Persona to Props: Character Design in Action

Course Instructed by Dustin d’Arnault

A masterclass illustration course that establishes fundamental skills for advanced drawing and painting techniques for various visual arts industries.

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Take your passion for storytelling, character design, prop design, and creating production art for film and television to the next level.

This course is for artists driven by visual storytelling and the craft of production art. Dive into the worlds of film, animation, and comics by learning how to design characters and the props that define them. You’ll explore how shape, silhouette, and story work together to create iconic designs that serve the narrative.

Perfect for fans of film and comics, this course introduces the core skills used in animation and production pipelines—storyboarding, character design, and the integration of props to support personality and plot. It’s a hands-on introduction to designing for the screen, with a strong emphasis on purpose-driven art.

Outcomes:
By the end, you’ll walk away with a set of portfolio-ready pieces that showcase your ability to design compelling characters and meaningful props for visual storytelling.

Topics Covered:

Designing original characters
Purpose driven design
Prop design in relation to characters
Storytelling with characters and props
Composition and film language
Understanding the role of production art within a film pipeline
Introductory developments with storyboard art
Translate static 2D art into dynamic visuals that support storytelling on screen

Live Class Meetings
Sundays, 10am-1pm PT (1-3pm ET)

Course Length
10 weeks (23+ Live Classes)

Mediums
Digital or Traditional

Delivery
Live & Online

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Your Instructor & Mentor: Dustin d’Arnault

Dustin d’Arnault is a Character Designer and Visual Development Artist based out of Los Angeles, California. He has worked on various projects that span a variety of media, including print, television, and film. The most notable of these projects include “The Book of Life”, the final season of “Samurai Jack”, “Maya & the Three” and Nickelodeon’s upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles feature film.

Studio List: Netflix Animation / Disney TV / Warner Bros. Animation / Cartoon Network Studio / Nickelodeon Animation Studio / Sony Pictures Animation / Reel FX Creative Studio / Six Point Harness / Framestore / Carbon VFX

Publications: Spectrum 22 / A Hero’s Journey (The Book of Life)

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Learn from Top-tier Guest Artists

World-renowned artists and directors visit this class every semester. Gain access to their craft, process, and industry wisdom. Upcoming artists include:

Student Testimonials

Student Success

Ferdinand McAvoy

Nate Sweitzer

Illustration Student — Editorial & Publishing

Nate Sweitzer attended the Illustration Program at VAP. During his enrollment, Nate identified The Folio Society as his dream client. His instructors helped him prepare a portfolio and shortly after he was hired for their recently published edition of To Kill a Mockingbird. His illustrations were exhibited by the Society of Illustrators in 2025. He was also recently featured in Communication Arts', "Fresh Artists".

"There’s a desire to bridge the gap between historical and contemporary modes of imagemaking" - Nate, featured in Communication Arts

Recognized by

Lara Madrigal

Erin Ruffino

Illustration & Gallery Arts Student

Shortly after attending our Fine Arts & Gallery program, Erin found representation with RJD Gallery. Erin has been featured in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine (Jan/Feb 2023 issue), Artist Network Magazine, The Best of Drawing.

“Visual Passage is the best investment I’ve made for my career.” — Erin Ruffino

Recognized by

Lara Madrigal

Peter Cassell

Illustration Student

Peter's work has been featured in top exhibitions like the LA and NY Society of Illustrators, 3x3, and American Illustration. His talent earned him a full-page commission from The LA Times for a Grammys feature on Adele and Beyoncé—an opportunity that followed a leap in skill after studying with Visual Arts Passage.

“I didn't have experience with art directors, and I was wary of a contract. My instructor had experience working with that specific magazine and offered clear advice.” — Peter Cassell

Recognized by

Lara Madrigal

Zack Rock

Illustration Student

Zack's work has won the Folio Book Illustration Award, the Gold Award from the Society of Illustrators, has been featured in Communication Arts, 3x3, Spectrum, American Illustration, ImagineFX, the Society of Illustrators, the Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustrator's Gallery, and is part of Les Maîtres de l’Imaginaire (“the Masters of the Imagination”) collection.

“Literally all of the illustrations I completed while studying at Visual Arts Passage have gone on to be selected for competitions or annuals.” — Zack Rock

Recognized by

Deborah Barbosa

Jeff Arsenault

Illustrator & Gallery Artist

Jeff was selected as the featured exhibitor at The Mezzanine Gallery. He also received recognition from the state of Delaware for his work, showcasing it on the state's website.

"They helped me discover and define my voice as an artist, encouraging me to narrow in on what I truly want to say and do through my work."