Character and physical appearance

This is an aspect of descriptive writing that I never really considered up until a few weeks ago. In a film class I'm taking this semester, we just finished learning about character makeup, costume, hairstyle, and how all of these elements are carefully designed to add to our perception of the character. I was blown away by the amount of care that goes into these decisions, and even more blown away by the fact that they make complete sense. It has a lot of impact but is fairly easy to implement.

Jump to navigation Jump to search The appearance of a character is important, but remember as a writer you are describing the appearance and much will be left to the readers' imagination.

Of course, if you are writing for film or television or for a visual work like a comic book, then appearance becomes more important. You should decide the physical attributes of your character. At the least you should consider: Height - are they tall, short, average?

Weight - are they overweight, underweight, average? Skin tone and freckles, hair and eye colour Distinguishing features - birthmarks, scars, tattoos Hair color- brunette, blonde?

Hair length-short, long shoulder length? Some of these attributes will be worked into the story early on to allow the reader to form an image of the character in their "minds eye". Others will be returned to as important plot devices.

You should try to avoid the stereotypes - not all pirates have only one eye and have a false leg! For aliens, physical attributes must be more detailed as the reader needs more help to picture the creature.

Accessories[ edit ] Think about the things your character carries and uses and whether any should be distinctive. These are all iconic accessories. People in real life tend to favour certain items and these items are part of how we recognise them and think of them.

The glasses they wear, the type of watch they use, the jewellery they wear. Add accessories to shape your character. Are they fascinated with antiques?

From the SparkNotes Blog

Give them a pocket watch instead of a wristwatch Do they hanker after the past? Give them an old car like Morse had Clothing[ edit ] Clothing is usually more a plot point than part of characterisation.

Your character will have types of clothing they wear more frequently - smart or casual for example. However, they are likely to change their clothing during the story based on the requirements of the plot.

A good example of when clothing is a strong part of character is Arthur Dent in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy where he wears a dressing gown and pyjamas throughout the story. The difficulty with clothing is that it can very easily create a caricature.Aug 23,  · To describe a person's physical appearance, start with general information like hair color and length, approximate height and weight, gender, and age range.

Then, get more specific by describing features like the eyes, nose, and mouth, and don't forget to 82%(38). Physical characteristics are defining traits or features about your body.

The first thing you see when you look at someone could be their hair, clothes, nose, or figure. These are all examples of physical characteristics.

To get good examples of physical characteristics you should look at a person's. Aug 22,  · How to Describe a Character's Looks Well.

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If you're writing a story, it's important to not only be able to describe your characters' looks, but also know what kind of impressions these details will give to your reader. Here are instructions on how to describe a character’s appearance as well as things to keep in mind as you go.

Steps 84%(). A character's physical appearance is not what connects me to that character, nor does it make me care more about them. I understand that's probably just me, though, and other readers have different preferences. For example, where your character lives, their physical appearance, education, hobbies, interests, personality, and possessions to name a few.

When you begin to create a character sketch, you need to take each character trait and ask yourself questions to develop your character.

Producing a character sketch, which is an outline of your protagonist, will help when you write a novel or fictional story because you will have a clear idea of what your protagonist looks like and his or her personality - Character and Physical Appearance introduction.

Essentially, a character sketch is a visual picture. In order.