I need suggestions

[dandykaiju]

So I've been thinking of starting a comic of some sort. Before I start, I want to redesign ALL my characters. I am having a bit of trouble choosing new species for some of my babies, so I'd love some ideas. I may or may not take ideas at all, but I really want some ideas that might help spark up some of my own.
If the species is something of your creation, please let me know so I may give credit where credit is needed (also details to what the species is like and such).
Here is a list of characters that I am having a bit of trouble with:
1. Todd - He NEEDS to have something "fox-like" but not a fox. I swear to Arceus if you give me fox or kitsune I will uppercut you. I really just want something very fluffy. Or fluffy-ish. He has two tails. Keep that in mind. ALSO, he has brothers, Dante and Stark.
2. Rosie - I'm just really sick of the whole "bunny" thing. She has two brothers, Lance and Jowee.
3. Zac - I would like something reptilian, but anything'll do. Needs to be the same species as Zerro.
4. Archaic - I want something different than a fox. He has a sister, Citadel.
5. Jowee - I'm just really sick of the whole "bunny" thing. He has a brother and a sister, Lance and Rosie.
6. Zerro - I would like something reptilian, but anything'll do. Needs to be the same species as Zac.
7. Olley - I would LOVE something bizarre for him and his sister, Marcellus.
8. Stark - Just needs to be the same species as whatever Todd gets.
9. Dante - Needs to be the same species as Stark and Todd, but due to a plot thing I am lazy to type, must be part phoenix.
10. Lance - I'm just really sick of the whole "bunny" thing. He has a brother and a sister, Jowee and Rosie.
11. Ned - He used to be a Gengar. I based him off of the "story" of how Gengar is just a dead Clefairy/Clefairy's shadow. I guess I just want something that would think it's dead, is rather ghost-like, but is truly alive.
12. Marcellus - I would LOVE something bizarre for her and her brother, Olley.
13. Evelyn - She has no siblings, so anything goes so long as I like it.
14. Citadel - I want something different than a fox. She has a brother, Archaic.

[Lucentas]

This isn't a specific suggestion, per se, but I would recommend going to the zoo and observing the plethora of species there. That should give you some really good species to make your characters, or at least a springboard for the kinds of creatures you want them to be. There are plenty of "fox-like" animals in existence that aren't foxes, for example, and your nearest zoo will probably have some.

Good luck!

[dandykaiju]

Lucentas

This isn't a specific suggestion, per se, but I would recommend going to the zoo and observing the plethora of species there. That should give you some really good species to make your characters, or at least a springboard for the kinds of creatures you want them to be. There are plenty of "fox-like" animals in existence that aren't foxes, for example, and your nearest zoo will probably have some.

Good luck!

I'm looking for things a bit different than existing animals. That and I don't live near a zoo. Thank you though.

[Kyousouka]

Are all of these main characters for the same story, or are some of them side characters? If they're not all the main characters, or are from various stories, focus on the main characters (and clearly separate them from everyone else on the list). The balance of personalities and species among your main characters is most important.

You should also provide a list of their personalities, and perhaps brief descriptions of their relationships to each other. That way, their species can actually match the character. As it is now, you're basically asking people to choose at random, which can severely hurt your story. If you're not going to put care into choosing their species, you might as well make them all the same species and explore the dynamics of that.


If these are all main characters for the same story, then... please reconsider. A story with so many main characters is not only difficult to write, but it's also difficult to read and care about, especially if these characters are all introduced within a few chapters of each other.

[Kaxen]

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

I'm looking for things a bit different than existing animals. That and I don't live near a zoo. Thank you though.

Well, there's always watching a crud-ton of animal documentaries for animal ideas whether you're trying to do something that exists or not since like 90% of fantasy animals are real animals smashed together somehow. Like how the Beast in Beauty in the Beast is a baboon, bear, boar, wolf, buffalo, and a lion smashed together in bits and pieces. And some people theorize that mythical creatures were due to mistaken identity. Like one common one I hear is that Greeks thought mammoth skulls were cyclops skulls.


And when you say you want something similar an animal. What aspect of that animal are you even looking for? Cute like a fox? Behavior like a fox? Colored like a fox? Floofy tail like a fox?

And reptilian kind of covers a heck of a lot of things too. Since that's like... a lot of different animals...

[Xiam]

Hm... well, here's the thing. And please don't be offended, but I've got a few nagging thoughts about it.

A furry comic? I hope you know what you're doing... I'd considered a comic with animal characters, but A) it'd be a period piece and require a lot of research, which I've so far been unable to do, B) I'm not very good at drawing animals, and C) I am terrified of the following and/or hate I'd get for a series featuring anthropomorphic animals. I'm just saying so you know what you're getting yourself into.

But if you're sure, let's move on...

Kyousouka

Are all of these main characters for the same story, or are some of them side characters? If they're not all the main characters, or are from various stories, focus on the main characters (and clearly separate them from everyone else on the list). The balance of personalities and species among your main characters is most important.

You should also provide a list of their personalities, and perhaps brief descriptions of their relationships to each other. That way, their species can actually match the character. As it is now, you're basically asking people to choose at random, which can severely hurt your story. If you're not going to put care into choosing their species, you might as well make them all the same species and explore the dynamics of that.


If these are all main characters for the same story, then... please reconsider. A story with so many main characters is not only difficult to write, but it's also difficult to read and care about, especially if these characters are all introduced within a few chapters of each other.

That's what I was worried about too. Too many characters to juggle makes for weaker individuality.

Furthermore... OP, you know "fox-like with multiple tails" is a kitsune, right? There's really very little reason to have multiple tails unless you're going for the kitsune or a bakeneko. Sometimes, if you want to do something like a certain thing, just go straight for that thing.

Like, "I want to do something like a zombie, but--" No, just stop right there, if you want to do something zombie-like, just do a ******** zombie. "But it needs to be intelligent!" Then do a lich. Damn.

So I say, look at different critters. I'm sure you can find whole books on different species of animals.

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

I'm looking for things a bit different than existing animals. That and I don't live near a zoo. Thank you though.

Well then, you're going to need to use your imagination. And like Kaxen said, looking at real animals will give you great inspiration. Looking at everything will give you inspiration, really. Check out folklore and mythology, you'll find amazing things.

Kaxen

And reptilian kind of covers a heck of a lot of things too. Since that's like... a lot of different animals...

I was thinking "Argonian." But I've been playing Skryim too much lately. emotion_awesome

[dandykaiju]

Kyousouka

Are all of these main characters for the same story, or are some of them side characters? If they're not all the main characters, or are from various stories, focus on the main characters (and clearly separate them from everyone else on the list). The balance of personalities and species among your main characters is most important.

You should also provide a list of their personalities, and perhaps brief descriptions of their relationships to each other. That way, their species can actually match the character. As it is now, you're basically asking people to choose at random, which can severely hurt your story. If you're not going to put care into choosing their species, you might as well make them all the same species and explore the dynamics of that.


If these are all main characters for the same story, then... please reconsider. A story with so many main characters is not only difficult to write, but it's also difficult to read and care about, especially if these characters are all introduced within a few chapters of each other.

They are not all main characters. I just can't get personalities decided until I have a basis for the species. I'm not really that good with writing, so I do things like that that will probably seem silly. I'll try to get what information about each of them I have together.

[dandykaiju]

Kaxen

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

I'm looking for things a bit different than existing animals. That and I don't live near a zoo. Thank you though.

Well, there's always watching a crud-ton of animal documentaries for animal ideas whether you're trying to do something that exists or not since like 90% of fantasy animals are real animals smashed together somehow. Like how the Beast in Beauty in the Beast is a baboon, bear, boar, wolf, buffalo, and a lion smashed together in bits and pieces. And some people theorize that mythical creatures were due to mistaken identity. Like one common one I hear is that Greeks thought mammoth skulls were cyclops skulls.


And when you say you want something similar an animal. What aspect of that animal are you even looking for? Cute like a fox? Behavior like a fox? Colored like a fox? Floofy tail like a fox?

And reptilian kind of covers a heck of a lot of things too. Since that's like... a lot of different animals...

That would probably be a good place to start. Thanks.

[dandykaiju]

Xiam

Hm... well, here's the thing. And please don't be offended, but I've got a few nagging thoughts about it.

A furry comic? I hope you know what you're doing... I'd considered a comic with animal characters, but A) it'd be a period piece and require a lot of research, which I've so far been unable to do, B) I'm not very good at drawing animals, and C) I am terrified of the following and/or hate I'd get for a series featuring anthropomorphic animals. I'm just saying so you know what you're getting yourself into.

But if you're sure, let's move on...

Kyousouka

Are all of these main characters for the same story, or are some of them side characters? If they're not all the main characters, or are from various stories, focus on the main characters (and clearly separate them from everyone else on the list). The balance of personalities and species among your main characters is most important.

You should also provide a list of their personalities, and perhaps brief descriptions of their relationships to each other. That way, their species can actually match the character. As it is now, you're basically asking people to choose at random, which can severely hurt your story. If you're not going to put care into choosing their species, you might as well make them all the same species and explore the dynamics of that.


If these are all main characters for the same story, then... please reconsider. A story with so many main characters is not only difficult to write, but it's also difficult to read and care about, especially if these characters are all introduced within a few chapters of each other.

That's what I was worried about too. Too many characters to juggle makes for weaker individuality.

Furthermore... OP, you know "fox-like with multiple tails" is a kitsune, right? There's really very little reason to have multiple tails unless you're going for the kitsune or a bakeneko. Sometimes, if you want to do something like a certain thing, just go straight for that thing.

Like, "I want to do something like a zombie, but--" No, just stop right there, if you want to do something zombie-like, just do a ******** zombie. "But it needs to be intelligent!" Then do a lich. Damn.

So I say, look at different critters. I'm sure you can find whole books on different species of animals.

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

I'm looking for things a bit different than existing animals. That and I don't live near a zoo. Thank you though.

Well then, you're going to need to use your imagination. And like Kaxen said, looking at real animals will give you great inspiration. Looking at everything will give you inspiration, really. Check out folklore and mythology, you'll find amazing things.

Kaxen

And reptilian kind of covers a heck of a lot of things too. Since that's like... a lot of different animals...

I was thinking "Argonian." But I've been playing Skryim too much lately. emotion_awesome

I won't get offended. I need brutal honesty if I am going to get anywhere with a story. As for the 'furry' thing, majority of my characters are not completely coated in fur. I like to use animal parts and occasionally bizarre skin colors, but it is really rare that I go completely animal-like for a character. I actually plan on having more separate stories, but I haven't really gotten that far on it yet. That is a problem I should work on. As for the fox thing, I didn't know a kitsune was a fox with multiple tails. I just find a fox character boring, so I wanted something different, but I wanted his tails to still be fluffy. I will probably look into the mythology and such when I have time. Thank you.

[Kyousouka]

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

They are not all main characters. I just can't get personalities decided until I have a basis for the species. I'm not really that good with writing, so I do things like that that will probably seem silly. I'll try to get what information about each of them I have together.

The only way you'll become a better writer is by challenging yourself.

Your characters species, personalities, and story need to all work together. You cannot decide these things separately and still end up with something good. Work from the big picture (your story's theme) inward to the details (plot events, the character personalities you need to make it all happen, and the visuals that fit those personalities).

[dandykaiju]

Kyousouka

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

They are not all main characters. I just can't get personalities decided until I have a basis for the species. I'm not really that good with writing, so I do things like that that will probably seem silly. I'll try to get what information about each of them I have together.

The only way you'll become a better writer is by challenging yourself.

Your characters species, personalities, and story need to all work together. You cannot decide these things separately and still end up with something good. Work from the big picture (your story's theme) inward to the details (plot events, the character personalities you need to make it all happen, and the visuals that fit those personalities).

Alright. I'll start thinking of the plot line as soon as possible.

[Xiam]

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

I won't get offended. I need brutal honesty if I am going to get anywhere with a story. As for the 'furry' thing, majority of my characters are not completely coated in fur. I like to use animal parts and occasionally bizarre skin colors, but it is really rare that I go completely animal-like for a character. I actually plan on having more separate stories, but I haven't really gotten that far on it yet. That is a problem I should work on. As for the fox thing, I didn't know a kitsune was a fox with multiple tails. I just find a fox character boring, so I wanted something different, but I wanted his tails to still be fluffy. I will probably look into the mythology and such when I have time. Thank you.

Yeah. "Kitsune" means "fox," and (like a number of animals in Japan) have mysterious powers attributed to them, if they live long enough (or in the case of dogs, if they die in a certain way). Cats do so by splitting their tails into two, and foxes do so by splitting first in two, but over time can go as far as nine.

A question though... if you don't want them to be so very furry anyway, why not just make them strictly human? I mean, you don't have to, of course. Make what you'd love to read, that's my philosophy. If you're not enjoying it, you're doing it wrong.

Just a curiosity why you would feel the need for them to be animals, rather than simply taking on the perceived traits of animals while still being fully human. Like if someone is based on a fox, sure, they wouldn't have a fluffy tail, but they could still have a cunning, trickster mentality, and perhaps even a fox-like face. And that gives you personality right there.

Or if they're like a squirrel, also no bushy tail, but perhaps a hyperactive personality with a sort of hoarder compulsion.

And so on in that fashion. There are loads of archetypes you can work with.

[dandykaiju]

Xiam

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

I won't get offended. I need brutal honesty if I am going to get anywhere with a story. As for the 'furry' thing, majority of my characters are not completely coated in fur. I like to use animal parts and occasionally bizarre skin colors, but it is really rare that I go completely animal-like for a character. I actually plan on having more separate stories, but I haven't really gotten that far on it yet. That is a problem I should work on. As for the fox thing, I didn't know a kitsune was a fox with multiple tails. I just find a fox character boring, so I wanted something different, but I wanted his tails to still be fluffy. I will probably look into the mythology and such when I have time. Thank you.

Yeah. "Kitsune" means "fox," and (like a number of animals in Japan) have mysterious powers attributed to them, if they live long enough (or in the case of dogs, if they die in a certain way). Cats do so by splitting their tails into two, and foxes do so by splitting first in two, but over time can go as far as nine.

A question though... if you don't want them to be so very furry anyway, why not just make them strictly human? I mean, you don't have to, of course. Make what you'd love to read, that's my philosophy. If you're not enjoying it, you're doing it wrong.

Just a curiosity why you would feel the need for them to be animals, rather than simply taking on the perceived traits of animals while still being fully human. Like if someone is based on a fox, sure, they wouldn't have a fluffy tail, but they could still have a cunning, trickster mentality, and perhaps even a fox-like face. And that gives you personality right there.

Or if they're like a squirrel, also no bushy tail, but perhaps a hyperactive personality with a sort of hoarder compulsion.

And so on in that fashion. There are loads of archetypes you can work with.

I'm not just looking for animals. I want non-human characters because I am not exactly one who is fond of reality, so I like to have characters in a more fantasy like vision to me.

[Xiam]

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

Xiam

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

I won't get offended. I need brutal honesty if I am going to get anywhere with a story. As for the 'furry' thing, majority of my characters are not completely coated in fur. I like to use animal parts and occasionally bizarre skin colors, but it is really rare that I go completely animal-like for a character. I actually plan on having more separate stories, but I haven't really gotten that far on it yet. That is a problem I should work on. As for the fox thing, I didn't know a kitsune was a fox with multiple tails. I just find a fox character boring, so I wanted something different, but I wanted his tails to still be fluffy. I will probably look into the mythology and such when I have time. Thank you.

Yeah. "Kitsune" means "fox," and (like a number of animals in Japan) have mysterious powers attributed to them, if they live long enough (or in the case of dogs, if they die in a certain way). Cats do so by splitting their tails into two, and foxes do so by splitting first in two, but over time can go as far as nine.

A question though... if you don't want them to be so very furry anyway, why not just make them strictly human? I mean, you don't have to, of course. Make what you'd love to read, that's my philosophy. If you're not enjoying it, you're doing it wrong.

Just a curiosity why you would feel the need for them to be animals, rather than simply taking on the perceived traits of animals while still being fully human. Like if someone is based on a fox, sure, they wouldn't have a fluffy tail, but they could still have a cunning, trickster mentality, and perhaps even a fox-like face. And that gives you personality right there.

Or if they're like a squirrel, also no bushy tail, but perhaps a hyperactive personality with a sort of hoarder compulsion.

And so on in that fashion. There are loads of archetypes you can work with.

I'm not just looking for animals. I want non-human characters because I am not exactly one who is fond of reality, so I like to have characters in a more fantasy like vision to me.

I'm not either. But humans tend to be more relatable, and I haven't quite gotten around to using all the weird things I draw, so... *shrug*

That reminds me though, how much do you doodle? Do you ever just sort of... make things up as you go? An exercise I like to do is scribble, then see if I see anything in it. Sometimes I'll even flip it around to the side or upside-down. Then I sketch what I think I see. Comes out very inhuman, but... can be a good exercise in imagination.

[dandykaiju]

Xiam

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

Xiam

WhenFlyingMuffinsAttack

I won't get offended. I need brutal honesty if I am going to get anywhere with a story. As for the 'furry' thing, majority of my characters are not completely coated in fur. I like to use animal parts and occasionally bizarre skin colors, but it is really rare that I go completely animal-like for a character. I actually plan on having more separate stories, but I haven't really gotten that far on it yet. That is a problem I should work on. As for the fox thing, I didn't know a kitsune was a fox with multiple tails. I just find a fox character boring, so I wanted something different, but I wanted his tails to still be fluffy. I will probably look into the mythology and such when I have time. Thank you.

Yeah. "Kitsune" means "fox," and (like a number of animals in Japan) have mysterious powers attributed to them, if they live long enough (or in the case of dogs, if they die in a certain way). Cats do so by splitting their tails into two, and foxes do so by splitting first in two, but over time can go as far as nine.

A question though... if you don't want them to be so very furry anyway, why not just make them strictly human? I mean, you don't have to, of course. Make what you'd love to read, that's my philosophy. If you're not enjoying it, you're doing it wrong.

Just a curiosity why you would feel the need for them to be animals, rather than simply taking on the perceived traits of animals while still being fully human. Like if someone is based on a fox, sure, they wouldn't have a fluffy tail, but they could still have a cunning, trickster mentality, and perhaps even a fox-like face. And that gives you personality right there.

Or if they're like a squirrel, also no bushy tail, but perhaps a hyperactive personality with a sort of hoarder compulsion.

And so on in that fashion. There are loads of archetypes you can work with.

I'm not just looking for animals. I want non-human characters because I am not exactly one who is fond of reality, so I like to have characters in a more fantasy like vision to me.

I'm not either. But humans tend to be more relatable, and I haven't quite gotten around to using all the weird things I draw, so... *shrug*

That reminds me though, how much do you doodle? Do you ever just sort of... make things up as you go? An exercise I like to do is scribble, then see if I see anything in it. Sometimes I'll even flip it around to the side or upside-down. Then I sketch what I think I see. Comes out very inhuman, but... can be a good exercise in imagination.

That's actually how I got most of my character's original designs. Sometimes it helps me expand their personalities. Eh. I know I won't really start working on my story for a while, but I didn't want to post in chatter box about my characters. The people in there are quite harsh. It's rather hard finding things for my characters, but a lot of these posts have been getting me to think hard about what I want.