From the course: Learning Character Development and Design

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Sidekicks, villains, and foils

Sidekicks, villains, and foils

From the course: Learning Character Development and Design

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Sidekicks, villains, and foils

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- In character design, as in life, opposites attract and react. Once you define who or what your character is about, designing an opposite character, a villain to the hero, will help to define your main character more clearly. Carter Goodrich relies on the contrast of size and facial expression to define the difference between the good and bad characters. The bully is a bulky mass with a kind of unibrow, and a mean-spirited expression. Contrast this with the child he's bullying, who is small, innocent-looking, and bewildered. The pencil rendering of darkness for the bully and soft, light marks for the child, further emphasize the difference between the two and hint to the story that could unfold between them. Sometimes, simply tapping into something that is universally disturbing or frightening can be an effective tool for designing a villain. Carter's use of a skull-like face with no visible eyes and a boxy, machine-like body creates a distinct lack of empathy, as his characters look…

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