Character Visualisation

I am not a very visual person, but I still find it helps if I can actually see the scene I'm trying to write. However, that's rather difficult, since I also don't know anyone who could draw for me.

Anyone got any other solution, like a computer program capable of something like that? I saw this asked somewhere else, and The Sims was suggested. I do have a copy, and it'd work, but it seems rather cumbersome. Anyone had a similar problem?

Yes. I am actually pretty visual, but suck with good prose, so I tend to lean towards graphic novel-styled writing.

But enough about me.

There are a lot of online doll-makers as well.

edited 30th Mar '11 12:39:16 PM by MrAHR

As demonstrated by my often hand-drawn avatars, I have no problem visualizing my characters and I do this by default. (In the case of AB!Beowulf it is actually necessary since that one is to be a comic)

I do, however, have an extremely horrible time plotting out scenes spatially, like, what is where, where is what, and rooms kind of change themselves around unless I plan them out on paper. I also have an incredibly bad habit of California Doubling my own house or houses I'm familiar with as fictional residences.

If you have no drawing ability, here are some ideas:

• Tektek it?
• Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion has a pretty powerful tool for making faces.
• Cast actors in the roles of your characters. I sometimes do this myself when I fall into the Only Six Faces trap.

I used to play with little people, so I pull those out sometimes to visualize a scene. If you have any toys like that, they could help.

I use Hero Machine 2.5 - makes them all look rather too buff for realistic characters but I find it OK to get a general idea.

Also had more than one character idea come up while I was mucking around with the elements - the visual suggested a whole background to me.

Edit: But if anyone knows something easy to use that does a better job, I'd be interested to try it. DAZ-3D, Poser etc are really good but a lot of mucking about is required as they're full-on 3D modellers/animation tools.

edited 30th Mar '11 6:28:46 PM by Wolf1066

If you already own a Wii or even a 3DS, the Mii Maker software can even help. However, I would only recommend it if the majority of your characters look like realistic people and not anime or manga characters.

Who actually visualizes their characters as anime/manga characters? I assumed that everyone, no matter what their characters are drawn like, picture them as "real" people. At least I do, which isn't easy.

Anyway, maybe it's just the way my family makes them, but I always thought the "Miis" were already rather Animesque.

I'm a very visual person as well. I seem to create the scene in my head like a movie, trying to figure out the best camera angles and moods I want to get across visually. Unfortunately, I can't draw at all. So trying to write all this stuff down is difficult for me. More of a shooting script really.

I suppose I just have to learn how to write for the "writing" medium. But I prefer visual mediums personally .

Thanks to Wolf 1066 and annebeeche for the helpful links.

Well, if you watch/read a lot of anime/manga, visualizing people in manga form is much, MUCH easier. I got to say, though. It does have a side effect of anyone who's supposed to attractive as a bishie, unless some more rugged feature or scar is mentioned in the text.

I used to draw like this.

As a result, I actually started to picture my characters in an odd blend of realism and my style.

It is not so difficult to imagine people doing similar things with anime or manga.

edited 31st Mar '11 2:27:06 AM by MrAHR