The Five-Minute Face

Two tips for drawing characters in comics

Making revisions to my graphic novel included coming up with a new central character and refining an older one. I have a couple of character design techniques that I think might be peculiar to me, so I’ll share them here, in case you’re peculiar, too.

Use a timer

I’m a poky person by nature. I dilly, I dally. I pick at things endlessly if given the chance.

The best way I’ve found to create a sense of urgency in my drawing is by setting a time limit. I used the 12-minute voyage of the NDSM ferry in Amsterdam to good effect when I carried a sketchbook for my daily commute. It was either sink or swim when I sketched a scene that I’d finish inking over a cup of coffee once I got to my studio in the morning.

When it comes to character design in comics, the sense of urgency has multiple benefits. For one thing, you’ve got that need for speed. Finding a shorthand for the way you draw each character will aid in your production time. Secondly, I find that a ticking clock inspires assured linework, interesting discoveries, and more happy accidents.

I allow myself one session in which I can fiddle away endlessly with a pencil sketch, usually building off of a model. Take, for example, my lady Dove.

The original sketches were inspired by a folk hero who died in Auschwitz, Franceska Mann. I drew a full-page bio comic about her entitled Franceska’s Last Dance which you can see here – but I digress.

Next, I set the timer. Notice how the face has become exaggerated, more of an essence of a person than before. I allow five minutes for a face, perhaps a minute or two longer for a full figure.

Find that defining characteristic

My friend Mark “The Fonz” Farnsworth told me about this fascinating method for exploring a role as an actor – try building the character around one casual gesture that becomes a defining characteristic. Think of your friend who’s always twirling her hair while she’s nervous, or that tough uncle who chews a toothpick to bits while he’s stuck in rush-hour traffic.

I contemplate this while I make character sketches. I’m looking for the physical characteristic that sets this person apart and also says something about his or her personality.

Dove is all about the arched eyebrows. Not only do they suit a mysterious femme from the Forties, but they express her amusement under the cover of her hat brim.

Cornelius is quite a dandy and defines himself through his distinctive facial hair.

Peter appears at the ages of thirteen and sixty-three, so I wanted to find a physical characteristic that links the two. His cowlick looks a little like a question mark on its side, and I think that does a lot to express his quizzical nature.

Finally, the newest character in the world of Wolf House Fables is Rosita. I worked off of photos of my niece from when she was a teen. The sweeping bang helps shut out the world and Opa Peter when he gets too nosy. I had a very similar face curtain when I was a teen and used it in the same way.

Rosita: character sheet, pencils, timed drawings

Many artists are fond of having their characters pull funny faces and perform acrobatics in their character sheets. I prefer putting them in a contextual scene, so here’s the first interaction between Rosita and Opa Peter as he starts to spin his tales from yesteryear.