Character model
A Character model is a stylistic guide created to help animators and licensee artists depict the Transformers in a consistent and recognizable way. Most of the Generation 1 character designs were done by Floro Dery. The widely-distributed model sheets of those characters may have been redrawn from his designs, or they might be his direct work.
Sometimes the same toy used for two characters can be officially depicted in the fiction as having radically different appearances, as in the case of Sideswipe and Red Alert. These two toys are essentialy identical, but while the first design conceived - Sideswipe's - is tall and athletic, the second - Red Alert's - is short and stocky. This pattern of artistically differentiating two very similar toys in order to make distinct characterization easier continued with (Trailbreaker/Hoist, Prowl/Smokescreen, the Seekers/the Coneheads), and others.
Character models may vary wildly from the toy itself, perhaps most conspicuously Ironhide / Ratchet. In those instances, droid-like and "alien" toys were heavily anthropomorphized in the character models, adding humanoid proportions, heads, and faces.
A vast collection of Generation 1 character models is available in the book The Ark: A Complete Compendium of Transformers Animation Models. Even more character models, including Japanese-exclusive series and alternate studio designs, are available in Transformers Generations, though its pictures are quite small.
