Welcome all to a new series of tips, tricks and advice that may help you design/redesign a character. Please note Firstly I am NOT a professional, im just forwarding my observations!

Sixth tip is accociated with Design complexity.

This tip is more of a point to keep in mind rather than to adhere too strictly, as there is no limit on the creativity of the characters design and anyone is free to go as nuts as they like!

When designing characters however if your commissioning other artists, animators or modellers, and/or intend to be drawing/animating/modelling the character frequently yourself, you may want to consider making the complexity of the design as low as possible. I have produced a 15 second animation @60fps with the V4 Fifi and a glowlett on a cliff, there is lipsyncing+voiceovers, backgrounds and etc (https://sta.sh/02fwf91lrnj0) . This animation took the best part of 3 weeks to create. Of which I was working on it pretty much non-stop with only sleep and work backlogging my progress.

If I had made Fifi without her cowlings, at the same pace without getting burnt out, and included all the robo details it could have very well have taken up to 4-5 times longer, (20-25 weeks, or 5-6 months).

Character complexity is a common issue with robotic and cybernetic characters, Character creators often fall into the trap of making robot characters too complex, adding all the bolts, weld lines, rivets, fasteners, impellor fins, movement shafts, PCB's, framework, motor windings etc. They then end up gettting burnt out and not wanting to draw them ever again.

Fifi is a rare case in the character world, shes a robot, but not a complex one, Ive made the effort to simply her where I can adding covers and cowlings, making her panels click together without a seam, and as shes built in the year 3330, I took liberties with her technological cababilities. i.e The floating head and torso, her metal middle material that acts like rubber but is as strong as steel, and her matter accociators, removing the need for her hands, though fingers where added to her later mainly to help convey her expressions.

I do sometimes draw Fifi without her cowlings on as its fun to challenge myself with all the added detail, however with the way Fifi has been set up its not fundamental to her normal design, but it can help structure her for others, much like how looking at a skeleton can assist you in drawing an animal or human. I would definitley be less inclined to draw Fifi if she was designed without panels...

In addition as Fifi was based on a production model, all the parts that could trap fingers or otherwise cause harm would be covered up in an attractive shell to protect their customers.

When it comes to commissioning other artists to draw Fifi, she normally slips under the net due to her design being so simple compared to other robotic characters. Artists that dont normally draw robots are willing to draw Fifi.

Dont be afraid to experiment with different designs and see what works for you, remember everyone is different!

If you have any further questions feel free to post them in the comments below!! Ill answer them the best I can!

Cheers

Axial