STORY DRIVEN CHARACTER DESIGN
The Story Driven Character Design workshop at The Art Club is open to all Intermediate to Advanced level students and focuses on the importance of story as it pertains to Character Design. students will develop character explorations, create a character lineup, build pose and expression sheets, and produce a story-beat drawing based on a story. Throughout the course, the focus will be on using story as the foundation for all design and acting decisions.
The Story Driven Character Design workshop at The Art Club teaches artists how to create characters that are not only visually appealing but also tell compelling stories.
Participants may join as Active students, receiving drawovers and feedback, or as Viewers, with access to the live sessions and text chat interaction with other viewers.
Dates
Mondays - Jan 5 - Feb 2
Time
7:00pm - 10:00pm PST
Location
The Art Club - Discord: <https://discord.gg/TZb8wK292j> Green Classroom
FORMAT
Class meets once a week on Discord.
Recorded Access: Class recordings are provided after the course, viewable for one year for Active students only.
Active student’s must upload homework to Google Drive folder before the next class begins.
Active student spots are limited to 10 participants, and Viewer access is limited to 20 seats.
THE FACULTY
Scott Epstein is a Los Angeles based Visual Development Artist & Character Designer with 8+ years of experience in the animation industry. Scott has worked for such studios as: Sony Pictures Animation, Warner Animation Group, Warner Brothers Animation, Dreamworks TV, Netflix, Titmouse, Disney Jr., Oddbot, Wild Canary, Blue Zoo & more.
Scott is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama, with a BFA in Scenic & Costume Design for Theatre, Film, & Television. Scott’s greatest achievement is being in the top .01% of Barbra Streisand listeners on Spotify.
You can see more of his work at: www.scottepsteindesign.com
Prerequisites
This is an Intermediate to Advanced-level class. To participate as an Active student and get the most out of the class, Active students need to fulfill the following requirements:
A solid understanding of draftsmanship
A base understanding of shape design, rhythm, and appeal
Drawing/Painting software (Adobe Photoshop, Procreate, etc.)
Computer with microphone (camera optional)
Access to Google Drive
Access to Discord
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You’ll be tasked with creating a new take on a classic story. We’ll begin by analyzing the story and deciding what elements of the plot and characters are important and how they will influence your design choices. From there, we’ll explore how shape language and posing can help you begin to “find” each character’s design.
Assignment: Active students create research boards for their main characters and begin rough design explorations.
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We’ll explore how to create pose and expression sheets for your characters. Focusing on how each character can express the same emotions but in a way that’s unique to them and the story.
Assignment: Active students tie down their designs, creating final versions for both characters. Then, choose one character and draw 3–4 rough poses and 3–4 rough expressions that emphasize storytelling rather than “catalog poses.”
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We’ll discuss the importance of using story to inform design and posing. Exploring how character interaction and staging can be used as tools to communicate story.
Assignment: Active students choose a moment from the story that they want to explore. Create a rough pass, focusing on character interaction and incorporating hints of props/set pieces. If you have time, draw 3-4 rough poses and expressions for your second character.
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We’ll explore how to elevate your story moment drawings with minimal prop and set design elements. You’ll learn how to give hints of the world you’re creating to further support character and story.
Assignment: Active students refine their character moment by adding selective props and set pieces, then tie down the drawing and add polish. -
In the final class we’ll review everything we’ve learned about using story as the basis for design and acting decisions. By the end of the workshop, Active students will have portfolio-ready character explorations, pose and expression sheets, and a fully realized story moment illustration.
Who is this Workshop for?
The Story Driven Character Design workshop is designed for Intermediate to Advanced artists who want to deepen their understanding of storytelling in character design. While some foundational drawing and design principles will be reviewed, the class focuses primarily on using story to guide design choices, posing, and acting. A solid grasp of draftsmanship is required.
Current College Students – looking to strengthen their character design skills, refine their storytelling abilities, and receive practical exercises to support coursework or personal projects.
Professionals – in animation, illustration, or related fields aiming to sharpen core principles, improve storytelling in their characters, and elevate audience engagement.
Hobbyists – who want to explore character design in a structured, practical, and creative way.
Outcomes
How to analyze story effectively and decide what elements are important to the design.
How to create characters that are not only visually appealing but also tell compelling stories.
Ability to integrate storytelling into character development for more engaging and memorable designs.
Enhanced skills in creating expressive characters that connect with audiences.
How acting decisions push design and reflect the character.
Active students will leave with a portfolio containing design explorations, pose and expression sheets, as well as a full story moment illustration.
