Video games in 2021: Character designer

The designer designer, or character designer, is the one who will give form to the characters of a video game or an animated film.If he has to follow the indications of the artistic director and the game artist, which ensure the coherence of the graphics of the game, he must draw from his imagination and his knowledge to create a character with his own attitudes, expressions, clothes ... all that goescharacterize it.Joy, sadness, pain, astonishment, the whole palette of feelings is put to study from the moment the character may be led to express them in the game.The Character Designer studies the character from every angle and multiplies the drawings, on paper but also digitally, with 2D or 3D creation software.To do this, it is necessary to understand the intentions of the creator in order to identify the psychology of the character and to inscribe it in history.The designer of characters must therefore be a force for proposals, because by refining his perception of the character, he can open new perspectives whose production will seize.He can for example influence his capacities in the action phases.

Study business information: Bac +2 - Bac +5salaire gross monthly: from 2,200 to 3,200 € according to experience

An excellent pencil stroke and awakening senses

In a work, a character can be a human, but also an animal, a monster, an animated object, it all depends on what the scenario imposes.The character designer must therefore first have an excellent pencil stroke, but also a good knowledge of anatomy and color theory, an excellent sense of proportions and a culture that will allow him to do research, for example onthe history of costumes, or on fauna.His chimerical characters will also have to be based on characteristics making them credible.He must therefore constantly document himself and show real artistic, scientific, historical curiosity, etc..Like a fashion designer, he must have his senses on all occasions.

Depending on the importance of the production on which he works, the character designer will also be able to work on elements of the decor.

Les métiers du jeu vidéo en 2021 : Character designer

During his work, he will be in contact with the artistic direction, the manager of the Game Design, but also with 3D modelers, texture managers, or level designers.

Qualités requises

Acquis de fin d'études

Interview with Alejandro Diaz

Alejandro Diaz, a graduate of the MOPA school, is today production designer and director - Visual Development Artist.

Comment définiriez-vous le métier de Character Designer? Que faut-il aimer au préalable pour choisir cette voie?

The Character Designer is a person engaged in the preproduction of a project, to define the look of the characters from the scenario or a description on the part of the director.This work takes place in different stages and by iterations.It usually starts with rapid sketches, to explore several directions and define general aspects such as the language of forms and style.When this research begins to refine, the drawing can enter a little more in detail.You have to love drawing, scribble, sketch.Being able to explore many options and variations of a character quickly and, at the same time, manage to instill in him life with dynamic and clear poses and expressions.The drawing of a living model and a good knowledge of human anatomy are always a plus.Beyond the technical part, you must have a strong sensitivity and be able to put yourself in the position of the character, to imagine what he thinks and the reasons why he is as he is, which will make him credibleand real.

Pour donner corps à un personnage, il faut en connaître la psychologie. Comment s'opère ce travail?

The main idea is to show with the visual a wide range of character traits of the character.There is a very narrative side in the profession, since this drawing must be able to tell us by itself the message that the author wants to convey.There must be a coherence between the character's experience and his physical aspect, his way of dressing or standing in place.To express this consistency, the character designer uses visual tools such as the silhouette, posing or semiotics of forms, scale and proportions.

Qui sont les interlocuteurs du character designer dans le pipeline de production?

Once the first step of research is validated by the director, the Character Designer develops his character in more detail to give enough information to the modeler.The objective is to provide them with all the necessary materials so that the translation of this drawing, which is flat at the start, can be made in volumes, while keeping its personality, its charm and its spirit.At that time, "Character Sheets" and "Turnarounds" are developed, from which we can find the character seen from different angles and in different positions.This Character Sheet is very useful for animators, who also go through a development phase for animation.In this stage, the character designer also provides them with a "sheet expression", on which he draws the expressions of the face that the character will have in the film.These drawings serve as a reference for key poses later in the production.Finally, if necessary, some character designers can do color tests or "callluts" of materials, which serve as a reference to shading artists, who create shadows.


2021 guide for digital trades and schools

This sheet is extracted from the outside series "Guide 2021 of digital trades and schools" published by Video Magazine Available at your Newspaper Merchant at a price of € 6.50.Click on the cover to discover extracts from other professions.

infographiste 2D 3D, monteur vidéo, animateur">Les offres d'emploi infographiste 2D 3D, monteur vidéo, animateur