Character Design Lab

Before they speak, a good character has already told you who they are.

About This Course

A character isn't just a drawing of a person. It's a set of decisions: shape, posture, expression, that tell you who they are before they say a word. This course is about making those decisions on purpose, not by accident.

What You'll Create

  • A folio of two fully designed characters, each shown from multiple angles.
  • One finished character selected for the end of term exhibition.
  • A written statement on the design decisions behind the character.

Course Details

Age Range
15-18
Term
Term 4
Schedule
Saturdays, 10:30am
Duration
10 weeks
Price
$480
Spots Available
7 of 8
Book Now

What You'll Learn

  • • You'll find out how silhouette alone can tell someone who a character is.
  • • You'll design personality into posture and expression.
  • • You'll use costume and props to tell a story, not just decorate.
  • • You'll learn why consistency across angles is harder than getting one good drawing.
  • • You'll learn to choose your strongest work instead of your favourite work.

The Support You'll Get

You won't be handed the answer. You'll be shown how to find it.

Your practitioner has spent years making their own work, and their own mistakes. In the studio they work alongside you: asking the right questions, pointing out options you hadn't seen, helping you push through the moment you get stuck. The ideas stay yours. The decisions stay yours. They're there so you're never finding the way through alone.

Week by Week

Week 1: What a character is, beyond how they look. Silhouette. Reading a character from shape alone.

Week 2: Personality first. Deciding who someone is before drawing them.

Week 3: Expression and posture. Showing feeling without words.

Week 4: Costume and props as storytelling, not decoration.

Week 5: Turnaround. Drawing one character from multiple angles.

Week 6: Designing a second, contrasting character.

Week 7: Putting two characters in the same scene together.

Week 8: Refining a final character design.

Week 9: Building a small portfolio of finished work.

Week 10: Exhibition. Public showing, families attend.

Every course ends with an exhibition

Celebrate what you created with the people and our community. Every term concludes with a presentation or exhibition of your work: a chance to share your process, your ideas, and what you've made.

Ready to start?