Illustration & Visual Narrative - Task 1 : Character Design

22.09.2025 - 19.10.2025 (Week 1 - Week 4)

Lim Jia Yu 0357873

Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Digital Marketing   l   Creative Media Design (Minor)

COM61304 Illustration & Visual Narrative (sec 05)

Task 1 (Character Design) 

---

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Lectures

2. Instructions

3. Task 1 

4. Feedbacks

5. Reflections

---

Lectures

Week 1

Lecture (24.9.2025) 

In the first week, our lecturer introduced the module and explained the assignments we will be working on throughout the 14 weeks. The briefing gave us a clear idea of what is required, including the expectations for our illustration and visualisation work. I learned about the structure of the course, the types of projects we will produce, and the skills we are expected to develop. This week mainly focused on understanding the overall journey, so that we can plan our time and efforts better. It feels like a starting point to prepare ourselves for both the creative and technical parts of the assignments ahead. 

Figure 1.1.1 : Module Briefing

Tutorial & Practical (23.9.2025)

Mr. Fitri explained the module information in more detail and guided us on what to expect. After that, he asked us to play The Bezier Game as a warm-up activity. The game was a fun way to practice using the pen tool and understanding curves, which are important for illustration work. It helped me get comfortable with the basics and realise how precision and control matter when creating digital drawings. 

Figure 1.2.1 : The Bezier Game 

 

Week 2

Lecture (1.10.2025)

Title - Character Design

A) Stylized Design

     - why stylized design makes character appealing ?

Figure 2.1.1 : Stylized Design

     1. Iconic

         - recognizable even in silhouette form

         - strong, clear shapes make them stand out

         - easy for audiences to identify instantly 

     2. Simplicity

         - clean design that is easy to read visually

         - helps viewers quickly understand character's role or personality

         - avoids overwhelming details, keeps focus on essentials

     3. Unique

         - distinct features make the character different from others

         - memorable and leaves a lasting impact

         - builds stronger connection with the audience

B) Principles of Character Design

Figure 2.2.1 : Principles of Character Design

     1. Shapes

         - form the foundation of a character's shilhouette

         - help character stay recognizable

         - different shapes convey personality

           a) circles - friendly, soft, approachable

           b) squares - strong, stable, reliable

           c) triangles - sharp, dynamic, dangerous     

Figure 2.2.2 : Shapes

     2. Colour

         - establish the basic roles of the characters

         - consistent palettes make designs cohesive and easy to remember

         - colour communicates mood, personality

           a) warm colours (red, orange, yellow) - energetic, passionate, bold

           b) cool colours (blue, green, purple) - calm, intelligent, mysterious

Figure 2.2.3 : Colour

     3. Emphasis & Contrast

         - emphasis guides viewer's eye to the most important parts of the design

         - contrast can be created with size, shape, colour, detail

Figure 2.2.4 : Emphasis & Contrast

     4. Harmony

         - all elements feel like they belong together

         - creates balance and unity, making the character visually pleasing

Figure 2.2.5 : Harmony

     5. Expressions & Poses

         - bring characters to life by showing personality and emotion

         - expressions (exp: happy, sad, angry, surprised) make them relatable

         - poses (exp: relaxed, confident, shy, aggressive) reinforce their traits and story role

Figure 2.2.6 : Expressions & Poses

Tutorial & Practical (30.9.2025)

# progress work shown in Task 1

We were tasked to create three original characters using a 10-prompt matrix with categories "Who", "Where", "Trait", and "Twist". By rolling a dice, I generated five random prompts, which made the idea process more playful and unexpected. After that, I searched for inspiration on Pinterest, Dribbble, and ArtStation or any other AI tools to visualize the personalities and styles of the characters. From the five prompts, I selected three favourites that I felt had strong potential for storytelling and visual appeal. Finally, I created thumbnail sketches for each character using simple geometric shapes such as circles, rectangles, and squares. Each character had three sketch variations, making a total of nine. This step helped me explore different poses, proportions, and silhouettes while keeping each character’s traits consistent.

Week 3

Lecture (8.10.2025)

Title - Chiaroscuro

A) What is Chiaroscuro ?

     - an Italian term meaning "light-dark"

     - using strong contrasts between light and shadow

     - to create depth and make flat images look three-dimensional and more realistic

     - "Tenebrism" 

        = dramatic form of chiaroscuro where only key parts (faces / hands) are lit, the rest is dark

     - "Low-key lighting" 

        = photography lighting style inspired by chiaroscuro, using deep shadows and minimal light for a dramatic effect

B) Positive vs Negative space

     Positive space : 

     - subject matter or object of interest in visual

     Negative space : 

     - filled space or background that surround subject matter or object of interest in visual

Figure 3.1.1 : Positive vs Negative Space

C) Purpose of Chiaroscuro

Figure 3.2.1 : Purpose of Chiaroscuro

D) Sample Chiaroscuro Paintings 

     - Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio used this to bring life and emotion to their paintings

Figure 3.3.1 : Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci, 1503-1506)

Figure 3.3.2 : The Calling Of St Matthew (Caravaggio, 1599-1600)

E) Sample Chiaroscuro Films

Video 3.1.1 : "Look How They Massacred My Boy"

Video 3.1.2 : "The God Father Part II"

Tutorial & Practical (7.10.2025)

# progress work shown in Task 1

Our tutor showed us how to create line art using the Pen Tool and how to clean up our artwork with the Shape Builder Tool. It was a really helpful session because I learned how to make my designs look cleaner and more professional by organising and refining the shapes properly.

Week 4

Lecture (15.10.2025)

Title - Perspective

A) Construct Perspectives

Figure 4.1.1 : Construct Perspectives

     1. One-point Perspective

         - one vanishing point on horizon line

         - all lines recede to that single point, giving a sense of depth

         - useful for frontal views

         - helps draw interiors, tunnels, paths that go straight into the distance

Figure 4.1.2 : One-point Perspective

     2. Two-point Perspective

         - two vanishing points on opposite sides of the horizon line

         - vertical lines stay straight, horizontal edges angle toward either point

         - more dynamic and realistic sense of space

         - great for architectural / street scenes

Figure 4.1.3 : Two-point Perspective

     3. Three-point Perspective

         - three vanishing points

         - two on the horizon (left & right) and one above / below

         - adds the effect of height / depth, depending on the third point's position

         - ideal for dramatic scenes or tall strictures, emphasising scale and realism

Figure 4.1.4 : Three-point Perspective

     4. Isometric Grid 

         - no vanishing points

         - lines remain parallel instead of converging

         - drawn using equal angles (usually 30°) to show depth

         - give a clean geometric look without realistic perspective distortion

         - used in game design, technical drawings, stylized art

Figure 4.1.5 : Isometric Grid

B) Dynamic Application

     - using perspective in a loose and creative way instead of strictly following one rule

     - perspective can be flexible to create a more dynamic illustration

     - exp: 

       mixes different perspectives (the spaceship & ground) to make the scene more exciting and energetic

       give a sense of motion, depth, drama

Figure 4.2.1 : Dynamic Application

Tutorial & Practical (14.10.2025)

# progress work shown in Task 1

We focused on adding colour and shading to our selected characters. I learned how colour choices can affect the character's mood and personality, and how shading helps to create form and realism. It was interesting to see how light and shadow can make a flat drawing look more dynamic and lively.

<back to top>

---

Instructions

---

Task 1 

Techniques Applied

Design Software 

Adobe illustrator

Exercise (1)

- concept-generation with prompts

- reference & moodboard planning

- thumbnail sketching with basic shapes

- pen tool (line art creation)

Exercise (2)

- digital colouring

- shading & highlighting

- layer management

- colour harmony

Exercise - (1) 3 Line Art Character Design

A) Research 

Step 1: 

implement 10 prompt matrix

Figure 5.1.1 : 10 Prompt Matrix

Step 2: 

generate 5 random prompts by rolling a dice

Figure 5.1.2 : Roll a Dice

Step 3: 

get inspiration on AI tool (Craiyon) (Magic Studio) (NightCafe)

Figure 5.1.3 : AI Sample Artwork

Step 4:

select 3 favourite prompts

1. A distinct scars doctor who made of stone is in a haunted mansion.

2. An agile witch who has dragon horns is in ice cave.

3. A flexible dog who glows in the dark is in the mars colony.

B) Mood Board

First character

Figure 5.2.1 : First Character

Second character

Figure 5.2.2 : Second Character

Third character

Figure 5.2.3 : Third Character

C) Sketches

Step 1:

create thumbnails

Figure 5.3.1 : Thumbnails

Step 2:

add details

Figure 5.3.2 : Details Added

Step 3:

select 1 favourite sketch from each prompts

Figure 5.3.3 : Favourite Sketches

Step 4:

refine sketches using AI tool (ChatGPT)

Figure 5.3.4 : Refine Sketches

Step 5:

line art (Adobe Illustrator)

Figure 5.3.5 : Line Art

D) Rationale

First character

Figure 5.4.1 : First Character

Second character

Figure 5.4.2 : Second Character

Third character

Figure 5.4.3 : Third Character

Exercise - (2) 3 Coloured Illustration

Step 1 

fill in colour

Figure 6.1.1 : Colour Filled

Step 2

add shadows

Figure 6.1.2 : Shadows Added

Step 3

add highlights

Figure 6.1.3 : Highlights Added

Final Character Design

Figure 7.1.1 : Final Character Design_First Character (Dr. Mortarstein)

Figure 7.1.2 : Final Character Design_Second Character (Aurelia Frosthorn)

Figure 7.1.3 : Final Character Design_Third Character (Nova Pup)

Submission Evidence

Figure 8.1.1 : Submission Evidence

<back to top>

---

Feedbacks

Week 1

-

Week 2

Generate 5 prompts. Then, choose 3 favourites to proceed with the sketching process.

Week 3

These 3 sketches from each prompt were approved. Proceed to the digitalisation stage.

Figure 9.1.1 : Approved Sketches

Week 4

The final artwork are all well done and ready for submission.

<back to top>

---

Reflections

What I enjoyed the most in Task 1 : Character Design was the entire process of transforming simple shapes into a fully designed character. Starting from the prompt matrix, gathering references, and sketching thumbnails helped me explore ideas more freely. I especially liked working in Adobe Illustrator because the Pen Tool and Shape Builder Tool allowed me to create clean and polished line art. Seeing my rough sketches slowly turn into a complete coloured character felt satisfying, and I enjoyed experimenting with colour choices, highlights, and shadows to make the illustration look more lively.

Although I am happy with my final outcome, there are several areas that I can improve. My character proportions at the early thumbnail stage can be more consistent, and some poses could be more dynamic. I also think I can push the shading further to slow clearer light direction and stronger depth. In addition, my colour harmony can be planned better so the character feels more balanced and visually appealing. With more practice, I believe I can improve my shape language, refine my line quality, and make my colour style more confident. 

Overall, through Task 1 : Character Design helped me understand the full workflow of character illustration from concept line art to colour, and it encouraged me to be more intentional in my design process.  

<back to top>

---

--> Press Link to (Task 2 : Composition Design)