Fleshing out your character

[Kiah]

First of all i was a little worried about posting this becuase i thought i might sound a little too vague in the question i am asking but eventually i thought i might as well post it anyway and let the outcome speak for itself.
When it comes to fleshing out a character the backround and all that comes pretty easily to me. Its more describing how the character looks. I can easily think of it in my head and imagine the character however when it comes to character appearence my vocabulary doesnt seem to be too too diverse and i often find myself sitting down with pencil and paper imagining this character in my mind and not being able to describe it with words.
My question however vague is. What are some common description words for facial features, builds, shades of eyes, and other character features etc and thier meanings and how to use them in sentance when describing your character. I havea fear that i'm asking far too much and i'm worried that this post is going to sound really stupid but i decided to take the plunge and ask anyway. Hopefully i dont regret this

Any help would be greatly appreciated as this is the first character i have ever worked on fleshing out in a really detailed manner. Her name is actually the same as my Enworld User name kiah... i'm hoping to use her like some veteran D&D players do where they stay by 1 character for a long time and many session. This is why i want to put so much work into it.So i can really roleplay it well and describe it well to other players/dm etc.

Thanks

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

youthfull old withered wizened smarmy kind maternal off-putting obese emaciated wiry tall stumpy bony voluptious flabby curvaceous pigeon-toed knock-kneed homely warty creamy-skinned sinister kind brunette blonde raven-haired button-nosed big-nosed deep-eyed wide-hipped boyish leather-skinned caloused disheveled immaculate web-footed mutant beauty toad aqualine hairy bald busty broad-shouldered towering goggle-eyed ham-fisted skittish bold

gazelle-like, toad-like, bulldog-ish, feline, bird-like, fish-faced,

I don't know...

Delete some of the above descriptors at random or give us more to go with.

Do you have a picture of this character in mind?

Is there a movie star or classmate or neighbor or heroine or literary character that comes to mind for you when you think of Kiah?

First characters are a big deal. We all have had one. They have higher survivability than they should and you'll remember her so long as you play.

 

[Kiah]

well maybe i can learn to do this by going through with people in this thread what kinda person and character she is and try to explain how she looks and give you all some details and with that perhaps i will learn better since we have something to work with if you know what i mean?

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

if you know what i mean?

I'm sorry I have to confess that I don't. Do you know who this character is, or are you looking for folks here to tell you that?

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

I first start with a basic, fundamental idea that drives a person to adventure. What would you like?

Driven by God - Driven by a higher code - fame - profit - driven by vengeance - etc.

Most people have a reason to adventure. Whats Kiah's reason to adventure?

 

[Enkhidu]

It's going to sound funny, but...

Movie stars.

No, really, movie stars.

Take that character you're imagining in your head and think about the actor/actress that most closely resembles the PC, either in mannerisms, speech patterns, or looks. Then use that as a jump point - you'd be surprised how effective it is to simply say "this old priest sounds like Sean Connery in Highlander," or "this mysterious ranger is pretty much Antonio Banderas in Desperado, except about a head shorter and built like a running back" to get your idea across.

Yes, its good to use terms like "stentorian yet suave voice" for the first example, but using a known quantity as a starting point makes it so much easier.

 

[Kiah]

I'm sorry I have to confess that I don't. Do you know who this character is, or are you looking for folks here to tell you that?

No i was going to do it i was just looking for help with different descriptive vocabulary if when i have written a basic description there is a better word for what i am trying to say.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

What do you know about your character? If you tell us what you've got, we may be able to help you. If you don't, we definately won't be able to help.

 

[Land Outcast]

http://thesaurus.reference.com/

You'll get a good deal of synonims(sp?):
Ex:

29 entries found for graceful.

Main Entry: graceful
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: charming
Synonyms: adroit, aesthetic, agile, artistic, balletic, beautiful, becoming, comely, controlled, curvaceous, dainty, decorative, delicate, dexterous, easy, elastic, elegant, exquisite, fair, fine, flowing, handsome, harmonious, limber, lissome, lithe, lovely, natural, neat, nimble, pleasing, pliant, poised, practiced, pretty, refined, rhythmic, seemly, shapely, skilled, slender, smooth, springy, statuesque, suant, supple, symmetrical, tasteful, trim, willowy
Antonyms: inelegantSource: Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus, First Edition (v 1.1.1)
Copyright © 2005 by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. All rights reserved

 

[Turhan]

No matter what else a character may be about, I try to keep the physical description short at first.

Hair color, Eyes, nose or Jaw line. A while later Later I reveal more detail. This helps paint a memorable picture of the character straight off.

If the main characteristic is not physical, then go that way: Gravelly voice; a swaggering attitude, etc.

Her Sun faded brown hair hung limp in the heat, but not a drop of perspiration glistened on her skin.

Then I might add this in the next sentence: Her piercing blue eyes were steady as she tapped her fingertips on the hilt of her dagger.

Once I have the nature of the character pinned down (some), I cover other stuff:
height: "middling' tall;"
weight: "average wieght, but not an inch of fat nowhere";
build: wiry, bulky, thick waisted, kind of scrawny
face: high nose bridge; high cheek bones; jutting jaw; square jawed; slack cheeks;
hair: curly; bristly; short; lank; oily; fuzzy; bald; stubbled; salt and pepper; lead gray;
posture: stoop shouldered; ramrod stiff backbone; "walks with a slouch";
Other: limps; stutters; crazy eye; bad knee makes a creak when she stands up.

My best suggestion though, is simply to read a variety of novels to see how good authors draw a character in short phrases. Emulate their descriptions or mix and match. For good character descriptions, choose any old nebula or hugo winner from the SF/Fantasy genres, or pick up some of the old classics like Ernest Hemmingway, and some of the things you had to read in school (honest, later on, they seem toactually have something interesting to say- sometimes...)