In this article 01 Choose your next use 02 Connect goals and world 03 Build a visual idea 04 Inspiration and privacy 05 Prepare a character brief 06 Test and carry edits through 07 Save a character sheet 08 Make an OC figurine 09 Common questions To make an OC, or original character, choose something you want to create, give the character a goal and a difficulty, then build a first version you can use. That version might be a written scene, a simple drawing, or an artist brief. You can develop their history and appearance as you go. This guide follows Neri , a night-shift lantern repairer who wants to light the streets before a storm but fears heights. We will build her setting, test her choices, make and inspect an AI concept image, and prepare a usable character sheet. All named characters and personal details in the exercises are invented. The image checks are editorial observations, not reader tests. The short route: choose a use → connect goal, history and relationships → establish visual anchors → make a first version → test it → save a dated brief. If you only want to write, you can skip image generation and follow the same character decisions in words. 1. How to make an OC you can start using Begin with the next activity you want to try. A scene needs a character who has a reason to act. An illustration needs a visual idea. A tabletop character also needs a place in the group and the rules of the chosen game. You do not need to solve all three projects at once. In a Facebook discussion about getting started , creators describe beginning with a mood, clothes or a story. A Quora answer about OC creation also treats drawing as optional. These are examples of different working methods, not a vote for one correct order. Choose the output you want next, then collect only the details it needs. Character guides Start with your next use An OC does not need a full biography before you can use it. Pick the thing you want to make next. What are you making? Illustration Visual anchors Shape · colors · key prop First usable output A sketch Neri example Start with Neri’s bell-shaped slate-blue cape, square amber lantern and long repair pole. Story A reason to act Goal → obstacle → choice First usable output A short scene Neri example Neri wants the street lit before a storm, fears heights and must ask Tomas for help. Roleplay Room for other people Shared hook · agreed rules First usable output A scene invitation Neri example Agree on the group’s rules, then invite another character to help Neri with the bridge lamps. Save one usable version. You can add detail or switch routes later. A full life story is optional. Your selected starting task Start with Neri’s bell-shaped slate-blue cape, square amber lantern and long repair pole. OC-INFO-01. Suggested starting outputs, not compulsory stages. You can switch routes later. Try this sentence: “My character is a ___ who wants ___, but ___ gets in the way.” For Neri, the first output is one short scene on a bridge. Her name is a working name; choosing it does not need to hold up the story. You can start with a picture, a job, a hobby or a question. Ask what changes when that idea belongs to a person. Someone who collects broken clocks might hate waste, enjoy puzzles or fear running out of time. Choose one direction to explore before trying to explain their whole life. An OC can belong to an original world or be a fan character in an existing setting. Write which one you mean. For a fan OC, identify the borrowed setting and check how your character fits its established rules. A familiar genre is a useful starting point, but your own character decisions still need to do some work. 2. Connect their goal, past, relationships and world A list of traits becomes useful when it affects a choice. Neri wants the last street lamp repaired. What she needs to learn is that asking for help does not make her less capable. Her fear of heights and habit of hiding it make those two aims collide. Avoid adding a random “flaw” just to pass a perfection test. In one writing question , the author wants a flaw that will not affect the plot; in another , the problem is how to show it. For a story, try trait → choice → cost . Neri's self-reliance helps her work alone, but hiding her fear could delay a needed repair. The later scene lets her make a different choice by asking for help. A favorite food or unusual hairstyle can add flavor without doing that job. Neither a disability nor a tragic childhood is a required shortcut to depth. Give the character a usable skill and a limit. Neri can replace a lamp fitting from the ground with a long hooked pole. She cannot repair a broken support cable that way. If the cable is damaged, she must close the crossing and call the bridge crew. This boundary gives the story a possible failure; she cannot solve every problem by being talented. Now connect one past event to one present behavior. Neri once dropped a repair part from a ladder and frightened someone below. No one was hurt, but she now checks the ground before working overhead. That explains a habit without requiring a complete biography or a tragic origin. Add one relationship that changes the scene. Her neighbor Tomas is a ferry worker who once steadied that ladder. Neri trusts his practical help but dislikes feeling watched. When he offers to hold the pole, she has a reason both to accept and to hesitate. A relationship is doing more work here than a list of relatives would. Finally, give the location a rule. In this invented river town, lamps guide ferries through fog. A dark bridge means the crossing closes. The rule creates a consequence for Neri's choice, while the bridge gives the repair a clear place to happen. You can begin with one location and one rule, then expand only when another scene needs it. CharacterHub's broader OC guide separates a character's wants, needs and obstacles. Unvale's guide also treats backstory and worldbuilding as choices you can develop over time. Use that flexibility: write enough to support this scene, then see what it asks for next. 3. Build a visual idea and inspect a real first output Choose a few features that remain recognizable when small details change. Neri's anchors are a bell-shaped slate-blue rain cape, a square lantern with amber light, and a long repair pole. Their purpose is practical: the cape suits wet streets, the lamp shows her work, and the pole lets her stay on the ground. Use references to answer specific questions. Study how a cape hangs, how a lantern handle meets the hand, or how someone balances a long tool. Record the observation beside its source. A pose reference should not quietly become a requirement to copy the source character's entire outfit. CharacterHub's drawing tutorial offers an actual sketch-to-finished-art sequence if you want to follow a drawing route. For this article, we used AI image generation to produce a concept sheet. The input specified Neri's anchors, a full-body grounded pose, a cream background, and a lantern held clear of the cape. You can reuse that structure in a written brief: identity, fixed features, pose, background and checks. The exact result will vary with the tool and generation. OC-IMG-01, first generated output. Inspect the large figure on the left; this is a 2D concept illustration. The first output kept the slate-blue cape, square lantern and grounded feet. It missed one requested condition: in the large figure, the lantern sat over the cape's outline. We therefore asked for one targeted edit—move the lantern-holding arm outward while keeping the character and colors. That gives you a useful review pattern: write a visible requirement before generating, inspect the output, then describe the mismatch. “Move the lantern clear of the cape” is easier to verify than “make the design better.” A successful image is still only one version; do not assume every small inset, hand or accessory is automatically consistent. 4. Keep inspiration useful and personal details deliberate If the design feels too close to another character A creator in this Reddit discussion worries about a hairstyle making an OC feel unoriginal. A single familiar feature is a poor reason to keep restarting. Compare the combination that creates the impression, then decide what serves your character's own job or story. Here is a completed exercise using an invented comparator, Kest . This is not a comparison with a real artist's work or a legal originality test. Feature Invented Kest Early exercise draft Neri's chosen direction Main outline Pointed red coat Pointed blue coat Bell-shaped rain cape Face treatment Fox mask Fox mask Unmasked face Main prop Twin blades Twin blades Square lantern and repair pole Story job Masked pursuer Masked courier Cautious street-lamp repairer Changing only the coat color left the early draft's outline, mask and prop combination intact. We changed the job first, then chose shapes and tools that fit it. Checking the same four fields afterward shows that the original three-feature combination is no longer retained. That is a documented design decision, not proof that no similar character exists anywhere. For your own comparison, name the specific combination, change the choices that do not serve your concept, and recheck the same fields. Avoid turning this into a numerical “originality score.” The value is knowing why you kept or changed each feature. If your OC is based on you You can borrow a feeling without publishing the details that identify its source. Make a private note, a public character version, and a short reason for each change. The following input is entirely fictional. Private exercise note Public Neri version Decision “I fear heights” She hesitates at the bridge Keep the feeling “I work Tuesdays at 8 Cedar Lane” She repairs lamps in a fictional river town Replace the address; omit the weekly schedule “My coworker Alex helps me” Invented ferry worker Tomas holds the pole Invent a separate relationship The public version reads: “Neri repairs lamps in a river town, fears heights, and accepts help from a ferry worker.” We checked that it retained the feeling but contained neither the invented address, weekly schedule nor coworker name. Use this as a deliberate sharing check, not a promise of anonymity. Also inspect the actual image and caption you plan to post; checking one paragraph does not check an entire account. 5. Make a version you can explain to someone else Drawing is one route. In this creator's question , drawing is not accessible to them and an avatar maker feels restrictive. Different outputs need different approaches: a written profile can start a story, simple shapes can test placement, and an artist brief can communicate a design you cannot draw yourself. An avatar maker can help explore combinations, but record features it cannot represent. For a commission, prepare your fixed features, flexible choices, intended use and reference sources, then agree on the deliverable and revisions. For AI exploration, compare the result with your brief and check the rules of the community where you intend to share it. None of these routes removes the need to choose what the character should be. Before hiring an artist, separate designing a character from drawing a reference sheet for a settled design . In this VGen community post , an artist describes unplanned design work inside a reference-sheet order. A first-time client in another discussion has no reference and doubts their written description. Ask whether the artist accepts a text-only starting point and whether design exploration is included. For Neri, the brief could say: “The cape, lantern and pole are fixed. Footwear is open. I need help settling the design before a final sheet.” Agree on exploration, revisions and final views before work starts. These posts explain the scope problem; their old prices are not current estimates. Here is the edited output from the previous section: Character guides One change. A clearer silhouette. Compare the lantern against the cape in the large figure on the left. The edited sheet changes that pose; it does not approve every small view. First version The lantern overlaps the cape’s outline. This is the earlier AI concept sheet. Edited version A cream-background gap separates the lantern from the cape. Use the large left figure as the chosen pose. Original generated and edited files, preserved unchanged. These are AI concept sheets, not manufactured products or an artist/user test. OC-IMG-02. The targeted correction is visible in the large left figure. Smaller inset poses have not been approved as final pose references. In that main figure, the lantern now has a visible gap from the cape. The cape color, square lantern and grounded stance remain. We can accept that specific change while leaving other details open. This is a visual editorial check, not an artist's review or a test of physical manufacture. When a temporary image conflicts with your brief, state which information governs each part. Suppose an avatar has a long coat because the tool offers no cape. A usable note is: Use the avatar only for the pose. Replace its long coat with Neri's bell-shaped rain cape. Keep the square lantern and slate-blue/amber colors. Hair and small fastenings may change. Flag any other conflict before continuing. We checked that note for four things: the image's limited purpose, the required replacement, the features to retain, and the open choices. All four appear in the actual text. This checks the completeness of the note; it does not establish that a recipient has understood it. Confirm that you may use each reference for its intended purpose, and ask the recipient to flag ambiguity before proceeding. 6. Test a scene, then carry changes through your files Try your OC in a small situation. Here is Neri's completed scene exercise: The last lamp flickered above the bridge. Neri raised the pole, then lowered it when the hook shook. “Hold this end?” she asked Tomas. He braced the shaft while she guided a new fitting into place. The lamp caught. “Cable next?” he asked. Neri looked up at the frayed line. “Bridge crew. We close the crossing until they arrive.” The check is concrete: does the scene show her goal, fear, relationship and skill limit? The repair supplies the goal; lowering the pole and asking for help show hesitation; Tomas has a useful role; the cable remains beyond her repair. Her need to accept help appears through an action. The scene does not prove that readers will find her compelling, but it gives you something specific to ask them about. Ask for focused feedback: “Where did you notice her fear?” or “Why did she stop after the lamp repair?” Save the response alongside the draft. If readers cannot find the intended choice, revise that passage before rewriting every part of the character. After an edit, check what became out of date Saving versions is useful; knowing which other files depend on a changed decision is more useful. Write the change, list the artifacts that repeat it, and mark each as keep, update or retire for that purpose. Then inspect the actual packet you plan to send. For our lantern edit, the change was placement in the main pose , not a new lantern shape or character identity. We completed this packet check: Artifact What changed? Current instruction First concept sheet Main lantern placement no longer chosen Retain as process history; do not send as the final pose Edited sheet, large figure Shows the chosen separation Use this part for the pose brief Smaller inset figures Not covered by the accepted main-pose correction Keep for exploration; label as non-final poses Written brief Must identify the selected pose reference Name OC-IMG-02 and specify the large left figure Bridge scene No visual placement instruction depends on the edit Keep the scene Character guides One edit. Three decisions. Neri’s lantern moved outward in the main pose. Now make the reference packet agree with that change. Change made Lantern moved outward; its shape stays the same. 01 Update Make the chosen version explicit. Use the edited sheet’s large left figure. Name that exact pose in the written brief. 02 Retire Remove conflicting final-pose references. Keep the first sheet as history, not the final pose. Mark the small inset views as exploration, not approved poses. 03 Keep Preserve what the edit did not change. Keep Neri’s story, identity and colors. Keep the bridge scene; the pose edit does not change it. 0 / 6 reviewed Use the checks for your own review. They do not edit files or verify a packet automatically; choices reset on reload. Editorial diagram of the completed packet check; it describes files and decisions, not measured user results. The packet now names the selected image and the exact figure within it. We also kept the earlier output as history instead of silently overwriting it. This check is different from judging whether the new art looks better: it prevents an old instruction from remaining active after a decision changes. If you alter a story fact instead, trace that fact through scenes, profiles and captions in the same way. 7. Save a character sheet and choose the next practice task A useful character sheet contains decisions you will reuse, plus questions you have not settled. It can grow with the project. Here is Neri's current brief; copy the fields rather than treating her details as a required formula. Field Neri, written brief v0.2 Name and pronouns Neri; she/her Next use A bridge scene and an illustration brief Goal / inner need Light the street; learn to accept help Skill / limit Repair lamp fittings with a pole; call the crew for damaged support cables Past event / present habit Dropped a part from a ladder; now checks the ground below Relationship Tomas, a ferry worker whose help she trusts but hesitates to request World rule / place Lamps guide ferries through fog; a dark bridge closes the crossing Visual anchors Bell-shaped slate-blue cape; square amber lantern; long repair pole Selected image OC-IMG-02, large left figure only for the chosen pose Flexible / unresolved Small fastenings and footwear details; no final production turnaround Revision note v0.2, 29 October 2026: lantern placement corrected; older pose reference retired In this discussion about creating OCs , creators describe different timelines. Their experiences do not establish a deadline. Decide whether your version supports the next task: Neri has a scene to revise and an illustration brief to discuss, but no approved 3D model or physical sample. Choose one skill to practice next. For writing, draft three short exchanges in which Neri asks for help in different ways. Check whether each exchange changes her behavior, rather than merely adding an emotion word. For drawing, try three simple cape-and-lantern silhouettes and check whether the lamp remains separate. These are suggested next exercises, not work claimed as completed here. Save the exercise, its question and your observation with the version. A small practice plan gives you a reason to return to the OC without demanding a full redesign every time you learn something. 8. If you want your OC as a physical figurine Character guides Give your OC a place on your desk You have given your character a name, a look and a story. A physical figurine gives that character a place beside your sketchbook or on your shelf. Start with a character image you like—you do not need to build a 3D model, own a printer or paint the figure yourself. From order render to received figurine Order render Received figurine Look at the red curls, cape and long props in this render-to-figurine pair. These are two views of the same customer case. Open full-size comparison Order render Received figurine This second case shows the hat, cloak and pose in a tabletop setting. The softer photo is useful for the overall shape, rather than judging fine facial detail. Open full-size comparison Start with your image. We handle the printing. 01 Upload your character Choose a style and upload your OC image. Add a short note about the features you want to keep, such as the face, outfit or main prop. 02 Check your 3D preview Turn the preview to check the face, pose, clothing and prop. Compare it with your chosen reference, then select a size before ordering. 03 Let JuJuBit make it After you order, JuJuBit refines the model, prints the figurine in full color and ships it to you. The color is part of the print; you do not need to paint it. Create My OC Figurine Next: upload your character reference in the customizer. See how it works Use a reference you have the right to use. These are other customer cases; Neri remains an AI concept and has not been made as a figurine. A preview is a guide, not a promise of an exact match: small details and colors can differ in print. Full-color printing does not reproduce metallic shine. Making a tabletop character? Read the miniature guide. 9. Questions you may have before sharing your OC Can I have an OC without a story or backstory? Yes. In one discussion about OCs without stories , several creators describe keeping designs without plots. In another , one character exists to practice drawing leg armor. Other replies prefer story-first creation. For a design or personal avatar, a recognizable look and a few notes may serve your purpose. When you want to write a scene, add a goal, obstacle and choice; you do not have to invent a whole history first. Which feedback should I follow when people disagree? Ask what each comment is judging. In this design critique thread , the same outfit receives different judgments about its complexity. A taste preference is not automatically an error. Write your intended use, choose one test and compare a small revision. For Neri's pose brief, “Can you distinguish the lantern from the cape?” has a checkable answer. “Would you prefer different colors?” is a preference you can consider without giving up the chosen palette. Keep both versions until you decide. How can my OC join group roleplay without a more dramatic backstory? One roleplay participant worries about fading into group scenes and copying other characters' struggles. A larger tragedy is not the only possible response. Offer an action another player can choose to engage with: Neri brings a broken lamp and asks whether anyone knows the bridge crew. Agree on the shared setting, relevant limits and any existing relationship before the scene. Leave the other player's answer open. This is a suggested scene invitation, not a tested cure for group participation problems. How this guide was checked Editorial examples and linked sources, with the limits explained below. Sources & method The Neri, Kest and private-note examples are invented teaching material. The two concept-sheet outputs were generated and visually checked for the specific conditions described; they are not commissioned drawings, customer cases or manufacturing tests. The linked Reddit, Facebook and Quora discussions informed the questions and alternatives in this guide. They are a qualitative sample, not a measure of how common each problem is; the exercises are not user-tested remedies. Other examples are completed editorial text checks or clearly labeled future exercises. Limitations The character examples are fictional. AI concept sheets are not physical figurines or customer cases. These exercises were not validated in a user study or manufacturing test. About the author Kenneth Chen Formerly at Alibaba International · SEO · GEO · Growth Engineering Kenneth Chen focuses on search engine optimization, generative engine optimization (GEO), and growth engineering. He previously worked at Alibaba International. His editorial focus here is helping readers compare product workflows through clear explanations, traceable sources, and explicit limits. Author profile → LinkedIn ↗