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.
If the same toy is used for multiple characters, they may be depicted with very different character models. For example, 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 was particularly common with the 1984/1985 toys, many of which were redecos or recolors of other toys. Examples include Trailbreaker/Hoist, Prowl/Smokescreen, the Seekers/the Coneheads, and others.
Character models may vary wildly from the toy itself, leading to greater or lesser degrees of "show-accuracy". Perhaps the most conspicuous examples are Ironhide and Ratchet. In those instances, droid-like and "alien" toys were heavily anthropomorphized in the character models, adding humanoid proportions, heads, and faces.
Perhaps the best representation of both of the above factors--character models differing from the toys, and later character models differing from earlier ones based on the same toy--is shown by Tarantulas and Blackarachnia.
The first three years' worth of Generation 1 character models formed the basis for the artwork of Marvel's Transformers Universe profile books. Additional profiles were later published in the back of the main comic book, showing character models for some of the 1987 and 1988 characters.
A vast collection of Generation 1 character models is available in the book The Ark: A Complete Compendium of Character Designs. Even more character models, including Japanese-exclusive series and alternate studio designs, are available in Transformers Generations, though its pictures are quite small.
Trivia
- Occasionally, AKOM actually used the character models of certain characters in the episodes themselves, in order to spare themselves from having to draw new poses. Examples are the Predacons when they first appear in Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5, or scenes with Devastator, Broadside and Galvatron in Carnage in C-Minor.
