The Creators U Is Live: Everything the Course Includes

What makes a character stay with us long after the story ends?

It might be a silhouette we recognize instantly, an expression that reveals more than words could say, or a personality that captivates us from the very first scene. Memorable characters are rarely designed on the first try, instead, they are shaped through observation, exploration and countless creative decisions.

The Creators U is a new character design course that brings together the experience of master designers who have worked on some of the most memorable animated films.

In this complete The Creators U course outline, we will explore how the course is structured, what you will learn and how its practical assignments can help you develop your own approach to character design.

Why Character Design Matters

Characters are the window through which we experience stories.

When we read a book, watch a film or even scroll through social media, we connect with the characters and personalities at the center of those experiences. Through them, we can imagine what it would be like to live somewhere else, belong to another time, face an unfamiliar challenge or experience a completely different set of emotions.

This is why character design is much more than creating an appealing drawing.

A successful character needs to communicate. Their personality, role and relationship with the story should be visible in the choices behind their shapes, poses, expressions and proportions.

As Borja Montoro, a character designer with more than 35 years of experience, explains in the course introduction:

“Character is at the very core of storytelling.”

Borja’s credits include films such as Zootopia, Moana, The Wild Robot and Tarzan. Throughout the course, he and the other designers open up their creative processes to show how ideas evolve into characters capable of moving audiences.

Learn from Artists Behind Memorable Animated Characters

The Creators U offers access to the knowledge and experience of artists who have helped shape characters from films such as Inside Out, Frozen, Moana, How to Train Your Dragon, Corpse Bride, Pinocchio and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Rather than presenting character design as a rigid formula, the course lets you observe how experienced professionals think, explore and make decisions.

Among the featured lessons, you will discover:

• Albert Lozano discussing the process behind designing Joy and Sadness for Inside Out.
• Bill Schwab demonstrating his complete process for designing original characters created especially for the course.
• Carlos Grangel sharing insights from the development of characters for films such as Corpse Bride, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Balto and Spirit.
• Joe Moshier exploring design principles learned throughout a career spanning films from The Emperor’s New Groove and Bolt to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
• Borja Montoro guiding you through the course and quick tips that will instantly make your character design stronger. 

The goal is not to teach you to imitate one particular artist. It is to expose you to different ways of thinking so you can start making stronger, more intentional creative decisions of your own.

The Creators U Course Outline: From First Idea to Final Design

The course follows the natural progression of the character design process. Its chapters take you from inspiration and early ideation to exploration, decision-making and final execution.

Chapter 1: Conceiving the Character

The first chapter focuses on the thinking that happens before a design begins to take shape.

You will explore the process behind conceiving a character and learn how professional designers find ideas, interpret a brief and begin connecting personality with visual choices.

This stage establishes the foundations for everything that comes next. Before deciding exactly what a character looks like, you need to understand who they are, what role they play and what the audience should feel when they see them.

Chapter 2: Exploring the Possibilities

The second chapter is about giving yourself permission to explore.

Instead of settling for the first acceptable idea, you will test different directions and allow your imagination to consider a wider range of possibilities. Concepts such as “Why not?” and “More is more” encourage you to push beyond predictable solutions.

This is where you will work with essential character design principles such as:

• Personality
• Shape language
• Poses
• Expressions
• Visual exploration
• Charicature

The objective is not to make every sketch perfect. It is to generate options, discover unexpected ideas and understand what makes one direction more effective than another.

Want to see how the lessons and assignments fit together? [Take the free tour of TheCreatorsU course.]

Chapter 3: Making Decisions and Finalizing the Design

Exploration creates possibilities, but character design also requires choices.

In the third chapter, the focus shifts toward selecting, refining and finalizing a design. You will learn how to identify the ideas that best support the character’s personality and narrative role, then develop them into a clear and resolved result.

This stage helps connect creative freedom with intention. Every shape, pose and expression should contribute to the story the character needs to tell.

Practical Assignments in Every Chapter

Watching an experienced designer work can be inspiring, but progress comes from applying what you observe.

Each chapter therefore includes a practical assignment designed to help you use the concepts covered in the lessons. You will not simply hear about personality, exploration or shape language—you will have opportunities to test those ideas through your own work.

This learn-and-practise structure is useful whether you are beginning your journey, building a portfolio or returning to character design after a time.

For parents considering the course for a young artist, the assignments also provide a clear path through the creative process. Students are encouraged to experiment and develop their ideas rather than focusing only on producing a polished final image.

The Final Challenge: Four Timeless Archetypes

In the final part of the course, the master designers take on four classic character archetypes:

• A wise old master
• A villain
• A comic relief character
• A hero

You will see how they approach each challenge from the beginning, develop their ideas and move toward a final design.

Then it will be your turn.

Using the principles and processes practised throughout the course, you will create your own version of each archetype. Because every archetype can be interpreted in countless ways, the exercise challenges you to move beyond the obvious and make choices that reflect your own imagination.

By completing all four designs, you will finish the course with a practical body of work that demonstrates how you approach different personalities, narrative roles and visual problems.

Who Is The Creators U For?

The course is designed for anyone who wants to understand how memorable characters are created, including:

• Aspiring character designers and animation students
• Young artists interested in developing their skills
• Illustrators who want to strengthen the storytelling behind their work
• Junior professionals looking for insight into industry processes
• Self-taught artists searching for a more structured learning journey
• Creative hobbyists who want to explore character design in greater depth

You do not need to arrive with a fully developed style. Curiosity, imagination and a willingness to explore are the most important starting points.

Begin Your Character Design Journey

The Creators U brings decades of professional experience into one journey through the complete character design process—from the earliest idea to a finalized design.

You will learn how master artists think, explore and solve creative problems. More importantly, you will have the opportunity to apply those lessons to characters of your own.

If you want to create characters that do more than look appealing—characters that communicate personality, support a story and connect with an audience—this is where your journey begins.

Preview the course for free and discover everything included in The Creators U.