illustrator,kiri_KR Details

Core Principles of Character Design: Planning Characters with Clear Readability
A character design process built around readability and visual focus, the key to compelling illustrations. Understand the concept of readability so that even first-time viewers can immediately recognize and grasp a character. Learn how to guide the viewer’s eye and enhance visual impact by using contrast, balance, and intentional detail to increase attention and clarity.

Discover Your Creative Identity and Build an Unshakable Foundation
Explore the personal tastes that shape your strongest and most authentic character illustrations. Collect characters you’ve created or those you’ve been inspired by from various content sources, and analyze what defines your preferences. Build a solid foundation for designing new characters that reflect your artistic identity.

Master Anime-Style Stylization, From Faces to Objects
Understand the significance of anime-style stylization and learn to intentionally craft the drawing style you want. Through kiri’s concept of the “minimum unit,” systematically apply stylization to facial features, hair, the human body, and objects to create consistent, well-structured stylization.

Attention-Grabbing Character Illustrations
Capture attention instantly with illustrations that naturally guide the viewer’s eyes. Design high-impact thumbnails that spotlight the main subject, build a narrative that sparks curiosity, and maximize the appeal of your character illustrations through intentional layout planning.

Light & Color Techniques for Standout Characters
Learn how to express the exact mood you intend using effective light and color. Understand core color theory, define value through black-and-white structure, and practice rendering techniques. Highlight your subject with contrast and build confidence in using light and shadow.

Mindset for Creators: kiri’s Advice for Artists
Stay motivated and enjoy creating consistently with insights from kiri. Build confidence in your work, maintain long-term creative balance, and develop the mindset that helps artists grow into irreplaceable illustrators.
**Class release dates and content are subject to change without prior notice.
- Section 01
Intro
1. Course Overview- Course introduction & learning objectives - About the instructor
2. Core Principles of Character Illustration- Character design - Visual impact & readability
- Section 02
Designing Readable & Attention-Grabbing Characters
3. Identifying Your Creative Preferences- Why personal taste matters - (For experienced creators) Collecting your past original characters - (For beginners) Exploring various content to identify your taste
4. Developing Character Concepts- What is a character concept? - Why a strong narrative foundation matters - Building relationships between setting, era, environment, and personality
5. Clothing Design- Foundational theory - Visual dynamics - Consistency - Asymmetry
6. Character Design Mistakes & Solutions- Why concept development feels difficult - Common mistakes in costume drawing & how to solve them
7. Understanding Stylization- What is stylization? - (Advanced) What is anime-style stylization? - Clarifying your ideal stylization to develop your art style
8. Practical Stylization: Face & HairFace - How facial feature placement affects impression - Eye, pupils, eye shapes Hair - Dividing hair sections while maintaining volume & form - Casual yet detailed expressions - How highlights affect mood
- Section 03
Designing Eye-Catching Layouts
9. Utilizing References- Mood references - Material & shape references
10. Drawing Thumbnails That Captivate Viewers- Importance of emphasizing the main subject - Designing a comfortable visual flow (connected to subject emphasis) - Placing elements to enhance readability and focus
11. Layout Mistakes & Fixes- Common layout errors and practical solutions
12. From Thumbnail to Rough Sketch- Maintaining the initial concept - Establishing rough lighting & value
- Section 04
Color
13. Purpose-Driven Color Use- Basic color theory - Understanding value, saturation and contrast - Applying emphasis & contrast through color placement - Defining the darkest (black) and brightest (white) values
14. Illustration 1 / Coloring Practice 1
- Section 05
Light
15. Basic Light Theory- Basic light theory - Shadow contrast changes based on intensity
16. Building Mood with Light- Ambient light & scattering around objects - Reflected light between facing surfaces - Mood variations through environmental lighting
17. Rendering Inside Shadows- Techniques for modeling forms within shadowed areas
18. Illustration 1 / Coloring Practice 2- Highlighting the subject through light contrast
- Section 06
Coloring Practice
19. Illustration 1 / Coloring Practice 3- Character
20. Illustration 1 / Coloring Practice 4- Background
21. Illustration 2 / Coloring Practice 1- Character face
22. Illustration 2 / Coloring Practice 2- Character hair
23. Illustration 2 / Coloring Practice 3- Clothing & background
- Section 07
Retouching
24. Subtle Retouching to Enhance Intent- Checking the flow of subject matter and intended mood by looking at the overall illustration - Adjusting color, contrast, and saturation to match artistic intent
25. Finishing Touches- Emphasizing focal areas using Gaussian blur & sharpening - Retouching doesn’t end here: how to review post-adjustments
- Section 08
Outro
26. Essential Mindset for Creators- Fighting against bias - Trusting your artistic direction - Becoming an irreplaceable illustrator - Balancing commercial appeal & personal taste - Long-term mindset for sustainable creative growth
This course will use Adobe Photoshop
Please purchase and install these program(s) for an optimized chapter experience.
*These programs and/or materials will not be provided with the chapter.











