One Memorable OC,
Built to Go Beyond the Canvas
illustrator,yunayu Details
Intro
For artists who want to create characters people remember, recognize, and feel connected to long after the first glance.
In this beginner-friendly class, illustrator yunayu breaks down the choices behind her simple yet distinctive OCs, shaped by years of sharing character-driven work online and with a fan community. Learn how silhouette, expression, color, and signature details create a strong first impression, then build an original LD character and carry its defining traits into a recognizable SD design.
Take your OC further through LD and SD pose and expression variations, thumbnails, and short scene illustrations for social content. Adapt the same character across formats while keeping its identity clear, then map out a sustainable direction for developing and sharing your world through community. Give your art more ways to connect, evolve, and leave a lasting impression while building a foundation for growing an audience around your work.
Take your OC further through LD and SD pose and expression variations, thumbnails, and short scene illustrations for social content. Adapt the same character across formats while keeping its identity clear, then map out a sustainable direction for developing and sharing your world through community. Give your art more ways to connect, evolve, and leave a lasting impression while building a foundation for growing an audience around your work.
Class Perks
Special Gift from yunayu
-
Artist Brush PackDraw With yunayu’s Brushes -
LD and SD Facial ReferenceCompare Expressions Across Styles -
LD Character Working FilesSee the Process Up Close -
SD Character Working FilesStudy the Art of Simplification -
Pose Reference SheetBring Personality Into Every Pose
Class Material Details
-
12 Illustration Brushes- Includes 6 line brushes and 6 coloring brushes used for character illustration
- Follow along with the class and explore the brushwork used throughout yunayu’s drawing process
- Provided as SUT files -
20 LD and SD Face Variations- Includes 10 LD and 10 SD face variations for comparing expressions across both character styles
- Study how facial proportions, expressions, and character traits carry from LD into SD
- Provided as PSD files -
2 LD Character Illustration Files- Includes 2 working files from yunayu’s LD character illustration process
- Study how the artwork develops throughout the workflow and explore the editable file structure at your own pace
- Provided as PSD files -
3 SD Character Illustration Files- Includes 3 working files from yunayu’s SD character illustration process
- Explore how the character is simplified, refined, and developed into the finished SD illustration
- Provided as PSD files -
10 Character Pose References- Includes 10 character pose variations for studying gesture, body language, and character presentation
- Use the poses as references when exploring different ways to express your character’s personality
- Provided as PSD files
Recommendation
Who should take this class?
Beginner Character Artists Seeking More Charm and Impact who want their character illustrations to feel cuter, clearer, and more memorable through stronger visual choices.
Artists Who Love Both LD and SD Character Styles who want to explore both formats while keeping the same character identity, charm, and personality across each version.
Creators Who Want to Share Their Characters Online who want to turn their artwork into content they can keep sharing across social media and community spaces.
Expert Illustrator yunayu's Portfolio
* This Portfolio includes fanart.
Why Take This Class?
Make Every Simple Choice Count
Simple doesn’t mean basic. When a character has fewer details, every choice becomes easier to notice: the curve of a silhouette, the placement of an expression, a shift in color, or one signature detail can completely change how the character feels.
yunayu has built her style around knowing what to emphasize and what to leave out. Rather than relying on complicated techniques or adding detail for the sake of detail, she focuses on how a few intentional elements work together to make a character feel cute, clear, and memorable.
That approach has carried her characters far beyond the illustration itself. Through years of sharing her work across social media and building an active, engaged fan community, yunayu has seen her original characters connect with audiences across formats, including sold-out OC plushie campaigns funded at over 1,000%.
In this class, you’ll learn to see character appeal as something you can break down and apply. Understand why certain choices strengthen a first impression, how to preserve the traits that matter when moving from LD to SD, and how small adjustments can help the same character stay recognizable across different formats.
The goal is not to make your drawings more complicated. It’s to make your decisions more intentional. From rough sketch to final polish, you’ll build a practical eye for what your character needs, what it doesn’t, and how to bring out more charm with less, creating a stronger foundation for characters that can connect with people both on and beyond the canvas.
Get Ready for the Real-World
24 Class Exercises
Part 01. Build Your Drawing Foundations
-
Brush and Line Control
-
Basic Shape and Form Study -
Face Proportion Study
-
Body Proportion Study -
Hairstyle Variations -
Clothing and Fold Study
Part 02. Develop and Expand Your Character
-
Original Character Concept
-
LD Rough Sketch -
LD Sketch and Color Plan
-
Final LD Character Illustration -
SD Facial Expression Sheet -
SD Character Design
Part 03. Complete and Share Your Character
-
Final SD Character Illustration -
Social Media Composition Study -
Eye-Catching Social Media Thumbnail
-
Character Content Variations -
Fan Community Flow Plan -
Fan Interaction Practice
Part 04. Refine Your Content and Keep Improving
-
Community-Inspired Content Ideas -
Thumbnail or Profile Illustration -
Final Color Check
-
Final Detail Check -
Before-and-After Correction Study -
Drawing Practice Methods
Final Product Examples
-
LD Character Illustration -
SD Character Illustration -
OC Pose Sheet
-
SNS-Ready Thumbnail
-
Community Building and Branding Roadmap
*The above images are sample images for a better understanding.
Highlights
Class Highlights
Create an Eye-Catching Character
Go beyond drawing a cute character and learn how to create a stronger first impression. Refine silhouette, expression, color, and signature details to bring out your character’s unique charm and make it more memorable.
Expand Your LD Character into SD
Design an original LD character, then distill its most recognizable traits into a cute SD version without losing its identity. Put both versions into practice through an LD/SD Variation Sheet featuring expressions, poses, and playful gestures that bring out different sides of your character.
Build a Sustainable Content Flow
Turn your character into social media thumbnails, profile images, and short scene illustrations. Learn how to expand your content through fan interactions and community engagement, creating a sustainable flow of character content you can keep developing and sharing.
