Sneak peek
Get ready for a sneak peek into the Animal Character Design Masterclass! Join me for Week 3, Day 3, where Iāll reveal the secrets behind the āsketch, design, repeatā process. You wonāt want to miss it!
Animal Character Design Workbook
The Animal Character Design Masterclass comes with a comprehensive 56-page workbook designed to work in conjunction with the 20 video lessons, demos, and tasks.
To download page 37 from the Animal Character Design Workbook, click the button below.
Download Workbook Sample
Generating Ideas
When creating characters for a client (an art director, a publishing house), the purpose is to present your ideas and not the finished piece of artwork. For the rest of the week, we will practice letting your ideas flow.
Today's task will help you transition into your creative practice and open you up to exploring every possibility. This is not about making a perfect drawing or a caricature, the goal is to explore and play. Don't just settle on your first idea or sketch, here is your opportunity to explore, explore, explore. Gather your Animal Archetype reference from the previous lesson.
TASK: Sketch. Design. Repeat.
Blind contour drawing trains the eye and hand to work as a team and helps you to see all of the details of your subject. This practice is designed to move you away from your reference and open you up to more character possibilities. Each time you do a blind you step further and further away from the reference and closer to your own unique style.
1. Do a blind sketch of your animal from a reference photo. Refer to the Sketch. Design. Repeat. printout from the ACD Workbook (See images 1 & 2). Click the button below to download the worksheet.
A blind sketch means that you will only be looking at the reference and not at your drawing. Once you’ve completed the first blind contour sketch, lay tracing paper over the top – you can also use a lightbox or your iPad – and design a more finished animal character drawing.
While you are doing the design aspect of this task, ask yourself;
- What can you exaggerate?
- What can you accentuate? Large upper body, thin legs?
- What shapes do you see?
2. Do a second blind sketch from your more finished animal character drawing.
(See 3 & 4). Once complete, lay tracing paper over the top and design a second more finished animal character drawing. (See 5).
3. Do a third blind sketch from your second more finished animal character drawing. (See 5 & 6). Once complete, lay tracing paper over the top and design a final more finished animal character drawing. (see 7).
"Thank you for being such a great teacher. I'm endlessly amazed at your teaching. Last year I did the free animal character design workshop. I couldn't even believe how you did that... I was so amazed at the way that you were able to teach in such a short amount of time, something that I've never been able to do before."
Susannah Crispe Author/Illustrator
Animal Character Design, 2021
More information about the Animal Character Design Masterclass
If you like the idea of learning how to design animal characters, my Animal Character Design Masterclass teaches everything you need to know. Click the arrows below for the full curriculum.
We look at the ingredients needed for designing successful animal characters and finding the balance between observation and imagination.Ā
1.0 Welcome to week one
1.1 An introduction to animal character design
1.2 The importance of observation
1.3 Sketching from reference vs. sketching from life
1.4 Observation to imagination
1.5 How to set up a successful sketchbook practice
We dive into anthropomorphism techniques helping us create charming, memorable characters.
2.0 Welcome to Week Two
2.1 What is Anthropomorphism?
2.2 Moving Parts
2.3 The Importance of Telling a Story
2.4 Construction and Volume
2.5 Strike a Pose
Explore caricature, exaggerating features, pushing shapes, and exploring the many different ways to represent your animal character’s personality, style, and features.
3.0 Welcome to Week Three
3.1 What is Caricature Design?
3.2 Animal Archetypes
3.3 Sketch. Design. Repeat.
3.4 Breakdown Drawings
3.5 Design a Caricature
Learn what makes the perfect cast of characters and how they work together. Learn how to define and combine them skillfully and in-depth.
4.0 Welcome to Week Four
4.1 Fables
4.2 Villains
4.3 The Five-Step Process
4.4 Group – Design a Cast of Characters
4.5 Design and Illustrate Your Dream Team
Self-Paced
This program has been designed as a self-paced program. This means that you have the flexibility to fit the program into your schedule. You can weave in the video lessons, tasks, and push projects in and around your other priorities. If you have the opportunity to cram, you can fast-track and gain competency quickly. If you prefer working at a slower pace, assimilate the information without feeling rushed; with lifetime access, you have the opportunity to revisit the course content whenever you need to.
"The animal design course opened up a whole new world for me. I have had the desire to create my own picture book for years. I have lots of little stories and ideas tucked away but could never get past drawing what is in front of me. This course has given me the tools to unlock the process of turning reality to imagination so that the characters in my mind can now come alive on the pageā¦ I now have the confidence to know that my dreams of being an illustrator can become a reality. Nina has been generous in providing inspiration, feedback and knowledge and I am very grateful for her dedication and support. The content is something you can take forward and work on far beyond the confines of the course period."
Tracy Wilkinson
Animal Character Design Course, 2021
Animal Character Design Masterclass
This self-paced program, offers video lessons, demos, expert interviews, and a comprehensive workbook that walk you through everything that you need to know about how to design animal characters.
The goal of this program is to build…
- Knowledge – I will share everything that I’ve learned over the years about successful animal character design, in a series of easy-to-follow video lessons, demonstrations, and a workbook.
- Competence – each new skill builds upon the other in easy manageable tasks and projects, strengthening your skills as well as your confidence.
- Confidence – the daily lessons help you to foster your own creative practice, one that you can continue well after the program.
- Your Portfolio – the lessons are practical, time-efficient, and designed to fit in and around a busy lifestyle. After 4 tasks, you'll receive a 'weekly' push project. The push projects reiterate what you've learned during the tasks, and give you the opportunity to illustrate a portfolio-worthy project.
What to expect
Although we cover the fundamentals of animal character design in 'Week One', this is a comprehensive program on learning how to draw and design expressive animal characters. It is not a tight set of lessons on perspective, light, shadow, and photo-realism. Across the self-paced program, I will provide you with tools for expressing your you-ness through the animal characters that you design. You will be encouraged to add wit, and spontaneity with straight-to-the-heart accuracy.
Nina’s picture book illustration background adds another layer of tuition. Our deep cultural history of animal characters in children's literature inspires many of the tasks, and push projects. Referencing to fables, fairytales, and storytelling, in general, brings more meaning and purpose to the overall experience of the program.
BEGINNERS – Everything is here in one place, with a curriculum designed to take absolute beginners all the way through to an intermediate level. And with lifetime access, you can choose to spend more time on areas that need more practice.
SEASONED ARTISTS – you will have the opportunity to learn new skills and techniques and establish an art practice aligned with your goals and one you'll want to continue well after the program (officially) ends. With lifetime access, you have the opportunity to develop your artistic style as well as discover and dig into your interests AND build your illustration portfolio.
You will not need to spend another minute working alone wondering what to do next. This program will keep you on track offering the support and guidance that you need to move forward toward your illustration goals. You will have access to video lessons the comprehensive workbook, drawing demos, recorded expert interviews (giving insight into what it means to be an illustrator), and access to an online community of ACD members past and present.
"I loved the process of drawing a life like animal by learning anatomy then giving it a real personality by making it anthropomorphic and giving it personality based on the traits typically associated with certain animals. I also loved learning aspects of story, such as fables and villains, that I hadn't really thought about."
Michelle Cornish
Animal Character Design Course, 2021
"I didnāt realize that there were a number of aspects of drawing that I hadnāt ever explored ā line quality, gesture, story, volume. This was exciting and eye-opening and Iām enthusiastic to continue. "
Ginger Gellman, Vermont, USA
Animal Character Design Course, 2021
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