Character Design for Games

To understand the experience of collaborating with me on your game’s character design, please visit the Case Studies tab to explore sketches, techniques, and other freelance concept art services.

A woman dressed as a mythological or tribal figure, wearing a headdress made of branches, feathers, and beads, with face paint and intricate details on her clothing, against a plain background.
Digital concept art of a warrior woman with deer antler headdress, face paint, braided hair with beads, wearing fur, leather, and fabric clothing, carrying a tribal-inspired shield on her back, in a fantasy style.
A warrior with a horned helmet, face covered with a bandage, and tribal clothing, standing over a roaring wolf in a foggy landscape.
A woman dressed as a cowgirl in a desert landscape, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, glasses, a fringed jacket, and a bandana, holding a whiskey bottle, with a rope coiled on her horse.
Arrangement of seven characters dressed as doctors from the game 'Town of Salem,' divided into two factions: Town Doctor and Frontier Doctor. The Town Doctors wear more traditional, old-fashioned clothing with accessories like glasses, a cane, and a
Painted illustration of four men dressed as bartenders from the Wild West era, each holding different items, standing in a line with the title 'The Barker' at the top.
Digital illustration of four diverse female adventurers wearing outdoor gear with backpacks, exploring a rugged landscape with small houses in the background, titled 'Riftwalkers Character Concept Exploration'.
A young woman with long blonde hair in a braid, wearing a black baseball cap backward, a bandage on her nose, a black hoodie underneath a brown jacket, and a red shirt. She has a serious or brooding expression.
Illustration of a teenage girl with blonde hair, wearing a black cap backwards, a brown jacket, red shirt, green cargo shorts, and black slip-on shoes. She is holding a skateboard with a blue design and yellow wheels.
Black and white digital portrait of a person shown from both side and front views, with short, styled blond hair and a serious expression.
Three digital portraits of a man with dark hair, blue eyes, and a serious expression, shown from different angles, displayed side by side with different artistic styles in a monochrome and colored palette.
Digital artwork of three female portraits in a row, with the first in color showing red hair and blue eyes, and the other two in black and white with different side profiles.
A digital painting of a young woman with long red hair, blue eyes, and pink eye makeup, wearing layered necklaces, against a dark background.
Illustration of four young women and one man in various casual and edgy fashion outfits, standing against a plain background.
Illustration of four young men dressed in modern, edgy fashion with tattoos, piercings, and alternative hairstyles.
A graffiti-style digital illustration of a punk-skater girl with blue hair, tattoos, a pink mask, and a spiked shoulder pad. She holds a katana and is accompanied by two pink dogs on roller skates, connected by chains.
Progression of a female character design from a sketch to a colored, detailed illustration in a futuristic, sci-fi style. The character has long, wild hair, an eye patch, and mechanical legs. She wears a black sleeveless top, cargo shorts, and carrie
Comparison of three illustrations of a female cyborg character, from a line drawing on the left to a fully colored version on the right. The character has short hair, a cap, a tactical vest, mechanical arms, and holds a bag and a weapon, with various
Drawing of twin exoskeleton skeleton prototypes with mechanical parts and human skulls, one with red accents and the other with darker tones, labeled as 'twinEXOSKELETON - PROTOTYPE'.
Concept art of five female characters with cybernetic and futuristic clothing, each with distinct styles and accessories, standing against a white background.
Two young men with tattoos and shaved heads, wearing black suits and no shirts, posing against a black background. One has a chain necklace, and the other holds a chain with a metal ball attached.
Two young women standing against a black background, both wearing black masks, crop tops, shorts, and high-heeled boots. The woman on the left has short, ash blonde hair and tattoos, while the woman on the right has black hair styled in pigtails with
Character concept art of a futuristic punk style character in tactical clothing, shown in five different angles against a black background. The character has short, tousled hair with blue streaks, wears a cap, military-style jacket with patches, beig
Close-up of a person with cybernetic enhancements and tattoos on their face, wearing a high-tech mask and armor, with Japanese text and English hashtags.
Portrait of a woman with cybernetic and robotic enhancements, blonde hair with dreadlocks, wearing a futuristic headgear and black clothing. The background is black, and text overlays include her name, Miguel Nogueira.
Digital concept art of a female cyborg with mechanical arms and legs, wearing a gray jacket with medical patches, and sporting dreadlocks with dreadlocks and a beanie, seen from four angles against a black background. Text at bottom right reads 'Blac
Futuristic female cyborg with tattoos, piercings, and short mohawk hairstyle, wearing black streetwear with occult symbols, and robotic arms and legs, presenting different angles against a plain background.

Character Design Thinking Process

Before sketching, I list ideas in a mindmap.
This is a strategic tool that helps connect ideas in bubbles. The process helps me understand the characters’ feelings, stories and personalities and explore the IP further. Good character design is honest. Good character design is beautiful. It doesn't try to impress, it doesn't seek attention, it simply doesn't try; it just belongs in the environment.

If you’re not planning, you’re planning to fail. — Benjamin Franklin

The Right Reference for a Character Design

It's almost a religious act now to avoid looking at other concept artists' work when I'm creating something new. I've gotten so used to this approach that being influenced by someone else's final product actually makes the process harder for me.

When designing robots, I look at the latest from Boston Dynamics, Open Bionics, and ASIMO. When designing dragons, I study bugs, lizards, and nature.

Art imitates life, and it's hard to design while looking through someone else's lens, trying to copy experiences that are theirs and which I haven't lived.

How I Deliver Character Designs Without Any Requests for Revisions

Managing expectations and clear communication can be a challenge when working with freelance artists or outsourcing studios.

The ambiguity can leave a client anxious. Between unclear priorities and too few questions being asked about the project goals, a good result may be more about a stroke of luck or inspiration, rather than a deliberate creative process.

Because I have plenty of experience under my belt, when you work with me, you can expect a clear priority list for your approval before the project starts, discovery sessions, a project calendar, and perfectly timed project updates.

“It was a pleasure to work with you. I loved your process and all the thinking that went into it. I hope to work with you again soon!”


— Alexey Andreev,
Art Director at Blur Studio.