Imaginary Character Design Workshop
Helping Children Transform Imagination into Stories, Characters, and Creative Expression
Program Overview
Inspired by illustrator Nan Zhu’s playful visual language, this workshop invited children to imagine original fantasy characters from their own worlds. Participants designed magical friends, spirit animals, bedtime guardians, living toys, and other imaginative companions through drawing, collage, and storytelling.
Rather than following fixed instructions, children were encouraged to explore their own ideas, transforming imagination into visual narratives while building confidence in creative expression.
From Imagination to Character
The workshop began with a series of storytelling prompts that encouraged children to imagine who their character was, where it lived, what powers it possessed, and what adventures they might share together.
With examples shown through a short presentation, participants explored how artists create memorable characters before developing entirely original designs of their own.
Learning Through Making
Children worked alongside parents, volunteers, and teaching artists throughout the creative process. While every participant received the same materials, each artwork developed into a completely unique character, reflecting different personalities, stories, and imaginative worlds.
The open-ended format encouraged curiosity, experimentation, and meaningful family interaction throughout the workshop.
Community Impact
The workshop welcomed 12 participants from 6 families, representing a diverse community of White, Asian, and Latino families speaking English and Korean. Parents actively participated alongside their children, creating an environment where imagination became a shared family experience rather than an individual activity.
By the end of the session, every child completed an original character and proudly brought home both their artwork and sketchbook, extending the creative experience beyond the library.
This project is made possible in part through the Mid Atlantic Folk and Traditional Arts - Community Projects program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.