A turnaround basically shows characters in different positions. If you deal with animation and illustration, then there are high chances that you will be asked to create a turnaround at some point. It is an important tool for perfect modeling in 3D.

Just as it sounds, a turnaround is a 360-degree view of a character - providing all the information relating to it. Creating a perfect character turnaround requires time and dedication. Fortunately, there are online resources such as Adobe Education Exchange that provide templates to help you along the way. In addition to using templates from reliable sources, here are some tips to get you started on creating your very own character turnaround sheet:

• Draw a frontal view of your character

A turnaround is supposed to have five different views of the same character. These include a front view, a back view, two profiles, and a ¾ pose to help modelers and animators understand better the volume of a character.

The best way to ensure there is consistency between different views is to take one pose and use it as a background for the others. The frontal pose is always the best one to use.

• Create guidelines

As soon as you have the frontal view of your character, come up with some guidelines for different levels to help maintain consistency between poses. These lines will ensure all characters have similar heights across the sequence while maintaining the proportionality of its body.

It is very simple to create the guides using Photoshop. All you have to do is locate the document rulers and drag the mouse. While doing that, ensure that the 'Snap to' function is inactive to make the drawing process less hectic.

• Draw the ¾ pose

Experts recommend that you create the ¾ pose with the help of the front view template. Try to imagine how the features of the character would appear if they were to be tilted. For example, the nose together with other facial features need to be slightly altered but in different positions. The shoulders in the front view will change and assume different sizes.

It is also important to pay attention to the feet in relation to the ground and ensure they don't look shifted. Once you are done with the ¾ pose, flip or mirror it to see if there's anything not proportional.

• Check the guidelines

After you are done with the first drafts of the pose, go back and check the guidelines to ensure that everything is properly aligned.

At first, not all elements will be properly aligned. What you need to do is make necessary corrections and adjustments. Take your time on this stage to avoid carrying mistakes to the final stage.

• Draw the back view

The ¾ is one of the most challenging poses but it is still doable. The good thing with the back view is that it is very straightforward. Copy the silhouette of the front view and add the rest of the elements of the back of your character.

In general, creating a character turnaround sheet is a skill on its own. It requires proper planning, dedication and creativity. Thanks to online tools and these tips, you'll be on your way to perfecting the process in no time.