Tips for Designing a Pirate OC!
While villains and magical girls roam the lands of Unvale…another kind of OC takes to the seven seas…Pirates! YAR! (But if you want to join the magic and create a magical girl of your own, check out my last article here!) There’s plenty of pirates in the world, both in history and in fiction! You might recognize the names of popular pirates such as…
Pirates are iconic for their thievery, hunts for treasure…and their iconic looks! So how exactly do you go about designing a swashbuckling pirate to adventure across the seas? Let’s talk about it!
Decide what kind of pirate your OC is!
The type of pirate your OC is will help you determine different aspects of their design! Depending on who your pirate is, the way they dress, their appearance, and other details can help show who your OC is!
There’s plenty of different types of pirates to choose from! Some might be more historical based, while others might end up more fantasy-style! Personality will play a big part in the style of your pirate character as well! Some pirates have more ragged attire, while others might prefer a fancier look! Here’s some things to think about before you start designing your pirate:
- Are they a more historical pirate, or a more fantasy pirate?
- What’s their personality like? Would it affect their style?
- Are they evil, or good?
- What kind of role do they play?
- Do they have a specific style of fighting?
Thinking about the type of pirate your OC is will give you an idea as to how they might dress! The personality can also affect other parts of your character’s design as well!
There are lots of different ways you can incorporate design details based on the kind of pirate your OC is! You can try using the questions above while considering different design aspects of your pirate as we continue!
Pick a fitting outfit and accessories for your pirate!
The outfit and accessories your character has will really determine how piratey they look! Deciding on a cool outfit will really enhance your pirate’s swashbuckling style!
Utilize the pirate aesthetic for your OC!
When designing a pirate one way to make them look like a pirate is…the classic pirate aesthetic! The pirate aesthetic has a lot of iconic aspects of it! Common features of the aesthetic include…
- Lots of layers
- Ruffles
- Metal accessories
- Leather boots
- More desaturated colors
Using the pirate aesthetic to help create your OC’s design is a great way to start creating a cool pirate outfit! Knowing what pirate design aesthetics look like in general can help with knowing what kind of clothes and accessories you can give your character!
A good example of the pirate aesthetic would be Artgremlin’s OC Captain Fang! Captain Fang has a very regal pirate look!
Another good example would be Mechaviper’s OC Captain Warfin! Captain Warfin has a very leader-like pirate look!
Pick some perfect pirate clothes for your OC!
A big part of a pirates’ design is the clothes they wear! Pirates often have a certain type of clothes they wear! Some clothing items pirates are often seen with are:
- Big jackets
- Leather boots
- Big hats
- Ruffled shirts
- Corsets
Pirate attire seen in media is often inspired by the pirate outfits from the 1700s! If you want some inspiration, you can look up pirate outfits from that time period! Then you can decide how accurate you want your pirates’ fit, and go from there! A story set in the real world might have more accurate clothes for a pirate, while a more fantasy style story might stray a bit from historical accuracy!
A good example of using clothes for a pirate design would be Artroomgremiln’s OC Captain Alice! Captain Alice wears a large jacket along with other piratey clothes!
Another good example would be Lemon’s OC Lieutenant Sparrow! Lieutenant Sparrow also has a fancy jacket and other pirate-like clothes!
Give your pirate some cool accessories!
Another big part of a pirate design is the accessories they wear! Pirates often wear a lot of different accessories that enhance their design! You’ll often see pirates with lots of accessories like:
- Necklaces
- Earrings
- Chains
- Belts
- Sashes
- Gloves
Sometimes such accessories are just for decoration, as a way of showing off loot, and other times they might have some importance! Accessories could be something important like a key necklace for a treasure chest or a magic compass on a chain!
A good example of using accessories for a pirate design would be cjcheesy’s OC Johnny! Johnny wears lots of belts and buckles that add to the pirate look!
Another good example would be Aoifa’s OC Alizeé! Alizeé has plenty of accessories like jewelry and sashes that add to the pirate look!
Try adding a fierce weapon to your pirate’s design!
No pirate design is complete without a weapon! …Well, it’s not necessary for a pirate design, but plenty of pirates have them! Pirates often have weapons like:
- Cutlasses
- Daggers
- Pistols
- Muskets
Depending on your pirates style of fighting or their personality, they might choose a different kind of weapon! A more ruthless pirate might go for a blade, while a more elegant pirate might have a gun!
A good example of using weapons for a pirate design would be Vic’s OC Camila! Camila is a sharpshooting pirate with a gun!
Another good example would be Calen’s OC Wisteria! Wisteria is a pirate who has a cool blade as a weapon!
Can you use your pirate's appearance to enhance their design?
All kinds of pirates have a different appearance! That being said, you can use appearance to your advantage! Depending on the kind of pirate your OC is and the story they’re a part of, you can use appearance to show off their unique character!
Use shape language and build to your advantage for your pirate!
Some pirates might be more quick and agile, while others might be strong and imposing! You can use the build of your character to show the audience what kind of pirate they are! You can use the shape language to tell the audience about your pirate as well! Sharper shape language might show a pirate is more dangerous, while squares might make a pirate look more tough and powerful. Here’s some ideas to get you thinking!
- A lanky build with sharp shapes for a quick and dangerous pirate
- A strong build with square shape language for a mighty, grand pirate
- A softer build with round shape language for a friendly, helpful pirate
Build and shape language can also be used in the opposite way, to purposely trick your audience! Maybe the scallywag that betrays the crew has more round shape language, while the crew member that’s nicest has the most sharp shape language.
A good example of using shape language for a pirate design would be Amber’s OC Apollo! Apollo is a ruthless pirate with lots of sharp shape language!
A good example of using build for a pirate design would be Gimble’s OC Captain Ragnar! Captain Ragnar has a strong, imposing build that makes him intimidating!
Pick a good hairstyle for your pirate!
An additional way to add to a pirate design is the hairstyle the OC has! The personality of your pirate will affect the kind of hairstyle they have! A pirate who cares more about fighting might have a shorter hairstyle or a hairstyle that keeps their hair out of the way! On the other hand, a pirate who cares more about appearance and aesthetic might have a fancier hairstyle. Here’s some ideas for hairstyles you could give your pirate:
- Neat braids
- A slicked-back ponytail
- A half-up style with choppy bangs
- Long hair that’s messy and unkempt
The hairstyle your pirate has can tell the audience a bit about their personality, without directly saying anything at all! A fun hairstyle can also just be a great way to make your pirate look epic as they sail the seas and plunder treasure!
A good example for using hairstyles for a pirate design would be NachoPirate’s OC Vrill! Vrill has wild, messy hair perfect for a pirate!
Another good example would be Chapinz’s OC Sammy! Sammy wears a messy ponytail that’s fitting for a pirate character!
Would some special features make your pirate stand out?
Lastly, some extra details can really make your pirate stand out! Whether it be fish-like features or a hook for a hand, different features can make your OC look unique, or can be used as part of their backstory! (Pst…if you want help developing parts of the backstory for your OC, try checking out this cool article here!) Here’s some ideas for interesting details you could add to your character:
- Fins in place of ears
- Tentacles for hair or limbs
- Scales on their skin
- An eyepatch covering a blinded eye
- A hook for a hand or a peg leg
You can use features like the ones above just to make an OC look more interesting, or it can hint to the audience about your OC’s backstory! Maybe one pirate lost their eye in an epic battle, while another has scales because they’re half merfolk! It all depends on what would fit your pirate!
A good example of using special details for a pirate character would be Wilgo’s OC Maxim! Maxim is a shapeshifting pirate, who can have cool features like a tentacle arm!
Another good example would be Sun’s OC Silas! Silas is a siren pirate with a cool tail that makes him stand out and look awesome!
By choosing the right outfit, accessories, special details, and more, you can create a pirate OC that will sail the seas of Unvale and look awesome in the process! It’s all up to you when it comes to how they’re designed, and just remember to have fun with it! For other ways to add to your pirate, try giving them a role or character trope!