Mar 16, 2024
By chasingillusions
I’ll explain how understanding psychology can significantly aid you in crafting characters that are unforgettable and unique. Also, I’ll show you how a character’s backstory can be inferred just by looking at them.
Psychologists are educated to interact with individuals in a receptive and understanding manner. This implies that they keep a fair and even-handed approach when dealing with them.
Don't hastily force words and physical characteristics onto your characters. Consider what they wish to convey and the language they use to express themselves.
A good foundation for understanding individuals and where they come from is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It’s well worth another look, especially for artists.
These are the things that you need to sustain life: air, food, shelter, clothing, etc. If these needs aren’t being met, you’ve got some big problems. People are highly motivated to make sure they have these things.
Safety concerns still have an element of life or death to them, but they are less immediate. Examples include protection from the elements, and basic freedom to live without fear.
There are entire genres of books that are built on a character’s search for love and belonging. They will do what they can to reach out and find the person or people who will let them finally feel that they belong.
Psychology plays a major role in shaping a character’s backstory and motivations. When authors craft a backstory, they often consider various psychological factors that made the character who they are.
While you are starting to draw a character, you will start to think about the proportion of the character first and what shapes to use to build the body of your character. This trait of your character will come from its background and how you have created the story of it itself.
Overall, visual design choices for characters are guided by psychological principles about how inner qualities manifest through external expression.
Psychology is the cornerstone of creating truly captivating characters. By delving into their formative experiences, innate traits, motivations, and emotions, writers and artists breathe life into their creations.