Character design isn’t just about making something look cool! It's about building someone believable from the ground up. At Courts, we think of it as a process of shaping personality as much as form.
Here’s how that typically plays out:
Step 1: Concepts – Style Creation
Everything starts loose. Sketches, references, moodboards... This is where we figure out who the character is before worrying about how they’re built. The focus is on silhouette, attitude, and style. Are they grounded and realistic, or more stylised and expressive? Getting this right early makes every decision downstream much clearer.
Step 2: Modelling
Once the direction’s locked, we move into 3D. This is where the character starts to feel real. It’s not just about matching the concept, but making sure the model holds up from every angle and works technically. Clean geometry here saves a lot of headaches later — especially when it comes to animation.
Step 3: Materials and Textures
This is where things really start to click. Materials and textures add depth and believability. Skin, fabric, metals, all reacting to light in the right way. It’s also where you can inject subtle storytelling. Small details like wear, surface variation, or imperfections go a long way in making a character feel lived-in.
Step 4: Rigging
Rigging is the hidden layer that makes everything possible. You’re essentially building a control system that lets the character move naturally. Done well, it’s invisible, but it’s what gives our team the freedom to push performance without fighting the model.
Step 5: Production – Bringing the Character to Life
This is the payoff. Animation, lighting, rendering & visuals all come together here. The character stops being an asset and starts becoming a performance. Movement, timing, and expression are what make an audience connect, and that only works when all the earlier steps have been done right.
At its best, character design is a balance of instinct and process. You’re constantly switching between creative decisions and technical ones, but when it lands, you end up with something that feels less like a model and more like a personality.
