artists, what inspires you to create new OCs?
here are my ways:
1. I create characters to fit the plot of my story.
2. I get inspired by a song and develop an OC based on it.
3. I meet new people who spark my creativity <3
My OCs are either based on parts of myself (and therefore quite personal) OR they're D&D characters I've created & have been particularly fond of.
For the latter there's not really a specific process, it's been different for many of said characters.
I get inspired by characters from media I enjoy. For example I mixed Reaver and Astarion into an oc
Sometimes I get a dream and I make an oc or I really like a color palette or clothing item
A lot of the time I'm making ocs for personal story
1. I liked the feeling of telling a story behind a character, motivations and hindrances, etc.
2. Seeing others create vast worlds and connections with their own ocs
3. And similar to yours, seeing another persons passion pushes my own 🥺
Creating new characters for my story is a good 90% of my characters. Other characters have been made for ttrpg and games I play. (If I don't already have an existing character to base them on) I rarely make characters for 'no reason', it's usually to fulfill a purpose of some sort.
Ttrpg games is the primary reason for me to make ocs. But I enjoy the concept of using ocs to process emotions and concepts so every now and then one gets made as a result of process.
For me it’s mainly when a story idea strikes even if I don’t go anywhere with said story. But I love writing stories, giving OCs that delicious lore and building onto it. I rarely make OCs just for the sake of it.
I usually base them on either a combination of other characters I adore, OR in some cases at least their appearance is based on real, interesting/hot people I see in the wild 😆
that being said my version of "hot" is a lot different than the average person
Two ways, usually
- I draw a cool character design, thinking nothing of it, then fall in love 💜
Or
- they grow like a flower in the back of my mind while I work; usually story-first (what if there was a guy… who did a thing…) and then I flesh them out and give them a design and a name 🦋
1. I get in an emotional state and the vent art becomes an oc
2 (and more common way) I get inspired by a movie/show and if I keep thinking about it for a couple weeks I’ll get an OC out of it!
Those all fit me as well, sometimes all at once. Like, I'll see someone else's work, which will inspire me to write a story, and then I'll realize I don't have any OCs who would fit into it, so I'll get brainstorming.