Screenwriting : Story Art by Gaby Chartier

Stick figures :) Storyboarding helps directors, animators, etc. plan scenes. I think using drawings when writing is similar to storyboarding.

Hi Gaby Chartier like Juan I create scenes. I've gotten carried away to the point where I put together in my very, very, and as some have messaged me, hot garbage and crap that don't belong in anyone's imagination...scenes from my pilot and book. I use character creator 3, iClone 7, blender, and unreal engine. My profile has examples. BUt, it is very rewarding to see your character on the page/screen...even if they are stick figures.

Juan Seattle thats interesting! I find it essential to know exactly what my characters look like to write them accurately, things like demeanour go hand in hand with how I plan out scenes :) And as for potential readers, since I mostly write for fun, I usually send some drawings of the characters involved in a scene so they can better imagine them, like it’s a new episode of a TV show they’re already familiar with/fans of.

Writers = Artists. They just work in different media. One of the things I often do is to tear pages out of magazines/advertisements that have pictures of characters I find appealing for one reason or another. I have a whole file full of 'em.

Hey Gaby, this is Karen from the Stage 32 team. I just wanted to let you know I moved your post from Anything Goes to Screenwriting (to connect with other writers), as it fits much better there. Let me know if you have any questions, and all the best to you!

Part way through the development of my craft, I noticed that I effectively switched from writing people that I could see to souls that I could feel. I know very little about how my characters look and that keeps me very open minded to how they eventually turn out during production or when I have an illustrator create the artwork for my front pages.

Yes, abstract artist but I spent time last year creating concept art and I do scribbly visual outlines, some storyboards and character sketches. But I appreciate the help of a professional graphic designer doing pitch-deck work as the writing is my stronger skill set and when it comes to illustration and pictorial design I am slow.

CJ Walley that’s interesting! Do you still see them in your head when you write, or are they more like blurry figures moving about with changing features?

I see glimpses of them, Gaby Chartier, but that's about it. They're like shape shifting ghosts. I have some basics but don't see detail.

I personally storyboard in stick figures then hand it over to an artist to make a more palatable rendering for the appropriate people. My character designs are rough ideas and I hope to be inspired by the actors at the auditions.

CJ Walley shape shifting ghosts ! I love that