Creating an original character (or "OC" for short) is a unique experience for every artist. It can be difficult, time-consuming and at times even tedious, but can also be very rewarding. With each new character created comes a new experience along with them. Here are a few components of the creation process:
What's their name?
For a lot of creators, including myself this is the hardest part in creating a character. You might have their backstory, personality, appearance and relationships all sorted out, but the name can still easily elude you. You can't always just pick any random name either. It has to be perfect. It needs to suit them just right; no more, no less. I can't count the amount of times I've spent hours or even days that I spent looking for the perfect name on baby name sites, surname and given name sites for names from different cultures and looking up the meanings for those names. When you finally find that perfect name, it feels like a huge weight has been taking off your shoulders.
What do they look like?
This can cover body-type, ethnicity, clothing, hairstyle, eye and hair colors and so much more. The hard part for me is that I often already have a clear idea of what the character looks like in my head; but actually drawing them how they look in my head can be really tough. I've gone through countless experiences where I've designed a character in my head and when I drew them, they didn't quite look how I imagined them initially. Sometimes, they end up looking completely different. Other times, they look exactly the way I imagined them. Then there's the rare occurrence where they look even better drawn than the way I imagined them. To put it simply, drawing the character the way you imagine them can be pretty hit or miss. You either get it or you don't; And that's okay. You can always try again.
What's their role in the story?
If your story contains conflict, are they the protagonist or the antagonist? Ally or foe? Do they play a role that's important to the progression of the plot or are they just a side character? Are they a love interest? Comic relief? A neutral party? The list can go on and on. Figuring out a characters role in the story can be very challenging and can also require a lot of time and deep thought to finalize. Even when you think you already have their role figured out, it can change depending on how you alter the plot. I've been through too many periods where I've changed core elements of my story which either causes a character to lose their place in the main plot or results in me having to reconstruct them completely. This part of the creation process can get pretty tricky, so if I can, I like to write down things about the story that I might forget if I'm not careful.
What's THEIR story?
Here's where you can add as much depth to your character as your heart desires. Their background can potentially answer a lot of questions about the character themselves: Why do they act the way they act? What motivates them? Where did they come from? How does this influence their interactions with other characters? the possibilities are endless. This is probably my favorite part of making a character. It not only helps me flesh them out, but it's fun to think about their character development and how much they grow over the course of the story. If I'm sitting around with nothing to do, I'll usually brainstorm about ideas for my characters.
As an artist, I take a lot of pride in my original characters. Even creating new characters can be challenging, I still find it fun and very rewarding. The most joy I get from creating these characters is when someone is interested enough to ask me about them and their stories. I love talking about my characters with other people and would do it for hours if I was given the chance. (and if someone was willing to listen for that long of course) Even if no one's interested, I still love to draw and develop each and every one of my characters. If you're a creator of original content, I hope your characters bring you as much joy as mine bring me.
