21-Draw-Illustrators-Guidebook-vol-2-ebook-(2021)

with the overall scene. I do not get too
detailed, just fleshing out their expressions,
poses, and rough ideas of the costumes.
For my ghost character, I aim for
that spooky fun vibe! He should feel
intimidating and a bit creepy but not so
much that it breaks the overall tone of
the piece. By exaggerating and almost
caricaturing his performance, I think he fits
right in. I also try a female version of the
ghost, but I prefer the original male for one
reason—his top hat! It floats above his head
adding an ethereal comical feel.
I really push his design so the swoop of
his form leads the eye into the image and
toward the kids. Inspired by one of the
illustrations on my mood board, I try an
upside down view of him greeting the kids.
While I like it, it is a little distracting so I
decide to keep his pose straightforward.
Now I have four variations of my original
thumbnail concept with more fully
developed characters. These designs help
me see what’s working and what’s not. I
prefer the first one in terms of character
layout and posing—all the characters work
well together and the design is clear and
balanced.
LESSON 4: PLAN YOUR CHARACTERS
Pick your favorite thumbnail, then draw over
it to start planning character performances.
What is each character doing and how
does that relate to the overall story being
told? How does each character react to the
circumstance based on the character’s own
unique personality and mood? Finally, how
can you pose and group your characters
so that they work with and not against the
composition?
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