Free character design courses and tutorials

Learn character design from start to finish with these step-by-step tutorials. Pick up tips and tricks to help you create convincing characters in a range of styles.

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Character Design

How to Illustrate Dynamic Hair Using Adobe Illustrator's Paintbrush Tool

Tutorial • Intermediate

This tutorial will show you how to create a dynamic hairstyle from a reference image. You will use the Paintbrush Tool, basic skin shading and transparent...

Sharon Archer-Thomas • 6 Aug 2010
Character Design

Creating a Mysterious Cheshire Cat in Adobe Illustrator

Tutorial • Intermediate

In this tutorial, you will learn how to break away from Adobe Illustrator and use a combination of programs to create a vector image with a soft painted finish.

Sharon Archer-Thomas • 23 Jul 2010
Character Design

How to Draw a Kimono Dancer Using Adobe Flash and Corel Painter

Tutorial • Advanced

In this tutorial, you will learn how to break away from Adobe Illustrator and use a combination of programs to create a vector image with a soft painted...

Wendy Jim • 8 Jul 2010
Character Design

How to Create a Rock Girl with "Beautiful Strokes" in Adobe Illustrator CS5

Tutorial • Intermediate

Using Illustrator CS5, you will learn how to create this Rock Girl and Guitar with funky line art and bold colors. You will work with a stock image and the...

Sharon Archer-Thomas • 28 Jun 2010
Character Design

Creating a Caricature from a Photo Reference

Tutorial • Intermediate

This tutorial covers how to make a caricature image using a mix of photography and vector illustration. You will learn how to use a photo as reference, how...

Ben Camberos • 20 May 2010
Character Design

How to Make an Animated Paper Robot

Tutorial • Beginner

In this tutorial we'll go through the steps of designing and making an animated paper robot character. Not just a picture, this is a moving character that...

Rob Ives • 18 Apr 2010
Character Design

Create Character Driven Book Cover Art Using Illustrator and Photoshop - Part 1

Tutorial • Intermediate

In this two part tutorial on creating the "Let's Go To Monster School!" book cover, I'll show you a complete process from initial sketch to the final...

Andrea Austoni • 4 Mar 2010
Character Design

How to Design a Cheeky Koala Mascot Head

Tutorial • Intermediate

We're going to put those vector eyes you learned how to make not long ago to some good use! This tutorial will show you how to combine basic shapes with some...

Birthed Creative Studio • 10 Feb 2010
Character Design

Create a Cute Retro-Flavored Teddy Bear with the Gradient Mesh Tool

Tutorial • Intermediate

In this tutorial, you'll learn how you can easily add a retro feeling to your creations. We'll also cover techniques such as using gradient mesh tool to add...

PeHaa • 1 Feb 2010
Character Design

Create a Set of Shiny Character Eyes

Tutorial • Intermediate

This tutorial will teach you how to create detailed vector eyes that can be used for all sorts of character design projects. The techniques used here are...

Birthed Creative Studio • 22 Jan 2010
Character Design

How to Create Typeface Characters

Tutorial • Intermediate

I started a character design project that merges typefaces into unique monsters, cute animals, and various other font inspired character creations. The...

Julian Dorado • 6 Jan 2010
Character Design

How to Create a Curious Owl in Illustrator CS4

Tutorial • Intermediate

One of my favorite TV shows of all time is Twin Peaks and one of its most memorable lines is "The owls are not what they seem." Inspired by that ominous...

Andrea Austoni • 28 Dec 2009