Drink'n'Draw - Creating eLearning Scenario Characters from 3D Apps

April 7, 2021
4 minutes
Kevin Thorn User Experience Design, Visual Design, Illustration, Graphic Design

Welcome to another Drink'n'Draw with Kevin Thorn on IDIODC.  

In past episodes we've kept the concepts very basic to help our instructional design colleagues begin to realize their own creative talents. But in this episode we moved into the digital world with something a little more challenging, and yet perfectly achievable.

Kevin showed us how to create our own eLearning scenario characters from digital versions of the classic figure model. He shared some of the tools that currently exist like Pose, and then walked us through making a quick and easy walking animation cycle. We also learned how the digital figure model can also help us refine the simple stick figure.



Anyone can quickly use these techniques to create their own characters for eLearning courses.

Of course, you can still simply settle for buying the same character libraries that everyone else buys. But what fun is that?  

These methods will help you create the perfect character in that perfect position for that perfect branching learning scenario.  

The next time you're building a scenario or simulation and can't find that perfect character or avatar, you'll be armed with the knowledge to create your own.

To see all the comments from the chat, check out the full session right here.  

And to ask more questions, or participate in extended conversations about this episode, please join us in the IDIODC LinkedIn Group.  

You can also sign up for our next episode, How to Create Better MicroLearning Videos with LaTarshia Wooten. Save your spot now!  

About Kevin Thorn

Kevin Thorn is an award-winning eLearning designer & developer, consultant, and owner of NuggetHead Studioz, LLC., a boutique custom design and development studio specializing in online learning experiences.

After retiring from the US Army, Kevin pursued a career in corporate IT and Training & Development. With his combined military and industry experience, Kevin started the Studioz in 2012 working with clients in various industries solving problems in a wide-range of creative projects.

Based in the North Mississippi Delta, Kevin, the Chief NuggetHead harnesses a bench a creative practitioners in instructional design, elearning development, illustration and graphic design, animation, and serious comics. Kevin is a well-known industry speaker and trainer on elearning development, design workflows, and is also a certified facilitator in LEGO®Serious Play® methodologies.

Academic stuff: BS in Information Technology Management from Christian Brothers University (2003) and MS in Instructional Design and Technology from the University of Memphis (2018).

About IDIODC

Instructional Designers in Offices Drinking Coffee (affectionately known as IDIODC) is a weekly live videocast and podcast that helps instructional designers with pain points and provides best practices and industry insight.  

Every Wednesday morning at 10am ET hosts Brent Schlenker and Chris Van Wingerden guide us through an upbeat and candid conversation with their guests from the elearning and training world. The live cast session encourages peers to participate in the chat and share their own personal insight! After airing live, you can catch the learning podcast on all major streams such as Spotify, Apple and Google Play podcasts, as well as on YouTube.

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