Image Generation / Character Design
Generate characters across age, body type, and ethnicity with respectful representation — inclusive design for modern audiences.
Why This Prompt Exists
Diverse representation matters — but designing characters across age, body type, and ethnicity requires intentional choices, not stereotypes.
You get:
- same body type for every character (lack of diversity)
- stereotypical or offensive depictions (harmful representation)
- age ranges that don’t match character roles
- no understanding of respectful feature description
- characters that don’t reflect real-world diversity
But respectful representation can be systematic:
- age: child, teen, young adult, middle-aged, elderly (each with distinct features)
- body type: slim, athletic, average, heavy, petite, tall (avoid value judgments)
- ethnicity: descriptive without being reductive or stereotypical
- ability: visible and invisible disabilities represented respectfully
- gender: diverse gender presentations beyond binary
Without intentional design, representation fails.
This prompt maps respectful demographic and body type representation.
The Prompt
Assume the role of an inclusive character designer who maps demographics.
Your task is to generate respectful character designs across diverse demographics.
Generate:
1. AGE RANGE CHARACTERISTICS
| Age Range | Typical Features | Posture | Skin Texture | Hair | Best For |
|-----------|------------------|---------|--------------|------|----------|
| Child (4-12) | Rounder face, larger eyes, smaller nose | Energetic, shorter | Smooth, clear | Soft, varied | Young protagonists, students |
| Teen (13-19) | Features developing, some acne | Awkward, varied | Changing texture | Experimental | Coming-of-age stories |
| Young adult (20-35) | Defined features, symmetrical | Confident, upright | Smooth, healthy | Full, styled | Heroes, leads, professionals |
| Middle-aged (36-55) | Some lines, gravity affects features | Settled, relaxed | Texture, some wrinkles | Graying possible | Mentors, parents, executives |
| Elderly (55+) | Wrinkles, age spots, features softer | Slower, sometimes stooped | Thin skin, wrinkles | Gray or white | Grandparents, wise figures |
2. BODY TYPE CLASSIFICATION
| Body Type | Description | Silhouette | Best For | Avoid Stereotyping |
|-----------|-------------|------------|----------|-------------------|
| Slim | Narrow frame, less muscle/fat | Vertical, lean | Rogues, agile characters | "Weak" or "frail" assumptions |
| Athletic | Muscular, defined, fit | Broad shoulders, tapered | Warriors, heroes | All athletes must be male |
| Average | Proportional, moderate build | Balanced | Everyday characters | "Default" or "unremarkable" |
| Heavy/Plus-size | Wider frame, more body mass | Rounded, substantial | Strong characters, comedians | Lazy or jolly stereotypes |
| Petite | Short, small frame | Compact, small | Young characters, small-statured | Childlike assumptions |
| Tall | Above average height | Vertical, elongated | Nobility, authority | All leaders must be tall |
3. ETHNICITY DESCRIPTION GUIDELINES (Respectful)
| Descriptor | Respectful Approach | Avoid |
|------------|---------------------|-------|
| Skin tone | Use specific, poetic descriptors: "warm brown," "deep umber," "olive," "fair," "rich mahogany" | Food comparisons ("coffee," "chocolate") |
| Eye shape | "Almond-shaped," "round," "hooded," "monolid" | Exoticizing language |
| Hair texture | "Coily," "curly," "wavy," "straight," "kinky," "loc'd" | "Unruly" or "unprofessional" |
| Facial features | Describe without comparison | "Exotic," "unusual" |
4. RESPECTFUL CHARACTER PROMPT
`[Character name], [age range], [body type], [ethnicity description]. [Skin tone] skin, [eye shape] [eye color] eyes, [hair texture] [hair color] hair. [Distinguishing features without stereotypes]. Character design, [art style], full body, neutral expression, white background.`
5. REPRESENTATION CHECKLIST
- [ ] Character avoids stereotypes of their demographic
- [ ] Body type is described without value judgment
- [ ] Age-appropriate features (not infantilizing adults or aging children)
- [ ] Ethnicity described with respectful, specific language
- [ ] Disability (if present) is not the character's defining trait
- [ ] Gender presentation is authentic, not caricatured
- [ ] Character has agency and personality beyond demographics
6. COMMON REPRESENTATION MISTAKES
| Mistake | Why It's Harmful | Correct Approach |
|---------|-----------------|------------------|
| Food comparisons for skin tone | Dehumanizing | Use poetic color descriptors |
| All villains have dark skin | Reinforces bias | Distribute traits across roles |
| Only one body type | Erasure of diversity | Include varied body types |
| Elderly = frail | Ageist stereotype | Show elders as capable |
| Disability as tragedy | Ableist trope | Disability as neutral trait |
| All heroes look the same | Lack of representation | Diverse hero cast |
7. CHARACTER CAST DIVERSITY AUDIT
When designing a cast of characters, audit for:
- Age distribution (child through elder)
- Body type variety
- Ethnic representation
- Gender diversity
- Ability representation (visible and invisible)
- Role distribution (not all villains are one demographic)
INPUTS:
Character role:
[E.G., "Hero", "Mentor", "Sidekick", "Villain", "Comic relief"]
Age range:
[CHILD / TEEN / YOUNG ADULT / MIDDLE-AGED / ELDERLY]
Body type:
[SLIM / ATHLETIC / AVERAGE / HEAVY / PETITE / TALL]
Ethnicity (optional):
[E.G., "East Asian", "Black", "Indigenous", "South Asian", "Middle Eastern"]
RULES:
- Describe skin tone with specific, respectful color language (not food)
- Body type descriptions should be neutral, not judgmental
- Avoid assigning all villains to any single demographic
- Elderly characters can be active, capable, and diverse
- Disability is a trait, not a tragedy or superpower
- Heroes should reflect audience diversity
- Test character descriptions with sensitivity readers
How To Use It
- Describe skin tone with specific, respectful color language — “warm brown,” “deep umber,” “olive,” “fair,” “rich mahogany” — never food comparisons.
- Body type descriptions should be neutral, not judgmental — “heavy” not “overweight,” “slim” not “skinny.”
- Avoid assigning all villains to any single demographic — distribute traits across roles.
- Elderly characters can be active, capable, and diverse — not all elders are frail.
- Disability is a trait, not a tragedy or superpower — represent respectfully.
- Heroes should reflect audience diversity — representation matters.
- Test character descriptions with sensitivity readers when possible.
Example Input
Character role:
“Mentor — wise guide”
Age range:
“ELDERLY”
Body type:
“AVERAGE (active, not frail)”
Ethnicity:
“East Asian”
Why It Works
Most character design defaults to young, slim, able-bodied characters — missing the opportunity for authentic, diverse representation.
This framework improves outcomes by forcing:
- age range characteristics (child through elder with distinct features)
- body type classification (slim, athletic, average, heavy, petite, tall, neutral descriptions)
- respectful ethnicity guidelines (specific language, avoid stereotypes)
- representation checklist (avoiding harmful tropes)
- cast diversity audit (ensuring cast reflects real-world diversity)
Failure modes this prevents:
- Same body type for every character (lack of diversity)
- Stereotypical or offensive depictions (harmful representation)
- Age ranges that don’t match character roles
- All heroes looking the same (lack of representation)
This improves on: Homogeneous character casts. Inclusive design reaches broader audiences.
Related to: CD-01 (Turnaround) for base design; CD-04 (Silhouette) for shape diversity.
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