Introduction
Tips of the Month — Drawing Characters in Costume
Before a costume has a single accessory or detail, it needs a silhouette, an environment, and a reason for existing.
In this tutorial, I'll walk you through how I designed three very different witches — a modern teenage witch, a desert witch, and a historical-inspired forest witch, not by starting with "what should she wear" but rather "where does she live, and what does she need?"
I'm raviolilli, and I'll be sharing the questions and design choices I used for each character, from their environment and activities, to fabric movement, accessories, and overall silhouette.
1. Modern Teenage Witch
Starting with a modern setting
For the first character, I wanted to create a witch who could exist in a modern-day setting. Instead of using traditional witch clothing, I started with everyday teenage fashion and then looked for ways to incorporate magical elements.
I began with a crop top and baggy jeans, which gave her a casual, modern appearance. I also chose Converse-style sneakers to reinforce the idea that she is a teenager who dresses like someone you might see in everyday life.
The goal was to make her look like a normal modern teenager at first glance, while adding enough details to make it clear that she is also a witch.
Designing the hairstyle
I also wanted her hairstyle to feel modern and a little alternative.
I gave her a short, spiky pixie cut with one side partially shaved. The uneven shape helps reinforce her personality and gives the design a more distinctive silhouette.
When drawing short hair, I find it helpful to think about the larger shape first rather than drawing every strand individually. Once the main shape is established, I can add smaller pieces of hair to break up the edges and make it feel more natural.
The direction of the strands is also important. Instead of making every strand point in the same direction, I vary them slightly to create a more interesting and energetic shape.
★ TIP ★
It can help to think of the strands as radiating outward from the head in a loose sun-like shape. Rather than having every strand point in the same direction, let them follow the curve and volume of the head. The strands don't need to be perfectly symmetrical, but keeping this general direction in mind can help the hair feel more natural and give it a stronger sense of shape.
Adding accessories with a purpose
The accessories were where I wanted to bring the witch theme into the modern outfit.
I gave her a cup, which could be an iced coffee or a boba tea. This is a small detail, but it helps make her feel like a modern teenager rather than a character wearing a collection of stereotypical witch items.
She also has a tote bag. Tote bags are common everyday accessories, but the bag also gives her a practical place to carry things. In this case, she keeps potions inside it.
This is one of the ways I like to approach accessories: I try to think about both what looks appropriate for the character and why the character would actually have it.
Her wand is a more obvious magical accessory, while her necklace and the pentagram on her crop top reinforce the witch theme through smaller details.
I also gave her a black cat familiar. Cats have a long association with witches in historical and popular imagery, but they are also common household pets today. That makes the cat fit naturally into the modern setting instead of feeling completely disconnected from it.
Final
For this character, I wanted the costume to show how witch imagery can be adapted into an ordinary modern wardrobe.
The hairstyle, casual clothing, drink, tote bag, and cat help establish her everyday personality, while the wand, potions, necklace, and pentagram connect her to the magical side of the character.
The important thing is that the magical details do not have to replace the modern elements. They can work together to create a character who feels like she belongs in both worlds.
2. Desert Witch
Designing around the environment
For the second character, I wanted to design a witch who lives in a desert environment.
This time, I started with the setting rather than a particular outfit. A desert can be hot, windy, and full of sand, so I thought about how those conditions might influence the clothing.
Instead of giving her an outfit with lots of exposed skin, I designed several layers that cover most of her body. The clothing helps protect her from the sun, wind, and sand while also giving the character a distinctive silhouette.
★ TIP ★
When designing costumes for a specific environment, I find it useful to ask:
What is the weather like?
What does the character need protection from?
How much freedom of movement do they need?
What materials would be practical in this environment?
What would they need to carry with them?
These questions can help create design ideas before I even start thinking about decorative details.
Using movement to guide the costume
For this character, I wanted the costume to emphasize the movement of her pose.
Her pose has a sort of side-to-side S-curve. Her upper body leans slightly to one side, her hips shift back in the opposite direction, and then her legs and feet bring the pose back again. Rather than having the clothing hang straight down from the body, I used this curve as a guide for the movement of the costume.
The poncho, sash, and hanging pieces of fabric are especially useful for this. I let some of the fabric swing outward and echo the direction of the pose, rather than making every piece fall vertically. This helps the costume feel like it is moving along with the character.
I also paid attention to where each piece of fabric is attached. The poncho hangs from the shoulders, while the sash is wrapped around the waist, so they don't all need to follow exactly the same direction. The way a piece is attached affects how it hangs, folds, and moves.
I find that thinking about the gesture of the entire character first makes it much easier to decide how the costume should move. Instead of treating each fold or hanging piece separately, I can use the movement of the body as a starting point and let the clothing respond to it.
Designing the feet and accessories
For her feet, I decided not to give her conventional shoes. Instead, her feet are wrapped in a type of bandage material. I imagined that this could help her move quietly and smoothly through the environment, without her shoes filling with sand.
The wrapped fabric also adds another layer of visual interest and connects her feet to the rest of the costume.
I gave her a flying broom as her main magical prop. Since the character is a witch, the broom immediately communicates part of her role, but its placement also matters. I wanted it to work with the pose and overall composition rather than simply being placed beside her.
Her familiar is a dark snake. The snake adds to the desert and witch imagery, but it also gives me another opportunity to use a flowing shape. When drawing an animal like a snake, I find it useful to begin with a simple gesture line before adding the body thickness and details.
This helps the snake feel like it has movement and prevents it from becoming a stiff tube.
Final
For the desert witch, most of the costume decisions came from the environment.
The layers protect the body, the wrapped feet fit the setting, and the loose fabric gives the design movement. The broom and snake then reinforce the magical identity of the character.
This is a useful approach when designing a costume: instead of asking only what would look good, try asking what would make sense for the character’s environment and daily life?
3. Medieval Forest Witch
Building the outfit with layers
For the third character, I wanted to create a historical-inspired forest witch.
The main outfit includes a corset and a dress, with another layered piece positioned over the dress and underneath the corset area.
I also added long, flowing sleeves and ruffles to give the costume a more detailed and historical-inspired appearance.
When working with multiple layers, I try to make sure that each piece has a clear place in the construction of the outfit. It helps to consider which garment is underneath, where the edges meet, and how the layers affect one another.
The different materials should not all behave identically. A structured corset can hold its shape, while the dress and sleeves may hang more loosely. Ruffles can create smaller, repeated folds, while a heavier skirt or cloak may form broader shapes.
In this instance, because she's wearing such a long, flowy dress along with a full-length cloak, the folds do a lot of the work in selling the movement and weight of the fabric.
Through the body and legs, the folds tend to run in long, continuous lines that follow the direction of the figure — mostly vertical, but curving slightly wherever the fabric catches on a hip, knee, or the wind.
Toward the feet, though, the fabric hits the ground and has nowhere left to go, so the folds bunch up into smaller, denser ruffles that pool and overlap around the feet.
I try to keep the upper folds sparse and elongated and save the busier, more compressed folds for that bottom section. The contrast between long sweeping lines above and tighter ruffling below is what makes the length and heaviness of both the dress and cloak feel believable.
Using accessories to tell the character’s story
I wanted this witch’s accessories to suggest what she does and how she spends her time.
She has a belt carrying foraged herbs, a potion bottle, and a small knife. These items help communicate that she may gather ingredients, prepare potions, and work with materials found in the forest.
The accessories also help fill out the silhouette around her waist without feeling completely random. They have a relationship to the character’s role and the environment she lives in.
★ TIP ★
When I am unsure whether an accessory belongs in a design, I like to ask:
- Why does this character have this item?
The answer could be practical, personal, symbolic, or simply related to the character’s interests. It does not have to be a tool or something essential, but having a reason behind the choice can make the design feel more intentional.
Designing the cloak
The cloak was one of the larger pieces I wanted to focus on.
Cloaks and capes can be difficult to draw because they are affected by the shoulders, the way they are fastened, and the direction the character is moving.
I find it helpful to first establish where the cloak attaches to the body. From there, I can think about how the fabric falls and where it might open, overlap, or swing outward.
The cloak should also follow the pose. If the character is turning or moving, the bottom edge and folds can reflect that motion. If she is standing still, the fabric may hang more naturally under its own weight.
It is also important to remember that the cloak exists around the body in three dimensions. Even if the front is the main part visible in the illustration, thinking about the back and sides helps the garment feel more believable.
Drawing the hat in perspective
The witch’s hat is another important part of the costume.
Since the hat sits on the head, I first think about the shape of the head and the angle from which the character is being viewed. The brim needs to follow the perspective of the head rather than being placed as a flat oval.
I also consider how the hat fits around the hair. The hair should feel like it is underneath or emerging from the hat, rather than appearing to pass through it.
The hat does not have to be perfectly symmetrical. A slightly bent brim or uneven tip can make it feel more natural and help give the character more personality. There’s lots of freedom here!
Adding the raven
I gave this character a raven familiar, fitting of the forest.
The raven helps reinforce the forest setting and adds another strong shape to the composition. When drawing a bird, I try to think about the silhouette and general shape of the wings, head, and body before adding feathers or any details.
A recognizable silhouette can communicate the animal even before the smaller details are added.
The raven also creates an opportunity to balance the composition. Its position can guide the viewer’s eye toward the character or create a counter-shape against the larger cloak and hat.
Final
For this witch, I wanted the costume to feel connected to both her historical-inspired clothing and her life in the forest.
The layered dress, corset, cloak, hat, herbs, potions, knife, and raven all contribute to the same idea. Each detail supports either the character’s role, her environment, or the overall visual identity.
Overall Costume Design Tips
1. Working with the silhouette
One of the first things I think about when designing a costume is the silhouette. Before a viewer notices the details of an outfit, they see its overall shape. A good silhouette can already communicate something about a character's personality, lifestyle, environment, or role.
I like to ask myself: What can someone tell about this character just by looking at their outline? Their hair, clothing, accessories, and pose can all contribute to that first impression.
Your silhouette doesn't need to explain everything about the character, but it should be readable enough to give the viewer a sense of who they're looking at. Try filling your character in with a solid color and removing the interior details. Can you still recognize the general outfit and a few of their defining features?
★ TIP ★
Think about:
Where are the largest shapes?
How does the clothing change the body’s proportions?
Is the character’s outline recognizable?
Are there any shapes that could be exaggerated?
2. Drawing bags and clothing folds
Another thing I like to pay attention to when designing and drawing a costume is how the clothing and accessories actually interact with the character's body.
For example, when drawing the tote bag for the modern teenage witch, I tried to think about how it would realistically hang from her elbow. A bag has weight, especially when it is filled with heavy potions, so it will pull downward on the handles and cause the fabric to bend and stretch in response. The handles are pulled taut in an upside-down V-shape, while the bottom of the bag folds and caves around the contents inside.
The direction the character is facing or moving can affect this, too. If she is walking, the bag might swing slightly behind her instead of hanging perfectly straight down. If her arm or shoulder moves, the handles may shift with it. These small changes can make an accessory feel like it is actually attached to the character rather than simply placed on top of the drawing.
The same principle applies to clothing folds. Try to think about what the fabric is doing instead of adding wrinkles randomly.
Different types of clothing will fold in different ways. Baggy jeans have more loose fabric to bunch up, while tight pants will stretch across areas like the knees and hips. A shirt might gather underneath the arms or around the waist, while a loose sleeve can create larger folds as it hangs away from the body.
I usually start with the larger, more important folds and then add smaller wrinkles afterward. Look for places where the fabric is:
- Bending, such as around the knees, elbows, and waist
- Stretching, where the fabric is pulled across the body
- Gathering, where loose fabric bunches together
- Hanging, where gravity pulls the fabric downward
- Being compressed, such as where a bag strap presses against a shoulder
You don't need to draw every single wrinkle. In fact, adding the same amount of detail everywhere can make the clothing look noisy. Instead, focus the folds around areas where the fabric is actually being affected by the character's pose, movement, or the way the clothing fits.
Thinking about weight, gravity, movement, and the construction of the clothing can make even a very simple costume feel much more convincing.
3. Design around the setting
The environment can give you a starting point when you are unsure what the character should wear.
★ TIP ★
Ask yourself:
Where does the character live?
What is the weather like?
What do they do during the day?
What do they need protection from?
What would they need to carry?
The desert witch’s layers came from the conditions of her environment, while the forest witch’s accessories were inspired by gathering herbs and working with potions, and the teenage witch needed to be able to carry her accessories around her everyday academic life.
The setting does not have to determine every detail, but it can give the costume a stronger sense of belonging, as well as inspire you in a variety of ways!
Conclusion
Designing a costume does not have to begin with a perfect outfit already in mind.
You can start with the character, their world, their personality, or even a simple environmental prompt. From there, let those ideas guide the clothing, silhouette, accessories, and materials.
For these three witches, I approached costume design in different ways:
The modern witch was built around everyday fashion and magical details.
The desert witch was designed around environmental protection, layers, and movement.
The forest witch combined historical-inspired clothing with accessories connected to her life and surroundings.
When you are designing your own characters, try asking yourself:
What does this character do? What do they need? Where do they live? What would they choose to wear?
Once you have some answers, you can start turning them into shapes, clothing, accessories, and details that make the character feel like they belong in their world.
I hope this tutorial helped you see how clothing, accessories, and silhouettes can bring a character's story to life. Thanks for following along, and happy drawing!
Users who liked this post
Comment