Exploring character art and design principles

In this section, we’ll examine character art and design principles. Having a good grasp of ZBrush’s tools and being proficient in their use is great, but for many users, who sculpt characters and creatures for entertainment and collectibles industries, this is not enough. As a digital sculptor and modeler, you need to know what makes a great, convincing 3D character – and why. Understanding design principles will help improve the quality of any asset.

It should be stated that unlike learning how to use software, developing a good sense of design takes time, and results do not show as fast. The good news, however, is that it can be learned and improved just like any other skill. Analyzing successful designs and testing your designs, along with receiving feedback from others, are key ingredients to becoming a more proficient artist and designer.

Let’s examine a few of the most important design principles...