To prepare for a career in character design, one of my main focuses this year has been rebuilding and strengthening my portfolio. Instead of presenting my portfolio only as a general animation project collection, I am now trying to make my direction clearer by highlighting character design, especially Chinese-inspired character design, character redesign, shape exploration, and the transformation of visual references. I want my portfolio to show not only finished images, but also my design process, including research, sketch development, shape variation, costume structure, prop design, and character identity. In this way, I can show that I am not only able to create individual illustrations, but also trying to build a complete character design process.
This year, I also interviewed for several character design-related positions. Although these experiences did not always lead to final results, they helped me understand the professional expectations for character designers more clearly. For example, character design requires not only a strong visual style, but also solid drawing fundamentals, clear design logic, the ability to adapt to a project’s visual direction, and the ability to revise quickly based on feedback. These interviews made me realise that every piece in my portfolio needs to communicate a clear design purpose, rather than relying only on visual impact.
In addition to portfolio and interview preparation, I have also continued to strengthen my fundamental skills. Character design still depends heavily on drawing ability and visual judgement, so I keep practising sketching, figure drawing, and aesthetic research. I often study ancient Chinese sculpture, Buddhist statues, folk monster imagery, and traditional clothing to learn from their body proportions, poses, facial features, clothing structures, and decorative rhythm. At the same time, I also practise quick concept creation to improve my speed and flexibility, so that I can generate multiple character directions within a limited time instead of staying with only one fixed idea.
These preparations have helped me understand that character design is not simply about drawing an attractive character. It requires research, visual taste, storytelling, and strong shape design to work together. Moving forward, I want to continue improving my portfolio around Chinese-inspired character design, while maintaining my sketching, research, and quick design practice, so that my work can better meet the expectations of professional character design roles.
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