An Alternate Identity: Exploring Perspectives with Character Design

AN ALTERNATE IDENTITY EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES WITH CHARACTER DESIGN

BY SOPHIA RIDER

AN ALTERNATE IDENTITY EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES WITH CHARACTER DESIGN

BY SOPHIA RIDER

INTRODUCTION At some point in our lives, we may have imagined to be something that best personifies us, or someone we aspire to be. No doubt we had imagined an alternate universe and pondered what we could be.

What makes the notion of generating characters so intriguing is that we have unlimited imagination, and the possibilities are endless — you can be anything.

How would you describe yourself as a character? If you were a character, what traits would best represent you? You may have a solid idea of how you think of yourself as a character, but it would also be interesting to see how you may be perceived by someone else.

With that said, the idea for my project is to design two characters for five selected individuals, in which one is based on self-perception, and the second is based on the point of view of another person who is connected to that individual, whether it be a relative, friend, co-worker, partner, etc. I will review the history and elements of 2D character design, and utilize it to explore the psychological concept of self-image.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Section One: Research 9

History of 2D Character Design

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Elements of Effective Character Design

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Concept of Self-Image

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Project Procedure

Section Two: Documentation

Section Three: Conclusion

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Thiara Galdamez

137

Final Analysis

35

Adriana Merino

139

Citations

47

Katherine Calderon

140

Acknowledgements

57

Marc Anthony Cuellar

69

Suprani Kaeota

79

Shelley Akamine

91

Zach Mansoor

101

Emily Monseur

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Jazmin Wallace

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Jessica Wallace

SECTION ONE:

RESEARCH

HISTORY OF 2D CHARACTER DESIGN Defining a Character Depending on what context you use it in, the term character can have more than one meaning. In a literal sense, a character is an animate figure within a story that can take the form of a human, animal, creature, or some other being. In terms of who a person is overall, their character is defined in how their habits, motives, and thoughts relate to morality. It’s the combination of qualities that make a person, or thing, different from others. For this project, both definitions are relevant, as I will be designing characters for other people, but it will be based on their inner character — who they are.

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Research

What is 2D Character Design?

Character design in general is the process of brainstorming, sketching, and illustrating fictionalized beings, whether they are human or non-human.

2D character design is the process of creating imaginary beings in two-dimensional form, in which the characters appear flat and lack depth as opposed to characters created in three-dimensional form.

Characters are often designed from scratch, or artists may take inspiration from real-world elements and incorporate them into their characters. Designers conceive their character’s physical appearance and movements, as well as generate their unique personality. In professional industries, designers utilize model sheets to help them develop and visualize the character’s overall appearance and features. Once the designs are finalized, they should be distinctly identifiable to anyone viewing the characters.

Importance of Character Design 2D character design is an essential part of the multimedia industry, in which various characters are created for books, video games, commercials, cartoons, as well as animated films and shows.

Different characters that designers create are crucial as a story element that drives the narrative and experience of a viewer, reader, player, or user.

The goal is to make interactions more familiar, and help people relate to what is being presented in front of them, which should generate emotions and immersion. Every character is given its own story, and is set to appear in a particular context to play its key role. Character designers have the ability to bring fictionalized portrayals of humans and non-human beings to life. They give them their own distinctive visual features, personalities, and other key attributes that set them apart from other characters, making them easily recognizable and memorable.

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Research

How has it evolved?

In the past, character design was heavily used in animation, in which it played a huge role in the execution of a script. In the early 20th century, there were few restrictions to the appearance of animated characters. The characters were simple and had rounded features, unbound to the restrictions of the real world. They had physical attributes akin to cartoon characters: rubbery and twisty limbs capable of unrealistic movements such as stretching in long lengths. In the 1920s, this type of style used to design characters was called the “rubber hose style”.

Even early Disney used this style, until they looked for more innovation and reality in character design, in which their characters were designed with more human-like characteristics, such as the skeletal structure. It is worth noting that in the past, the designs of some characters had conformed to old visual stereotypes, in which the male or female leads were always handsome or beautiful, the villains always looked menacing, and the fool always appeared clumsy.

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Over the years, character design has evolved, with designers slowly drifting away from visual stereotypes, and giving more thought into the characters’ personality, finding ways to incorporate that into their overall design. As our culture and trends change, so do the ways of how designers create their characters. 2D character design started to become more prevalent in other media such as cartoon shows, books, commercials, and even the gaming industry.

Compared to animated films, the other media were more adventurous in developing characters that didn’t conform to old visual stereotypes, enabling their characters to better engage with an increasingly discriminating audience.

Recently, it has been discussed that the conventional cartoon approach in character design is still prevailing in contemporary animation’s most recent incarnation, web animation. The reason why it is still so popular is mainly because, if a character is to be animated, it has to be easy to draw, be consistently proportioned from all viewpoints, and should not involve too much pencil mileage. Overall, character design has evolved from being too simplistic in terms of character development and design, to slightly complex and thought-out development and design that makes the characters more unique and memorable for the audience.

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Research

ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE CHARACTER DESIGN Shape Considering the overall shape and proportions of a character is important to ensure that the character’s personality traits are expressed. The size of the character also needs to be taken into account, especially when placed next to other characters of varying sizes. The connotative values of different types of lines need to be considered as well.

For example, curved lines tend to imply gentleness, compared to hard angles which usually imply danger or stubbornness.

Anatomy The anatomy of a character is determined by what the character is. This may include fur, skin color and texture, teeth, number of limbs, ear shape, form of the tail, etc. These physical characteristics may indicate the species of a character, or their age, gender, and nationality. Exaggerated physical attributes can also imply personality, intelligence, strength, and even self-esteem. Head size, facial features, and body proportions also contribute to a character’s interest and appeal.

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Facial Expressions Facial expressions are essential in portraying the character’s emotions, which helps encourage the audience to engage and better connect with not only the character itself, but the story in which it is set. It depicts the overall disposition of a character, and the audience can take a glimpse at its personality.

Through the character’s facial expressions, it is easier to determine if its mood is joyful, angry, sad, frightened, and many others.

Posture The position or attitude of the character’s body has to be taken into consideration. How does the character stand, sit, or lay? It is important to think about the body gestures and what meanings are associated with them.

It depicts how the character may be feeling, which may be attributed to their overall personality. A body posture with arms crossed could imply the character has a serious personality, or is constantly grumpy.

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Research

Style & Apparel Characters can be designed in various illustration styles depending on what or who they are created for.

It is important to take into account the overall look and feel of the character. They could be realistic, semirealistic, cartoon-like, and many more. The style may be influenced by other trends and cultures, such as Japanese anime or American pop art.

It is important to consider the tone and presentation of the character, ensuring that it reflects the world it lives in. Determine what clothes the character wears, if they are wearing anything at all. The character’s apparel can also reveal aspects about its personality. For example, a character wearing matching colored clothing with multiple accessories may be conscious about fashion, compared to a character wearing a t-shirt and shorts with bare feet, which may imply that character is lazy.

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Silhouette Creating silhouettes for a character is a great way to communicate gesture, and even relay the story based on what we can assume is beneath that black surface.

It is a quick way of seeing the character as a shape, or a series of shapes within a larger shape. An effective silhouette will tell you the character’s gender, age, outfit, action, and many other things. The character should be recognizable, and easy to pick out from a pool of other silhouettes.

Color A character created with no consideration of color will appear implausible. Color greatly contributes to the character’s personality or role within the story it is set in. Consider what colors best suit the character, for example, a character with red as its dominant color may symbolize it as passionate and defiant.

The character’s personality can also be explored through hues and saturation. A character with pale makeup may imply that it is reserved and serious.

Some characters are designed with multiple colors, so it is important to also consider the balance of warm and cool colors.

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Research

CONCEPT OF SELF-IMAGE What is Self-Image?

Self-image is defined as your own conception of the sort of person you are. It is the foundation stone of your whole personality, which has been built over past experiences and the way other people react to you, and is something that continues to change throughout your life. You develop a picture of yourself which you believe is true and act as if it is true, but may be false.

All your actions and emotions are consistent with your self-image, so you will act like the sort of person you think you are. For example, if you think you are the “failure type” you will have the mindset of a failure, and you will find a way to fail, no matter how hard you try to succeed. A high school girl who thinks she is unattractive to boys will find a way to prove her self-image is accurate. If she is told she has pretty eyes, she will tell herself that her nose is too big.

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The Four Types •

How you see yourself This type explains how you see yourself physically and emotionally. You consider your physical attributes and your general disposition. You may think of yourself as physically thin and weak, but generally calm and optimistic.

•

How others see you This type explores how people around you, whether they know you or not, see you. Someone who barely knows you may see you differently than someone who knows you on personal level. One may find you scary looking and irrational, while someone else thinks of you as serious and reliable.

•

How you interpret others’ perceptions This depends on the person, but what you believe others think of you may be exactly how you think of yourself. It may just be slightly similar or entirely different. You may downgrade yourself, but think others perceive you as someone admirable.

•

How you perceive yourself This is not necessarily how you see yourself. This mainly explores what you want to be, and who you aspire to be. It may be close to what you already think of yourself, or it may be the exact opposite.

You may think of yourself as shy and introverted, but want to perceive yourself as fun and outgoing.

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Research

PROJECT PROCEDURE Objective The goal of this project is to explore the mental perceptions of oneself versus the point of view of another person through 2D character design, as well as observe how the type of relationship between the participants influences the design choices they generate for their characters.

This project can showcase how character design can be utilized to gain a better understanding on the concept of self-image, and also presents an opportunity to examine visual elements of effective character design.

The participants are divided into two categories: The primary subjects, who will be receiving two characters — one is based on their own perspective, and the other is from the point of view of another person. The secondary subjects are the people involved in generating the second character for the primary subjects.

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Process •

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•

•

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Interview & Research After selecting all my participants, I will conduct a short interview that covers how they think their characters should be designed, as well as research certain physical qualities about their characters, such as specific outfits, and study references for future progress.

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Outline & Silhouette After establishing the physical attributes that make up their character’s personality, the next step is to assemble everything to construct the character and generate an outline. I will also create a silhouette for each character.

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Colored Variations Two colored variations will be provided for each character. Most participants have already determined the color palette for their characters, however, variants are necessary in order to present different options regarding different hues and shades, as well as color placement.

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Final Design The last step is to finalize the design of the character, such as making minor revisions or adding last minute details. I will also display the character’s final color palette.

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Reaction & Comparison After designing the two characters for each primary subject, I will record the reactions of both participants regarding their thoughts on both characters, as well as compare and contrast the choices they made to create their characters.

Rough Sketches The next step is to conceptualize the character’s overall design. The goal of these sketches is to narrow down ideas to one main concept.

I will present the sketches to the participant and they will decide which design they want to proceed with.

Facial Expressions After the participant chooses their rough design, I will proceed with drawing various facial expressions, and have them decide which one best portrays their character’s disposition.

Body posture Along with facial expressions, I will generate different poses for their character, and have them select the one that best suits their character and personality.

Research

Example (Final Design)

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SECTION TWO:

DOCUMENTATION

PRIMARY SUBJECT Thiara Galdamez Age: 19 Thiara is a young adult who currently works in retail.

She is the oldest child in her immediate family, and considers herself to be a hardworking person who cares about the well-being of others. She likes to experiment with hair products and make-up.

In her spare time she enjoys hanging out with her friends and co-workers.

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Documentation

INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be your gender?

I would be female.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see yourself as?

I would be a goddess who takes care of others and wants what’s best for everyone around me.

3. As a character, how would you describe your face/body shape & anatomy?

I would be short, but not too thick. My face would be clear and slim, with dimples on both cheeks.

I would also have small hands, wide hips, and an ample bottom.

4. Describe your character’s apparel and/or accessories.

I would have white medium-sized wings, and a crown to symbolize me as a goddess. I would wear a pink cardigan with red little hearts on it, black jeans, and vans sneakers that are black with little daisy flowers.

5. Describe your character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

My hair would be reddish burgundy, my eyes would be a light brown, and my body would be a tannish yellow.

6. What feeling/emotion best describes you?

I’m usually happy and enthusiastic. I’m also very shy but will open up when I feel more comfortable.

7. What personality traits best describes you?

I’m a very hard worker who is also very caring and loving.

8. What art style would best suit your character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

I would say semi-realistic.

9. Other traits that fits your character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

My make-up would include a brown smokey eyeshadow with a small length wing eyeliner, and glossy dark cherry lipstick. My wavy hair would be let down — medium length an inch passed my shoulder with curtain bangs.

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ROUGH SKETCHES

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Documentation

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FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

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Documentation

BODY POSES

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OUTLINE & SILHOUETTE

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Documentation

COLOR VARIATIONS

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FINAL DESIGN

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Documentation

REACTIONS Thiara “Wow, I’m completely speechless! This is so captivating and stunning! I love everything about my character — you have definitely exceeded my expectations. You have included everything I asked for in my design. My face and body position expresses my kind and caring personality. I appreciate the attention to detail on my crown, cardigan, and shoes. Even the coloring is flawless — I absolutely love my red hair!

I wouldn’t change a single thing”.

Adriana “This character looks so pretty! I think it really looks like my sister. I like her wings, red hair, and pink shirt. I think she should have a rainbow somewhere, like her eyes or maybe rainbow wings. I like how she looks happy too”.

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SECONDARY SUBJECT Adriana Merino Age: 6 Relation: Younger Half-Sister Adriana is Thiara’s half-sibling, and also the youngest child in her family. She is a young girl in kindergarten who enjoys learning new things and playing with her classmates. She admires her older sister and enjoys spending time with her.

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Documentation

INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be their gender?

She would be a girl.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see them as?

I think she’s an angel with big wings!

3. As a character, how would you describe their face/body shape & anatomy?

She’s not tall, but middle-size. She has a skinny and curvy body. Her stomach and hands are small, but she has big butt. She has a round head and big round eyes.

4. Describe their character’s apparel and/or accessories.

She wears a pink dress that’s just a little short, and she would wear sneakers. Her wings are a light pink color!

5. Describe their character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

She has rainbow hair and rainbow-colored eyes! Her skin is like her own skin color (tannish yellow).

6. What feeling/emotion best describes them?

She’s always happy!

7. What personality traits best describes them?

She’s very nice, sometimes playful, but she can be lazy at times because she likes to look at her phone a lot.

She takes care of me and looks after me.

8. What art style would best suit their character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

In-between semi-realistic and cartoony (is fine with either one) 9. Other traits that fits their character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

She has pink eyeshadow and her hair is up in a pony tail— not too long, just up to her back.

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ROUGH SKETCHES

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Documentation

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FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

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Documentation

BODY POSES

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OUTLINE & SILHOUETTE

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Documentation

COLOR VARIATIONS

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FINAL DESIGN

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Documentation

REACTIONS Thiara “This is so cute and pretty! I love how she’s postioned, looking really innocent. Her face is so adorable and her pink wings look so elegant. I had a feeling my sister would give me rainbow hair, but I didn’t think she’d give me rainbow eyes to go with it. I usually wouldn’t wear a dress, but at least she gave me black pants to go with it. I think it’s so sweet that she thinks of me as an angel, and I’m really happy with how it looks!

I’m mainly glad she decided to make me look pretty instead of something hideous”.

Adriana “Wow! She looks so pretty and beautiful! I love this angel and I especially love the rainbow! I like how she’s smiling and I also like her pink dress and wings. I like my angel better than my sister’s character”.

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Documentation

COMPARISON Regarding physical similarities, although one character is a goddess and the other is an angel, they both have wings. Based on the expressions, both characters appear content and happy, so it appears that both Thiara and Adriana had the same opinion on Thiara’s disposition as someone who is relatively happy.

Other similarities include heavy usage of the color pink, as well as the skin color. Given that Adriana is a young girl, her view on her older half-sibling is very admirable, innocent, and playful, as she views her as a rainbow-colored angel. On the other hand, Thiara’s character has a more limited color palette and subtle tones, which results in making her character seem more calm and mature.

Adriana’s version is obviously more imaginative, whereas Thiara’s is slightly more realistic as she had wanted to incorporate her own skin, hair, and eye color, as well as her height. Even the body position of both characters clearly shows a difference in maturity from both points of view. The angel is sitting in a content and playful manner, whereas the goddess is standing upright and appears more refined and formal.

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PRIMARY SUBJECT Katherine Calderon Age: 23 Kat is a recent graduate of George Mason University, earning her degree in Graphic Design. She adores her family and is very knowledgeable about her Ecuadorian heritage. In her spare time, she enjoys watching anime and reading Japanese manga.

Her favorite color is green, and she loves to collect cute items.

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Documentation

INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be your gender?

I would see myself as a male.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see yourself as?

I would be a ninja elf with cute pointy ears.

3. As a character, how would you describe your face/body shape & anatomy?

I’m medium-size in height, with a toned body. My eyes are intimidating and not intimidating at the same time.

I’ll have a pointed nose and thin lips. My hands would be placed in my pockets, or my arms would be crossed.

4. Describe your character’s apparel and/or accessories.

I would have a night blue cloak with a hood, and a black long-sleeve body suit underneath. I would wear black combat boots and leather pants. Jewelry I’d wear will include one silver helloice pointed cone drop earring, a silver necklace with an ‘A’ initial, and three silver rings on one hand (index, middle, ring fingers).

5. Describe your character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

My skin color is just like my own, which is tan. My long hair would be a midnight blue or silver. I have two different colored eyes: One is pink and the other is a golden/hazel color.

6. What feeling/emotion best describes you?

I’m silent and serious. My emotions would be suppressed, so it’d be difficult to determine what mood I’m in.

7. What personality traits best describes you?

I’m mysterious, knowledgeable, highly intelligent, and kind. I avoid being the center of attention.

8. What art style would best suit your character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

Anime style!

9. Other traits that fits your character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

I would have one long braid set at the back or it could sit on the side, and my bangs won’t be too prominent.

My eyebrows are sharp-looking, and I would also have a neck tattoo with a cool design.

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ROUGH SKETCHES

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Documentation

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FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

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Documentation

BODY POSES

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OUTLINE & SILHOUETTE

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Documentation

COLOR VARIATIONS

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FINAL DESIGN

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Documentation

REACTIONS Kat “I am absolutely speechless! This character is perfect!

First of all, this whole process has been amazing to watch from beginning to end! Every concept to the colored versions have truly impressed me and I’m completely happy with the end result! I love the silver hair, and I think the dark color palette suits me pretty well! You’ve nailed his expression and body posture, and I love the tattoo design you gave him! You’ve really captured his serious and mysterious personality”.

Marc “Honestly, I really like this design! It’s interesting to see her perspective on what she thinks of herself as a character, and there are a couple similarities that she shares with my character, such as the gender, silver accessories, and the use of darker colors. I can’t believe she didn’t have the color green anywhere in her design, as that’s her favorite color. Her character’s personality is also different from mine - this version is so serious as opposed to mine who has a more brighter disposition. Regardless this came out really clean, and it looks amazing”!

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SECONDARY SUBJECT Marc Anthony Cuellar Age: 23 Relation: Friend/Former Colleague Marc is a recent graduate of George Mason University who acquired a degree in Graphic Design. He and Kat have been good friends for the past two years, even graduating together under the same program. Marc enjoys collecting various figures, as well as playing games, and connecting with his friends online.

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Documentation

INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be their gender?

She would be male.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see them as?

She’s an unofficial human prince who has not yet been recognized.

3. As a character, how would you describe their face/body shape & anatomy?

Her character is short, but fit with a toned body. She has handsome facial features, with a refined jawline, nice cheekbones, prominent chin, and dark lashes.

4. Describe their character’s apparel and/or accessories.

She would wear a large brown or black coat that goes past the waist but doesn’t completely align with the ankles, along with a light tan undershirt, a black belt, brown boots, and one silver earring. Beside her is a goofy pet monkey sidekick that carries around a crown keychain.

5. Describe their character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

Her eyes would be blue or green. The skin color would be the same as her own, and her hair would be black or brown, or a mix of both.

6. What feeling/emotion best describes them?

She displays a happy expression, but deep down she would be lonely and sad.

7. What personality traits best describes them?

Goofy, humorous, charming, outgoing, confident, optimistic, and fashionable.

8. What art style would best suit their character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

Ranging from anime to cartoony, but not super cartoony — her features are not exaggerated.

9. Other traits that fits their character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

The front hair is slick and parted, framing the prince’s face. She has scientist glasses that hang from the neck, and rings on both hands. She has bandages on the palm of one hand, leaving all her fingers exposed, and carries a bag/pouch.

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ROUGH SKETCHES

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Documentation

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FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

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Documentation

BODY POSES

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OUTLINE & SILHOUETTE

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Documentation

COLOR VARIATIONS

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FINAL DESIGN

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Documentation

REACTIONS Kat “Marc’s version of me is so interesting, I like it! I can’t believe we both asked for the same gender, and we even have a similar art style — goes to show he knows me pretty well. The character is really cute, and he gave me so many props. I can’t believe he gave me a monkey, though the monkey is cute too! I’m relieved he decided to make me handsome. I also love the hair and the eyes! This character is definitely more happier than my own, though I still prefer my own character”.

Marc “I love it! It reminds me of certain video games where you can choose your own life based on different personalities of yourself — that essentially you can be anyone in the whole world, and my character, along with Kat’s, are the variants. I agree with the character design as it’s how I pictured it in my head. It connects with the person it’s based on from the little pieces shown throughout the character. One thing I would add would be a small dagger, just because the person will have a weapon on hand in case of an attack, but aside from that, I wouldn’t change a thing”.

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COMPARISON One obvious similarity is the gender of both characters. Surprisingly, both participants thought of Kat’s character as male. Other physical similarities include the skin color, as both decided that Kat’s skin color should be her own, as well as the consistent use of the color black. The apparel of both characters are similar in some aspects, as both wear a long coat of some sort, with an undershirt, pants, bandages, and ankle-high boots. Both also have similar accessories, as they wear silver colored rings and earrings. Even the art style that they requested their characters to be drawn in are similar, as the design of both characters are inspired by Japanese anime.

Aside from the multiple similarities, there are a few differences regarding the context and personality of the characters. Kat’s ninja elf has a more serious demeanor as her mood is supposed to be hard to read, and her color palette is darker compared to Marc’s version, which seems more lighthearted.

Prince charming is more colorful and playful in comparison to the ninja’s solemn aura.

The ninja elf is expressionless and seems to enjoy solitude, whereas prince charming appears generally happy and optimistic and enjoys the company of others, given how he has a pet monkey. The style may be similar but personality wise, both characters are different. Marc views Kat as someone with an outgoing personality, whereas Kat views herself as someone who does not like to express herself much.

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PRIMARY SUBJECT Suprani Kaeota Age: 33 Suprani is a young woman who orignated from Thailand, and currently works as a cook at a Vietnamese restaurant. She’s very knowledgeable of various cultures, even having the ability to speak multiple languages. Her hobbies include cooking, cleaning, gardening, and shopping.

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INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be your gender?

I would be female.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see yourself as?

I would still be a human, but I would be like a model or an actor. I would basically be a celebrity.

3. As a character, how would you describe your face/body shape & anatomy?

I’m tall, thin, and curvy, with wide hips and a round bottom. I’ll have a thin face with, almond shaped eyes, and full lips.

4. Describe your character’s apparel and/or accessories.

I would wear bell bottom jeans, black high heels, and a black strapped tank top. Over that I would wear a white open shawl that reaches my stomach, and black high heels. I’ll have a silver watch, along with a diamond ring, necklace, and earrings.

5. Describe your character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

My skin color will match my own, which is like a dark or yellowish tan. I would have blonde hair and grey eyes.

6. What feeling/emotion best describes you?

I’m usually very happy and joyful.

7. What personality traits best describes you?

I’m humorous, thoughtful, reserved, and careful. I’m always aware of my surroundings. Although I do enjoy the finer things in life, I am caring and I’m always thinking of others.

8. What art style would best suit your character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

Semi-realistic.

9. Other traits that fits your character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

My makeup would be subtle and neutral. I would have pink eye shadow, black mascara and eyeliner, as well as extended eyelashes. My hair would be chest length, not tied up, and parted to the side with no prominent bangs. I would have a turtle tattoo along my inner arm, a tattoo of a rose placed on my chest.

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ROUGH SKETCHES

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Documentation

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FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

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Documentation

BODY POSES

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OUTLINE & SILHOUETTE

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Documentation

COLOR VARIATIONS

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FINAL DESIGN

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Documentation

REACTIONS Suprani “I think this character looks so nice! You’ve really captured that ‘model’ look I described for my design.

I love her appealing body and confident pose, as I think that expresses my personality perfectly. My favorite parts are the rose tattoo on my chest and my grey eyes. Overall, I just absolutely love how alluring my character looks”!

Shelley “I think her character looks really pretty, but I personally don’t think it embodies her, except for her bold charismatic pose and current body shape. It does capture her positive personality. I like how she added more tattoos, as that’s something my character shares with this one. There are some other physical elements I agree with, such as her skin color, and the variety of jewelry she’s wearing. I don’t really agree with the eye color, or her outfit (except the shoes). I would also recommend adding more shine or volume to her blonde hair”.

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SECONDARY SUBJECT Shelley Akamine Age: 22 Relation: Co-Worker Shelley is both a waitress and a back-up cook for the same Vietnamese restaurant that Suprani works at, in which the two have known each other for over five years. Shelley also attends a community college, working towards earning her degree in environmental science and ecology. She enjoys reading, traveling, hiking, and scuba diving.

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INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be their gender?

She would be female.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see them as?

She would be an anthropomorphic cheetah.

3. As a character, how would you describe their face/body shape & anatomy?

I would describe her as small to medium in height, as well as thin and curvy, with a toned body, a triangle shaped face, round cheeks, and a slightly big nose.

4. Describe their character’s apparel and/or accessories.

She would wear a sun straw hat, free flowing low-cut red flower dress, with a sling purse. She would also wear heels, a watch on one wrist, and silver bracelet on the other. She also wears a ring on her finger, along with a silver necklace and earrings.

5. Describe their character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

She has brown eyes, a yellow body with dark brown spots, brown hair with slight blond and red highlights, white paws (hands and feet), and black tips on her tail and ears.

6. What feeling/emotion best describes them?

I would describe her as content, stable, and relaxed.

7. What personality traits best describes them?

She is open, lively, wise, prepared, hardworking, sassy, funny, and refined.

8. What art style would best suit their character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

Not too realistic, can be cartoony.

9. Other traits that fits their character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

She would pose with one hand on her hip, while holding a glass of wine on the other hand. She has a star tattoo on her inner ankle. She also has dark pink lipstick and curled lashes, as well as shoulder length hair with loose end curls.

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REACTIONS Suprani “This looks so amazing! I can’t believe this is how my co-worker views me as a character! She looks so beautiful, and I love the attention to detail in everything, from the outfit to all the props. It’s hilarious to see me with a glass of wine — my co-worker knows me so well. I think this character captures my body shape, outfit, and personality so well. Although this is beautiful, I don’t understand why she described me as a cheetah. Aside from that though, this looks fantastic”.

Shelley “I totally love how this character came out! She’s really gorgeous! I love how you have her winking and holding her glass of wine, as it really captures her mature and classy personality. I also think you nailed the hair perfectly! Out of the two characters for Suprani, I think this one suits her the most. She’s thin and quick-paced like a cheetah, but she’s also very lady-like hence the dress and high-heels. I love the floral pattern design on her dress as well. She’s very beautiful, and well drawn out”!

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COMPARISON Regarding physical appearances, both characters differ greatly. One is a human model, and the other is an anthropomorphic cheetah. Suprani obviously has more realistic standards for her character’s design in comparison to Shelley’s version.

The model was designed in a semi-realistic style, sporting subtle tones, as well as containing a limited color palette. In comparison, Shelley’s cheetah is more colorful and vibrant, and designed in a semi-cartoony style. The apparel of both characters are different, with Suprani’s being simple, while Shelley’s is more lively.

The cheetah even has more props, with her sling purse straw hat, and glass of wine.

Even though there are obvious differences in the appearance of both characters, there are some similarities they share with their outfits, as both wear high heels and silver-colored jewelry. Both characters also feature a tattoo, although they are placed on different body parts. The similarities between the two characters are more apparent personality wise. Based on their facial expressions and body positions, both the cheetah and the model appear classy, mature, content and confident. It is safe to assume that both participants view Suprani as someone who is generally happy, fashionable, and outgoing.

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PRIMARY SUBJECT Zach Mansoor Age: 25 Zach is a young man with a talent and passion for English, games, and computer science. He considers himself an easy-going person who enjoys the simple things in life. He loves Pokemon, as well as spending quality time with his girlfriend. Another hobby he enjoys is playing games on his Nintendo Switch.

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INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be your gender?

I would be male.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see yourself as?

I think I would be an anthropomorphic red fox.

3. As a character, how would you describe your face/body shape & anatomy?

I would be tall and a little rough around the edges. I would also be thin and scrawny, but scrappy.

4. Describe your character’s apparel and/or accessories.

I would wear a light purple plain hoodie with no zipper, and a gold necklace with a locket. My character will not wear any pants or shoes.

5. Describe your character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

My fur color would be orange like a regular fox, and I would have thick brown eyebrows, round black framed spectacles, and light brown eyes. I don’t have any specific hairdo on top of my head.

6. What feeling/emotion best describes you?

I think I’m goofy and anxious.

7. What personality traits best describes you?

I’m a little mischievous and like to have fun. I’m also a little bit oblivious.

8. What art style would best suit your character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

Cartoony and relatively simple.

9. Other traits that fits your character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

I’m always smirky and I’d put my hands in my hoodie pockets.

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REACTIONS Zach “I really love how this character turned out! The style is reminiscent of some of my favorite art styles from other cartoons and games, while being visually distinct and holding its own identity. I think his features and posing demonstrate the coy and mischievous personality I described for the design.

The only change I would probably make to this design would be to remove the character’s bangs so his prominent eyebrows are on full display, but that’s just a personal preference and not a flaw in the design. Overall, I think this design reflects my character description perfectly”.

Emily “I love this version of my boyfriend’s character!

I think this represents him very well. Even though he has a very simple design, it actually works.

His outfit is simple, and he’s not even wearing pants or shoes, but I think this suits him well.

You have done a great job capturing his goofy and mischievous personality. To be honest, I think I prefer this character over my own version of him”.

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SECONDARY SUBJECT Emily Monseur Age: 23 Relation: Girlfriend Emily is Zach’s girlfriend, and they have been together for over four years. She is a student at George Mason University, working towards earning her degree in Graphic Design. She loves spending quality time with her family and her boyfriend. She also works part time at a bakery, in which she enjoys baking goods and decorating cakes, as well as communicating with her fellow co-workers.

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INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be their gender?

He would be male.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see them as?

I think of him as a parrot, as they are very smart creatures that possess a lot of talents. They are also good at mimicking sounds and people.

3. As a character, how would you describe their face/body shape & anatomy?

I would describe him as tall, with almond eyes, a round face, short black hair, and a rectangular body shape.

4. Describe their character’s apparel and/or accessories.

He would wear any type of hoodie, maybe light pink or beige. He has navy blue or black colored chinos or straight-legged pants with some type of sporty sneakers. He also plays a lot of video games so I would see him holding a Nintendo Switch.

5. Describe their character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

I would imagine him with bleached hair, maybe light pink or purple or even just black. He has green feathers, thick eyebrows, and dark brown eyes.

6. What feeling/emotion best describes them?

I would describe him as content, calm, compassionate, and secure.

7. What personality traits best describes them?

Aspiring, charming, creative, educated, fun-loving, good-natured, organized, self-critical, skillful, witty, and ambitious.

8. What art style would best suit their character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

Cartoony, he really likes Pokemon so that style or similar is what I imagine.

9. Other traits that fits their character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

He needs to have glasses (rounded with black frames).

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REACTIONS Zach “I think this character looks pretty cool. It was definitely interesting to see how my girlfriend views me as a character. I think she’s spot on with what I’d usually wear, and it captures my love for games as well.

I guess i would take out some elements of the design to make it slightly more simplistic, but the colors are nice. If I had to choose between this one and my own, I’d choose my own design because I think it better represents me”.

Emily “I really like this! I love the attention to detail you included such as the beak and feather colors. They truly replicate a conure! I also feel the sense of my partner’s personality in the expression and with the added elements like the Nintendo Switch, hoodie and specifically the glasses. I think preference-wise I would change how the character has pants and shoes. Since it’s a character, I realized that I prefer it to look less human and more animalistic and I think subtracting some elements could make it more to my preference”.

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COMPARISON It is interesting that both characters are anthropomorphic animals, but two completely different animals, as one is a fox and the other is a parrot. Other noticeable differences include the art style and the color palette. Zach’s fox is designed in a relatively simple manner as he appears ragged and lanky, and only sports a hoody, a gold locket, and glasses. On the other hand, Emily’s parrot has more detail added throughout his body, showcasing more clothing, and is even more colorful in comparison to Zach’s character.

The body positions are different as well, where Emily’s parrot sports a confident stance, compared to Zach’s fox who appears slightly awkward and displays a sense of discomfort with his tail tucked inbetween his legs.

In a general sense, both characters are simple in terms of apparel, as both feature a hoody and black rounded spectacles. Height is another similarity they share, as both are relatively thin and tall.

Both characters appear to be similar personality wise as well, as they seem calm and content, although the parrot seems more attentive and slightly more active compared to the relaxed nature of Zach’s fox. Given how long Emily and Zach have been together, and based on how she designed Zach’s character, Emily seems to view Zach as someone who is calm, fun, and self-critical. Zach’s view of himself is somewhat similiar, but he also shoes that he can be relaxed and goofy.

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PRIMARY SUBJECT Jazmin Wallace Age: 24 Jazmin is a young woman who is passionate about childhood development and education. She loves to keep herself busy — not staying in one place for too long. She loves to explore new places and meet new people. She absolutely loves food, and also enjoys watching cartoons.

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INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be your gender?

I would be female.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see yourself as?

I can see myself as a beautiful anthropomorphic hedgehog.

3. As a character, how would you describe your face/body shape & anatomy?

My face would be round, and my body shape would be curvy like an Instagram model. I would also be mid-size in height, with a round bottom, as well as decent-sized breasts.

4. Describe your character’s apparel and/or accessories.

I would wear a white crop top, with skinny dark blue jeans. I would also wear blue or black shoes, and wear a blue headband, as well as gold hoop earrings.

5. Describe your character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

My skin would be a light brown color. My long, wavy hair has ombre shades of brown. My eyes are dark blue, and I have long black eyelashes.

6. What feeling/emotion best describes you?

I’m generally happy, though sometimes I feel a little mischievous. I would be smiling with a bit of a smirk.

7. What personality traits best describes you?

I’m crazy, friendly, brutally honest, patient, really confident, and joyful.

8. What art style would best suit your character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

In-between semi-realistic and cartoony, maybe a mix of both. I like Sonic the Hedgehog, so a style like that or something similar.

9. Other traits that fits your character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

I could have my hair in a ponytail with any colored bow placed on top. I would also wear natural make-up, and I have a small black mole on my ring finger.

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REACTIONS Jazmin “I’m loving my character’s design! When you presented the color options to me, I almost went with the first one, then I changed my mind, and I’m glad I did. This is amazing! I love how you illustrated my hair the most! The whole process from the sketches up to this point was perfect. You definitely met all my expectations. I think my character’s expression and pose reflect my confident personality pretty well”.

Jessica “Wow! This is really gorgeous and I absolutely love the hair and the bow. I thought adding the color red in her bow and shoes was a nice touch as well. I like the assertive and positive attitude her character displays — I think that suits my daughter quite well. Although this character is really pretty, I think I prefer my character, because I think it suits her more in terms of her actual physical characteristics and personality.”

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SECONDARY SUBJECT Jessica Wallace Age: 50 Relation: Mother Jessica is Jazmin’s mother, as well as a military spouse.

For a long time she has worked as an housing agent, though now she stays at home. She enjoys shopping, as well as getting her hair and nails done. She also loves spending time with her daughter, such as traveling together, and going to various concerts.

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INTERVIEW Q&A 1. As a character, what would be their gender?

She would be female.

2. What kind of being (creature, species, race, etc.) do you see them as?

I would describe her as a cute and cuddly anthropomorphic bear.

3. As a character, how would you describe their face/body shape & anatomy?

She would definitely have a round face and a round body. She would be a little chubby, and medium-size in height.

4. Describe their character’s apparel and/or accessories.

I could see her in a cute top, with black leggings. She would also wear hoop earrings, and have one or multiple bows on her head, or a single headband.

5. Describe their character’s color palette (body, hair, eyes, etc.).

She would have a brown body and brown eyes. Her hair color is black.

6. What feeling/emotion best describes them?

I would describe her as tired and cranky.

7. What personality traits best describes them?

She’s very warm and friendly.

8. What art style would best suit their character (ex. Semi-realistic or cartoony)?

Close to cartoony, but really cute.

9. Other traits that fits their character (scars, make-up, hairstyle, etc.).

She would have natural makeup on her face. Her hair would be styled with box braids or she would have long wavy hair that’s simply left down.

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REACTIONS Jazmin “I think this character is so cute! I like how we both share the same bow and gold hoop earrings. I never imagined my mom would make me a bear though.

I absolutely love how you illustrated the braids! The outfit is really cute too, and I also like how you handled the natural make-up on the face. I don’t know why my mom decided to give me a pouty expression and I wish she would’ve made my body more appealing.

Even though I love how this came out, I still prefer my own character”.

Jessica “This is so cute! I think this came out amazing and you’ve done a great job of capturing my daughter’s moody personality. I also like the outfit she’s wearing too. I thought that was really clever of you to just use different shades of one color for the bear’s clothes.

You have also done an amazing job of drawing boxed braids. Everything from start to fiinsh has been perfect!

In my opinion, this character is the best representation of my daughter”.

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COMPARISON This set of characters feature two different anthropomorphic animals. Jazmin views herself as a hedgehog with a body similar to a human female, whereas her mother, Jessica, views her daughter as a cute and cuddly teddy bear.

Both characters are similar in that they are both designed in a style that is not semi-realistic, aswell as the use of the color brown for the skin or fur. The single bow featured on the head is another similarity both characters share.

A noticeable difference is the body shape of both characters, in which Jazmin views herself as someone with an appealing body, contrasting Jessica’s image of her daughter as someone round and slightly chubby, giving off a cute aura. Aside from the bow, the outfits of both characters differ as well, with Jazmin’s being slightly more revealing than Jessica’s.

Aside from displaying a calm disposition, the personality of both characters seem to contrast.

Jazmin’s hedgehog appears extremely confident, relaxed, and proud, whereas Jessica’s bear appears somewhat grumpy and tired, based on the body position and facial expressions. By taking those differences into consideration, it seems Jessica’s view of Jazmin is of someone who is constantly moody and puts up an attitude, contrasting Jazmin’s own view of herself as someone who is optimistic and happy.

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CONCLUSION

FINAL ANALYSIS Compare & Contrast How did the type of relation between the primary and secondary subjects influence the choices they made for their characters?

While working on this project, I realized that the choices the secondary subjects made on how they wanted their characters designed was determined by how well they knew their primary subjects, regardless of their relation to one another. It wasn’t necessarily about how they were connected, but by how well they know the person.

For some pairs, both sides chose similar personality traits, even though the physical characterisitcs differed. For example, Suprani and Shelley had me design characters who appeared very different from one another, but the disposition of both characters were similar, as both were elegant, mature, and classy.

Despite being co-workers, Shelley knew Suprani well enough as she was able to showcase her personality through her character.

There were cases where both sides had chosen similar physical characteristics, but opposing personalities.

For example, Kat and Marc have been friends for at least two years, but Marc had a different viewpoint on Kat’s personality, finding her to be humorous and generally optimistic, as opposed to Kat’s point of view, as being a serious and ‘hard-to-read’ individual. Even though the personalities differed, the physical features 138

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they chose, such as the gender, art style, and even the clothing were similar. Marc knew Kat well enough to know how she may have viewed herself physically, and took that into consideration when deciding on how he wanted to design his character representing her.

I also noticed that age differences in pairs can influence the design choices they make for their characters. For example, Thiara and Adriana are over ten years apart, so the way they think and how they view the world is different. Adriana is a young kindergartener, so she has a more innocent point of view, and a broader sense of imagination compared to her sister. As such, she views her older sister as a playmate and someone who is very vibrant, admirable, and colorful — hence the repetitve use of rainbows in her design. Thiara, on the other hand, is older and more mature, thus she has realisitc standards and specific details to her design.

Overall, it was very interesting and fun to see different points of view from people of various ages and backgrounds. I was surprised to see that all ten characters differed from one another — physically, every character was a different type of creature, and the art styles were also different for the most part.

Recording everyone’s reactions was also enjoyable.

Character Design & Psychology How was character design utilized to showcase the concept of self-image and better understand this aspect of cognitive psychology?

Through this project, the participants were able to express what they thought of themselves and how they would view themselves as a character. They were asked questions on physical appearances and their personalities, and I produced visuals that should have matched what they have mentally pictured.

By designing characters for all participants, I was able to explore at least three of the four types of self-image.

The obvious two being how one thinks of oneself and how others think of you. Five participants focused on how they viewed themselves — what they think they would look like, how they feel on a daily basis, and what inner qualities they possess. The other five focused on the primary subjects — their version on how they would physically appear, and how they viewed their disposition and personality traits. Some primary subjects focused on their ideal self — who or what they wanted to be.

On a final note, an important thing I learned through this experience is that it is crucial to enhance the consideration and understanding of not only the external, but also the internal aspects of a character.

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CITATIONS White, Tony, and Roy Disney. Animation from Pencils to Pixels: Classical Techniques for Digital Animators. Focal Press/Taylor & Francis Group, 2013.

Jones, Michael. “Character Design: What It Is and Why It’s Important.” Mograph Mentor, 24 June 2021, https://www.mographmentor.com/education/ character-design-what-it-is-and-why-its-important/.

Cantor, Jeremy, and Pepe Valencia. Inspired 3D Short Film Production. Premier Pr., 2004.

Huang, Cat, and Jordan McCracken-Foster.

“COLOR Palettes for Character Design in Procreate.” YouTube, uploaded by Art Prof: Create and Critique, 18 Feb. 2021, www.youtube.com/ watch?v=UmG9jC1gv2M&t=71s.

Lin, Catherine. “The Psychology of Self-Image Theory: How to Improve Your Self-Esteem and SelfConfidence.” Mental Health for Youth, 1 Aug. 2020, https://www.mentalhealthforyouth.com/articles/thepsychology-of-self-image-theory.

McDonnell, Mark. Mark McDonnell’s the Art & Feel of Making It Real: Gesture Drawing for the Animation and Entertainment Industry. Edited by Remi Sklar, Cre8tivemarks, 2008.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to all those who contributed to my project. Thank you so much for participating and working with me. Emily, thank you so much for giving me constructive feedback on my layout. Kat and Marc, I appreciate all the tips and information you two gave me that has helped me survive throughout this project.

I want to thank my family for their constant support, and encouraging me to see this project through to the end. I also want to thank Professor James Hicks for his advice and input throughout this entire process.

Finally, thank you dad, for taking time out of your busy schedule to edit the text, as well as put up with my whining and complaining.

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AN ALTERNATE IDENTITY EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES WITH CHARACTER DESIGN With character design, the possibilities are endless... you can be anything!

What would you be if you were a character? What kind of character would you be from the point of view of another person?

What would the similarities and differences be? A project that explores perspectives through character design — a total of ten participants of various backgrounds are given the task to visualize a character, and the goal is to design their characters that would best represent their vision. Five out of the ten participants will receive two characters each — one that depicts their own view as a character, and the second is from the point of view of another person. Developing characters is an enjoyable activity, but the process of creating characters can be very complex as there are multiple elements to consider.

This is also a great opportunity to discover effective techniques that are necessary to create a memorable character.