Ever see something interesting on the side of a street that catches your eye? Ever like the look of the costuming in a film? Ever sit at a restaurant and observe people talk to their friends? Ever meet someone who has a fun little quirk that you find endearing?
USE THESE THINGS
I cannot tell you the countless times I've absorbed something I've come across that struck a cord within me that I later used while creating a character. Things my friends do, phrases strangers say in passing, the color palette of a billboard ad, the personality of a popular tv character, the way a cat will sink into any size box and look comfortable, all these things can be used as a starting point in making a character.
Sites like tumblr, pinterest, gomoodboard, etc. can all be helpful in gathering images, sounds, songs, video clips, color palettes, textures, clothing and the like to help figure out what type of character you're trying to create. Even a simple folder on your desktop will do the trick. Write down things you like, that interest you, themes in movies that you prefer, character traits you admire from other media, songs that hold some deeper meaning to you, and use these to make the base of an OC.
As we all know on this site that is riddled with unnamed dragons because
the right name is too hard to find, naming a character can be a chore. Avoid naming the OC after their personality, or their eventual plot. (looking at YOU,
Werewolf McWerewolf, Jr.)
Baby name sites are a GOLDMINE for naming. Old sims players and writers alike find baby name sites overly familiar, almost welcoming at this point. Need a name for a boy that starts with L that has Irish roots? You betcha. Need something that's unisex that starts with an R and means 'happy'? No problem. Last names can be found by googling "popular surnames in X country".
However, what if you're writing, say...a fantasy or sci-fi story?
http://fantasynamegenerators.com/ has you covered 100% Go forth and name to your hearts content!
And don't be afraid to later change the name of your character. Some of my characters while in the drafting stage where renamed, remolded, recolored and twisted over and over til I was happy with them. Even now, some of them are not safe from change! But change is never a bad thing when it comes to OCs.
-
As far as looks go, dig out your inspiration again. A fun exercise is to go to any clothing website and pick out three articles of clothing, then draw a character you think would wear those clothes.
If you can't draw, find a dress up game and fuss around with coloring (skin, hair, eyes) and general shapes. If you have sims or even any other game that allows character creation, mess around til you get something you like.
Don't be surprised if this takes a while. Creating the way a character looks is never really done. Characters are always changing and picking up new things here and there. (scars, tattoos, accessories, favorite clothing, new hair dye, color contacts, etc)
When I was creating my character
Brett (lovely art by
dorian-trash!), I looked at my roommate and asked for input. She directed me as far as his coloring and general facial structure. All I knew going in is I wanted someone who was once really terribly gangly who later fleshed out some when he got older. I had nothing else. She helped, and when we were both satisfied, I asked her why she made him look the way she did. She said "Honestly, I just wanted him to look like Thorin Oakenshield, but tall." And thus, Brett was born. At least visually. He was still blank.
Don't feel intimidated by 300+ question sheets, focus on the important base information first.
Name:
Age:
Height:
Weight/Body Type:
Ethnic Origin/Race:
Hair Color:
Eye Color:
Distinguishing Marks:
Birth Location/Hometown:
Sign:
Family Members:
Education Level:
Current Occupation:
Preferred Style:
Actions: (rub their neck when nervous, pick nails, etc.)
Skills/Talents:
Positive Traits:
Negative Traits:
Quirks:
And you can go on. Indefinitely. Only YOU will know everything there is to know about your character, even things you do not share publicly. Basic information like this is normally shared, however.
A good place to link and share your OCs is
Charahub! Easy to organize characters all in one place with their info, visuals, and other helpful things.
This page has some EXCELLENT links as far as detailed questionnaires, charts and other helpful things.
Once you have the basic things figured out, now it's time to get into the nitty gritty. This is the stuff that most people aren't going to know, except you. This is stuff that's GOOD to know, so if your OC gets into a situation, you'll be able to figure out how they would react to any given stimuli.
Sample questions include but are obviously no way limited to:
Do they have to close the closet door at night to sleep, or do they leave it open? How do they react when faced with someone openly criticizing them in public? How do they feel about holding hands with someone they don't consider close? Do they instantly click with new people (never met a stranger) or are they more withdrawn and nervous? How fast can they type, if that's applicable? How do they take their coffee, their tea? What temperature is their home set at normally? What fabric makes them itchy? Who do they consider their best friend and why? What celeb do they look up to or remember fondly? How do they feel about their 3rd grade teacher?
Once you have all this down - answer the following:
Who is this character to YOU? Are they just another extra in a large cast of hundreds? Are they a throwaway part, a sidekick type to the Main Character? Are they just here for fun, with no story attached? Are you going to roleplay this OC somewhere? Do you just like looking at this character and getting art of them? Are they an OC you're going to be using for a published story? Are you just pouring your own life on this character and seeing how they deal with things? Are you just making a character to toss them in a world and watch them dance?
Once you decide on the who, what, when, where and why you made this character, then their purpose to you will be fully realized, and they will be out there in the world.
by #341153
