FRAMEBURST ACADEMY 14

 

SUMMARY

 

Your character is built using simple shapes that we learned previous week, not complex drawing. In today’s tutorial, you will learn how to create a basic character, what a character turnaround is, and how to draw your character from different angles. You will also get to know which angles are most useful for story-time animation.

 

🎬 How to Create Your First Character (And Understand Turnarounds)

 

Okay…

Now things get fascinating.

Up until now, we have been:

1. Observing
2. Looking around
3. Using references
4. Practicing shapes

But now?

We actually create something.

Your first character.

 

🎯Don’t Overthink Your Character

Let’s make one thing clear.

Your first character does NOT need to be:

• A masterpiece
• Super detailed
• Perfectly designed

It just needs to be:

• Clear
• Simple
• Easy to draw over and over again

Because you will be drawing it… lots.

 

🧱 Start With Shapes (Like We Learned)

 

Build your character using:

• Sphere => head
• Cuboid or eclipse => body
• Cylinder => arms and legs

Then add:

• Eyes
• Simple hair
• basic expression

that’s it.

 

Real Example (My Own Character)

Let me tell you something.

My Takzicution Tales character?

It’s actually very simple.

It is made of:

• Eclipse – body
• Cylinder – arms and legs
• Sphere – face, hands and feet

That’s basically it.

It might look unique and never created before…

But underneath?

it’s just shapes.

And that’s the point.

Simple structure = easier to draw, animate, and improve.

 

🎬 What Is A Character Turnaround?

 

Now here is something important.
A character turnaround means:

-> drawing your character from different viewing angles.

Because in animation…

your character does not stay still.

It rotates, moves and reacts.

If you only know one angle…

You’ll get stuck immediately.

 

🔄 The 8 Basic Angles

For your main character, try to understand these:

1. Front view
2. Back view
3. left profile view
4. right Profile view
5. Semi-profile left (front)
6. Semi-profile left (back)
7. Semi-profile right (back)
8. Semi-profile right (front)

Don’t worry you don’t need to master all of them right away.

 

🎯Which One Matters The Most

 

For story-time animation…

You will mostly use:

• Front view
• Side view
• Front 3/4 view (Semi profile view)

These 3 will carry most of your animations.

 

🧠Why 3/4 Views Are So Powerful?

 

Front view?

Feels flat.

Side view?

Limited.

But 3/4 view (semi-profile)?

• Shows depth
• Feels more natural
• Shows expressions clearly

That’s why most animators use it.

If you focus on just this…

You will already improve a lot.

 

💡 About Your Profile Character (Quick Note)

 

Later on, you will use this same character for your YouTube and other social media profile photo.

Just:

• Simplify it
• Keep it clear
• May be add a colored background

We will go deeper into that when we reach YouTube creation.

🧠One Honest Truth:

Your first character might look a bit… off.

That’s normal.

My character is not one first attempt.

And even now, I still improve my character over time.

Sometimes, I look at it and think:

“Yeah… I can make this even better.”

And that how it evolves.

 

🎮 Your Current Level: ‘Just Starting’

 

Right now, don’t try to:

• Perfect every angle
• Create complex designs
• Add accessories that are not needed in the a story

Focus on:

• One simple character
• Two or three angles
• Keep it repeatable

that’s enough.

 

Your Next Step

 

You have finally designed your character…

Next, we’re going to talk about a question in everyone’s brain:

👉 How to find your own style

👉 Why copying styles can hold you back

👉 And how your style naturally develops over time

This is where drawings start becoming originally yours.

See you until the next relive. ✨🎬