How has your MC changed from creation to now?

[BlueWorldComics]

I purposely designed the character to be easy to draw using basic shapes (circles and ovals mostly). But I didn't
(and in some ways still don't) have a proper grasp of the proportions of each body part before I started making the comic.

He started off kinda tall and thin, but eventually I got into him being shorter and stubbier (like Mario).

Now because I made the entire Year One before I started posting, I went back for the most part and fixed everything based on my changing preferences before anyone got to see it. But I still have the files of the slightly thinner, but very inconsistently designed version of the character. And as I work on Year Two, I can't help but feel like he's getting even shorter...

The Skyman | Tapas

[Iris-Grimoire]

Mortimer from Splitting Image changed SO MUCH. The story is 7-10 years old though, so that's a bit expected. Unfortunately I threw away my oldest painting of him because I didn't have plans to reboot the story at the time.

Mortimer circa 2011 was a pretty boy, white hair, gray Gandalf robes, straight, and basically had a 'oh I'm CURSED WITH THESE AMAZING POWERS no one understands' kind of personality. He was pretty much a carbon copy of anothe OC of mine from another story, which explains why I lost interest with the original draft, but also in general just an undercooked character because I was more enamored with the idea of an ex-villain than what would actually happen inside their mind.

Then when I wanted to make a new art project, I looked into why I liked the characters he was based on - Megamind, Jack Spicer, Presto, Count Bleck. And I noticed that as a teenager I REALLY missed on what made them work.

Mortimer NOW is slightly middle aged(just lacking in facial hair), jet black hair after much palette experimentation, a much more elaborate outfit to show a more prideful but reserved attitude, bi and with actual preferences other than characters the plot demanded, and with a far more developed personality - from his self-loathing, his educated past but bad tendency for self sacrifice, to wanting to depend on other people because he thinks he's no longer allowed to be treated well, the ego that shows when he thinks he can get away with having fun, and big ol' spoiler mental issues.

Design wise, I had a really inspired class where I just captured Mort's new personality perfectly, but it still needed a lot of adjustments because he'd be horrible to redraw and he isn't one to draw attention to himself. I also started human anatomy art classes and the improvement was obvious, to say the least. One detail that's hard to notice is that his eye scar actually is at a 45° angle now rather than going straight down; I have way too many non-comic OCs with samey looking scars.

Sometime last year:

Final comic design:

[spicy_sweets]

Since I write, I'll just post some quotes.

"Suna said I shouldn't be too careless," Kumo muttered under his breath, staring at the sidewalk in deep thought. A park came into view when he looked up, littered with children. He headed for the swings, one which was free for the taking. "She didn't say I couldn't have fun." Even if he didn't age, his child-like mindset longed for freedom from responsibilities for once.

―from chapter 4

vs

He'd heard the stories. The baku who poked their heads into the lives of humans for their benefit, or those who longed to have someone to talk to without worry. Just like he'd been doing recently. If Lady Tsuki knew what they were up to and still gave them mercy, Kumo didn't want Yuu to experience what would happen if they weren't careful. The sooner this adventure ended, the better for both of them.
―from chapter 18

[nathanKmcwilliams]

So much. Even though this picture is from the Story arc I'm hosting over in the Character Cafe, this is an accurate evolution of my characters visual change over the years. I made Rip up back in 2000 as a Sonic OC. You can probably figure out which one that is XD

[Shanny8]

My MC went a total change even before I rolled the webcomic out. I had originally created the character back in 2002- back then I had created him as 8-10 years old, and had given this really weird funky hairstyle...

I ended up putting the story on the shelf until 4 yrs ago when I decided to do this project as a webcomic; I then aged him from his former age to 15.

[Domae]

Since you don't change your characters much, do you find yourself spending more time developing them before you dive into a project? Just to make sure they're what you want them to be?

[Domae]

I'm also a writer! Your character has grown a lot! Thank you for sharing

[Lucca_Vendramel]

Cozmata started out as a naive, bubbly kid, but the events of the first chapter made her mature and change her attitude towards things in life. I don't want for her to be as miserable as Shinji from EVA, but I do want her to mature in future episodes due to this. Can't say I don't miss her personality back then, but now there's no going back.
I also eliminated her newsboy cap as a way to show that things aren't gonna be the same for her.

Everdream: Stars Hold no Boundaries | Tapas

[erma]

my characters have changed a lot over the years!

Noel: Almost completely rewritten, with some of her backstory remaining the same. I originally wrote Noel as a character with a small role in the story - she was a lot more cold, often acted inconvenienced by Lillian, insulted people, hated herself, and was irresponsible. I genuinely didn't like where my writing was going. Noel's still pretty flawed, but has a much more positive outlook on life and isn't afraid to be soft. She slowly became my favourite character to write about. ;-;

Lillian: ANGST. She dreaded everything. She always assumed the worst. She also liked to fight with people??? Lillian's motivation and overall personality traits haven't changed too drastically over the years. It's just that, back in 2014, she used to only express one mood: angst. .__.;
oh, and she also had a twin sister who was the exact opposite of her! Almost forgot about that.

I made an unhelpful chart of their character designs:

[Kelheor]

Nope, not at all I just wing it, I suppose?
Now, except those guys from my comic, I have around 20 OCs for 3 other stories. Of course they change with time (90% of them are existing for 15 years after all!), but I would probably call it development in design and my abilities as artist, not change of character per se.

For example, I had a character in one novel, and later I made 2 characters based on her (I have as much originality as CLAMP, duh). Original look for each of those girls is pink hair, green eyes, tanned skin and clothes in black and blue palette. In the beginning I haven't really thought about colours much, since till 2015 I only used black pencil
Now we have 2 girls from two different worlds and different background, both have the same look, but different clothes: one wears blue kimono, another black and white school uniform.

So with the time, I gave a warrior girl in kimono more natural hue of light pink hair, made her a little bit more interesting colour palette to show her affiliation with clans, made her clothes more Japanese looking and just gave her more appropriate look for her background. The other, witch girl stayed with more violet hair and is still wearing black and white now with a bit of violet and is just having more witchy vibes.

Since they only were characters from novels (and not comic), these changes haven't really change anything in terms of description: one still wears blue kimono and the other just became more free in her school clothes choice - and it is also okay for plot, since most students become undisciplined in their clothes after a few month in school. So even if they were both in comics, they will have those changes gradually and more natural. Like, maybe the girl in kimono had her hair dyed and then the dye will wash off ^^

[Domae]

I like the fact that you started to change her physical appearance to reflect an inward change! I plan to do that with Marcus's unkept hair/ facial hair as the story progresses. Also maybe give him a new shirt or two.

[Domae]

Wow, I love how much growth is in this chart! Your art style is very cute! I also have a character named Lillian in TNS (actually her full name is Lillian-Able) and your older version of Noel reminds me of her. Lillian-Able acts a cold toward her twin sibling, and is somewhat hot headed.

[Domae]

I like their color palettes. I imagine they're the same person but in different timelines/universes considering their likenesses

[IM17MI]

My main character had a Bob cut lol a freaking bob cut now look at her! I can't! Why did I previously draw her with a bob cut XD

Euphoria - XVII

[KoreanTacos]

My character was originally a little nicer and more confident, but I didnt think it left enough room for character development, especially where she needs to be at the end if she already felt like a perfect girl. I threw in a disconnect with her dad, and my wife wanted her to have more of an attitude, and I added a vulnerable inner part to her. So now shes a cockly lil punk instead of a sweet child, also i dont know if any of my readers picked up, she has ADD.

[OttoGruenwald]

My take on Stardust has lightened a little bit from when I started. He's less menacing, more lost and confused.

The Power of Stardust | Tapas

[Domae]

I LOVE your art style.The colors are well done. What's your coloring process?

[IM17MI]

Thank you so much ^ ^ I just do the flats then shadow it and the do some ambient light by painting with a color that better suits the time of the day and pick overlay.

[roddelrosario23]

From this

to this

Aside from the art style I tweak his personality a bit and nerfed his abilities from the first draft of the story

Ace : Trial | Tapas

[Domae]

Wow.. that's so simple but it looks fantastic!!