Hello, all. This is a bit of a one-off post, because I wanted to talk about my character design process, using one of my characters as an example.

Now, I separate my process into several sections. These include: Visual Design, Backstory/Lore, Beliefs/Values, and sometimes Abilities.

Today, I'm hoping to go through all of these aspects, and discuss my process in relation to one of the most important characters in Cause and Effect, Jillian Cole.

So, without further ado, let's get into it!

--Visual Design--

So, obviously, this is the portion of the process that relates to how the character looks visually. This is one of the most important aspects, because it's the most immediately noticeable by your audience. The design I'm covering today is the "2006" appearance of Jillian Cole. For reference, Cause and Effect has backstory segments where the player takes control of Jillian, and experiences important times in her life. Since Jillian's looks have changed over the two years in between the flashbacks (2006), and the present (2008), she has two designs. We're covering the 2006 design in this breakdown.

This is a reference for her 2006 design. I'm going to break down the individual elements to this design, and discuss them first individually, and then as a whole. At this point in time, Jillian is 10 years old.

-Hair-

Jillian has striking, unnaturally red hair , unlike the rest of the human cast, who mostly have standard natural hair colours. This is due to a genetic mutation which I will be discussing later. It's worth noting that her hair is slightly messy, but still kept neat, which gives the audience insight into what her mental state is at this point in time. For comparison, her 2008 design has much messier hair that often falls in her face, whereas in her 2006 design, her hair is neatly swept to the side. Also of note is the teal hair ribbon, which emphasizes this character's still childlike personality.
It's worth noting that every time Jillian appears in photos or the like taking place either before or after 2006, her hairstyle is different. This shows us that her appearance is important to her, as can also be inferred by the fact that she has a "Most Popular Hairstyles of 2004" magazine on a bookshelf in her childhood bedroom.

-Eyes-

Jillian's eyes are unique among the cast of Cause and Effect, as she is the only character with pure black irises. This is also a result of the aforementioned genetic mutation, which I will again be discussing later. Her eyes flash red when she casts magic, as she engages in a dark subset of magic, referred to as Blood Magic. This is the only type of magic that can be used outside of the Lost Underworld, and is stigmatized in the normal world, due to its disastrous potential.

-Jacket-

Now, coming away from her physical traits, we move on to her clothes at this point in the story. It's wintertime at this point, so she wears warmer clothes, but still not as warm as she should be dressing. This is because she has never gotten sick in her life, as her immune system is inhumanly strong, owing to the aforementioned genetic mutation. This trait causes suspicion in her friends, when she lies about skipping school because she was sick.
She wears a white fleece jacket over a dark purple sweater. I picked this specific type of jacket, because it contrasts against her friends, who simply wear thick wool sweaters. This gives off a subtle impression that she has something to hide. The purple sweater is also used in her 2008 design, but it is much more faded, and she wears it under a tan, zip-up jacket instead.

-Skirt and Leggings-

The pleated skirt and leggings are meant to show that she is a more traditionally feminine character. This is meant to contrast the more tomboyish design of Melissa, who is an antagonistic character in Jillian's life.

-Sneakers-

Simple design decision. I gave her sneakers to keep her in line with the other child characters, and also again to contrast Melissa, who wears rain boots.

-Knife-

Yes, you've probably noticed the knife. This is Jillian's main weapon. It is a switchblade that was given to her by her uncle, and later taken away by her parents. She uses it to invoke blood magic, at a cost of her own blood. The knife symbolizes her dedication to her interests at this point in the story. It's also worth noting that Jillian has had an interest in sharp blades ever since her friend Jordan gave her a chef's knife for her birthday, with the intention of her practising how to cook.

That's all for the visual design portion of my process. If I was to give advice, I'd say you should tie elements of the design into the story. Think about your character as a person, and give them visual traits that show that off, without explicitly telling your audience.

--Backstory/Lore--

This section is going to be a lot less bulky than the last one. Without spoilers, I'll explain some important details about her character.
Jillian has a genetic mutation that, among other things, gives her a strong immune system and striking red hair and black irises. These traits make her different from her biological parents, often causing strife within their family, as Jillian doesn't believe she belongs, because she looks nothing like either of her parents. She was born in 1996, which means she's 10 years old in 2006, and 12 in 2008, where the game's main story takes place.
As I wish to avoid spoilers, I will have to cut this section short. Everything will be explained in-game once it's finished.

--Beliefs/Values--

This is an important one. Your character's entire personality is built around their beliefs and values, as they dictate what that character would do in any given situation. Jillian has a strong sense of justice, and she can easily tell if something's wrong. This causes her to confront Melissa when she starts hanging out with bad influences. She's a very empathetic person, and so she identifies easily with others' struggles, often leading to her forgetting to put herself first once in a while. This also causes a lot of emotional pain for her. She greatly values those close to her, and so if anything were to happen to them, she would be destroyed emotionally. This all comes together to make Jillian a very well-meaning, yet emotionally fragile character.

--Abilities--

Jillian has the ability to use Blood Magic, a school of magic in which she is self taught, by books she borrowed from the town's library. This has very dark implications for her future, as detailed in-game. I can't say more without spoilers, but this is important to her character as well.

--Conclusion--

And them's the facts. All in all, Jillian is a very important character, so I put the most thought into her design. I hope this helped provide some insight into my process. If anyone has any feedback or suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them! My goal with this project is to learn from others as much as possible, in order to make Cause and Effect the best it can be.

With all that said, I hope you all have a great day, and I bid you all adieu.

Choose wisely.