Shapes in character design.
Even if you don't notice, each character is made with a shape or more in mind. It's not something random, but a carefully made decision. How is this decision made? By knowing your character. How come I need to know my character? You may ask. Well, that is because the shapes have a whole lot to do with presenting character. I need a Thesaurus. By that I mean the shapes are a way of showing who the character is in a subtle manner. They give you a gut feeling so to speak.
Which are these shapes that tell so much? These are the three basic shapes: the triangle, the square and the circle. Each of them represent a set of things on their own. It is common to find that books, animations or films for toddlers are populated with one shape designed characters. The motive behind this is so the child can identify each character and their role within the story with ease. Other than that most of the time two or all of the shapes end up combined in the making of a character. This is because most characters are multilayered and the shapes help to show it.
Let's see one by one each of the shapes.
First, the triangle. The shape that can represent danger, direction, dynamism, speed, power, balance, unbalance, and potential. You may have noticed that I wrote boh balance and unbalance. The reason is that depending if the triangle is on its base or upside down it will show one or the other. Why danger then? Well, it supposedly has to do with a gut instinct regarding sharp teeth and high mountains. That is that as a species we know well to stay away from predators and very high places and we automatically associate those shapes with danger.
As for power and potential they are both tied together in that the shape of the triangle is one that seems to keep on growing upwards or downwards, it depends. This also is connected with the direction, speed and dynamism shown in it. This is because the triangle seems to be pointing to somewhere. Thanks to that it shows direction. This can work to show that a character is determined. At the same time, that mobility can be associated with speed. Mostly because these triangle shaped characters can be quite dynamic and well, fast.
Following the triangle we have the square. This is a stable shape. It is like a rock well put on the ground. Or like a building. It is supposed to be firm, reliable, durable and dependable. These square shaped characters can also showcase stubbornness, a great respect for old days and tradition. This is because the square is stuck in place and does not move. It is common for these characters to be strong too.
Lastly, the circle. It is common to associate it with softness, something malleable, something whole. It is often used for characters that are young and still growing. These are the types that can be innocent as well as immature. They have the potential for change like the triangle but lack the push. Sometimes the character is an adult, in those cases they tend to be protective, as the square shaped ones, only that instead of showing strength like those, these ones show comfort.
What is the most common use of shapes?
Well, for the triangle it is usually seem in villains, dangerous creatures, powerful individuals. As for the square we can often see it in dads or any other paternal/ authority figure, strong characters, old characters. Finally, the circle is used for moms or motherly figures, babies, children, toddlers and kids, harmless creatures. This is clearly very reductive and for the most part only applies to simple characters whether for children or for something that doesn't need a lot of complexity to be understood or enjoyed.
I mentioned that it is common for the shapes to be combined to get a well rounded character. These combinations can also work for telegraphing possible development.
The combination works like this: take two or all three shapes thinking of what aspects of a character they will represent. It is for this reason that it is important to have your character and their development figured before going to the drawing board. The combination of shapes should help to understand the various aspects of a character.
