Overview

This project was a character turnaround design for a fantasy fiction novel. The author wanted a visual aid to reference during the writing process and to present during consultations, focusing on both accuracy to her vision and hints of the character’s personality.

Goals

• Translate the author’s written description into a visual character reference

• Capture both appearance and personality in the turnaround

• Keep the design simple but distinctive, since the character is at the beginning of her story arc

• Provide a solid silhouette and identifiable details for future development

Approach

• Starting Point: Began with a basic standing pose, but quickly realized the character needed more life. Drawing inspiration from Meg’s character turnaround from the Disney Animation, Hercules, I introduced a confident stance with one hand on her hip and a subtle smirk to reflect her playful professionalism.

• Costume Design:

  • Black leather suit with triangular, sharp shoulders to signal danger and precision—fitting for an assassin-type character.

  • Vest-style elements to add refinement and high-class energy.

  • Two-toned palette: predominantly black for stealth, accented with deep forest green on the inside of her cape and smaller details.

  • Belts across the chest to add function and detail.

• Character Details:

  • Korean–Hispanic heritage reflected through thick, wavy brunette hair (shoulder-length) and dark eyes.

  • Slight grin expressing confidence, contentment, and mischief.

  • Simple daggers as weapons, given distinct personality through a finger ring design, making them recognizable and playful (hinting at her habit of spinning or twirling them).

• Silhouette Solutions: Since the initial silhouette felt weak, we discussed adding unique weapons or later accessories (like a headpiece planned for a later stage in the character’s arc). For this initial version, the dagger design became the primary distinguishing feature.

• Presentation Style: Final turnaround was set on a faded tan parchment background, evoking old scrolls and enhancing the fantasy aesthetic.

Challenges

• Balancing simplicity (early stage of the character’s story) with enough unique detail to stand out.

• Ensuring the silhouette was identifiable without overloading the design and deviating from the clients vision.

• Creating a pose that showed personality while remaining professional as a turnaround reference.

Outcome

The final character turnaround successfully visualizes the author’s description while adding layers of personality through stance, expression, and costume design. The result is a character who feels confident, playful, and dangerous, yet approachable—a perfect foundation for the author to use in discussions and future development.