Designing a D&D Character: Hair Choices and Rune Magic

Klodwig Lichtherz
27 июн.
2 мин. чтения

Let me walk you through another D&D character design process I recently worked on. This one had a bit of a twist - we hit a wall with the hairstyle, of all things. But we’ll get there in a second.

The base idea came together quickly. According to the character’s backstory, he’s a half-elf raised by a coven of witches. That already paints a vivid picture, right? We imagined him as tall and broad-shouldered - not just for aesthetics, but because he vowed to protect the coven, who lacked physical strength. With that in mind, we landed on the rune knight subclass, which added a mystical and protective energy to the design.

So far, so good. We settled on a calm, stoic expression - someone who's gentle with his own but intimidating when needed. A strong, quiet type, with a hint of menace when provoked. The fantasy character concept was solid.

The face was approved quickly. But then came the real challenge: the hair.

Tackling Hairstyle Ideas

At first, we tried a short mallet cut - practical, slightly edgy. I drafted six D&D hairstyle ideas, playing around with minor details.

Fantasy DnD character hairstyle sketches – six concept designs for a male half-elf with red hair, created by freelance DnD artist

But we couldn’t ignore one thing: this guy was raised by a bunch of witches. Women with their own style, rituals, and probably a flair for aesthetics. What if we leaned into that influence? I tried longer hair and some fantasy-inspired braids to add texture and storytelling to the look.

Dungeons and Dragons hairstyle concepts – three fantasy braid variations for a half-elf rune knight character

As always, the more options we explored, the harder it became to commit. So we paused and shifted gears to work on the outfit design.

In the first sketch, he still had the mallet haircut.

Initial fantasy outfit design sketch for DnD half-elf character with short red hair and a two-handed weapon

Finalizing Hair & Outfit

But then it hit me - the hair could tell a story too. What if, before he left on his journey, the witches braided his long hair into ten talismanic braids? And just before sending him off, each witch cut one off to empower a protective spell - a blessing for a safe journey and a promise to return.

Now that felt like something special. When he starts his adventure, his shoulder-length hair reflects that story - slightly uneven, touched by ritual and full of meaning.

DnD character concept art showing red-haired half-elf with rune armor and shoulder-length hair, featuring early design stages

With the hairstyle story in place, the rest of the design clicked. I refined the fantasy outfit details, gave him a rune-inscribed breastplate and, of course, added a long, flowing cloak. Because let’s be honest: a rune knight without a dramatic cloak? Not on my watch.

Fantasy full-body character design for DnD – rune knight half-elf with red accents, armor details, and long cloak

The final version has it all: a portrait, a full-body pose and his weapon. But surprisingly, the hardest part wasn’t the armor or accessories, it was the hairstyle.

And in the end, that became one of the most important parts of the story.

Finished fantasy DnD character illustration – red-haired half-elf rune knight in snowy terrain, holding a polearm and wearing a dark cloak

And this is exactly why I love working as a freelance D&D character artist - every commission is its own little world. Each character has a story, a mood, a purpose and it’s such a joy to help bring that to life through art.

If you’re a player dreaming up your next hero, or a GM looking for custom D&D character art or fantasy concept design, I’d be happy to help illustrate your vision.

Feel free to contact me via email to discuss all the details: klodwiglichtherz@gmail.com