Make Your Characters Memorable with Drapery and Silhouettes

Summary by Krater

Michael Hampton demonstrates how character design principles apply to costume and drapery design, using character examples like Batman, The Penguin, The Riddler, and Catwoman to explain how shapes, silhouettes, and value distribution convey character archetypes.

From the video

Answers: How do I design character costumes and drapery using shape language and value distribution?

• character costume design
• silhouette and shape language
• drapery and folds in costume
• hero and villain archetype design
• value distribution in clothing

What it concludes

• Hero character archetypes are primarily square in shape language for stability and reliability.
• Costume designs typically use an asymmetric percentage breakdown, such as 60% of one primary shape, 30% secondary, and 10% tertiary.
• Villains often feature distorted or abnormal body postures and clothing that reflect their character traits.