how to create the perfect look for your villain
why is it important. how to make them memorable. what do readers look for?
What can you do to make a memorable villain? How can you make them stand out and have them remembered in time? What are the little tips and tricks you can apply to your novel right now to make a wonderful villain readers will remember long after they’ve finished reading?
in this blog, we will be looking at how to create the perfect look for your villain..
HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT LOOK FOR YOUR VILLAIN
Table of Contents
Think of the greatest villains in movie/novel history. Picture them in your mind. Chances are you were able to. There’s a reason for that. Because all great villains throughout history have a “unique look” to them that never changes throughout the story.
It’s a funny thing how they always look the same. The same clothes, hair, overall look. Makes you wonder why as writers we make our villains keep the same look throughout the story.
DO THEY HAVE A FULL WARDROBE?
It’s as if the villain is so “make-believe” to a point where they can dress the same throughout the story and no one notices. When was as the last time you read a story where the villain had the same look throughout and you wondered why? Of course not. You never find yourself asking “do the villains have a wardrobe filled with the exact same outfit?”
However, in books where the villain does not have a “memorable ” look they are quickly forgotten. The writer does not describe them with a certain “rememberable” look. This hurts the story. When you think of the villain from those novels nothing comes to mind. But when you think of the antagonist of some of the most well-known novels you can picture them in your mind right away.
KIDS WILL DRESS LIKE THEM ON HALLOWEEN
As a writer, you can use this to your advantage. You can create an antagonist for your story that will be membered for years afterward. A character people will recognize. Even have kids dressing up as on Halloween.
We remember villains for what they do, say, and how they look. As a writer, you do not want to miss a chance to make a powerful rememberable antagonist readers will remember and love.
YOU CAN STILL PICTURE THEM IN YOUR MIND
Think of Darth Vader from “Star Wars”. How often does he change his appearance? never. He wears all black all the time. the same mask and cape. All you have to do is see him once and you remember him forever. Decades later you can still picture him in your mind.
A lot of work went into his appearance. The creators wanted to make sure he had a very powerful rememberable look. And through their hard work, they reached their goal. Everyone around the world remembers Darth Vader.
YOU CAN SEE HIM IN YOUR MIND
Author Dan Brown is aware of this. He makes sure to create rememberable villains. The look of the Silas in the “da Vinci code” is something people will remember. The blonde hair, pale eyes covered in a robe. In all his books his villains have a “unique look” to them, a look they keep throughout the story.
Robert Harris has a unique look for Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill in “Silence of the lambs.” he created characters we will remember. Anytime you think of Hannibal Lecter you can easily see him in your mind.
HE WANTED SOMETHING TO BE REMEMBERED
Even the names are unique, Hannibal lecter could’ve been named “John Smith”. But that would not have been interesting. By naming him Hannibal it rhymes with cannibal. And having his last name Lecter, sounds almost like Leech. As though he’s always around you.
Darth Vader sounds like “dark Vader”, matching the black he wears. He could’ve been named Paul Brown. But George Lucas wanted a name that would be remembered. Even the shark from “Jaws” had a unique look to it. Look at the eyes and how you feel the eyes are looking right at you. That dark gray colour on top with the white on the bottom with the big teeth. After watching jaws you cannot help but remember it long afterward.
HE COULD’VE CHANGED THE APPEARANCE
William Peter Blatty wanted to you remember the demon in “The Exorcist”. The way the demon was described never changed throughout the book. It was creepy from the start and stayed with you throughout the novel. The writer could’ve had the look of the demon change but we would’ve had lost the fear towards it.
Charles Dickens did a great job in creating antagonists in his novels. In “Oliver Twist.” he painted a picture in our minds of “Fagin.” Even now years later we can still picture Fagin in our minds. When we see a movie version of Oliver Twist we already know what he’ll look like. This comes down to the fact that Charles Dickens kept his appearance the same throughout the story.
THE PROTAGONIST CAN CHANGE
Fagin does not change the look of his clothes or hair at any time in the story. If Fagin had changed his look constantly throughout the story we may not remember him. However, interesting enough, in Oliver twist, we do see Oliver changing his appearance throughout the story. Starting of in rages at one point and then into rich clothes, but this can happen. The protagonist can change their appearance but the villain should not.
James Bond changes appearance throughout his stories. At times he will have a suit and tie, then a tuxedo and at times regular street clothes. However, the main villain Blofeld forever wears his white suit. He has no hair, and has a cat with him. Even the famous “Oddjob” has his black suit with the hat that can kill. James Bond’s biggest villain was nicknamed “jaws.” famous for his massive silver teeth. tall height. Wearing a white shirt and black suspenders.
YOU INSTANTLY KNOW WHO IT IS
As a writer when you’re setting out to write a novel think of the antagonist and what look you want for them. The more unique the better. You can keep the look the same throughout the story.
Imagine the 1931 movie Dracula where his appearance and outfit changed from scene to scene. It would’ve made it more difficult to remember him. However, his look remained the same throughout the story, not just in the first movie but all of them. Today Dracula is world-famous. Kids dress up like him at Halloween. If you see his image you instantly know who it is.
WE HAVE NO IDEA WHO HE WAS
We have no idea who “Jack the Ripper” was or what he looked like. However, over the years, the idea of him wearing all black, carrying a doctor’s medical bag with a large top hat on still lingers even to this day. When movies are made of Jack the Ripper they show him with the black cape, top hat, and medicine bag. Why do we do this? Since we have no idea of who he was.
If you wanted to, you could make a movie of Jack the Ripper having him wear anything you wanted. Since we have no idea who he was you could have him wear anything. The top hat and black cape are not needed. but funny enough, if a movie were to be made about him without the top hat and black clothes the audience would say, “you got his look wrong.”
DOES MY ANTAGONIST HAVE A LOOK?
As though the public has settled on his appearance and nothing else will do. Since he was a bad man the look remains the same. the more time goes by the more certain we are of his “look” even though no one ever saw him. Now that we know about the character’s appearance we have to ask what drivers the villain to have that look. What is their goal? what is their agenda?
As a writer, you have to ask yourself, “why does my antagonist have the look they do?” Are they trying to communicate something with their look. Look intimidating? Are they looking to be respected? If so, do they wear a suit? Are they wearing armour to protect themselves? Do they dress in a military outfit? Does the outfit match their personality?
THE VILLAIN IS GOAL-DRIVEN
Hans Gruber in “Die-hard” had a suit and tie on because he was trying to look sophisticated. But other villains might be crazy and look over the top with their appearance. Like in the movie “Mad Max” wear the antagonists wear all leather and all black with paint on their faces.
We know villains are the most goal-driven characters in the novel. The hero has to be as driven to keep up. You can’t have a bad guy who wants to take over the world and a hero who “kinda” wants to stop him. That will not sell. The more driven your villain the more driven the hero should be.
THE LOOK ALWAYS REMAINS THE SAME
Most people may not admit it, be we love the villains. It was once said, “a story is only as good as the villain.” In horror movies like “Friday, the 13th” Jason is tall and strong, but always known for the white goalie mask. Freddy Kruger in “A Nightmare on Elm Street” has the famous look and glove. If these things changed from movie to movie it would lose their effect.
The world of “Batman” “The Joker” has the overall same look. It always remains the same. We expect the Joker to have a white face with green hair and a purple suit. In each movie, there is a new actor playing him, but the overall looks remains the same.
THE VILLAIN NEEDS TO BE BIGGER
Remember, your villain should be stronger and bigger than the hero. We should fear for our hero’s physical safety. One of the things we worry about is our physical safety. When we met a stranger the first thing we ask ourselves is “Am I safe around this person?” So as a writer you want to carry the same thing over to your protagonist. If the lead villain is tiny and wimpy will we actually worry for our hero? The bigger the villain the more we worry.
Make sure the villain also has more resources and connections than the hero. If the villain has more money, more power it makes the hero the underdog. Readers love connecting with underdogs.
WE NEED TO WORRY FOR THEIR SAFETY
In “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Indiana Jones had to battle Belloq and the Nazis. Belloq had his white suit and connects. The Nazis were bigger and stronger than Indiana Jones. One man against the Nazi army. We worried for his safety. If the bad guys had been low-life thieves it wouldn’t had have the same effect.
Now the odds are against him making us care. By making the villain bigger and stronger, interns of wealth, physically or army. It makes the audience fear for the hero.
THEY HAD THEIR BLACK UNIFORMS
Plus, the Nazis are also known for their look. They had their famous black uniforms. When you think of the Nazis you picture their uniforms. Their look never changes throughout the movie.
Think of your antagonist and ask what look will match their personality. When you come up with the perfect look for your villain the reader will connect and remember. Ask yourself how do they speak, walk, dress. What car would they drive? How has their upbringing affected their style of dress?
MAKE THEM MEMORABLE FOR A LONG TIME
The more unique the look the more it will be remembered. It’s easy to copy some other well-known villain, but it’s more exciting to create your own look. It will take time, but it’s with it. Don’t settle for the first thing that comes to mind. Take your time thinking it over and make changes when needed.
Your goal is to create something that everyone will remember for a long time. Like the old saying “a story is only as good as the villain.”
you might be interested in these blogs…
HOW TO HAVE A GREAT VILLAIN FOR YOUR NOVEL
UNDERSTANDING CHARACTER ARCS IN YOUR NOVEL
WHAT A WRITER CAN LEARN FROM BAD MOVIE SEQUELS
