HeroMachine Character Portrait Creator

“Right” is relative, dog. We all have our own ways of thinking, that’s how art works. I just happened to introduce mine here.

This is a really nice design guide, thank you Suleman! I’m glad to see I do some things right (even if I don’t know the exact reasons, haha).

Heromachine 3: Design choices, starring Apatite

This is a little piece on how I personally make choices in character design, using my latest Heromachine thing, Apatite, as an example. I’m not a professional and these are only my uneducated opinions, but maybe they can help you as well?

Apatite is a very balanced design. I tried to use many different kinds of elements in her design so she didn’t feel overwhelmingly tied to one character archetype or design style. I will go over the different intended effects of the design and explain my reasoning for using them, as well as point out some examples of them in other character designs. Finally, I will make small adjustments to Apatite’s design to show I could further emphasize that particular effect. Here  is Apatite again, with her body in silhouette to emphasize the outfit and such.

Smooth, skintight elements

Effect: Implies overall mobility. Easier to animate and adjust. Additional elements will add complexity, in both good and bad.

Other examples: Spider-Man, super heroes in general, pro wrestlers, etc

Apatite examples: Her bodysuit shows that she can move when she needs to. If we wanted to further emphasize her mobility, we could simply take off all the other elements (e.g. boots) on top of the suit.

Elements pointing forward

Effect: Implies aggressiveness and stubbornness.

Other examples: Swords and guns, animal horns, some hairstyles (in anime, the delinquent’s pompadour), etc

Apatite examples: Her sword and ger gem are pointing forward, giving a slightly threatening impression. We can increase that by giving her an outrageous hairstyle.

Elements pointing backward 

Effect: Implies forward motion, aerodynamics and speed.

Other examples: The Flash’s lightning bolts, Quicksilver’s hair, this bicycle helmet, etc

Apatite examples: Her hair is hella aerodynamic, which should help if she needs to lunge forward with that rapier. Some gratuitous fins on her boots might help the speedy impression even more. Or look ridiculous.

Elements flowing freely and/or hanging off the body

Effect: Implies circular or changing motions and theatricality. Changes direction slightly more slowly than the rest of the body, very useful for emphasizing motion and showing the character’s previous direction.

Other examples: The flowing robes in wuxia and kabuki, Doctor Strange, etc

Apatite examples: Her sleeves and poncho flow and look pretty dramatic. We can futher emphasize this effect by giving her a sash.

Elements that increase width

Effect: Implies weight and sturdiness.

Other examples: Most kinds of armor. In superhero comics: Juggernaut, Superman’s cape, etc

Apatite example: Arguably her beard. Her swashbuckling boots give her legs a little bit of weight, which emphasizes her grounding. Solid grounding is important for a fencer! Her poncho also emphasizes her shoulders, which gives an impression of physical strength. We can just go overboard with that and give her big epaulets and a cape, which also work with the swashbuckling style.

Elements that conceal the character’s body

Effect: Implies mystery, otherworldliness and focus the viewer on what little they see.

Other examples: Batman’s cape, all kinds of robes, wings, etc

Apatite examples: Maybe her poncho? Honestly, I didn’t use this much when designing her. However, we can introduce a large cloak, which she can throw off dramatically when she reveals herself.

There you have it! I hope this was entertaining and useful to you!

@ Cliff – Thank you so much for everything in your review. I will try your suggestion on the lightning effect and see how that looks (in the morning after I get some much needed sleep!).

I would also like to add here that I feel each gallery I have been able to look at so far offers very unique art. Each one is like a breath of fresh air when I look at them because time and time again I catch myself thinking how wonderful it is to be able to see how each person expresses themselves. Cliff, you are a perfect example. Many of your art works are truly unique and amazing and I can tell you (and others here) that I have seen a lot of awesome art that I’m not sure I would have ever thought of making. So thank you for that!

@ ams – Thank you kindly for the advice. I get what your saying about each pic brings out lessons learned, very true. Thank you also for the link. I was able to read that about a week ago and I think I have one completed character with a little dynamic posing to him. I just started a second one this evening, but have a ways to go on finishing it.

It was the ‘Articulated Man’ thread where I saw your ‘name’ and eventually started looking into your thread not too long ago. There are a LOT of pictures to go through in there (all of them AMAZING so far). I’ll be posting there soon when I get through them all.

Time for sleep!

All great concepts so far!  Don’t worry about the little things.  Every pic will bring out lessons learned and something new.

Recommend you read this article for posing

ARTICULATED MAN by Sean David Ross

Helps with some basics.  Looking forward to what ou post next!

Cheers!

Tiberius
Can I say you sound like a kewl and yet anoying guy?
First off your incredibly humble “still have a lot to learn here with all the ‘tricks’ and neat things that are possible to do with the HM, so be patient with me.”
yeah right. Whatever .

“I used to draw a lot when I was younger”
Very kewl. I did too.

“have been tested with ‘perfect’ color vision”
And here I am legally blind *sigh*

” like to play tabletop RPG’s. There will be some from the Pathfinder game and eventually many that will be for use with a superhero RPG we will soon be trying out.”
I love RPGs
Just recently started playing Pathfinder about a month ago. You might have seen Aulos my Fawn Bard in Cliff’s Eclectic Mayhem.
I have played Marvel, Mayfair’s DC, and several other super hero ROGS over the years.

An  the biggest reason I want to kick ya in the gentiles, one moneth and you creations are EXCELLENT. I mean great costume design,  emblem, color, already doing advanced pose and shading.
I have been doing this for … crap 6 years, and ya already way passed me.

I’d hate ya if I didn’t like ya already. 🙂

“Half-Elf Cleric/Paladin of Sarenrae from our Pathfinder game, Vitas.”
Friggin’ beautiful

Same with Thonn, friggin beautiful

Hailia. Great costume,and love the shadow hound particularly the head.

Lil’ Vinny. Love the use of the shades, muschem cigar, chin stubble  skinny body, the untucked shirt, thin arms with forearm hair, the  no dout FAKE Rolex, baggy slacks, dress shoes … then the sad pitiful attempt to be a tough cowboy with a cowboy hat, duster without sleeves (he should know to cover those pittiful arms), and glaves. He has a totally weasel-ly city guy trying to be bowboy look. The simple circle background red desert sand and orage sunset is so effective.

Bolt. He’s pretty awesome as your others. Very dynamic as a Speedster should be.
The lightnning belt and legs are inspired, gets color and effect. I like the shirt cause … well I like men’s chest LOL 😀
I have MINOR nitpics. you might use a mouth with a darker top lip that bottom. and you miight make the lightning thinner, by takeing the outlinme and shifting it to 0 so it would be invisable.

All in All, Superb … and I hate you for it.  🙂

Melmo
You have such kewl art.

Some of my faves are:
Subsonic costume and backstory

Mermazons fron CDC- Public Domain Aquatic
which actually my VERY Fave!!!
Great costume adn details and background.

Congrats Melmo for your Gothic Sugar Skull win!
I’m not the least surprised.
I had showed my wife the entries and she liked yours out of all of them.
Well deserved.

@Tiberius
Thanks again for your gracious comments, I am honored.
1. Thank, Rocketship Luna was fun.
2. ‘That Asian background is in Background/Cityscapes, a retangle gradiant for the sky, and some clouds
3. Knowing Justin McKinney  made you happier and being you favorite is probably the best compliment you could give me and him. 😀
4. I honestly like him best without fangs. I think the glowing eyes and bloody mouth gets the point across. LOL
–Yeah I love Justin Case character. Torn clothing is in Tops/Zombie
–Yeah, metal and armor are not my faves. I havent got down metal shading yet, Better with flesh. But I was please with Thor. glad you were too.
.
@Vengeance
“Wow making up for lost time??”
Yes actually 🙂

Glad you liked Spyman, so even though he didn’t make it to the Pop Quiz he wasn’t totally useless.

Thanks. Justin Case is a fave of mine.
Which shirt did you like best?
Open red plaid or torn blue?

Wow, that is freaky! Really nice job on those teeth. I’m liking the complex patterns on the top of the skull as well.