Character Sheets 101
Big Adventures or Goldfish Arguments?
Let’s talk about character sheets... the magical pages where illustrators introduce their beloved creations to the world. Or is it where we get to know our characters before sending them off into the great unknown (otherwise known as... your portfolio)? Honestly... who even knows, I’m still figuring it out.
Should your character sheet show your character living their best life? Baking cakes? Riding dragons? Napping in a library with a cat on their head? Or should it plunge them straight into the thick of an adventure, running from bandits with a map clutched in one hand and a cursed amulet in the other?
Or, and hear me out... should it just be them doing something incredibly mundane... like arguing with their pet goldfish while waiting for a bus?
What’s The Point of a Character Sheet Anyway?
Here’s the thing I’ve been spiralling over lately... and by spiralling, I mean sipping tea and staring into the void!
Is a character sheet supposed to introduce your creation to the world or help you understand them better before they hit the spotlight?
Maybe it’s both? Maybe it’s a little like writing a dating or friendship profile for your character? You want to show their quirks... their strengths... their soft spots. You want someone to look at that page and think “Ah... yes... I know who this person is...” But also, you need to know them yourself first!
Does your character sheet exist to win over an art director... or is it your secret cheat sheet... the place where you scribble notes like “hates pickles” or “secretly terrified of pigeons”? Is it about nailing the big cinematic pose... or showing the way they slouch when nobody’s watching?
And how much is too much? Do you need to include the exact contents of their backpack? Their handwriting style? A breakdown of their skincare routine? Or just enough to hint at a whole messy... wonderful life that lives beyond the edges of the page?
Because really... it’s like being both the casting director and the nosy neighbour in your character’s life and that’s a lot for one sheet of paper!
Where Do Clara & Claude Fit Into All This?
If you’ve been following along... you’ll know about Clara and Claude... my chaotic duo who have been scampering through my newsletters like two kids who’ve had too much sugar!
Clara is currently off adventuring in full Dragon Girl mode. She’s brave... scrappy and probably has a pocket full of magical pebbles and snacks! I can picture exactly how her character sheet looks... windswept hair... patched-up coat... determined expression... possibly holding a flaming stick while standing on a mountain!
But then there’s Claude...
Claude, well... Claude is harder to pin down! He’s more likely to be found sitting in a sidecar... hoarding waffles... wearing a knitted scarf... and judging passersby with expert-level side-eye!
Which leads me to this dilemma... do double troubles have to always adventure together? Or can they split up and have their own moments in the spotlight? If they do... does that mean they each need a separate character sheet for my portfolio?
Because right now... Clara’s out slaying (metaphorical) dragons and Claude is... probably napping somewhere with crumbs on his face...
Questions to Ask Yourself (Because I’m Asking Them Too)
Does your character sheet show the heart of your character... or just the highlights?
Should they be caught mid-action... swinging from a chandelier?
Or mid-boredom... waiting in a queue and doodling in the margins of a newspaper?
Can you make a character sheet that tells a story all on its own?
And if you’ve got a dynamic duo like Clara and Claude... are they better together... or do they need solo time?
Honestly... it’s enough to make me want to draw myself curled up in a blanket fort with biscuits! But hey... that’s world-building for you!
Tell me... how do you approach character sheets? Are you all about the drama... or do you like to show your characters brushing their teeth and debating cereal choices? I’d love to know how you balance the epic with the everyday!
Until next time... keep sketching... keep questioning... and remember... even dragon-slaying adventurers need a nap!
Kim
P.S. Reply and tell me... would Claude’s character sheet just be a page of waffle crumbs and grumpy doodles?
Sorry, me again!
Maybe I should have Claude doing his own thing... what about these?
Reply with which one you would love to see Claude do!
Claude’s Solo Adventures:
1: Claude and the Great Waffle Heist
Claude stumbles upon a secret waffle-making society and accidentally becomes their grumpy mascot... until he steals the prize-winning waffle and sparks a culinary chase across town.
2: Claude: Sidecar Detective
Left to his own devices... Claude turns into a hard-boiled detective... solving mysteries like “Who stole the bakery’s last croissant?” (Spoiler: it might’ve been Claude himself.)
3: Claude vs. The Seagull Mafia
While Clara’s off dragon-slaying... Claude battles a gang of aggressive seagulls who want his sandwich. Chaos ensues. Claude ends up the unlikely hero of a beachside boardwalk.
4: Claude’s Cosy Revolution
Claude starts a knitted-scarf rebellion... convincing other animals to abandon wild adventures in favour of hot drinks... naps... and snacks. Think woodland hygge vibes... with snacks.
5: Claude and the Case of the Haunted Sidecar
Claude’s sidecar gets “haunted” by a mischievous spirit (or is it just an old radio stuck on static?) Either way... he must solve the mystery... with snacks as bait.