How to Describe Your D&D Character So Artists Nail It Every Time (Free Template)

Your paladin has survived three near-TPKs, saved the party from a mind flayer, and somehow convinced a dragon to join your cause. But right now, you're staring at a blank commission form, completely frozen.

Sound familiar?

After creating over 500 character portraits, I've seen this exact moment hundreds of times. Players who can improvise brilliant roleplay for hours suddenly can't find the words to describe their own character.

Here's the thing: You're not struggling because you don't know your character. You're struggling because you don't know what artists actually need to hear.

The Character Description Mistake That Ruins Most D&D Commissions

Let me share something that might sting a little: Your artist doesn't care about your character's backstory.

I know, I know. That time they single-handedly defeated the BBEG using only prestidigitation and a bag of flour? Epic. But it doesn't help me paint their face.

The #1 mistake I see? Players send me their entire character biography when what I actually need are visual anchors. It's like giving someone GPS coordinates when they asked for a physical description.

What Artists Actually Need vs. What Players Usually Send

What players send:

• 5 pages about their tragic backstory
• "She has a mysterious aura"
• "He looks battle-worn but hopeful"
• Their complete spell list
• Every NPC they've ever talked to

What I actually need:

• Are they built like a dancer or a blacksmith?
• Does their hair fall straight or have a natural wave?
• Is that scar thin like a blade or jagged like claw marks?
• What color is their skin in actual terms I can paint?
• How do they typically carry themselves?

See the difference?

The 3 Critical Elements Every Character Description Needs

Through hundreds of commissions, I've found that perfect character descriptions always nail these three things:

1. The Foundation (Physical Framework)

Start with the skeleton of who they are physically. Not personality, not vibes, just the facts.

Essential framework details:

• Build: Athletic, stocky, lithe, imposing, wiry
• Height: Relative to their race's average
• Age appearance: Do they look 25 or 50?
• Skin: Specific tones (olive, porcelain, ebony, sun-weathered bronze)
• Face shape: Angular, soft, square jaw, high cheekbones

I need to know if I'm painting someone who could bench press a dragon or someone who looks like a stiff breeze would knock them over.

2. The Identifiers (What Makes Them Unique)

This is where your character becomes your character, not just another generic elf ranger.

Key identifying features:

• Distinctive marks: Scars, tattoos, birthmarks (with specific placement)
• Unique features: Heterochromia, missing finger, golden freckles
• Signature items: Always wears mother's ring, lucky dice around neck
• Body modifications: Piercings, brandings, magical alterations

One client told me their wizard had "a burn scar shaped like a phoenix on her left shoulder from her first spell gone wrong." That single detail told me more about the character than three pages of backstory ever could.

3. The Mood (Current Emotional State)

Here's where you can finally talk about personality, but specifically for THIS portrait.

Expression and atmosphere:

• Facial expression: Confident smirk, weary smile, determined glare
• Body language: Relaxed, coiled like a spring, shoulders back with pride
• Overall feeling: About to charge into battle vs. relaxing at the tavern

Don't tell me they're "brave." Tell me they have the slight smile of someone who knows they're about to do something gloriously stupid.

The "Camera Test" Method That Changed Everything

Here's a technique I developed after too many revision requests: Describe your character like you're explaining them to a police sketch artist who's never played D&D.

Seriously. Imagine your character committed a crime (they probably have, let's be honest) and you need to describe them to someone who's going to draw a wanted poster.

Would you say "mysterious aura"? No. You'd say "Silver hair in a tight braid, scar through left eyebrow, always squinting like the sun's too bright."

This mental shift eliminates 90% of the vague descriptions that lead to revision hell.

Real Character Description Examples That Actually Work

Let me show you the difference between descriptions that lead to revisions and ones that nail it first try.

Example 1: The Vague Disaster

"Before" description:
"Eldrin is a mysterious elf wizard who's seen many battles. He's wise but has a playful side. He wears robes and carries a staff. Make him look magical."

I literally have nothing to work with here.

"After" description using my method:
"Eldrin is a moon elf, late 200s (appears 40 in human years). Lean build like a swimmer, 6'1". Pale blue skin with silver undertones. White hair worn shoulder-length, usually tied back with leather cord. Perpetual dark circles under violet eyes. Thin scar from left temple to jaw. Wears deep purple robes with constellation patterns embroidered in silver thread. Holds himself like exhausted royalty: perfect posture but tired eyes. Expression: wry half-smile like he knows a joke you don't."

Now THAT I can paint.

Example 2: The Perfect Brief

One of my favorite commissions came with this description:

"Tormund Ironfoot, mountain dwarf paladin. Built like a whiskey barrel: 4'3", extremely broad shoulders, powerful arms. Ruddy skin, weathered like leather. Magnificent red beard braided with iron rings, reaches his belt. Broken nose (twice), bright green eyes that crinkle when he laughs (which is often). Missing left pinky finger. Wears plate armor with obvious repairs. For this portrait: huge grin, raising a tankard in victory, slightly drunk. Want him to feel like your favorite uncle who also happens to kill demons."

One revision. ONE. And that was just to add more foam to the ale.

Common Description Pitfalls (And How to Fix Them)

 

Pitfall 1: The Pinterest Avalanche

Sending 47 reference images with "take the eyes from this one, the hair from that one, but not exactly..." doesn't help. Pick 3 maximum, and explain specifically what element you want from each.

Pitfall 2: The Paradox Character

"They look innocent but dangerous, young but old, beautiful but scarred." Pick a lane. You can have complexity without contradiction.

Pitfall 3: The Comparison Trap

"Looks like Aragorn but blonde and shorter with a different face." Just describe your actual character. I promise they're interesting enough without the celebrity comparison.

Pitfall 4: The Detail Overwhelm

I don't need to know about every button on their coat unless one of those buttons is plot-critical and made from dragon bone. Focus on what makes them recognizable from across a tavern.

My Personal Commission Description Formula

Here's the exact structure I recommend to everyone:

1. One-sentence summary: Race, class, age, and one defining characteristic
2. Body basics: Build, height, skin tone
3. Face specifics: Shape, eyes, nose, mouth, facial hair
4. Hair: Color, length, style, texture
5. Distinguishing marks: Scars, tattoos, unusual features
6. Typical expression: How they usually look
7. Clothing/armor: Key pieces only
8. This portrait's mood: Specific to this artwork
9. Do NOT include: Things you specifically don't want

The Secret: It's Not About Writing, It's About Seeing

Here's what players don't realize: You already see your character perfectly in your mind. The challenge isn't knowing them, it's translating that mental image into words I can use.

Think about it like this: You're not writing a character description. You're painting with words first so I can paint with brushes later.

Every successful commission I've done started with a player who understood this distinction.

Ready to Finally See Your Character?

Look, I get it. After playing this character for months or even years, putting them into words feels impossible. They're more than a description; they're memories, victories, and that time they rolled a nat 20 when it mattered most.

But here's the truth: Your character deserves to be seen the way you see them.

If you're ready to stop struggling with character descriptions, I've created The Ultimate Character Blueprint – a free, fillable template that walks you through exactly what artists need to know. It's the same framework I've refined through 500+ commissions, and it's eliminated revision requests almost entirely.

Download it free, fill it out in about 10 minutes, and finally get the character art you've been imagining since session one.

And if you're ready to see your character come to life? I'd love to be the artist who makes it happen. Check out my commission's here – where every portrait comes with unlimited revisions until your character looks exactly right.

Because your hero has survived too much to stay trapped in your imagination.