Have you been wanting to create a cool Alien from a movie or book with your own twist? It's quite simple really.
1Start with a basic outline of your alien. Whether it's a quick sketch or a short description, you must have a basic concept to start out with. This can be something about its physical appearance, like how many limbs it has or how many eyes or heads, or behavioral--maybe you want an alien that spits venom or blends into its surroundings like a chameleon.Ad
2Start adding detail. What kind of environment does it live in? Does it live on Earth, or some other planet? There's a saying that "form follows function", and it's true--so a flying alien will probably be very slim and lightly built, a swimming one might be streamlined like a dolphin or shark, one that lives on the plains might have thick hoof-like nails or long legs for traveling great distances.
3You can also "reverse engineer" an alien's habitat and lifestyle based on its looks. So a lanky alien with long arms might live in the trees like a monkey, or one with lots of fin-like crests might live somewhere wet like a lake or marsh. If it comes from an alien world, you might be able to work out facts about the planet it came from--maybe its skin or fur or scales are purple because the jungle plants on its homeworld are purple. Having an explanation for why that alien has an extra arm growing out of its chest will also make it more realistic, rather than just "because it looks alien". Lots of people do that--you can do better!
4If your alien is intelligent, does it speak English, or some alien language? (Or does it prefer to use telepathy, or body language, or something really weird, like communicating using smells or flashes of light?)
5If you're up to drawing your alien, do some sketches. Drawings make life a little easier. Making a drawing can give your imagination a jump start if you're having trouble describing your alien. The opposite is also true--if putting your pencil to paper just isn't working out, try writing out an explanation of what makes your alien what it is.
6Once you've taken down all your data, you can use it in your story or show it off to your friends.Ad
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making time appear to slow down?
- Have fun while creating your alien.
- Maybe even try to design their kind of spacecraft (if they have any)!
- If you want a drawing of your Alien but you're not a good artist, then ask one of your friends that are good at drawing or can make it on the computer.
- If you want to do this but can't think of anything, watch a movie like Star Wars that involves aliens to help your ideas flow. But don't just copy other peoples' ideas, try to extrapolate on one specific feature, or improve on the basic concept. Asking yourself "What DIDN'T I like about that alien?" is a good starting point.
- If you don't want to ask your friends to draw you a picture, just keep practicing and you'll get it eventually. Don't expect perfect results first time round.
- Try to think outside the box. Splicing together abstract and concrete ideas are a great way to make sure your alien is unique.
- It's also a good idea to mix two different things and what you make. Ex: Picasso painting and sea creatures.
Categories: Character Creation
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