IVN / TASK 1: EXERCISES (CHARACTER DESIGN)
21/04/25 - 26/05/25 / Week1-Week6
Tan Tzu Yu / 0374460
Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Honors) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 1/ Exercises(Character Design)
Week 1 (15/04/25)
During our first week of class, Mr. Fitri gave us an introduction to Adobe Illustrator. He walked us through the interface and demonstrated how to use some of the basic tools. Not only but also he introduced a game called Bezier, which is great for practicing tool control in both Photoshop and Illustrator, which was also introduced to us during our first class of Digital Photography & Imaging. He also gave us an overview of our upcoming character design assignment, shared examples of previous students’ work, and explained the grading breakdown for each part of the assignment.
Week 2 (22/04/25)
In Tutorial class this week , we were taught to do line art using Adobe Illustrator . We were given a sketch example that Mr Fitri generated in Chatgpt during class. Not like many subjects that Chatgpt is not encouraged , for this subject Mr Fitri are very welcome for us to use Chatgpt to help out our assignments. He guided us through how to create the line art using the pen tool in illustrator and how to adjust the width of the line art to give it more depth. I still did not have any ideas on how to design my characters, so this week I was still looking through Pinterest to look for inspirations.
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Fig 1.0 : Mr Fitri's Sketch |
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Fig 1.1 : My Line Art Attempt |
Week 3 (06/05/25)
Continuing last week's class, this week we were taught on how to colour our line arts and how to add details to our character design like shadows and highlights. This week, I came out with a sketch of the three characters that I want to design and I showed it to Mr Fitri, he agreed with my design but he reminded me to be careful to make sure all the strokes or lines of my designs are balanced.
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Fig 1.2 : My Colour and Shadow Art Attempt |
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Fig 1.3 : My Sketch for my Character Design |
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Fig 1.4 : My Pinterest Inspiration |
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Fig 1.8 : Colour Palette chosen for my character design |
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Week 4 (13/05/25)
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Fig 1.10 : Final Line Art of my Character Design
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Rationale of my Character Designs
This artwork features a trio of original characters inspired by Y2K aesthetics, blending cuteness with a hint of mischievousness. Created digitally, the characters are presented in both line art and full colour versions to showcase the contrast between structure and vibrancy. The coloured version uses a palette of bright and pastel hues, which reflects the playful and nostalgic vibe often associated with Y2K design trends. These stylistic choices give the characters a distinct personality while reinforcing the visual appeal of the era.
My inspiration stems from a long-standing love for Y2K-inspired visuals. Over the past few years, this aesthetic has seen a strong resurgence in fashion, media, and design. I’ve always been drawn to its boldness and quirky energy, and this project gave me the chance to channel that interest into character creation. Designing these figures was a very personal and engaging process, allowing me to build their style, expression, and attitude entirely from my imagination.
The central theme of the artwork revolves around individuality and personality. Each character embodies a different vibe—from cheeky and confident to sweet and mysterious—and their expressions and outfits are crafted to reflect that. These designs are not just visual; they hint at underlying stories and unique traits, inviting viewers to imagine more about who they are.
During the process, I paid careful attention to proportion and symmetry in the line art to maintain clarity, while the colours were chosen to evoke emotion and nostalgia. The saturated reds, cotton-candy pinks, and electric blues are meant to pop off the screen and trigger a sense of childhood familiarity. I want viewers to feel intrigued and amused—to sense the characters’ moods and be reminded of toys, cartoons, or stickers from the early 2000s.
This work continues my exploration of character illustration and digital media. In presenting both the line and colour versions side by side, I aim to highlight the importance of both structure and colour in storytelling through design. Overall, this piece represents my growth in style, my playful curiosity, and my deep connection to Y2K culture.
Fig 1.12 : My Character Design Moodboard ( PDF)
Week 5 (20/05/25)
During today's class, as we have already submitted our character design moodboard, so we moved on to card design for our characters. Mr Fitri first gave us an example of his card design then he taught us step by step on how to design the card.
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Fig 1.13 : Mr Fitri's Example of card design |
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Fig 1.14 : My Attempt for Card Design |
Techniques Applied
Over these few weeks, I learned a lot through each step of the character design process. In class, we were shown how to do line art using the pen tool in Illustrator, and how to make the strokes feel more dynamic by adjusting their thickness. Once we got into colouring, I started understanding how shadows and highlights really bring a character to life. I used everything Mr. Fitri taught us—especially his reminder to keep my strokes balanced.
Outside of class, I spent quite a bit of time on Pinterest, just looking at references and getting inspired by Y2K vibes. It helped me a lot, especially when I was unsure what direction to go with my characters. I also took extra care to build a colour palette that felt playful and nostalgic, which I wouldn’t have done without that outside inspiration.
Self Reflection
What I loved most about this project was that it gave me room to be playful. Designing characters from scratch was fun because I got to decide everything—from how they look to the vibe they give off. I really enjoyed exploring the Y2K aesthetic, especially using colours and expressions that felt bold, cute, and a little mischievous. It honestly made me feel like a kid again, sketching imaginary friends.
But of course, not everything was perfect. Looking back, I think I could have done more with their poses or pushed their personalities further. Some parts of the line art also felt a bit stiff. Still, I’m happy with what I created. It felt personal and expressive—and that’s something I’m proud of.
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