A good character design relies on many things, but one that can often be overlooked is the style of the illustration. The overall approach can subtly or dramatically affect the resulting image.
In this tutorial, we will create a light-hearted image, playing with an over-the-top concept with a touch of comedy. We often avoid using thick outlines in our work, but for this piece we want the main robot character to appear strong and defiant. We can give him apparent strength by adding thick lines to his structure and features; this, coupled with his good-natured look and situation, will communicate the contradiction of a big, destructive robot having a genteel tea break. The subject also lends itself to a more cartoon-like look, encouraging the audience to play out the scene for themselves.
