ParaNorman (2012) - Character Design

Posted by: Peter Nagy-Galambosi

© Laika Entertainment © Focus Features

Pencil character drawings by Heidi Smith

Early Norman concepts (2008) by Guy Davis

Early Norman concepts

Christmas morning, a young Norman with his zombie toy by Heidi Smith

Norman in the woods by Heidi Smith

This is one of the first sketches I did for Norman's character.  His design was 

inspired by my former CalArts instructor Norman Klein. - Heidi Smith

Norman turnaround by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

Norman facial expressions by Pete Oswald

by Pete Oswald

Young Norman with his grandma

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

My inspiration for Mr. Prenderghast's character was Tevye from the film 

Fiddler on the Roof. Here is my initial sketch for him. - Heidi Smith

Here is a finished drawing I made for Mr. Prenderghast.  The medium I used was charcoal 

and pastel.  When I was drawing this I imagined him at night, standing in the dark, only 

the cigar illuminating his face, I wanted him to have a ghostly essence. - Heidi Smith

This was basically the final look for Mr. Prenderghast. 

The directors wanted him to look like a hobo! - Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

Here are the sketches I made for Neil's ghost dog Bob. - Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

A beaver concept by Heidi Smith that was used as the logo for Mr. Prenderghast's hat.

Character development for school play scene by Edward Juan

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

Daniel Day Lewis by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

Here are some of the early concept sketches for the 

look of the puritans and the zombies by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Deanna Marsigliese

Early concepts (2008) by Guy Davis

by Guy Davis

by Guy Davis

by Guy Davis

by Guy Davis

by Guy Davis

by Guy Davis

by Guy Davis

by Guy Davis

Pitch poster concept (2008) by Guy Davis

Here are the sketches that were used for the more final look of the puritans and zombies. 

Sketch of living Judge Hopkins in a cloak.by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

Judge Hopkins with cloak open by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

Judge Hopkins head sketch by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

Judge Hopkins zombie concepts by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

Hungry zombie concept by Heidi Smith (?)

The James Dean and Humphrey Bogart inspired ghost by Heidi Smith

The Hippie ghost by by Heidi Smith

Amelia Earhart ghost by Heidi Smith

Victorian ladies by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

Smoking ghost. I thought it would have been interesting if one of the ghosts 

could have been made up entirely of smoke from a pipe. - Heidi Smith

Cement shoes by Heidi Smith

The Sea Captain by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

The civil war soldier by Heidi Smith

Civil war soldier turnaround by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

 I did this drawing with charcoal and pastel. It's supposed to be a generic zombie with a generic Norman.   It was used for one of the posters in The Art and Making of ParaNorman. - Heidi Smith

by Chris Butler, Heidi Smith, Trevor Dalmer & Kevin Dart

by Chris Butler & Trevor Dalmer

Ghost heads in the graveyard by Heidi Smith

Scared ghosts by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

Here are the sketches I did for the witch's curse in the sky. - Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

Mildred Prenderghast (Aggie's mother) concept drawing.

Aggie concepts by Heidi Smith

Here are the concept sketches I made for Aggie's  angry spirit.  The first sketch 

is basically  what the directors ended up going with. - Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

I thought it would be interesting if Aggie's hair could be a weapon, 

the hair becomes like zombie hands coming from the grave. - Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by Heidi Smith

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

by David Vandervoort (design by Heidi Smith)

Facial expressions by David Vandervoort

A final Norman puppet

Sources:
 Heidi Smith's Blog, David Vandervoort's Page, THECAB,
Guy Davis Artwork, A113Animation, Trevor Dalmer at rebloggy, Edward Juan's Page,
AWN, The Pudding Cup, Cartoon Brew, ParaNorman World,
Bryko's Web Page & Character Design