How to Design an Appealing Villain OC

This is part of our design series on How to make an OC! – the ultimate guide to character building.

Are you looking to design an evil villain OC for your latest project? Well, look no further, because we've got some tips to help you create the ultimate evildoer for your story.

I love a good villain design, and I'm sure many of you do too. So how do you go about designing an evil OC who'll cause problems for your protagonist and look great doing it? Let's talk about it!

Choose a Villain Archetype

First off, you need to know what type of villain you're creating. A corrupt corporation owner in a dystopian city will definitely have a different look than the evil fairy overlord of the fae realm.

There's plenty of unique villain types out there: evil tyrants, dark wizards, charming traitors, petty rivals, and so many more! You'll want your OC's design to give the audience an idea of who they are. The kind of antagonist your character is can be a good starting point for designing different aspects of them.

A few ideas of how archetype affects appearance, to get you thinking:

• An elegant vampire with a romantic, goth aesthetic
• A malicious inventor who leans steampunk
• A wild, chaotic monster with a gremlincore look

Design Your Villain's Physical Appearance

Isolating the build, eye design, and hairstyle of your OC helps you design a villain that is both evil and awesome. Whether your character is ruthless or charming, thinking about their overall appearance and how that will make them look can be a good direction for designing your antagonist.

Choose a Build That Suits Their Character

Shape language is an important aspect of designing OCs – especially when it comes to their build. If you'd like a comprehensive guide to using shape language, I have a guide you can read all about using shape language for an OC design. Sharp shape language can often be a great choice for villains. Sharp shape language can convey action or danger – the perfect compliments for a dangerous character. Combine that with a bit of square shape language, and you have a build that is strong and imposing. If you have a twist villain, you can use more neutral shape language to make them seem trustworthy or friendly. Here’s some ideas for incorporating shape language into your villain’s build:

• A broad chest and shoulders for an imposing look
• Angular elf ears for a dangerous look
• A round face shape for a seemingly innocent look

Check out Scarlett’s OC Diabolus, for an example of a square, strong build that effectively communicates intimidation.

Pick an Evil Eye Design

Eyes can say much more about a character than you might think, and villain characters are no exception. A sharp eye shape is a great choice for a malicious character; depending on how you approach it, the eyes can read as sly and charming, angry and dangerous, or both. You don't have to stop there, though. Consider the pupils and irises of your OC too: a sharp pupil like a cat's or snake's can add a sly look, and a unique iris shape can create a scary or ominous effect. You can even add unique details, like making the eyes glow, appear bloodshot, or look completely empty.

If you need further tips, we have you covered with an awesome guide to choosing an eye design for OCs.

Find a Perfectly Wicked Hairstyle

Another thing you can think about for the appearance of your villain is their hair. There’s lots of different styles fit for an evildoer. If you have a more elegant and charming character, you could give them sleek, tidy hair. A proper, formal hair style can fit a character who’s sly and arrogant. If you have a wild and unpredictable antagonist, make their style reflect that.

For more help, check out my comprehensive guide to choosing a hairstyle for your OCs.

Design Your Villain's Outfit and Costume

The outfit your villain wears tells your audience what kind of character they are, and makes your evildoer look stylish and epic. If your villain is elegant and royal, they might wear a sharp suit or a form-fitting dress that shows off their status. A more aggressive antagonist might wear armor or tattered clothes to communicate their strength and history of battles. An OC who fights often will likely avoid clothes that get in their way, or care less about fashion overall.

Complete the Look With Accessories

Complete your villain's look with some fitting accessories! There are all kinds of accessories that suit antagonists. A corrupt, wealthy aristocrat might flaunt their status with an expensive blade, while a wild hunter might carry tools made of animal teeth. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Expensive jewelry that doubles as weapons for a tyrant
• A dark magic staff for an evil sorcerer
• A weapon set made of animal bones for a fierce warrior

If you want to learn how to write your villain's epic fights against the hero, learn how to write a fight scene in your original stories.

Share Your Villain OC on Unvale

There are plenty of ways to go about designing an epic villain. A stylish outfit, a fitting build, and those small details that make all the difference can turn your OC into an antagonist your audience will secretly want to root for. And remember to have fun with it.

Now go forth, my creative friends, and create some dastardly villain OCs. Muahahahahahahaha! Once you finish designing your villain OC, be sure to share them with us on Unvale. We'd love to see your characters!