To Redo or Just Ride Out?

[oakiel]

Hey! I'm working on the 17th episode (75th+ page) of my webcomic which hasn't been released yet.

It has been over 4 years since I drew the first page, and over time I've gotten a better idea about good character design. I want to take one character in particular in a different direction - bolder fashion, a necklace that links to the story, different hair and piercings, and a slight change in colours to make it more aesthetic.

After talking to a few people, I think I'm just going to change it mid-chapter and pretend it's always been like this lol. I don't wanna stick with the old design for any longer than need be, and I definitely don't wanna keep it forever (I designed him when I was 16, so everyone in the story has the same hairstyles, clothes... basically just looked like myself at 16). I might do a little edit to the early pages, perhaps just the hair, so the difference is less jarring. But since I want to redraw those early pages entirely one day, it might be a waste of time anyways...

I'm curious what you guys would do/have done in a situation where you found a better suited design for one of your main characters! Did you change it on the spot? Have you done it more than once!? Did people say anything?

[carloswebcomic]

I change character design all the time, half way through arcs even.
My readers probably expect me to change the design and style every couple of months. It's fine.

Remember, no one is as invested in your art as you.
To you, it may appear to be a huge change. To readers, it's just a little side note.

[Yulek]

if possible you could incorporate the changes into the story like... roots growing out, or showing the character straightening their hair and .. idk. burning themselves on the iron and just saying screw it and just trashing it.

same with clothes, you can just let them go shopping or find something in the back of their closet

I find organic changes like that really fun as a reader if it fits in the story!

[djourner]

You certainly do not need worry about style change, avid readers will probably stick around no matter what.
But can always incorporate it into the story!Have design change be something the character went through naturally in the story,
maybe they used to do something that made them look diferent from their natural out of some behaviour they picked up as a kid, but no grew out off...
maybe they felt like they needed it, and you can have it be a transformative moment for them, they get new clothes, new acessories, change their hair....
Maybe it could even be just a matter of wanting to be different, some people just wake up one day and decide 'im gonna dye my hair rainbow today' and they do it!

[FafasMcMelt]

I don't think redoing is a good thing. Let the old stuff keep it's style, it's essence. Growing is a great thing, but I don't endorse changing your past work because you changed.

For my own characters in my own work, I treat them like they're real people. Real people, specially those more fashion oriented, change up their syle all the time. But I do it in a way it would make sense in the story, so no style changes midscene.

[Iris-Grimoire]

Don't get caught on the redraw cycle. Considering it's such a big change, I might recommend editing the colors if it's reasonable, but don't redo whole pieces or it'll be even harder to get going on the new pages.

[Kaydreamer]

I haven't drastically changed his design, but my boy Blues Scale below has had the bone structure of his face altered slightly, and I've begun adding indication of lighting on his scales. And my scruffy protagonist has definitely become leaner in the face. Both those things are just a case of my art skills improving. Drawing long faces used to be really challenging, so they always looked slightly round.

If I were in your position, I'd probably go through and slightly alter the character in previous episodes, maybe just his hair, skin and shirt. You want new readers to find the experience consistent, but try not to sink too much time into it. Especially since, as you've noted, you intend to actually re-do the early episodes. (Which I don't think is a bad thing, so long as it doesn't become a habit! I intend to do the same with mine.)

Your art is absolutely gorgeous, by the way.

[sorible]

Wow, I love his design!!