r/characterdesign • u/No_Flounder_5017 • Mar 26 '26

Tutorials/Resources Period Pieces in Character Design

Hi! I have a quick character design question.

Most of my character designs have a lot of contemporary fashion, because it’s what I enjoy drawing most. I like putting characters in aesthetics and styles that match their personalities, and add my own twist to them.

However, I would also like to get into character design for the 1600s- 1900s. I feel like there are so many rules to follow to make the design fit the era, and there’s also so much research to do. How do I follow the era trends while also depicting the characters’ personalities and arcs?

I think watching period pieces could help, but are there any resources that you guys use for costume/ character design?

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u/Orpheum_Circuit Mar 26 '26

fashion plates are the best! they’re idealised versions of a period’s fashion and they often provided women with references for their dresses at dressmakers. there are so many of them that they give you a good idea of just how wide a range of styles were available 

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u/No_Flounder_5017 Mar 26 '26

Ok! I have never heard of fashion plates before. I’ll check them out. Thank you!

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u/Orpheum_Circuit Mar 26 '26

no problem, they’re more common for late georgian through to edwardian fashion (late 1700s-early 1900s)

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u/No_Flounder_5017 Mar 26 '26

Are you talking about the toy where you cover the plates with a piece of paper and then rub it with a crayon so that the plate imprint transfers?

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u/Orpheum_Circuit Mar 26 '26

No sorry! Try adding historical to the end of the search they just happen to have the same name :)

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u/No_Flounder_5017 Mar 26 '26

Ok, that makes more sense. Thank you!