Provided

Drawn by Betty Ying Huang '14

In a Schwartz Center design studio, students are dreaming up goblins, mischievous children and mesmerizing mermaids, then making these characters come alive on paper.

They're part of the new Creative Character Design class, taught by Senior Lecturer Sarah Bernstein in the Department of Performing and Media Arts, that teaches students how to develop every facet of a character -- from physical characteristics to dress to expressions to mannerisms. The characters they are working on could come alive in books, on movie screens, on stages or in video games.

"When you start to design a character, you begin with what you envision her body to be," said Esther Jun '15. The design has to include the character's anatomy, facial composition, movements and expressions, along with the textures you envision for the outside, whether they be on clothing, skin or fur, she said.

Provided

Drawn by Subin Lee '15

Provided

Drawn by Subin Lee '15

Bernstein developed the class because of students' growing interest in animated characters and computer-generated characters within live-action films.

"I am particularly interested in exploring character designs that are not bound by the physical limitations of a performer's body or actual costumes," Bernstein said.

The designs students are creating could be used in print illustration, animation, digital special effects, video gaming and various forms of puppetry, among other applications.

During one assignment, students created drawings for three characters from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Snow Queen." Bernstein shared the story without showing the students any illustrations so that they could imagine the characters of the queen, the evil hobgoblin and the two children, Kay and Gerda, in their heads first.

Their designs couldn't have been more different -- with Betty Huang '14's Snow Queen drawn lithe and wispy and another student's drawing featuring a spiked headdress and Edward Scissorhands-like appendages.

"I see a definite style emerging for each of them," Bernstein said of her students, who are majoring in fine arts, architecture and theater.

"As an architecture major, our projects are very structured," Huang said. "But in this class you have a lot more freedom to express yourself and design anything."

As students begin their next project on science fiction characters, Bernstein said they will be working on their final projects designing characters using music as one of the inspirations.

Bernstein plans to teach the class again in fall 2013.

Kathy Hovis is communications manager in the Department of Performing and Media Arts.