You clicked on a pin that promised a list of cool websites for your original character (OC) — and here it is. Whether you’re designing a new persona, fleshing out an existing one, or just love collecting unique online tools, this hand-picked collection of 20 underrated websites (plus a few bonus finds) will spark your imagination and help you build worlds, traits, and visuals you didn’t know you needed.
Table of Contents(Click to Toggle)
- Why You Should Explore Hidden-Gem Websites for OC Creation
- 20 Underrated Websites for OC Inspiration
- 1. ArtBreeder
- 2. This Person Does Not Exist
- 3. Picrew
- 4. Character Design References
- 5. Behind the Name
- 6. Fantasy Name Generators
- 7. World Anvil
- 8. Inkarnate
- 9. Pinterest (the real one)
- 10. Toyhouse
- 11. Archetype Quiz
- 12. 16 Personalities
- 13. Character Hub
- 14. Pinterest Board Organizer
- 15. Coolors
- 16. Color Hunt
- 17. Unsplash
- 18. Pexels
- 19. Remove.bg
- 20. Photopea
- Bonus Mentions
- The Ultimate OC Toolkit: What to Explore Next
Why You Should Explore Hidden-Gem Websites for OC Creation
Creating an original character is more than just picking a name and a face. It’s about weaving together personality traits, backstory, visual design, and even the world they live in. While mainstream tools like Pinterest and Google Images are great, there’s a treasure trove of niche websites that can take your OC to the next level. These hidden gems offer specialized generators, community feedback, and unique resources that you won’t find on the first page of a search engine. By diving into these, you’ll discover fresh ways to break out of creative ruts, find unexpected inspiration, and connect with a community of fellow creators who share your passion.
20 Underrated Websites for OC Inspiration
1. ArtBreeder : Create stunning AI-generated portraits and landscapes
What it is: ArtBreeder uses generative adversarial networks (GANs) to let you blend and mutate images, creating unique portraits, characters, and even landscapes.
Category: AI Art Generator
Why it stands out: You can start with a random face and tweak sliders for age, gender, hair, and more. The ‘breed’ feature lets you combine two images to create something entirely new. It’s perfect for visualizing an OC without needing drawing skills.
Best for: Generating visual references for original characters, especially faces and full-body concepts.
2. This Person Does Not Exist : Endless AI-generated faces for character reference
What it is: A website that generates a new, realistic human face every time you refresh the page, using StyleGAN.
Category: AI Face Generator
Why it stands out: It’s a goldmine for realistic face references. You can refresh until you find a face that matches your OC’s vibe, then use it as a base for further edits or as a visual aid.
Best for: Quick and diverse face references, especially for realistic or modern settings.
3. Picrew : Make custom avatars with thousands of art styles
What it is: Picrew is a Japanese avatar maker platform where artists upload their own ‘image makers’ that you can use to create characters.
Category: Avatar Maker
Why it stands out: There are thousands of unique art styles, from chibi to realistic. You can customize everything from hair and eyes to clothing and accessories. It’s incredibly addictive and great for quick visual concepts.
Best for: Creating simple, stylized portraits or full-body references without any art skills.
4. Character Design References : A visual library of character art and tutorials
What it is: A website that curates character design art, tutorials, and references from professional artists.
Category: Art Reference Library
Why it stands out: It’s a treasure trove of inspiration, with sections on anatomy, facial expressions, clothing folds, and more. You can spend hours browsing through stunning artwork and learning from the best.
Best for: Improving your own art skills or finding visual inspiration for your OC’s design.
5. Behind the Name : Discover the meanings and origins of names
What it is: A comprehensive database of given names from around the world, with meanings, origins, and pronunciation.
Category: Name Dictionary
Why it stands out: It’s perfect for finding a name that carries significance for your OC. You can search by origin, meaning, or even letter. The site also has a ‘random name’ generator that can spark ideas.
Best for: Choosing a meaningful name that fits your character’s background.
6. Fantasy Name Generators : Generate names for every fantasy race and setting
What it is: A massive collection of name generators for fantasy, sci-fi, and even real-world cultures.
Category: Name Generator
Why it stands out: It covers everything from elf names to steampunk inventors. You can generate not just names but also titles, places, and even whole phrases. It’s a lifesaver when you’re stuck.
Best for: Creating names for characters, places, or even entire fictional worlds.
7. World Anvil : Build detailed worlds and track your OC’s lore
What it is: A worldbuilding platform that lets you create wikis for your fictional worlds, including characters, locations, and timelines.
Category: Worldbuilding Tool
Why it stands out: It’s like having a personal wiki for your OC’s universe. You can organize everything from backstory to relationships, and even share it with others. The free tier is generous.
Best for: Keeping all your character details in one place, especially if you’re building a complex world.
8. Inkarnate : Craft beautiful fantasy maps for your OC’s world
What it is: An online map-making tool that lets you create stunning fantasy maps with a variety of styles and assets.
Category: Map Maker
Why it stands out: It’s intuitive and offers a free version with plenty of features. You can create continents, cities, and even dungeons, which adds depth to your OC’s story.
Best for: Visualizing the world your OC lives in, from large-scale maps to local neighborhoods.
9. Pinterest (the real one) : Curate visual boards for your OC’s aesthetic
What it is: The popular visual discovery engine, but often overlooked as a planning tool for OCs.
Category: Visual Bookmarking
Why it stands out: You can create secret boards to collect images that represent your OC’s style, mood, or even specific traits. It’s a great way to build a visual mood board that you can reference while creating.
Best for: Gathering visual inspiration for your OC’s appearance, clothing, and overall aesthetic.
10. Toyhouse : Showcase and organize your OCs in a community-driven gallery
What it is: A platform designed specifically for character owners to store, display, and trade their OCs.
Category: Character Community
Why it stands out: It’s like a social network for OCs. You can upload character sheets, track their history, and even adopt out characters you no longer want. The community is very active and supportive.
Best for: Keeping a public or private gallery of your OCs and connecting with other character creators.
11. Archetype Quiz : Discover your OC’s archetype with a quick quiz
What it is: A free quiz that determines which of the 12 Jungian archetypes fits a person (or character) best.
Category: Personality Quiz
Why it stands out: It’s a fun way to get a foundational personality type for your OC. The results include a detailed description that can inform their motivations and behaviors.
Best for: Giving your OC a solid psychological grounding and sparking story ideas.
12. 16 Personalities : Get a detailed MBTI profile for your OC
What it is: A popular personality test based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
Category: Personality Test
Why it stands out: You can take the test ‘as’ your character, answering questions from their perspective. The resulting profile gives you insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and how they interact with others.
Best for: Developing a nuanced personality and understanding your OC’s interpersonal dynamics.
13. Character Hub : A community-driven database of character templates
What it is: A website that offers a wide variety of character sheet templates, prompts, and resources.
Category: Character Development Resource
Why it stands out: It provides structured templates that help you flesh out every aspect of your OC, from physical appearance to deep psychological traits. The prompts are thought-provoking and can reveal details you hadn’t considered.
Best for: Thoroughly developing your OC’s backstory, personality, and relationships.
14. Pinterest Board Organizer : Use Pinterest boards to organize your OC’s visual references
What it is: A feature within Pinterest that lets you create multiple boards and sections to organize your pins.
Category: Organization Tool
Why it stands out: By creating separate boards for ‘OC Face Claims’, ‘OC Wardrobe’, ‘OC World’, etc., you can keep all your visual inspiration neatly categorized. It’s a simple but powerful way to maintain a consistent aesthetic.
Best for: Keeping your OC’s visual references organized and easily accessible.
15. Coolors : Generate harmonious color palettes for your OC’s design
What it is: A color scheme generator that helps you create beautiful, cohesive color palettes.
Category: Color Palette Generator
Why it stands out: You can generate palettes based on a single color or let the site surprise you. It’s perfect for choosing the colors for your OC’s outfit, hair, or even their personal brand.
Best for: Designing a visually appealing color scheme that reflects your OC’s personality.
16. Color Hunt : Explore curated color palettes for instant inspiration
What it is: A collection of hand-picked color palettes shared by designers.
Category: Color Inspiration
Why it stands out: It’s a quick way to see trending color combinations. You can search by mood or style, and each palette is ready to use with hex codes.
Best for: Finding a ready-made palette that matches the mood you want for your OC.
17. Unsplash : High-quality photos for realistic references
What it is: A free stock photo website with thousands of high-resolution images.
Category: Stock Photos
Why it stands out: You can find photos of people, places, and objects that can serve as realistic references for your OC’s appearance or environment. The search function is robust, and the quality is top-notch.
Best for: Using real-life photos to inspire or directly reference in your OC’s design.
18. Pexels : More free stock photos and videos for creative use
What it is: Another free stock photo and video website with a large library.
Category: Stock Media
Why it stands out: Similar to Unsplash, but with a slightly different collection and sometimes more niche content. It’s a great backup source for references.
Best for: Finding alternative photos or videos that might match your OC’s style better.
19. Remove.bg : Instantly remove image backgrounds for clean edits
What it is: An AI-powered tool that removes the background from any image in seconds.
Category: Image Editing Tool
Why it stands out: When you find a face reference or a piece of clothing you like, you can quickly cut it out and place it on your own canvas. The free version is sufficient for most needs.
Best for: Isolating subjects from photos to use in your own character art or mood boards.
20. Photopea : A free, browser-based Photoshop alternative
What it is: A full-featured image editor that runs entirely in your browser, supporting PSD files.
Category: Image Editor
Why it stands out: It’s free and doesn’t require installation. You can use it to edit your OC’s reference images, create character sheets, or even do digital painting if you have a tablet.
Best for: Editing and composing images without spending money on expensive software.
Bonus Mentions
Canva : Design character sheets and social media posts
What it is: A user-friendly graphic design tool with templates for everything.
Why it stands out: You can create beautiful character sheets, mood boards, or even shareable posts about your OC. The free version has plenty of features.
DeviantArt : A massive art community for feedback and inspiration
What it is: One of the oldest online art communities, with millions of artworks.
Why it stands out: You can search for character designs, get feedback on your own work, and find artists who might be open to commissions.
ArtStation : Professional portfolio site for character art
What it is: A platform where professional artists showcase their work.
Why it stands out: The quality is exceptionally high, making it a great source of inspiration for character design. You can also see breakdowns and process videos.
Instagram : Follow artists and hashtags for daily OC inspiration
What it is: A social media platform focused on visual content.
Why it stands out: By following artists who specialize in character design and using hashtags like #oc or #characterart, you can get a daily stream of inspiration right in your feed.
Tumblr : Niche communities and mood boards for OC creators
What it is: A microblogging platform with a strong creative community.
Why it stands out: Many OC creators use Tumblr to share their characters, ask for advice, and reblog inspiration. It’s a great place to find niche resources and like-minded people.
The Ultimate OC Toolkit: What to Explore Next
These 20 websites (and five bonus finds) are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to online tools for OC creation. From AI-generated faces to worldbuilding platforms, each one offers a unique way to bring your character to life. Whether you’re a seasoned creator or just starting out, incorporating these hidden gems into your workflow can make the process more enjoyable and productive. So go ahead, click through a few, and see where your imagination takes you. And if you have a favorite tool that I missed, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
