces the essential principles of character design from simple concept sketches through to fully realised, expressive creations.

Throughout the workshop, you’ll explore stylisation, proportion, gesture, posing and costuming, learning how to transform basic shapes into distinctive characters with personality and presence. 

Guided exercises and demonstrations will help you understand structure and movement while developing your own original designs. 

By the end of the session, you’ll have progressed from foundational sketching techniques to creating a confident, resolved character of your own.

Course Structure

The workshop begins with an introduction to the fundamentals of character construction, focusing on proportion, structural form and shape language. 

Through guided exercises, participants will experiment with simplifying figures into basic shapes and gradually building complexity. 

Gesture drawing activities will introduce movement, helping students create dynamic poses that communicate emotion and personality.

As the session progresses, students will explore stylisation techniques and the role of costume and visual traits in storytelling. 

Demonstrations and individual practice will guide the transition from rough sketches to a developed character concept. 

The workshop concludes with refining and resolving an original character design, supported by discussion and feedback.

Course Learning Outcomes

This should be a bullet point list or short paragraphs describing the learning outcomes students can expect from this course.

Course Requirements

Please bring your own drawing and sketching supplies, including:

• A4 sketchbook, paper, or digital drawing device
• Lead pencils and erasers (or stylus equivalent)
• Journal for notes

Optional materials:

• Rulers
• Tracing paper
• Alternative paper sizes
• Preferred drawing implements

Please note: This workshop focuses on character design and construction, not colouring or rendering techniques. If using a digital device, please ensure drawing software is pre-installed and you are confident using it.