Designing Interesting, Memorable, and Purposeful Characters

By combining silhouette and clothing, character designs become timeless. This is what makes anime characters like Sailor Moon, Guts (Berserk), and Lelouch (Code Geass) instantly recognizable. Their entire presence is captured in just a few key shapes and clothing elements.

Love breaking down what makes anime and manga characters unforgettable?  Same.  It’s one of the things that drew me to drawing manga (get it?  Good pun right?).

If you’re into this kind of thing, I share a lot of my own creative process—including character sketches, design breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes peeks at my manga and webcomics—over in The Otter Mage Designs Adventurer’s Guild on Patreon. It’s where I post exclusive content, throw out wild ideas, and let Patrons vote on what I work on next. Sometimes it’s art, sometimes it’s just me rambling about why certain character designs slap. I’ve been a bit bogged down with life lately, so it’s mostly descriptive at the moment, but still insightful. Once my schedule loosens a bit, I’ll be able to do more, and your support helps with that.

If that sounds like your kind of thing, you can check it out for as little as $2 a month. No pressure. Just vibes and cool art.