Your Character Consistency Questions Answered
"How do I keep my character consistent when..." (Your questions answered!)
Hello Art-circuit-trainers! (Thank goodness we’re almost there!)
Over the past three days, we've explored
Today, I'm answering the most frequent questions illustrators ask me about character consistency. These are the real-world challenges that I’ve struggled with and still sometimes struggle with! (Which is why I need practice)
But first,
I just want to make sure you know that our next live session of artgym is in a couple of days, I’d love to see you there and answer your questions in person, together with
— we won’t just answer with words, but we’ll answer by doing!We created Artgym as a place to practice, learn and grow in community:
The accountability helps us show up!
The community pushes us to grow!
We learn from each other!
We develop skill faster!
We learn by doing!
It’s fun!!
I don’t want you to miss it, so if you’re ready to get a little bit out of your comfort zone and build some art muscle, RSVP here!
Okay on to the questions..
"How do I keep my character consistent when showing extreme emotions?"
This is perhaps the biggest challenge illustrators face! When a character is experiencing intense joy, fear, or surprise, their features can become distorted and harder to maintain.
Solution: Create an "emotional range" reference sheet specifically for your character.
Try identifying 2-3 core features that NEVER change, no matter how extreme the emotion. This might be:
The specific curve of their eyebrows
Their unique nose shape
The proportion of their head to body
When the emotion is extreme, exaggerate everything EXCEPT these anchor features. This gives readers a consistent visual anchor even during dramatic moments. (But sometimes break this rule!)
"How do I maintain consistency when my character is viewed from unusual angles?"
Unusual perspectives—like bird's eye views, worm's eye views, or extreme close-ups—challenge even professional illustrators.
Solution: Return to your character's foundational shapes and attitude.
Remember:
Basic shapes look consistent from any angle
Your character's attitude should remain recognizable even when viewed from below or above
If you're struggling with a specific angle, find reference photos of people or objects from that perspective
Practice drawing simple objects (like cups or toys) from unusual angles before attempting your character. This builds your spatial understanding.
"My characters look stiff when I try to keep them consistent. How do I add energy while maintaining consistency?"
This is where our illustrator-as-actor approach really shines!
Solution: Focus on your character's movement signature and energy lines.
Every character has a unique way of moving through the world:
Some lead with their chest (confident)
Others lead with their head (curious)
Some bounce on their toes (energetic)
Others drag their feet (reluctant)
Create loose, quick sketches that capture your character's signature energy BEFORE adding details. When you nail the attitude and energy first, the details will follow naturally without sacrificing consistency.
I normally try to get an energetic sketch, and then modify it into the desired proportions, it doesn’t work as well in reverse.
"How much time should I actually spend on character studies before starting my book?
This question reflects a common worry: that character studies are "extra" work delaying your "real" project.
Solution: Reframe character studies as the foundation of your book, not separate from it.
In my experience, spending about 20% of your total project time on character development saves you 50% of potential revision time. For a typical picture book:
If you estimate the project will take 100 hours total
Spend at least 15-20 hours on thorough character studies
This investment will make the remaining 80 hours much more efficient and enjoyable
Happy drawing,
Adam
Art Gym Members: Our Character Consistency Workshop on the 17th April will include a full Q&A session where I'll answer your specific challenges in real-time, plus hands-on exercises to solve your toughest consistency problems. [RSVP Here] to reserve your spot – spaces are filling quickly!
Not a member yet? The REAL answer to ALL your questions is practice!
That’s what we’ve created art gym as a safe space for illustrators and aspiring artist to come together and practice, share knowledge, ask questions in real time in a supportive environment!
Web have specific practice sessions (workshops) on so many topics, however, the live workshops and recordings are only available to paid subscribers.
Here’s a list of our existing workshops recordings:
A paid subscription will give you a seat at the next live workshop, future workshops + instantly unlock the library of previous workshops. And like any gym work out it’s worth going through these over and over again!
A Monthly pass costs $20 and will let you binge watch everything! Plus the months workshop.
The annual pass is $100 — you’ll save 58% off the monthly pass and be able to attend the next 12 sessions of art gym plus get all the recordings. I hope we’ll see you inside!
Hello, I cant be with you for the next art gym, I'm going to a concert; but i'll look later to the replay ! best wishes