Character Design

So you want a job in the gaming industry. This is my guide to how to get one as a character designer, and an overview of the job as a whole. I will explain what this highly sought after job has to offer, from pay and amount of work available, to the work involved and where the job falls in the industry ladder (and if there is a possibility for advancement). There is a broad spectrum of work involved in character design, and a few different ways to break into the industry. A look at this job will give a nice overview of what the playing field looks like, and a good detailed look at what it 's like to be a character designer and what it takes to get there. First, let’s take a look at what character design is all about from a bird’s eye view. Designing a character is a very involved process, even though many characters you see in video games appear pretty simple. Designing a character entails everything from what your character looks like, their archetype, personality, history, and much more. One main aspect of being a character designer is artistry. A natural talent for art is a big plus when it comes to designing characters. Most people in this field spend a lot of time in drafting and animation classes when they are in school preparing for their job, because the visual aspect is a key part of what will be required of you. The more advanced the degree you get, the more likely you are to be a top designer. There is a range of education available, from single classes that take only weeks to complete, to two or four year video game animation institutions. The second main aspect of character design is writing. Storylines and conversations are the best way to get deep into a character and find out what they are all about. You kind of have to throw the saying "a picture 's worth a thousand words" out the window here. It would be best to have a strong background in writing here, and maybe minor in English. Moving on, usually at most video game

Bibliography: BOOKS Game Design: Second Edition, Bates Game Character Design Complete: Using 3ds Max 8 and Adobe Photoshop CS2, David Franson/Eric Thomas WEBSITES http://www.computerarts.co.uk/in_depth/features/20_character_design_tips http://www.adigitaldreamer.com/articles/video-game-character-artist.htm http://www.ehow.com/topic_2444_game-design-beginners.html http://gamedesign.wikicomplete.info/character-design