Creating Characters with Personality: For Film, TV, Animation, Video Games, and Graphic Novels Reviews

• Really Shocked By This Book!

  
  By A2C6RAP9L2NULK on 2006-05-14
  I've been a professional Illustrator for 4 years now, and before then an avid student of art. But during all that time, I've bought piles and piles of "How To Draw" books, namely by Christopher Hart. I was in the book store one day and saw this one and almost just bi-passed it as just another amaturise attempt at trying to make a "How to Draw Cartoon" book, the cover being the main turn-off.
  
  In my 8+ years of buying these types of books, this is the first time I was simply astonished by what they were presenting; MOVEMENT!
  
  It is rare that anyone write's these books with any mention on how an artist can try to achieve a sense of force and movement, and that is why I so highly recommend this book. The incoporation of how to apply the knowledge to comic book work was also great, not to mention the fact that Tom Bancroft also had the "Assignements" in the book which gives you a real look into what can go into creating charachters.
  
  From novice to seasoned professional, this truley is a great book!
  
  

• This is the best book you'll find on understanding how character design works.

  
  By ADC73M9INSV79 on 2006-10-13
  "I'm stumped, all my characters come out looking the same! What am I missing?"
  
  "I'm drawing the same character as Seth, but his pictures are coming out better than mine. Why?"
  
  "Ok, there's been a change of plans and our target audience is no longer going to be for kids in kindergarten but now 11 to 14 year old boys."
  
  "Ok, the client is for a Honda dealership that primarily serves the Mexican market and we need a superhero mascot that appeals to these customers but doesn't turn off the other people who would be buying cars from them."
  
  If you're researching this book chances are that you've already got some experience reading art and animation how-to books or know somebody who has. There are many books on cartooning and animation but there has been a frustrating lack of material that really digs into the meat of the creative process behind character design. Most books fall into categories that either narrowly focus on concept art from specific productions, or they discuss all facets of animation and cartooning and relegate character design to a single chapter and / or style. This book recognizes that educational void and happily is helmed by a man who not only can draw, but can explain the REASONS behind the stylistic choices employed by the best designers out there.
  
  The REASONING is an important point that cannot be stressed highly enough and is what pushes this book beyond just another how-to-draw endeavor and becomes something that should be mandatory study material for anyone involved in the character creation process, from cartoonists, animators, sculptors, and 3D modelers, to storytellers, marketers, and producers. Tom Bancroft explains the esthetics of design appeal and allows you to better understand how your choices affect the audience's psychological response to the character's look. Going further you'll learn how to take that design awareness and modify your efforts to fit a wide range of stylistic applications so that your romanticly-loveable-yet-monstrous-and-scary frankenstein character can be drawn for an action-drama scenario or a slapstick-sendup. You'll still have to figure out for yourself however what the boss means when he asks for you to make your work "more hip and edgy!".
  
  This book is filled to the brim with excellent and inspiring artwork and text which is both easy to comprehend and is satisfyingly complete. When you're finished going over this book I guarantee you'll either have learned something useful or you'll be applauding Bancroft for finally delivering the goods on a topic so many of us love but haven't seen explored to this extent outside of the studio or classroom.
  
  Bravo, Tom, and thank you!
  
  

• Not your average "How To Draw" book!!

  
  By A1MBQHWOSGL2DY on 2006-01-31
  I got a chance to peruse a pre-release copy of this book and I really liked what I saw.
  Tom is a former Disney animator and does a great job of breaking down the elements of good character design. What I really like about his book is that it isn't merely a "How to draw like me" book. He teaches principles that anybody can put to use in their own style.
  Not only did he ask Rob Corley to write a chapter (his business partner), but he asked several guest artists to submit their interpretations of the same character. Among the guests are Peter deSeve, Mark Henn, Bill Amend and Jack Davis... yes, the Jack Davis. A very diverse collection of styles, yet with one thing in common: they create excellent designs brimming with personality and attitude.
  Tom's point in the book is that good character design, regardless of style, comes down to clarity, appeal and knowing your character inside and out.
  (Oh, and Glen Keane wrote the forward for some more words of inspiration!)
  
  

• This Book has Great Character!

  
  By A30799GLPU9A8 on 2006-02-02
  I was happy to find that this book included every aspect of character design that I needed. Throughout the book, Tom offers assignments for the reader to keep up with the progression. This book is a must for any artist dealing with characters; from web animation to comics, to feature films. Definitely a worthy buy, and I can't wait to see his next book!
  
  

• great great book!!!!

  
  By A1UKGA088QFM4Q on 2006-02-03
  A great book and a great learning tool! I reconmend this book for pros and hackers alike. The examples are great and easy to understand and the book is a good read too! Simply a must for any cartoonist/artist in any field of illustration. A good companion with animation books like "Animate the Looney Tunes way" or the Preson Blair series on animation.
  
  
• Worth its weight in...Platinum.
  By A2PM7ARJUUHMNA on 2006-02-01
  I ordered this book before it was released and it is worth far more than the cover price. As an illustrator I have always struggled a little with character design, and this book filled the void. It has a good combination of pictures and text so both learning style are met. After you read this book, you will understand many of the principles and techniques to design characters. You won't work for Capcom tomorrow, but your art will look a lot better.
  
  
• ds
  By A12C13KJDKVY1L on 2006-03-22
  What a fun and exciting view of character creation. Excellent for ideas and a step-by-step process.
  
  
• Quite Good
  By A2LQ3Q6CFKY7UB on 2007-03-30
  Despite the poorly designed cover, this is an out standing book. My wife is a flash ad designer and knows nothing about character design, and was able to create a professional looking project with the help of this book.
  
  
• One of the best books on character design...
  By A36I5QI57MCF93 on 2007-06-10
  Tom Bancroft's "Creating Characters with Personality" provides a solid foundation for folks who are interested in creating and developing characters for sequential arts and animation. All the basics are explored here, with copious examples: simple shapes, line of action, appeal, etc.
  
  One thing that sets this book apart from the rest is how several examples of the process of character design are shown. The book reiterates several times that the first design isn't always the best - that one should continue to explore other design possibilities before settling on the final look and feel of a character. If you are interested in refining or creating your own character, I would recommend purchasing this book along with Ben Caldwell's Action! Cartooning and Fantasy Cartooning.
  
  While beginners can certainly appreciate this book, I think it's best suited for intermediate level artists who are looking to refine their technique. Highly recommended.
  
  
• Excellent tutorials and well-explained
  By A1KWUMCW2RJ2RE on 2006-11-10
  This book is amazing. It tells you how to create your characters from scratch. How to develop your character's personality by knowing the plot he's in, among other stuf... Really great.
  
  
• Hey Mom. I'm a character designer now.
  By A390B7P7SUK5JS on 2007-01-27
  This book has given me a new appreciation for the design process. Well, drawing period.
  To see you character on paper before you model is a great joy.
  I highly recommend this book to all character designers and aspiring ones.
  
  
• Excelent resource
  By A1VW8X9A5YX89U on 2006-07-24
  There are few books that tackle the art of character design. This book does so in an informative and fun way. This book addresses the most important part of any art and design which is the "process". It also hosts a few cameos from renowned illustrators who are practicing succesfully in the field. Well done. From another artist I am highly recomending this book..
  
  
• very useful
  By A1D2BZ0JF6N0RJ on 2006-09-01
  this is a very good book for all kind of characters you doing, it gives very good info. i refer to it often when creating characters.
  
  
• It's fun and easy!
  By A2MJL3GWB587IQ on 2007-06-11
  It's a fun book, with lots os useful information that will help you on creating or improving characters! I've already used some of the tips from the book and it really helped a lot!
  
  
• Fantastic Instruction, Great Artwork
  By ARVI6SN0JE07Q on 2007-05-03
  This book is a terrific view of the craft of character design from someone doing it for a living. It's a great insight to the process, and really assists with sparking creativity.
  
  It also shows various takes on the characters used as examples from working artists in various disciplines, and seeing the differences in how the characters are portrayed by each demonstrates the wide-open interpretation of a character's description and the limitless possibilities for variation.
  
  The exercises are well-designed and really assist with reinforcement of the concepts, and the artwork is really fun too. A great book overall. Highly recommended, not just for character design, but for insights into interpreting your own creative processes and exploring it more fully.
  
  
• Great book
  By A1OV6BXKZXUYL1 on 2007-08-12
  I have been looking for a book on character design since a long time since I am a student of animation. I saw this book in a bookstore and started flipping pages and seeing what kind of lessons it has. My first impression for this book was really great and after reading reviews I confirmed that my impression was not wrong. The book also has assignments in each chapter and this is the best way to learn. The book shows you different aspects of character design and how different rules like shape, size etc could effect the design. The best part is that author never limits you to any particular idea, he wants us to experiment more and more and what to go beyond what is in the book. This is highly appreciated. I highly recommend this book.
  
  
• Three thumbs up!
  By AFI4L6SBV6Z2Z on 2007-10-05
  A great useful book! The best way to learn and draw your own appealing characters!
  
  
• From 2 dementional to Too cool!
  By A3K01YK4QR8CUL on 2007-10-29
  This is a great book to take your drawings to the next step. I've been frustrated that my characters lacked that certain special 'something' to make them pop from regular ol' dry drawings to likable, engaging characters. This book illustrates simple examples of a line here, a curve there, to push it up a notch. I really enjoyed the suggestions, and this book has been very helpful. myspace/kris10cartoons
  
  
• Excellent value for money
  By A3LFEBK20070HU on 2007-11-02
  Nice book , a lot of ideas , examples. Very good choice for beginners. My students loved it.
  
  
• Make it come alive
  By A2BQD2HWZ3IOIH on 2008-03-01
  This a great book for the beginning character artist. I often have a hard time drawing cartoon characters but this book always helps me out. Covers everything from personality to color, from exaggerated to semi-realistic. Highly recommend!
  
  
• Great Book
  By A15I4Q5BQSY72Q on 2008-04-20
  I am a student studying animation, and I purchased this book for my character design class. I really love this book, it is quite usefull, and my two roommates reference it as well! One is an illustrator, and one is a video game designer. Useful to anyone and everyone...
  
  
• A great book for animators and cartoonists of all levels
  By A2PGHRW2GKOMOO on 2008-06-09
  As an aspiring cartoonist with my own cast of characters on my Captain Cockle website I found this book an excellent and yet simple guide to creating characters that leap out of the page. The inclusion of guest cartoonists, many of them very famous in their own fields, is a great idea and adds depth to the book. If you have a limited budget and are confused by the huge variety of "how to" books on cartooning, I would strongly recommend this one as an essential starting point.
  
  
• excellent resource for anyone wanting to improve character design skills!
  By A54HALCQX5JIY on 2008-08-23
  This book by Tom Bancroft was a very entertaining and helpful read. I am not a professional in the field of animation or illustration, but I am trying to learn how to improve my skills in the area of character design in hopes of moving into this field in the future. This book does an excellent job of covering all the different facets involved in designing and bringing to life a drawing with real personality. It teaches the basic principles needed to convey character types, emotion, and personality with many helpful examples.
  The two best "stand-out" features of the book to me are the guest artists who each come from a different field of "cartooning"; whether it be humorous cartooning, tv animation, comic books, or feature film animation, to name a few. It was very interesting and informative to read these professional's take on designing the same character, and to see how each artist approached it. The other "stand-out" feature was the progression of assignments given throughout the book. These really helped me get a feel for what a real assignment could actually be like for a character designer. They were very helpful in allowing me to think through the process of designing each character for the "script" provided in the assignments.
  All in all, my hat's off to Tom and company for a wonderful resource for aspiring professionals and hobby artists alike. Definitely a wonderful investment!
  
  
• Now I Know Why
  By A3LE5QO25D4AZL on 2008-08-25
  I've read several how to draw books. So far the the most instruction I've ever gotten was "do this, then do that." The books never explained why. This book explains why. The reason why you start out with simple shapes was probably the biggest "Oh yeah! OK!" moment for me and there were several other momnets.
  
  The book is very well narrated. I actually read through this like a story book, the first time. It is easy to follow and at the end of each chapter there are homework assignments to help you get going. The assignments are a little tough, so you are expected to know how to do a few things, but I haven't met a how to draw book that started with "This is how you draw a line."
  
  I personally love Anime and Manga and that is the style of art I try to emulate. With this book it doesn't matter what style of art you are trying to master, you will get help from this book.
  
  
• Creating Characters with Personality for film
  By A1SCW5D00EDJ21 on 2008-09-20
  This is a very light book on the subject of using cartoon techniques to inject personality into animated characters. The author's background in the Disney film animation studio made the book something less than I was looking for. I still found the Disney approach to character creation usefully laid out. That I was looking for the Pixar or Hayao Miyazaki's approach is irrelevant. This book is plenty of material for somebody doing light animation stories.
  
  

• Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators, Second Edition
• Prepare to Board! Creating Story and Characters for Animated Features and Shorts
• Cartoon Cool: How to Draw New Retro-Style Characters
• The Animator's Survival Kit
• Facial Expressions: A Visual Reference for Artists