Investigating representation through the analysis of character designs from LGBTQIA+ creatives on the island of Ireland

Abstract

Character design now plays a significant role in how we signal and interpret identity information and can be an integral tool for marketing, animation, and visual media in general. The purpose of this thesis is to provide new research into how the LGBTQIA+ art and design community across the island of Ireland are expressing their identity using character design.

Research into LGBTQIA+ identity within TV and film has often utilised modern cultural assumptions and this research proposes a new framework of analysis. Research was conducted through a two-phase explanatory sequential mixed methodology, with the visual analysis being conducted on character designs created by LGBTQIA+ artists and designers. The artists and designers were tasked with creating a character which represented themself, or their community. The visual analysis framework has been developed into a tool named the Character Colour Analysis Tool (CCAT), which provides a structured and repeatable framework of visual analysis which can be utilised in the analysis of LGBTQIA+ character designs.

The CCAT measures the colour values of submitted character designs and then assign a categorisation of the palette. The intention of this tool is to create a method of quantifying palettes in a replicable manner to allow for it to be utilised and developed upon widely in the analysis of design. The tool will be made available for public use on Github and allow for a consistent application of a colour analysis methodology.

The result of this thesis will provide a foundation of more consistent and evidence-based research of LGBTQIA+ character design. The output from the thesis is intended to allow for a replicable methodology in future work exploring identity and character design.

Date of Award	Jun 2026
Original language	English
Sponsors	Department for the Economy
Supervisor	Yuanyuan Chen (Supervisor) & Henry Melki (Supervisor)