3 Character Consistency Mistakes That Every Beginner Illustrator Makes

3 consistency mistakes that can derail your children's book (and how to fix them)

Hello Artathoners (worse?)

Yesterday we talked about why characters need to look the same on every page of your children's book. As promised, today I'm sharing the three biggest consistency mistakes that every illustrator makes at some point (even professionals!) and—more importantly—how to fix them.

The Character Marathon

Creating a children's book is like running a character marathon. Your character needs to appear dozens of times throughout the book while staying recognizable and engaging. Unfortunately, many illustrators hit consistency "walls" along the way.

Let's look at the three most common consistency mistakes and their solutions:

Mistake #1: Not Taking Time to Know Your Character

Many illustrators dive straight into creating book pages without first developing a deep understanding of their character's visual elements.

The result? By page 10, your character starts to drift. The eyes get larger, the head shape changes slightly, or the proportions shift without you realizing it. GUILTY! (As my art directors will tell you, thank God for them!)

The solution: Character Exploration

Before drawing a single page of your final book, take time to get to know your character:

• Draw them multiple times from different angles

• Explore various expressions and poses

• Identify their defining features

This isn't "extra work" - it's essential preparation that saves countless hours of frustration later!

Mistake #2: Struggling with Different Angles and Poses

One of the biggest consistency mistakes is losing your character's recognizable features when drawing them from new angles or in action poses.

The result? Your character might look great from the front, but becomes unrecognizable in profile or when jumping, running, or interacting with other characters.

The solution: Shape Breakdown

Understanding the basic shapes that make up your character is crucial:

• What simple forms create your character's head?

• What proportions stay consistent regardless of pose?

• How do these shapes connect and interact?

When you understand your character as a collection of simple shapes, you can reconstruct them accurately from any angle or pose.

Mistake #3: Inconsistent References Throughout the Process

Many illustrators work from memory or different references as they progress through their book, leading to subtle but noticeable changes.

The result? Your character gradually transforms throughout the book, with readers unable to pinpoint exactly what changed, but feeling something is "off."

The solution: Character Reference Sheet

Create a comprehensive character reference sheet as your consistent guide:

• Color palette

• Size comparisons

• Key measurement relationships

• Signature features and expressions

We All Make These Mistakes

Want to know something encouraging?

Every professional illustrator has made these exact mistakes. The difference isn't talent - it's learning from these mistakes and developing a systematic approach to character consistency.

Each sketch, each angle study, each expression exploration builds your understanding of who this character is visually. This foundation makes the actual book illustration process smoother, faster, and more enjoyable.

Quick Exercise: Identify Your Mistake

Take a moment to look at your current project. Which of these three mistakes might be affecting your character consistency the most? Once you identify it, you can focus your practice on that specific area.

Tomorrow: I'll share a step-by-step framework for fixing these mistakes and creating character studies that make page-to-page consistency almost automatic!

Happy drawing,

Adam Ming

P.S. Which of these three consistency mistakes have you experienced in your illustrations? I'd love to hear - just reply to this email!

Art Gym Members: You get access to the LIVE Character Consistency Workshop on the 17th April — here we'll work through solutions to these common mistakes together. RSVP Here to reserve your spot!

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