Chibi?

[TheMonotonePuppet]

What are the characteristics of Chibi? I am so confused. There's large heads in proportion to bodies, but what simplifies? How does a character chibi-fy?

What is Chibi to you?
Had to switch from profile post because that word limit is a pain in the butt!
@Jemini I call on you like @SailusGebel does because I am in need of a thorough analysis. @Stealthy_Enigma I call on thee and your already in-depth understanding of the Dao of cuteness to teach me the ways of Chibi. How would one describe it? How do expressions like anger, smiles, and such simplify? What changes with the hair and the clothes?

 

[RepresentingPride]

Spoiler: Chibi image

 

[tiaf]

imagine a bao/dumpling and you have a chibi

 

[RepresentingWrath]

 

[georgelee5786]

Round and tiny

 

[HelloHound]

stubby limbs, big head, big eyes; simple, childlike features. (also enjoy grey-maid-desu)

 

[RepresentingPride]

@TheMonotonePuppet I made a mistake with the joke about generate a chibi image of your pfp, I hitted the generation too much, now I'm invaded....

Spoiler: Chibi MonotonePuppet

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

@TheMonotonePuppet I made a mistake with the joke about generate a chibi image of your pfp, I hitted the generation too much, now I'm invaded....

Spoiler: Chibi MonotonePuppet

 

[Deleted member 84247]

 

[Rhaps]

Look at your avatar, thats a chibi

 

[Stealthy_Enigma]

As I explained earlier, it can be described as to childify something, or make it cute. Usually that comes in the form of what people generally find cute, which happens to be children and babies, no matter what race, as long as it is astetically appealing.

Spoiler: How to chibify something.

Take into instance a dragon. Powerful, majestic and cool. Some person comes up to you and says they want a chibi version of it as a plush, or artwork to fawn over.

If you have a basic understanding of what a child/baby would look like, or a miniature version, you would be half way there.

From there, you would find the defining features like horns (hairstyle for humans), spikes, scars, and color (clothing style and color on humans) and make sure to keep those characteristics so they are still recognizable.

For the eyes, the color would stay the same, however, they would be enlarged to a size that is just barely under creepy, which increases the adorableness.

From there you combine the smaller/more adorable form with the important characteristics, and you will have a chibi character.

*Keep in mind that most people first think of anime style when it comes to chibi, so the limit is 3D anime like Disney or Pixar would produce. As soon as it crosses the line to realism, people stop thinking of it as chibi (style), and just cute, like a plushie can be considered chibi, because it is still fictional, however a puppy is just considered cute/adorable.

Hopefully this helps.
˝/\__/\˝
(✿≧ᆺ≦)?

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

@Sleds
@RepresentingEnvy
@tiaf
I have decided to analyze these chibi pictures you have all offered me! I LVE how this thread has turned into posting Chibi pictures instead of posting literary advice!!! I mean this genuinely! GOING WITH THE FLOW AND ENJOYING ALL OF THIS WONDERFUL ART!!!

Eating chibi: a simple line with cheek curves, with bunny-like hands/mitts
Side note for Chibi: eyelids can disappear. Eyes are capable of turning into various shapes. Eyes tend to an oval shape for base eye structure.
Angry chibi: slanted eyes filled with white, along with popping-out emoticon.
Clothes tend to have an excessive (but enjoyable) amount of minor details, such as pins, chains, bows, jewelry, ribbons, etc.
Blocky shading techniques. No sharp edges and typically thick lining.
How does one describe that 'o' of a mouth?! It's not an circle, so an 'o' is SUPER INACCURATE!! What frickin' shape is that?! It's like an irregular bean!
Gloss on hair. Solid colors can stand in for detail.
Eyebrows are often really small and closer to the active muscles in the forehead. Oh! Oh! Edit: they are visible through hair, and are detachable with surprise, defying reality!
Often has a tangled mess of hair that is simplified to a point that makes it look interesting and aesthetically pleasing.
Base face: upside down 'v'
Maybe that 'o' of a mouth is an irregular 'v' connected by arcs? Possibly?!?!?!
As @Stealthy_Enigma has just commented as of me typing this, crossing into realism makes it not chibi. Keep horns, scars, hairstyles, clothing styles, and other defining features.
Typically, if blush did not exist prior, blush is often added to the cheeks. The variation in blush is strange and cool at the same time.
Thick strokes paralleling the arc of the upper-right curves of the eyes add exhaustion.
Ombre effects seem to be common, lighter to darker and vice versa. Curious...?
Clothing styles, I'm certain of this, can be summer clothes, but tend to full-body, more wintry clothes. More canvas for defining characteristics as @Stealthy_Enigma mentioned.
Fangs tend to become nubs that are the same color as skin, with varying levels of separation from face.
Eyelashes become solid, with triangles.
Model facial structure based off of bao/dumplings like @tiaf mentioned.

VITAL CHARACTERISTICS AS EVERYONE HAS MENTIONED: stubby legs, child-fied, round and tiny, cute, big eyes, big head, simplified, slight chubbiness

 

[Stealthy_Enigma]

@Sleds
@RepresentingEnvy
@tiaf
I have decided to analyze these chibi pictures you have all offered me! I LVE how this thread has turned into posting Chibi pictures instead of posting literary advice!!! I mean this genuinely! GOING WITH THE FLOW AND ENJOYING ALL OF THIS WONDERFUL ART!!!

Eating chibi: a simple line with cheek curves, with bunny-like hands/mitts
Side note for Chibi: eyelids can disappear. Eyes are capable of turning into various shapes. Eyes tend to an oval shape for base eye structure.
Angry chibi: slanted eyes filled with white, along with popping-out emoticon.
Clothes tend to have an excessive (but enjoyable) amount of minor details, such as pins, chains, bows, jewelry, ribbons, etc.
Blocky shading techniques. No sharp edges and typically thick lining.
How does one describe that 'o' of a mouth?! It's not an circle, so an 'o' is SUPER INACCURATE!! What frickin' shape is that?! It's like an irregular bean!
Gloss on hair. Solid colors can stand in for detail.
Eyebrows are often really small and closer to the active muscles in the forehead. Oh! Oh! Edit: they are visible through hair, and are detachable with surprise, defying reality!
Often has a tangled mess of hair that is simplified to a point that makes it look interesting and aesthetically pleasing.
Base face: upside down 'v'
Maybe that 'o' of a mouth is an irregular 'v' connected by arcs? Possibly?!?!?!
As @Stealthy_Enigma has just commented as of me typing this, crossing into realism makes it not chibi. Keep horns, scars, hairstyles, clothing styles, and other defining features.
Typically, if blush did not exist prior, blush is often added to the cheeks. The variation in blush is strange and cool at the same time.
Thick strokes paralleling the arc of the upper-right curves of the eyes add exhaustion.
Ombre effects seem to be common, lighter to darker and vice versa. Curious...?
Clothing styles, I'm certain of this, can be summer clothes, but tend to full-body, more wintry clothes. More canvas for defining characteristics as @Stealthy_Enigma mentioned.
Fangs tend to become nubs that are the same color as skin, with varying levels of separation from face.
Eyelashes become solid, with triangles.
Model facial structure based off of bao/dumplings like @tiaf mentioned.

VITAL CHARACTERISTICS AS EVERYONE HAS MENTIONED: stubby legs, child-fied, round and tiny, cute, big eyes, big head, simplified, slight chubbiness

˝/\__/\˝
(✿^ᆺ^)? Sounds right.

 

[APieceOfRock]

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[Jemini]

What are the characteristics of Chibi? I am so confused. There's large heads in proportion to bodies, but what simplifies? How does a character chibi-fy?

What is Chibi to you?
Had to switch from profile post because that word limit is a pain in the butt!
@Jemini I call on you like @SailusGebel does because I am in need of a thorough analysis. @Stealthy_Enigma I call on thee and your already in-depth understanding of the Dao of cuteness to teach me the ways of Chibi. How would one describe it? How do expressions like anger, smiles, and such simplify? What changes with the hair and the clothes?

Meh, don't need a hyper-analysis of this one. It's already well defined in the anime community. All I've really gotta do is link the wiki article.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chibi_(style)

Chibi, also known as super deformation, or S.D. is a style of caricature originating in Japan, and common in anime and manga where characters are drawn in an exaggerated way, typically small and chubby with stubby limbs, oversized heads, and minimal detail. The style has found its way into the anime and manga fandom through its usage in manga works and merchandising.

In other words, the definition of "chibi" is "anything drawn in the chibi style." And, the chibi style is a solid quantity, not something that you can easily mess with. If you remove any one aspect of the chibi style, it actually is no longer chibi.

Case in point...

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This is an excellent progression from top left to bottom right. Default anime art style on the upper left, and chibi art style on the lower right. The two in between are graduated steps in transition. The bottom right barely qualifies, and probably doesn't actually qualify if you're going to go hard on the definition.

 

[Corty]

Courtesy of @Hans.Trondheim