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Rule

rules://36-character-design

Character design

A character that is only a correct figure is a mannequin in a costume. At 16–32 px identity comes from three things the viewer takes in before any face: the silhouette, how the head / torso / legs masses compare, and one or two strong elements. Decide those first; detail only decorates what the shape already says, and a generic outline cannot be rescued by shading.

6 pixel templates rules/36-character-design.md
On this page

Rules

#
  1. Write the brief before the first pixel. One line: role, personality, one strong element ("lazy, kind cowboy with a huge hat"). From it choose the dominant shape (rule 2) and a head count (rules://30-proportions-by-size).
  2. Shape language sets the first read. Circle = friendly, young, cute, safe. Square = sturdy, reliable, heavy, confident. Triangle = aggressive, sinister, fast, dangerous. Organic and irregular = natural, unpredictable. Apply it to the whole silhouette first, then echo it in hair, costume and props. A villain in a friendly game keeps triangles but rounds the vertices; keep one corner treatment across the cast. Templates design-shape-trio-24.
  3. Silhouette test before shading. Fill the sprite with one flat colour at 1×; can you name the character? Include hat, hair, weapon. For a roster, fill every sprite black and line them up: each must be identifiable. If not, change the shape; shading will not repair it (rules://03-silhouette-and-form).
  4. Three different masses. Give head, torso and legs one small, one medium and one large share (32 px: head 12, torso 8, legs 10). Never three equal steps. Push the contrast until it looks wrong, then back off one step.
  5. Straight against curve. On a limb or torso make one edge a clean straight run of 3+ px and the opposite edge a stepped curve. All-parallel or all-curved contours go to mush.
  6. Design the negative space. The 1–3 px holes between arm and torso, between legs, under a cape are part of the shape. Make them different sizes; never let an arm fuse with the torso.
  7. Vary features by size and spacing, not by adding detail. Three eyes-nose-mouth of one size evenly spaced is a generic face. Template design-face-variation-12. Change at most three axes between two characters at 16–32 px: overall head shape (round / square / long), hair silhouette, one accessory or colour.
  8. Differentiate a 16 px cast by height (±2 px), head share, a silhouette accessory (plume, pointed hat, horns), and one saturated hue each. Faces carry almost nothing at this size. Template design-cast-lineup-16.
  9. Archetype recipes (head count and shape): cute — head as wide as the body or wider, no neck, pear body, short tapering limbs; heavy — small head, barrel chest ≈ 50 % of height, small hips, short legs, long arms, big hands; tall-thin / screwball — long head, skinny neck, small pear body, thin legs, huge flat feet; goofy — head forward of the feet on an S spine, drooping arms, big feet, no chin. Template design-archetypes-24. If four of them are not distinguishable at 32 px, exaggerate the defining ratio.
  10. Head count as characterisation: child / imp 3–4; kid 5–6; commoner 6–7 with wide shoulders (≥ 2⅓ heads); ordinary adult 7½; hero / knight 8; elf, noble, villain 8½–9, narrow; brute 7–8 with shoulders 3 heads wide (the child, commoner and brute rows are extrapolated from Loomis).
  11. Danger vocabulary: snake and spider shapes, very long thin limbs, spikes and sharp complicated edges. Give every design one strong identifying element (a flat head, treads, a sword on the back). A ruined thing has a ruined silhouette.
  12. One detail level for the whole cast. Choose the eye style once — 1 px dot, 2×2 with highlight, or full eye — and use it for every character; an iconic mouse beside a realistic girl clashes.
  13. Colour: 2–3 colours per character, a main and a sub; 6–12 total at 16–32 px. Make the hair or one accessory the saturated accent against muted clothes. Warm = energetic or dangerous; cool = calm or mysterious; high saturation = young or heroic; low = aged (rules://20-color-for-pixel-art).
  14. Keep an anchor feature. Palette swaps, upgrades and costume changes keep one fixed group (a 3×2 hat, a red scarf, the hair shape) at the same position.
  15. Mirroring decides asymmetry. A sword hand, scar or parted fringe flips when W is made from E: design symmetrical accessories, or budget a separate W set (rules://37-views-and-directions).
  16. Design for animation. Ask what moves independently (weapon, cape, tail, hair) and draw it on its own layer; mock the resting pose first; avoid details that vanish in motion (rules://06-layers-and-rigging, rules://45-secondary-motion).
  17. Work in rounds. Blue-sky first: 6–10 tiny silhouettes at 16×16, pick, then polish. Redraw fresh instead of editing the same drawing; recombine the best parts; push the chosen design ≈ 10 % past comfortable, then pull back one step.
  18. State the intent: simulation (faithful), emotion (chibi, big eyes), function (an action silhouette that shows the weapon), or conservation (tiny and economical). Style is the set of choices you make about size, shape, colour, contrast and complexity.
  19. Costume carries personality. Baggy and high-collared = pensive; stripes and V-necks = studious; short and bright = outgoing. The same uniform on different bodies slumps, stretches and bulges differently; use that.
  20. Animals and monsters: pick one level on the scale realistic → simplified → cartoon → anthropomorphic and hold it. Caricature = 3–5 defining traits exaggerated (rules://50-quadrupeds, rules://54-monster-design).

By size

#
canvas what carries identity
8 Colour and hair shape; height ±1 px; no face.
16 Silhouette accessory, head share, one hue, height ±2 px; eyes 1×1 at most.
24 Costume blocks in 2 colours, hand held item, eyes 2×2; shape language visible in the overall outline.
32 Hair silhouette, armour pieces, facial suggestion, a held prop; negative spaces designed.
48–64 Costume folds, expression, materials; the risk is noise, so keep the shape rules and cut detail.

Templates

#
design-shape-trio-24 · 48×24
  • S silhouette
  • E accent-eye
Grid source
S = silhouette     #2b3a4a
E = accent-eye     #f2d16b
---
....SSSSSS...........SSSSSS.............SS......
...SSSSSSSS..........SSSSSS............SSSS.....
..SSSSSSSSSS.........EEEEEE...........SSSSSS....
..SSSSSSSSSS.........SSSSSS...........SESSES....
..SSESSSSESS.........SSSSSS.......S..SSSSSSSS..S
..SSESSSSESS....SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS..SSSSSSSSSSSSSS
..SSSSSSSSSS....SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...SSSSSSSSSSSS.
..SSSSSSSSSS....SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...SSSSSSSSSSSS.
...SSSSSSSS.....SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS....SSSSSSSSSS..
...SSSSSSSS.....SSS.SSSSSSSS.SSS....SSSSSSSSSS..
..SSSSSSSSSS....SSS.SSSSSSSS.SSS.....SSSSSSSS...
.SSSSSSSSSSSS...SSS.SSSSSSSS.SSS.....SSSSSSSS...
.SSSSSSSSSSSS...SSS.SSSSSSSS.SSS......SSSSSS....
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS..SSS.SSSSSSSS.SSS......SSSSSS....
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS..SSS.SSSSSSSS.SSS.......SSSS.....
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS..SSS.SSSSSSSS.SSS.......SSSS.....
.SSSSSSSSSSSS...SSS.SSS..SSS.SSS......SS..SS....
.SSSSSSSSSSSS...SSS.SSS..SSS.SSS......SS..SS....
..SSSSSSSSSS........SSS..SSS..........SS..SS....
...SSSSSSSS.........SSS..SSS..........SS..SS....
...SSS..SSS.........SSS..SSS..........SS..SS....
...SSS..SSS.........SSS..SSS..........SS..SS....
..SSSS..SSSS........SSS..SSS..........SS..SS....
..SSSS..SSSS.......SSSS..SSSS........SSS..SSS...

design-shape-trio-24 — flat silhouettes, 24 px tall, columns 0–13 / 16–31 / 34–47: circle (friendly: round head, round body, stub legs), square (sturdy: small block head with visor slit, wide block torso, arms apart from the body), triangle (menace: hooded point, inverted-triangle torso, spiked shoulders, thin legs). One colour for the body, a second only for eyes or visor.

design-archetypes-24 · 50×24
  • S silhouette
  • E accent-eye
Grid source
S = silhouette     #2b3a4a
E = accent-eye     #f2d16b
---
...SSSSSSSS............SSSSSS.............SSSS....
..SSSSSSSSSS...........SSSSSS............SSSSSS...
.SSSSSSSSSSSS..........SESSES............SSSSSS...
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS.........SSSSSS............SESSES...
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS......SSSSSSSSSSSS.........SSSSSS...
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS....SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.......SSSSSS...
SSSEESSSSEESSS...SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS......SSSSSS...
SSSEESSSSEESSS..SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS......SSSS....
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS..SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.......SS.....
.SSSSSSSSSSSS...SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.......SS.....
.SSSSSSSSSSSS...SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS....SSSSSSSS..
..SSSSSSSSSS....SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...SSSSSSSSSS.
..SSSSSSSSSS....SSS.SSSSSSSSSSSS.SSS...SSSSSSSSSS.
..SSSSSSSSSS....SSS.SSSSSSSSSSSS.SSS....SSSSSSSS..
..SSSSSSSSSS....SSS..SSSSSSSSSS..SSS....SSSSSSSS..
..SSSSSSSSSS....SSS..SSSSSSSSSS..SSS.....SSSSSS...
..SSSSSSSSSS....SSSS..SSSSSSSS..SSSS......SSSS....
...SSSSSSSS.....SSSS..SSSSSSSS..SSSS.....SS..SS...
...SSS..SSS...........SSSSSSSS...........SS..SS...
...SSS..SSS...........SSS..SSS...........SS..SS...
...SSS..SSS...........SSS..SSS...........SS..SS...
..SSSS..SSSS..........SSS..SSS...........SS..SS...
..SSSS..SSSS..........SSS..SSS........SSSSS..SSSSS
..SSSS..SSSS.........SSSS..SSSS.......SSSSS..SSSSS

design-archetypes-24 — cute (columns 0–13: head wider than body, no neck, 2×2 eyes), heavy (16–35: 6 px head on a 20 px barrel, long arms, fists 4 px, short legs), tall-thin (38–49: 8 px long head, 2 px neck, small pear body, 2 px legs, 5 px feet). Same height, three different mass distributions.

design-face-variation-12 · 42×10
  • S skin
  • E eye
  • n nose-shade
  • m mouth
Grid source
S = skin           #f2b48a
E = eye            #3a2433
n = nose-shade     #c47a5a
m = mouth          #8a3b3b
---
...SSSSSS.........SSSSSS.........SSSSSS...
..SSSSSSSS.......SSSSSSSS.......SSSSSSSS..
.SSSSSSSSSS.....SSSSSSSSSS.....SSSSSSSSSS.
.SSEESSEESS.....SSSESSESSS.....SSSSSSSSSS.
.SSEESSEESS.....SSSESSESSS.....SSESSSSESS.
.SSSSnnSSSS.....SSSSnnSSSS.....SSESSSSESS.
.SSSSSSSSSS.....SSSnnnnSSS.....SSSSnnSSSS.
.SSSmmmmSSS.....SSSSSSSSSS.....SSSSSSSSSS.
..SSSSSSSS.......SSSmmSSS.......SSSSmmmSS.
...SSSSSS.........SSSSSS.........SSSSSS...

design-face-variation-12 — one 12×10 face three ways (columns 0–11, 15–26, 30–41): generic (every feature a similar size, evenly spaced — the face to avoid), sized (small eyes, large nose, small mouth), sized and spaced (wide-set eyes set low, small nose, mouth 1 px off the axis). Same oval, same palette; the difference is personality (rule 7).

design-cast-lineup-16 · 52×16
  • a knight-steel
  • b mage-violet
  • c rogue-green
  • d brute-rust
  • e imp-amber
  • E eye
Grid source
a = knight-steel   #9aa7b8
b = mage-violet    #6a4fc8
c = rogue-green    #2f8f6a
d = brute-rust     #c4583a
e = imp-amber      #e0a030
E = eye            #f6f2e8
---
....a..........b...................ddddd............
...aaa.........b...................dEdEd............
..aaaaa.......bbb.......cccc.......ddddd............
..aEaEa.......bbb......cccccc....ddddddddd...e.....e
..aaaaa......bbbbb.....cEccEc...ddddddddddd..ee...ee
.aaaaaaa....bbbbbbb....cccccc...ddddddddddd...eeeee.
aaaaaaaaa....bEbEb......cccc....dd.ddddd.dd..eeeeeee
aa.aaa.aa....bbbbb.....cccccc...dd.ddddd.dd..eeEeEee
aa.aaa.aa.....bbb.....cccccccc..dd.ddddd.dd..eeEeEee
aa.aaa.aa....bbbbb....c.cccc.c..dd.ddddd.dd...eeeee.
..aaaaa......bbbbb....c.cccc.c..ddd.ddd.ddd....eee..
..aa.aa.....bbbbbbb.....cccc.......ddddd......eeeee.
..aa.aa.....bbbbbbb....cc..cc......dd.dd.....e.eee.e
..aa.aa.....bbbbbbb....cc..cc......dd.dd.......eee..
..aa.aa....bbbbbbbbb...cc..cc......dd.dd.......e.e..
.aaa.aaa...bbbbbbbbb...cc..cc.....ddd.ddd.....ee.ee.

design-cast-lineup-16 — five characters on one 16 px baseline (columns 0–8, 11–19, 22–29, 32–42, 45–51) told apart by height (16 / 16 / 14 / 16 / 13), head share, a plume, pointed hat, hood, small head on a big body, horns, and one hue each. Recolour to the project palette; keep the shape differences.

design-shape-heroes-32 · 62×34
  • O outline
  • b tunic-light
  • B tunic-shadow
  • a round-hero-light
  • A round-hero-shadow
  • c cloth-plum
  • C cloth-shadow
  • s skin-light
  • S skin-shadow
  • E eye
  • t trim-gold
  • k boot-mid
  • K boot-shadow
Grid source
O = outline            #2b1d2e
b = tunic-light        #4a7ab8
B = tunic-shadow       #2f5080
a = round-hero-light   #e0a030
A = round-hero-shadow  #a8741c
c = cloth-plum         #8a3b5a
C = cloth-shadow       #5e2540
s = skin-light         #f2b48a
S = skin-shadow        #c47a5a
E = eye                #2b1d2e
t = trim-gold          #e8c547
k = boot-mid           #5a3a22
K = boot-shadow        #3a2412
---
..........................OOOOOOOOOO..........................
.......OOOOOO............ObbbbbbbbbBO..............OO.........
......OaaaaaAO...........ObbbbbbbbbBO.............OcCO........
.....OaaaaaaaAO..........ObbbbbbbbbBO.............OcCO........
....OaaaaaaaaaAO........OBbbbbbbbbbbBO...........OcccCO.......
...OaaaaaaaaaaaAO........OsssssssssSO............OcccCO.......
...OsssssssssssSO........OsssssssssSO.......O...OcccccCO...O..
...OsssssssssssSO........OsEEssssEESO......OCO.OcccccccCO.OCO.
...OsssssssssssSO........OsEEssssEESO......OcCOOcccssccCOOcCO.
...OssEEsssssEESO.....OOOOsssssssssSOOOO..OccCOcccssssccCOccCO
...OSsEEsssssEESO....ObbbbbbbssssbbbbbbBO.OcccccccEsssEcccccCO
....OSssssssssSO.....ObbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbBO.OCcccccsssssscccccCO
.....OSssssssSO......ObbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbBO..OcccccccccccccccCO.
......OsssssSO.......ObbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbBO..OsssccccccccccssSO.
......OaaaaaAO.......ObbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbBO..OsssccccccccccssSO.
...OOOaaaaaaaAOOO....ObbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbBO..OssSccccccccccSsSO.
..OaaaaaaaaaaaaaAO...ObbbttttttttttttbbBO..OsSOcccccccccCOsSO.
.OaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAO..ObbbttttttttttttbbBO..OsSOCccccccccCOsSO.
.OaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAO..ObbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbBO..OsSOOcccccccCOOsSO.
.OaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAO..ObbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbBO..OsSOOCccccccCOOsSO.
.OaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAO..ObbbBbbbbBBbbbbBbbBO..OsSO.OCccccCO.OsSO.
.OaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAO..OssSObbbBOObbbBOssSO..OsSO..OcccCO..OsSO.
.OaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAO..OSSSObbbBOObbbBOSSSO..OSSO.OcccccCO.OSSO.
.OAAaaaaaaaaaaaaAAO...OOOObbbBOObbbBOOOO....OO..OcccccCO..OO..
..OOAAaaaaaaaaAAOO.......ObbbBOObbbBO...........OcccccCO......
....OOaaaaaaaAOO.........ObbbBOObbbBO...........OccCCcCO......
.....OaaaAAaaAO..........ObbbBOObbbBO...........OcCOOcCO......
.....OaaAOOaaAO..........ObbbBOObbbBO...........OcCOOcCO......
.....OaaAOOaaAO..........ObbbBOObbbBO...........OcCOOcCO......
.....OaaAOOaaAO..........ObbbBOObbbBO...........OcCOOcCO......
.....OaaAOOaaAOO.........ObbbBOObbbBO..........OccCOOccCOO....
....OkkkkKOkkkkKO.......OkkkkKOOkkkkKO........OkkkKOOkkkkKO...
....OKKKKKOKKKKKO.......OKKKKKOOKKKKKO........OKKKKOOKKKKKO...
.....OOOOO.OOOOO.........OOOOO..OOOOO..........OOOO..OOOOO....

design-shape-heroes-32 — three heroes on one 32 px baseline, drawn from the shape rule: round (columns 0–19: round cap and head, pear body, stub limbs, big eyes — friendly), square (21–40: helmet block, block torso, block arms and legs, belt — sturdy), triangle (42–61: pointed hood, inverted-triangle torso, shoulder spikes, thin legs — menace). Each uses one main colour, one skin and a shade on the lower-right edge; the silhouette alone says which family it is.

design-silhouette-variants-32 · 107×36
  • O outline
  • M steel-shadow
  • c cloth-plum
  • C cloth-shadow
  • m steel-light
  • t trim-gold
  • T trim-shadow
  • v robe-violet
  • V robe-shadow
  • s skin-light
  • S skin-shadow
  • K boot-shadow
  • E eye
  • b tunic-light
  • B tunic-shadow
  • p pants-mid
  • P pants-shadow
  • k boot-mid
Grid source
O = outline            #2b1d2e
M = steel-shadow       #6b7a8c
c = cloth-plum         #8a3b5a
C = cloth-shadow       #5e2540
m = steel-light        #9aa7b8
t = trim-gold          #e8c547
T = trim-shadow        #b8921a
v = robe-violet        #5a3a9a
V = robe-shadow        #3a2468
s = skin-light         #f2b48a
S = skin-shadow        #c47a5a
K = boot-shadow        #3a2412
E = eye                #2b1d2e
b = tunic-light        #4a7ab8
B = tunic-shadow       #2f5080
p = pants-mid          #3b3f6b
P = pants-shadow       #292c4d
k = boot-mid           #5a3a22
---
..........................................................O...............O................................
.......................................OO................OMOO.....OO....OOMO........OO.......OO............
.....................................OOcCOO..............OmmMO..OOmMOO.OmmMO.......OtTO.....OvVO...........
...........OOOO.....................OcccccCO.............OMmmMOOmmmmmMOmmmMO......OTttTO...OvvvVO..........
..........OsssSO................OOOOcccccccCOOOO..........OmmMOmmmmmmmmmmMOOO......OTTO....OvvvVO..........
.........OsssssSO..............OcccccccccccccccCO.........OmmmmmmmmmmmmmmMOmMO......OKO...OvvvvvVO.........
........OsssssssSO............OCCCccccccccccccCCCO........OMMMmmmmmmmmmmMMOmMO......OKO..OvvssssvSO........
........OsssssssSO.............OOOCccccccccccCOOO..........OOOmmmmmmmmmMOOOmMO......OKO..OvssssssVO........
.......OssEssssEsSO...............OssEssssEsSO...............OmmmmmmmmmMO.OmMO......OKO.OvvssssssvVO.......
.......OSsEssssEsSO...............OSsEssssEsSO...............OmEEEEEEEEMO.OmMO......OKO.OvssEssEssVO.......
........OsssssssSO.................OsssssssSO................OMmmmmmmmmMO.OmMO......OKOOvvvssssssvvVO......
........OSssssssSO.................OSssssssSO.................OSssssssSO..OmMO......OKOVVVVssssssVVVVO.....
.........OSssssSO...................OSssssSO..............OOOOOOSssssSOOOOOmMO......OKOOOOOsssssSOOOO......
.......OOOOsssSOOOO...............OOOOsssSOOOO...........OmmmmMOOsssSOOmmmmmMO......OKO.OvvvvvvvvvVO.......
......ObbbbbbbbbbbBO.............ObccccccccccBO.........OmmmmmmmbbbbbbmmmmmmMO......OKOObvvvvvvvvvvBO......
......ObbbbbbbbbbbBO.............ObccccccccccBO.........OmmmmmmmbbbbbbmmmmmmMO......OKOOvvvvvvvvvvvVO......
......ObbbbbbbbbbbBO.............ObccccccccccBO.........OMmmmmmmbbbbbbmmmmmmMO......OKOOvvvvvvvvvvvVO......
......ObbbbbbbbbbbBO.............ObccccccccccBO..........OMMMmmbbbbbbbbmmMMmMO......OKOOvvvvvvvvvvvVO......
......ObbbbbbbbbbbBO.............OcccccccccccCO...........OOObbbbbbbbbbbBOOmMO......OKOOvvvvvvvvvvvVO......
......ObbbbbbbbbbbBO.............OcccccccccccCO.............ObbbbbbbbbbbBOOmMO......OKOOvvvvvvvvvvvVO......
.....ObbbbbbbbbbbbbBO...........ObccccccccccccBO...........ObbbbbbbbbbbbbBOmMO......OKOvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO.....
.....ObsbbbbbbbbbbsBO...........ObccccccccccccBO...........ObsbbbbbbbbbbsBOmMO......OKOvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO.....
.....OsssttttttttssSO...........OsccccccccccccSO...........OsssttttttttssSOmMOO.....OKOvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO.....
.....OSsSppppppppSsSO...........OSccccccccccccSO...........OSsSppppppppSstttttTO....OKOvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO.....
......OSOpppppppPOSO.............OcccccccccccCO.............OSOpppppppPOSTTTTTTO....OkvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO....
.......OOpppppppPOO.............OcccccccccccccCO.............OOpppppppPOOOOOOOO.....OkvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO....
........OpppppppPO..............OcccccccccccccCO..............OpppppppPO............OkvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO....
........OpppppppPO..............OcccccccccccccCO..............OpppppppPO............OkvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO....
........OpppppppPO..............OCCCccccccccCCCO..............OpppppppPO............OkvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO....
........OpppppppPO...............OOOpppppppPOOO...............OpppppppPO............OkvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvVO...
........OpppppppPO.................OpppppppPO.................OpppppppPO............OkVVVVvvvvvvvvVVVVVO...
........OpppppppPO.................OpppppppPO.................OpppppppPO............OKOOOOpppppppPOOOOO....
........OpppppppPO.................OpppppppPO.................OpppppppPO............OKO..OpppppppPO........
.......OkkkkkkkkkKO...............OkkkkkkkkkKO...............OkkkkkkkkkKO............O..OkkkkkkkkkKO.......
.......OKKKKKKKKKKO...............OKKKKKKKKKKO...............OKKKKKKKKKKO...............OKKKKKKKKKKO.......
........OOOOOOOOOO.................OOOOOOOOOO.................OOOOOOOOOO.................OOOOOOOOOO........

design-silhouette-variants-32 — one base body (head, tunic, belt, pants, boots on fixed rows; columns 0–25) and three silhouettes built on it (columns 27–52, 54–79, 81–106): wanderer (wide hat brim plus long coat), knight (horned helm, round pauldrons, sword on the right), mage (pointed hood, floor-length robe, staff on the left). Only hat, shoulder line, hem and one held item change, and each one still reads when filled with a single flat colour (rule 3). The base body stays on the same rows in all four, so palette swaps keep the anchor feature.

Procedure

#
  1. Write the brief (rule 1) and the shape (rule 2). sprite_manage new at the cast canvas.
  2. Thumbnail round: 6–10 silhouettes at ≈ 16×16 on a scratch sprite with draw op grid or rect / ellipse in one flat colour; look op preview each; pick 1–2.
  3. Blow up the winner to its canvas size, still flat; apply rules 4–6 (masses, straight vs curve, negative space).
  4. Silhouette test on a duplicate layer: recolor op replace to one flat colour, look op preview; for a cast put all sprites on one frame.
  5. Add the strong element and the anchor feature (rules 11, 14), then 2–3 colours via palette op ramp, one saturated accent.
  6. Split independent parts onto layers (rule 16). Mirror-check: transform op flip on a copy and look for anything that must not flip.
  7. Face last (rules://32-heads-and-faces, rules://33-eyes-and-expressions); then validate.

Mistakes

#
  • Everyone has the same silhouette → only colour differs → change height, head share and a silhouette accessory.
  • Villain and hero are both round → shape language not chosen → decide the family first.
  • Three equal chunks (head, body, legs) → design is a snowman → make one mass dominant.
  • Arms glued to the torso → no negative space → open a 1 px gap or cross deliberately.
  • Cast looks like it came from different games → mixed eye style and outline logic → one detail level, one outline rule.
  • Costume swap makes the character unrecognisable → no anchor feature → keep the hat or hair shape fixed.
  • Great design whose sword hand flips when mirrored → asymmetric prop → mirror the design or draw W separately.

Review

#
  • Flat-filled, the sprite is identifiable; for a cast, each is identifiable next to the others.
  • The dominant shape family is deliberate and echoed in at least two places.
  • Head, torso and legs are three different masses; negative spaces differ in size.
  • The cast shares one eye style, one outline rule, one pixel scale.
  • An identifying element and an anchor feature exist and survive recolouring.

Sources

#

Bancroft, Creating Characters with Personality (shape families, size relationship, lines, negative space, face recipes, hierarchy of characters, pp. 14–61); Blair, Advanced Animation (type recipes pp. 10–15); Solarski, Drawing Basics and Video Game Art (Shapes, Level 6 design process, Thumbnail Development, Subverting Conventions); Mateu-Mestre, Framed Ink (pp. 96–103); Loomis, Figure Drawing for All It's Worth (types, pp. 28–29, 58); Hultgren, Animal Drawing (caricature traits); Goldfinger, Animal Anatomy for Artists; Pixel Logic (pp. 92–108, 166–181); Silber, Pixel Art for Game Developers; Dawe, Make Your Own Pixel Art; Saint11 "Character Design 1", "Cuteness"; AdamCYounis "Role of Style"; Game Developer (2012) Robertson interview; Pixnote and GDAD wiki sprite guides.