Character Design Services

Designing a character usually takes about 2 days for a simple 2D character and 3 to 4 weeks for complex 3D characters. Multiple factors can affect this time span, such as being 2D or 3D, the number of poses & clothes, accessories, art style, the number and complexity of characters, quality, budget, etc.

You can contact us right now to get a time estimation for your project today.

We provide game art services in the USA, UK, Canada, the Middle East, etc. We understand the importance of seamless collaboration across borders and time zones. Most of our clients are from the USA and here is how we ensure efficient collaboration despite time zones and languages:

• A dedicated account manager will be assigned to your project, available during flexible hours, including weekends, to facilitate seamless communication and act as an interpreter if needed.
• All our key team members, including the project manager and those you’ll communicate with, are proficient in English for efficient collaboration.

• Our character design process involves identifying your unique needs to have a deep understanding of your project, sketching, creating more detailed sketches, selecting the best color key and color composition, and developing detailed concept art to guide the style.
• Then, we start with model sheets, create detailed 3D models of characters, apply 3D textures, rig them for animation, add lighting, and render them.

There are 4 logical reasons for you to consider outsourcing character design:

• Saving Money and Time: Character development requires experienced designers and artists across many roles like concept artists, modelers, art directors, art leads, etc., and hiring them in-house has challenges. Character design companies house all the expertise necessary to bring a client’s vision to life efficiently, speedily, and cost-effectively.
• Creativity: Have you ever considered that you can outsource creativity, too? Apple partnered with Hovey-Kelley for creative ideas when inventing the mouse. A character design studio thrives on imagination and creativity.
• Quality: Practice makes perfect. Character design outsourcing companies produce countless character art, constantly honing skills and staying current on gaming industry trends and tools. Their experience enables high-quality character design services delivery without wasted time or budget.
• Scalability: Expanding the character creation scale requires growing your team. That’s challenging in-house but not for a character design outsourcing partner with access to more character artists. A character design agency maintains larger talent pools and connections to scale up readily.

There are 4 criteria for picking the best character design studio for your projects:

• Portfolio: A character design studio’s expertise is showcased via its breathtaking art portfolio, and nothing tells better what they are capable of than its past works.
• Reviews: Read their reviews online and see what their past clients think of them. The most honest on-hand thing you can find in the best character design companies is their online reviews.
• Communication: First impressions matter – especially when it comes to communication. If they’re slow to respond or just plain rude from the get-go, imagine how it’ll be once they have your money! Trust your gut and work with people who make you feel good.
• Time and Budget Compatibility: After all, you might find the best character design companies in the world, but your time schedule and/or money budget do not meet their demands. Find a character development outsourcing partner that meets all the previous characteristics as well as your budget and schedule.

In creating characters, 5 critical points should be taken into account:

• Shape Language Technique: Understanding different shapes can help to choose a recognizable shape that reads clearly from any angle. Simple yet thoughtful shape choices result in bold, communicative, and memorable characters.
• Color Definition in Art: The color goes beyond just pigment to have profound effects and make the character visually appealing, set the mood, improve clarity, and dramatically impact a character’s look.
• Anatomy: Anatomical awareness, like proportions, poses & motions, and realism, allows for more intentional design choices. It brings greater purpose and visual legacy to character design.
• Art Style: A unique character art style is a powerful tool to increase immersion and differentiation. Leveraging stylistic elements helps craft characters who feel uniquely suited to their world, story, and target audiences.

Yes, Pixune Studios is also a character animation studio providing various 3D and 2D character animations, whether for games or animations. You can check our character animation services page to see our magic.

Here are 4 key managing tips for rushed projects:

1. Build in a buffer time (plan for 5 weeks if your target timeline is 6 weeks) for contingencies, iterations, and reviews. Buffer time acts as a protection against any errors or issues related to the project force majeure. This way, circumstances that might not go as planned are taken into account.
2. Build in a buffer budget due to the need for additional resources, overtime hours working, revisions, and changes. While some changes might seem minor, they can accumulate, leading to significant increases in both costs and time.
3. Consider reevaluating some aspects and changing your project scope and overview by reducing the complexity and number of assets. For example, there is no need to design several unique characters for a crowd at a wide angle; you can have a few and use them in many variations.
4. Implement Modular Asset Design: Design modular and reusable assets that can be combined or repurposed across multiple environments or levels. This approach minimizes the need for creating unique assets from scratch and promotes efficient asset reuse.

Here are 7 strategies to help you benefit the most from a character design partnership:

1. Provide a Clear Brief: Start by providing a detailed brief that outlines your project’s goals, target audience, style preferences, and any specific requirements or references. This clarity upfront sets the right expectations and success.
2. Exact Planning/Milestone Request: Request a detailed production schedule that breaks down the key milestones and deliverables from the studio. This transparency allows you to track progress and ensure timely completion.
3. Stand on Your Values While Trusting the Studio: Establish parameters based on your unique values or objectives. While maintaining oversight, be open to the studio’s creative suggestions in both technical and artistic aspects. Our experience shows that 93% of our clients who trust us tend to achieve better results.
4. Request Regular Updates: Ask for daily or weekly progress updates depending on the project’s complexity. This frequent communication ensures alignment and allows for timely course corrections.
5. Have a Comprehensive Contract: Establish a detailed contract that covers timelines, deliverables, payment terms, delay penalties (if applicable), and any other crucial terms.
6. Document Everything: Maintain all communication records, including chat logs and meeting notes. This documentation serves as a reference and helps mitigate potential disputes.
7. Foster a Safe Environment: Encourage an open and collaborative atmosphere where the character studio studio can freely express creative ideas without fear of blame for mistakes.

Here are 3 common challenges and risks in character design workflow and strategies to address them:

• Challenge: Project Delays and Unexpected Disruptions
• Solution: Comprehensive upfront planning, minimizing excessive revisions/edits, maintaining open communication, and building some buffer time (10%-20%) into the timeline for unexpected issues and contingencies like artist illness, emergencies, etc.
• Challenge: Misunderstandings
• Solution: Extremely clear and detailed brief, over-communicate priorities, ask the studio to explain their understanding back to you (do not just seek confirmation of your explanation), and emphasize crucial requirements repeatedly.
• Challenge: Budget Overruns
• Solution: Pursue a fixed-price contract rather than hourly, conduct detailed scoping in brief, set clearly defined budget limits and contractual provisions, and build in contingency buffers for possible risks.

Here’s what you can expect from our character design studio:

1. Regular Updates: We’ll provide you with regular updates on the progress for your feedback.
2. Revision Process: We understand revisions are often part of the creative process. We offer a structured revision process to ensure your feedback is incorporated effectively.
3. Open Door Policy: We have an open-door policy, so you’re welcome to ask questions or discuss any concerns you may have at any time.
4. Educational Resources: We can provide you with educational resources to help you better understand the character design process and the creative decisions involved.
5. Multiple Format Delivery: We deliver your final character design in various formats suitable for various platforms and uses.
6. After-Service Support: Our support extends beyond delivery. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have for future projects.