Character design is a major part of any animation or video game project. As visual mediums, these fields require visually stunning characters that look recognizable and move smoothly. From basic-looking people to wildly detailed monsters, a 3D or 2D character designer needs special skills to make their designs jump off the screen.
For some, a project may require the help of an animation or game character designer from outside the main team. After performing a bit of research, a project manager may want to think about teaming up with some of the following companies for 2D or 3D character design.
For others, finding a job as an animation studio character designer may be their goal. After taking a few high-quality courses, artists may want to consider applying to a few of the following companies.
Whatever your situation, it’s important to know about the leading animation and game character design companies that are out there. In this guide, we’ll look at a few of the best studios for character design in 2023.
N-iX 🔗
N-iX is a Ukrainian game design studio that provides a wide range of character design services. They have an extensive portfolio of 2D and 3D character designs that show their versatility as a character design studio. The company has spent years providing top-notch visual design services for major studios, including Wargaming, Trese Brother, and Paradox Interactive. Their work has been used in mobile games, desktop PC games, and more. No matter the needs of your project, N-iX has a solution for you.
Kevuru Games 🔗
Kevuru Games is a sizeable character design studio that specializes in video game character design. A great feature of the company is its 2D department and 3D department. The company has a large enough team that the artists can focus on one type of design.
Major companies like Lucasfilm, Epic Games, EA, Nanobit, and more have relied on Kevuru Games for their 2D and 3D design. The company can adapt its artwork to match any game engine to ensure that its designs work perfectly for any type of game. For artists who want to work in the gaming space or need designs for their projects, Kevuru Games is a great partner.
AAA Game Art Studio 🔗
Based in the US, AAA Game Art Studio provides 2D and 3D game design services. They have created designs for Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Playrix, and many more. The company is led by experienced designers with 20+ years of experience.
AAA provides character designs for AAA-level games as well as casual and hyper-casual games. They are known for their fantasy character designs, making them a great choice for projects that have a fantasy feel.
Jumbla 🔗
Jumbla is a global game design company based in London, UK, and Melbourne, Australia. The company creates 2D and 3D designs for video games, animations, motion graphic projects, and more. The leadership of the company sports a combined 250+ years of industry experience. The crew at Jumbla works hard to ensure that every client is happy with their work. They are in constant contact with their clients to ensure the designs are on-point and the project is going well. If a company needs detailed character designs, Jumbla is a high-quality partner.
Airship Interactive 🔗
For those who need game design or film character design, Airship Interactive has a great portfolio of work. The company specializes in 3D design for AAA class projects. They have worked on projects including Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4, Hitman 2, and others.
Detail is the focus of this UK-based design studio. They have become known for their hair design and other extra-detailed features of their characters. If an artist specializes in very detailed 3D design, or if a project requires such detail, Airship Interactive may be one of the best options out there.
Mortar Studios 🔗
Augmented reality is quickly becoming a popular style of filmmaking and game design. This type of work requires specialty character design done by experts in the field. Mortar Studios can be the choice team for the job. This Sydney-based 3D design studio provides character design for animation and augmented reality projects. The team works hard to match and exceed the expectations of their clients. When a project requires detailed AR designs, Mortar Studios can handle it all.
BluBlu Studios 🔗
Storytelling is at the heart of every game and film, and the team at BluBlu Studios understands that. Their team of expert character designers knows how to create characters based on their story. The team has worked with countless clients on animations, including the New York Times and Universal Music Group. Their high-grade design skills are perfectly matched for clients who need detailed designs for their film or game project.
GraphicMama 🔗
While many companies specialize in 3D character design, GraphicMama focuses on 2D vector art. This Bulgaria-based studio offers designs that range from cartoonish to detailed for projects that require 2D designs. The crew of designers, programmers, and illustrators work together with the client to design characters that perfectly match the feel of the client’s project. If you’re a 2D designer looking for work or if you’re a project manager in need of 2D designs, GraphicMama has got you covered.
From animation to gaming character design, these are some of the top studios for creating characters that can fit your next project. For those artists who aspire to be animation or game character designers, consider contacting these companies to learn more about their opportunities.
Do you feel like you could use some more suggestions? Check out our list of best character design studios in 2021 to learn more!
Best Studios in Previous Years
Pixune 🔗
Based out of Warsaw, Poland, Pixune is a 3D Animation and video game studio that specializes in designing gameplay mechanics, 3D animation story development, designing storyboard and concept Art, and 3D modeling.
In particular, their character designs are used in a variety of different areas, from video games and mascots, to animations and novels. WIth over 2000 characters designed by their team, it’s easy to see their wide variety of styles in fantasy, cartoons, realistic, pixel art, and more. Check out their full character design portfolio here.
Jumbla 🔗
London and Melbourne-based Jumbla is a global creative production company with over 250 years specializing in animation, motion graphics, illustration, and sound design. Working with some of the world’s largest businesses, agencies, and brands, their projects are no short of incredible and far reaching in impact.
In particular, their discipline in character design shows an incredible detailed aspect to their studio, in which they work on-site to help build original character designs with a wide scope of visual appeal and personality to their projects. Designed specifically with their clients in mind, Jumbla works with the brand and identity to ensure the character is unique and compelling in its message. Check out more of their work in their all encompassing portfolio here.
BluBlu Studios 🔗
As a design-driven animation production company, BluBlu Studios has worked with notorious clients such as The New York Times and Universal Music Group. Partnering with prominent publishers, production houses, and global brands, their work is focused on bringing visual storytelling and high-end designs to make content that creates impact for their clients.
Focusing solely on their character design, their process is centered around the design and character background for the purpose of telling a compelling story to the target audience of the project. View their full client portfolio to see some of their ingenious and unique designs come to life.
Dream Farm Studios 🔗
Focused on creating real and visual appealing animated videos for companies, people, and agencies, Dream Farm Studios is centered around 3D animation, 2D animation, commercial animation, and character design. With notable clients such as Dish Network and Flaregames, there is no shortage of real experience in the animation industry with this studio.
Specific to character design, artists at Dream Farm Studios have created thousands of characters used in an array of projects such as TV commercials, video games, educational videos, and short & feature films. View their wide range of character genres in their portfolio here.
Mortar Studios 🔗
Sydney-based Mortar Studios is a 3D design studio specializing in augmented reality, character design, and animation. Priding itself in the motto “If you can imagine it, we can create it”, their portfolio truly encapsulates this expertise in the industry.
From concept illustrations to final 3D models, their character design process encompasses all aspects of a project. Suitable for mediums such as mobile apps, games, TVCs, and film production, their designs have been utilized by a number of clients both in Australia and around the globe. Their portfolio is a must-see for anyone in the 3D/CG industry, with work ranging from simple cartoon designs to hyper realistic visualizations of people and insects.
Mia Milan Illustrations 🔗
For over 30 years, MIA Milan Illustrations Agency has been a source for creative solutions to a wide variety of clients such as editors, publishers, and agencies. With special attention on particular cultural aspects and audiences, their work in character design is focused on book illustrations and publication.
If you are interested in cartoon character design and specifically book illustration, this is a design studio you will definitely want to check out. See their works here!
GraphicMama 🔗
Created out of a small IT company in Varna, Bulgaria, GraphicMama is a studio specialized in high-quality vector graphic illustrations. With a team of illustrators, graphic designers, and programmers, the work they create is used in a wide range of applications including video and animation, website design, custom illustration, and character development.
With a design more grounded in cartoon figures and animation, their characters bring to life their clients’ projects. From fantasy, superheroes, educational, and many other genres, you can expect a good focus on cartoonish character development with this design studio. A must see portfolio for those interested specifically in this type of design.
