Fundamentals of Character Design in Adobe Illustrator
Set your creativity free and learn the character design process with 4+ hours of content and 50+ video lessons!
Artists are made, not born: Let me show you why!
You might believe that character design is a gift you're either born with—or not.
Maybe you’ve thought that the best artists just "have it," and inspiration flows naturally whenever they face a blank canvas.
And those amazing characters you see? You assume they were created effortlessly.
But… what if I told you that’s a myth?
The truth is: great character design isn’t magic.
It’s not about being born with talent—it’s about learning the process, practicing with purpose, and building the confidence to create.
Patience, dedication, and passion
these are the real foundations of every artist you admire.
Yes, some people might start ahead. But if you’re willing to learn, explore, and practice…
you can design characters you’re proud of.
That’s where this course comes in.
I’ll guide you step by step through the entire process of character design in Adobe Illustrator—from sketch to final polish.
You’ll learn not just the tools (like the pencil, pen, and shape tools), but also the creative thinking behind every character I draw.
Are you ready to discover what you're really capable of?
Let’s start this journey together.
Bring Your Characters to Life
Character design isn’t just for the “naturally talented” — it’s a skill anyone can master.
If you love to draw but feel stuck creating original characters, this course is for you.
I’ll take you behind the scenes of my creative process and show you the tools and techniques that actually work — learned through curiosity, trial, and a lot of sketching.
You don’t need a degree or special talent — just the right approach, the right tools, and a guide who’s been there.
Let’s create bold, unforgettable characters together.
Hello! I'm Cody A Banks
I love to illustrate fun, colorful characters with tons of personality.
With 20 years of experience using Adobe Illustrator I’ve mastered the tools that you need to create compelling, eye-catching artwork. I enjoy showing my process to my followers and bring you all along for the ride to get a behind the scenes look at how I go about illustrating.
Although I went to school for art I still like to consider myself self-taught since all the techniques I use in my work flow I came up with on my own. I think this gives guidance to new artists who are just trying to figure out where to start but also gives a new perspective to experienced artists who may not have thought to do things how I do them.
START NOW - $100 OFFWhat my students say
Nelson
"Appreciate you making this course! I've been wanting to know your process of character design and now there's a course for it. So excited!"
Brad
"Super clean explanations on the shape and tools modules. This have been really helpful."
IMAGINE FEARLESS CREATIVITY.
Picture this:
✍🏻 You finish the course and your characters finally look like the ones you’ve dreamed of creating.
✍🏻 You’ve practiced, improved, and now your art reflects your passion — not your fear.
✍🏻 No more comparison, no more doubt. Just confidence, growth, and your unique style shining through.
Most artists freeze up in Illustrator because they think everything has to be perfect from the start.
But I’ll show you how to treat Illustrator like your sketchbook — a place to explore, experiment, and create freely.
This is my process: start loose, shape your ideas, and polish them naturally as they come to life.
You’ll learn the tools, the techniques, and the mindset to design with confidence and flow.
🎨 This is your moment to grow as an artist — and I’ll guide you every step of the way.
Let’s make something unforgettable together.
AT THE END OF THE COURSE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO:
Confidently Design Original Characters in Adobe Illustrator
You’ll learn how to bring your own character ideas to life — from initial concept to final design — using Cody’s proven techniques. You’ll understand how to create expressive, unique characters full of personality and style.
Master Key Illustrator Tools for Character Design
Through in-depth lessons on the pencil tool, pen tool, and shape tools (Cody’s “Three Pillars”), you’ll gain hands-on confidence using Illustrator’s most powerful features for sketching, refining, and building vector characters.
Apply the Fundamentals of Visual Character Building
You’ll grasp key design concepts like body proportions, eye and mouth variations, and how visual elements like shape and size influence a character’s age, mood, and personality — giving you the creative control to tell stories through design.
Course Content
The course includes 7 comprehensive modules packed with over 50 video lessons designed for learning and hands-on practice. You’ll also get step-by-step character creation tutorials to follow along with.
All videos are available to pause, replay, and watch anytime, so you can learn at your own pace.
It’s best to take the course in order, as we start with the fundamentals — like setting up your workspace and mastering the pencil, pen, and shape tools — before moving on to more advanced character design techniques.
Remember: practice is the key to mastering your skills!
Included in my course fees:
Fundamentals & Materials
We will look together at the materials, basic techniques, and knowledge needed to begin this journey. Approaching a new technique means first learning how best to use the tools at your disposal.
Practical exercises
Theory is important, but what makes you a true artist is practice! You'll find lots of exercises to get started with and from which to get inspiration. I will show you some tricks that will make your drawings truly unique and masterpieces.Â
Lifetime Access
Once you register for the course, you will have lifetime access and you can watch it whenever you want! This will enable you to better learn even the most difficult notions. You don't have a deadline, you can take the course even for 5 minutes a day!Â
Flexibility
This is one of the course's strengths: being able to watch the videos wherever you want, whenever you want, and as many times as you want. The course is available from any device so you can watch the course from the comfort of your home or take a single lesson on the train!
Community of artists
As soon as you sign up for the course, you will join a group of people who, like you, share this passion and are following the same course as you. This means you'll be able to exchange ideas, tips or ask questions because you'll be surrounded by people who love art the same way you do!
My daily support
On this journey, you will never be alone! You can write to me and you will receive my feedback as soon as possible, so you will always feel supported. Sometimes, approaching drawing is not easy. You may feel that you are not enough, but don't worry: I will be there to help you, step by step!
⚡️GET ALL THE CONTENT WITH THE BIGGEST DISCOUNT OF THE YEAR: $100 OFF ONLY UNTIL SUNDAY⚡️
JOIN NOW - $100 OFFCOURSE STRUCTURE
My goal is to teach you the core skills for creating fun, unique characters in Adobe Illustrator. We'll set up your workspace, then dive into what I call the three pillars: the pencil tool, the pen tool, and the shape tools.
Once you're comfortable with those, I’ll share my go-to styles for eyes and mouths, and explain how head-to-body ratio impacts a character's age, mood, and personality.
Then, we’ll create a full character from scratch and wrap up with post-design steps like color variations, exporting, and more.
BONUS:
Vector files that you can use to follow along with me throughout the course
6 Exclusive Vector Files for Character Design
Complement your learning journey in character drawing with Adobe. Each file includes editable, high-quality artwork that showcases different character styles, poses, and design elements
VALUE: $47 FREE
REGISTRATIONS CLOSING SOON!
$100 OFF with code BLACKFRIDAY – already applied at checkout!
00
DAYS
00
HOURS
00
MINS
00
SECS
⚡️BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL⚡️
The price displayed below is in USD, but you can pay with ANY currency.
$100 OFF with code BLACKFRIDAY – already applied at checkout!
Let's master character illustration together! ✨
My Guarantee to Every Student
If you are not satisfied with the course for any reason, you have the right to obtain a full refund within the first 14 days. This is my guarantee to you, I want all my students to be satisfied. Also, this means that there is no risk as well! Give it a try and experience the program first-hand!
