Thursday, April 24, 2008

Cartoon Silhouettes

I have a fun game for everyone to play that could also be educational. If you click on the above image, you'll find silhouettes of 34 different cartoon characters. Even at the small size all of them should be recognizable (which in itself is an amazing feat---for the characters, and your BRAIN!). I've talked a little about character design on this blog. I wanted to test the theory that a memorable character, one that is entirely unique and original, will have some semblance of strong design. Which boils down to having contrasting shapes and forms, which in turn should reduce to a distinctive silhouette. This isn't perfectly scientific, because pop culture presence, humor, voice, and writing all play a role in constructing the perfect character. But I'm speaking purely visually.

I'm going to guess that you'll be able to identify most of them (if not all of them---depending on your familiarity with the characters). You should notice right off the bat which one's pop out the most to you. Some are recognizable, but have much more complicated shapes. Notice the variety! Especially in the somewhat limited cartoon genre.

Notice the pairs of characters I've included. If you're designing a duo---design them together. See how the negative space around the pose is crucial to making them look active and dynamic—how each character fits into the other.

Here's the take away. When you're designing a character, pay attention to the form...think about positive and negative space, and how it would translate to a silhouette. The language of cartooning lends itself to this so well, which is why so many characters become icons. It might be fun to do a quick line-up of some of our FableVision characters, to see how they stand up to the silhouette test.

Hope this was fun! Let me know your thoughts :)

UPDATE (6-23-08) I just found a great post over at Aviary by Meowza who offers a great analysis on the importance of silhouette and foundation in character design. Definitely go check it out!

60 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a great exercise!

I just posted this with a link to your blog over on Channel Frederator.

http://www.frederatorblogs.com/post/5507

Sunny Day Print Co. said...

This is great Bob! What sticks out to me is how the characters that pop the most have personality that is coming through in their poses (for example
Spongebob, Mickey, Mighty Mouse)... This is a fantastic model to keep in mind when we're designing characters.

Anonymous said...

great exercise. that image is definitely a keeper - one for the reference files.

would be kind of interesting to do one with characters that don't have strong silhouettes - just for comparison.

Anonymous said...

Who is the 3rd from the right, 3rd row from top?

Alex Dudley said...

Cool, I recognize all the characters!
To answer the question above me, that's Mojo Jojo from the Powerpuff Girls.

Brad said...

cool image.

who is fifth from the left,
second row?

Renee Kurilla said...

It's Mr Crabs!

Régis Soares - Repórter said...

Please help!
Who is the fourth in the first line, the first in the line tree (dont recall the name), the second in the fourth line, the fourt in the fourth line and the last one?

Andy Norton said...

It's a good excercise, for those that are well acquainted by animation, and for those that are trying to design their own characters. What a way to make a good point in design so clear, and fun.

Juan Carlos said...

There go all the names, some in Spanish

(Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Fred Flinstone, Ren & Stimpy, BART SIMPSONS, Squarepants Bob Sponge, Felix The Cat, Road Runner)
(Marge Simpson, Yogui Bear, Stewie Griffin, Popeye, Don Crustaceo, Charlie Brown, Bugs Bunny, Vilma Flinstone, Mighty Mouse)
(Bullwinkle, Oddy, Goofy, Calamardo, Dexter, Dexter, Mojo Jojo, Olivia, Pink Panther)
(Betty Boop, Arnold, Casper, I SAW BUT NO REMEMBER THE NAME, Taz, Bobby, Pinky & Brain, Martian)

Anonymous said...

WTF theory?

This should be called "darn it, i can recognize a cartoon looking at its shadow!!1!!1!!1shiftone!"

RocMegamanX said...

(From top left; going left to right; top to bottom)

Mickey Mouse
Daffy Duck
Fred Flintstone
Ren and Stimpy
Bart Simpson
Spongebob
Felix the Cat
Marge Simpson
Yogi Bear
Stewie Griffin
Popeye
Mr.Krabs
Charlie Brown
Bugs Bunny
Wilma Flintstone
Mighty Mouse
Bullwinkle
Odie
Squidward
Dexter
Snoopy
Mojo Jojo
Olive Oyl
Pink Panther
Betty Boop
Arnold
Casper
Peabody and Sherman
Taz
Bobby
Pinky and the Brain
Marvin the Martian

Wow...I actually got all of them!

That's good, right?

Anonymous said...

I may have found this a little time after it was posted, but what the hell. RocMegaManX (Very funny name - funny cause its not true in this case). It seems you were almost there - you only omitted Road Runner at the end of line one (After Felix the cat) and goofy on line three (after odie). My comment, being somethng of a cartoon fanatic, is give me a challenge. Also where are the superheroes?

Stephanie Anne said...

This is really, super neat. I would like to use this graphic as my Facebook profile picture (for the fight against child abuse! Change your FB profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood. The goal is to not see a human face on FB until Monday. And please share to invite your friends to do the same.). Can I get permission to do so?

Thanks.

Bob Flynn said...

Go right ahead, Stephanie. We just request it not be used for commercial purposes.

Anonymous said...

what is the one next to Casper and Taz?

Anonymous said...

What is the one next to Charlie Brown?

Anonymous said...

Nice photo! I remembered all of the cartoons that I have watched long time ago!

ashli said...

recently found these as fonts-thought they were nifty! recognized all but about 3 or so. after searching around, was able to find/figure out all but ONE! looked & searched 4EVAH!!! and FINALLY discovered that final one, after checking out this post & 2 otha linked ones abt this: bobby from bobby's world. literally NEVER have seen NOR heard of that show, cartoon, or character before this very day. peeps kept mentioning calvin from calvin & hobbes, but i KNEW that wasn't him! anyway, this is a fun thing-thanx! i'm luvin' it~! [& thanx 2 every1 who posted all the answers before me, too--it helped.]

Anonymous said...

Nice! Pro Designer Tip: The beauty with silhouettes is that they're recognizable at very small sizes, making them ideal for logos. (Learnt that recently from a design guru I follow on YouTube ;)

Unknown said...

Fred Flintstone

Unknown said...

Left out Roadrunner after Felix

Unknown said...

It’s not Marvin the Martian

Unknown said...

You missed the cartoon before Squidward

Unknown said...

Ren and stimpy

Unknown said...

Mr Krabs. From Spongebob Squarepants

Unknown said...

You mean olive oil

Unknown said...

Mr peabody and sherman

Unknown said...

Goofy is before squidward. I'm pretty sure that is marvin

Unknown said...

I'm pretty sure that is Marvin as well.... Although he sported a skirt of sorts. Unless it's Baby Martian

Unknown said...

Who can name them in order from left to right by rows?

Eby said...

You're good 😁👍🏾

Unknown said...

Is there a list of actual answers, im stuck on a couple...lol

Unknown said...

RocMegamanX forgot Goofy & Road Runner

Unknown said...

Is there an answer for the last on on the bottom right? That’s not Marvin the Martian. And people keep saying that but he wasn’t round nor is his helmet correct shape. I’m arguing with my wife and need the right answer

Snappy said...

I think 34
is Droopy dog

wzz said...

It is Marvin, look for how to draw Marvin Step by step in pinterest, his hand is weird

Unknown said...

number 10 is actually fred flintstones and 3 barney ruffle from flintstones

DMIH14 said...

10 is Yogi Bear and 3 is Fred Flintstone.

DMIH14 said...

Could the very last one be Donald Duck?? I thought it was Marvin the Martian, but he wears a skirt type thing.

Carla M. said...

It is Marvin the Martian. There is a skirt. It’s just short.

Jenn said...

I’ve argued with a lot of people today. I don’t think it’s Marvin either.

Undeniable said...

No her name is olive oyl

DivineDion said...

That’s not Peabody and Sherman. I know those cartoons just forgot the name but it’s the girl with a red shirt that has a confused face & the dog.

DivineDion said...

Can somebody PLEASE name the one between Casper & Taz. It is NOT Peabody and Sherman. It’s actually the girl with the red shirt that always has a confused face. Can’t remember the damn name and it’s getting me angry! Lol

Anonymous said...

Snoopy is after Dexter

Stone Faith Patriot said...

1. Mickey Mouse
2. Daffy Duck
3. Fred Flintsone
4. Ren and Stimpy
5. Bart Simpson
6. Spongebob Squarepants
7. Felix the Cat
8. Road Runner
9. Marge Simpson
10. Yogi Bear
11. Stewie
12. Popeye the Sailor
13. Don Crustaceo
14. Charlie Brown
15. Bugs Bunny
16. Wilma Flintsone
17. Mighty Mouse
18. Bullwinkle Moose
19. Odie (dog in Garfield comics)
20. Goofy
21. Calamardo
22. Dexter
23. Snoopy
24. Mojo Jojo
25. Olive Oyl
26. Pink Panther
27. Betty Boop (oldest one on the chart)
28. Arnold
29. Casper the Friendly Ghost
30. Sherman and Mr. Peabody
31. Tasmanian Devil
32. Bobby
33. Pinky & the Brain
34. Marvin the Martian

Unknown said...

Daffy Duck

Koda said...

Is 34 cuphead? It Doesn’t look like Marvin the Martian

Unknown said...

It is totally Marvin the Martian, it has the brush thing on hit helmet and his feet are the same shape! See here: https://pixy.org/src/48/480427.jpg different pose but you can see all the parts are the same shape.

Unknown said...

It is Sherman and Mr. Peabody, it is just an older version. See here: https://mr-peabody-sherman.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Mr._Peabody_%26_Sherman_episodes

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Anonymous said...

I do not think 34 is Marvin. Look closely on each side under the armpits is a white dot. Both arms are going down along the sides. It looks like a tail going to the right.

Unknown said...

Who is in 24

Unknown said...

Who is 24?

Unknown said...

Not a clue, but Fred Flintstone is third from the left in the top row.

Unknown said...

1:4: Ren and Stempy; 3:1 Bullwinkle; 4:2 Arnold; 4:4 Mr. Peabody and Sherman; 4:8 Marvin the Martian.

Unknown said...

1. Mickey Mouse, 2. Daffy Duck, 3. Fred Flintstone, 4. Ren and Stempy, 5. Bart Simpson, 6. SpongeBob SquarePants, 7. Felix the Cat, 8. Roadrunner, 9. Marge Simpson, 10. Yogi Bear, 11. Stewie Griffin, 12. Popeye, 13.Mr. Krabs, 14. Charlie Brown, 15. Bugs Bunny, 16. Wilma Flintstone, 17. Mighty Mouse, 18. Bullwinkle, 19. Odie, 20. Goofy, 21. Squidward, 22.Dexter, 23. Snoopy, 24. Mojo Jojo, 25 Olive Oyl, 26. Pink Panther, 27. Betty Boop, 28. Arnold, 29. Casper, 30. Mr. Peabody and Sherman, 31. Taz, 32. Bobby, 33. Pinky and the Brain, 34. Marvin the Martian.

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