Narrative Illustration - Early Character Deveolpment.

From children's, animals or adult books, the characters are at the heart of the story and it is important that they are portrayed in a way that is both unique and interesting. Another factor to consider when designing the characters is the personality types. Who are they? What are their motives? Likes, dislikes? Rich, poor? Happy, grumpy? Positive, negative? Hero or antagonist? All of these factors need to be identified and incorporated into the characters in question.

Each trait identified can be portrayed into the character design, by using a variety of line qualities as well as colour and tone. If the character is quite round, then the line quality will be curved and bold. Where as a thinner character might have straighter, thinner lines with a more defined edge.



Concept art for a thin, curious character Proog, from Elephants Dream
https://orange.blender.org/blog/character-design/

Exaggerating certain features can also help to emphasize the characters personality. Large, soulful eyes might indicate a gentle soul. A long pointed nose could be an indication of someone who is curious about matters that do not concern them, a 'nosey neighbor'. Small, beady eyes gives the impression of a mistrustful character or someone who is hiding a secret and being evasive. All these quirks can go a long way to communicating the characters personality and help the reader to relate more to them.

Facial expressions too can help the reader to identify the characters personality as the face is the first feature the readers eyes are drawn too, everything else about the character simply reinforces what the reader assumes about the character in that first look.

Other factors, such as colour and tone can also help to indicate an aspect of the characters personality. Dark or dirty colours giving an unkempt appearance could suggest someone who doesn't wash or doesn't have the facilities with which to wash. So this could be personal choice (because the character doesn't care about personal hygiene) or lack of a choice (the character is poor and has no access to bathroom facilities). To help determine which is actually true, the reader needs other cues, such as whether they are happy or sad about their situation? Where they live? So to avoid confusing the reader and to ensure that the character is represented the correct way, the illustrator needs to consider many factors about the characters personality present within the narrative text of the book they are working from.

This is the reason the first thing I done once reading Animal Farm, was to research each of the characters, their personalities, what/who they represent and the symbolic meaning of their actions.



This is one of the first concept pieces I done for the character Napoleon. The two pictures have been done with different line qualities. The one on the left has been done with a much bolder line and I feel this represents his larger frame better than the picture on the right, which has been done with a much finer mark.

Napoleon is one of the main characters from Animal Farm. He is the one who assumes leadership of the farm after his trained dogs chase Snowball away. From that moment on, Napoleon evolves into a much more ruthless character as he selfishly hordes food for himself and those other pigs supporting his regime, while the other animals (who he considers second class) are starved and worked to the point of death. He goes from being a selfish pig, to emulating human behavior and privilege.

I have tried to capture his subversive nature in the way he is looking out from small eyes, narrowed by a brow lowered in suspicion since he is very mistrustful of others. The moisture on his snout is there as an undesirable feature, to make him repulsive. Another repugnant gesture is the pose itself. He is seated like a human would be, with his left front trotter (or hand) hidden by his hind leg, towards his genitals which are on show just below.

Over-all I am pleased with how this has turned out but I feel more development is needed for this complex character and I will continue to experiment until Napoleon is fully realized.