Scott Cawthon didn't just build a horror game back in 2014; he accidentally launched a digital ecosystem of fan creativity that hasn't slowed down since. Walk into any corner of DeviantArt, Reddit, or Game Jolt today and you’ll find thousands of original animatronics—some terrifying, others... well, others are just neon-colored foxes with too many superpowers. If you want to make your own Five Nights at Freddy’s character, you're stepping into a massive legacy. It’s about more than just drawing a robot with glowing eyes. It’s about understanding the specific brand of "uncanny valley" that makes Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza feel like a death trap rather than a birthday party.
Honestly, the best OCs (Original Characters) feel like they actually belong in a crusty, 1980s-era pizzeria. They have chipped paint. They have questionable hygiene. Most importantly, they have a reason to exist within the lore.
The Philosophy of the Animatronic
Before you even touch a pencil or open Blender, you have to think about the "why." In the FNAF universe, these machines were built for a purpose. Usually, that purpose was entertaining kids while their parents ignored them, but as we know from the Fazbear Frights books and the Silver Eyes trilogy, sometimes William Afton had darker intentions.
Is your character a "Classic" model from the 1993 era? Or maybe a "Toy" animatronic with that shiny, plastic sheen and facial recognition software designed to hunt down criminals? The era matters. A character built for the Security Breach Mega Pizzaplex is going to look radically different—sleeker, more high-tech, and way more mobile—than a "Withered" suit rotting in a basement.
Think about the material. The original animatronics were covered in a weird, felt-like fabric that looked like it would smell like mothballs and old pizza grease. If you’re trying to make your own Five Nights at Freddy’s character feel authentic, don't make them perfect. Real machines break. They have exposed wires. They have those creepy, segmented joints that shouldn't move that way.
Picking a Species That Isn’t a Fox
Look, we all love Foxy. But the "Edge-Lord Fox" trope is done to death. If you want your character to stand out in the community, look at real-world Chuck E. Cheese or ShowBiz Pizza history. They had gorillas, dogs, hippos, and even weird alien creatures.
Consider animals that are inherently a bit unsettling when turned into a giant robot. A long-necked giraffe that can peek over bathroom stalls? Terrifying. A moth with dusty, tattered wings? Creepy. A redundant mascot from a failed sister location, like a pig or a ram? That feels like something Scott would actually put in a game.
👉 See also: New Scratch Offs NY: What Really Happens When a New Ticket Drops
The "Uncanny" Rule: Why Some Designs Fail
The biggest mistake people make is making their characters look too "cool" or too much like an anime protagonist. FNAF is horror. The horror comes from the fact that these things are supposed to be friendly but fail miserably at it.
The eyes are the most important part. Scott often uses those "silver" or "white-dot" pupils to signify possession or a glitch. But for the daytime version, the eyes should be wide, unblinking, and slightly too large. They should look like they’re staring at a point three inches behind your head.
Also, consider the jaw. One of the signature FNAF design tropes is the double-row of teeth—the animatronic teeth and then the human-like teeth of the endoskeleton visible behind them. It’s a subtle reminder that there is a machine (or a body) inside the suit. If your character doesn't have an endoskeleton, it's just a mascot suit. And mascot suits are scary, but they aren't FNAF.
Building the Backstory Without Being Edgy
You don't need a "trapped soul" for every single character. Sometimes, the machine is just haunted by a weird AI glitch, or maybe it’s just a piece of junk that acts up at 3:00 AM.
If you do go the possession route, keep it grounded in the established vibes of the series. The children in the FNAF lore didn't choose to be there. Their possession is a tragedy, not a superpower. Your character’s "special ability" shouldn't be something like "can teleport and kill everyone instantly." That’s boring for a roleplay or a fan-game. Instead, think of mechanical quirks. Maybe your animatronic has a broken voice box that only plays distorted birthday songs. Or maybe its servos are so rusted that you can hear it coming from three rooms away, creating a tension-based mechanic.
The Mechanics of Fear
If this character were in a game, how would the player beat them?
- Do they hate light?
- Are they attracted to noise?
- Do they only move when the camera is off? (The classic Weeping Angel/Foxy trope).
- Do they hide in the vents and make a specific scraping sound?
Designing the gameplay loop for your character actually helps you design their look. A character that crawls through vents should probably be slim and long-limbed. A character that bashes through doors should be a hulking, heavy beast like Montgomery Gator.
Tools of the Trade: From Sketch to 3D Render
How do you actually bring this to life? You've got options depending on your skill level.
2D Art and Character Sheets
Most people start with a reference sheet. You want a front view, a side view, and a "jumpscare" view. Software like Procreate or Krita is great for this because you can layer the "withered" textures over a clean base. Don't be afraid to use photo textures of rusted metal or dirty fabric to give it that "lived-in" feel.
3D Modeling (The "Golden" Standard)
If you really want to make your own Five Nights at Freddy’s character look official, you’re looking at Blender. The FNAF community on YouTube has some of the best Blender tutorials on the planet. Look for "Endoskeleton tutorials" specifically. Once you build a functional-looking endoskeleton, "shrink-wrapping" the suit pieces over it makes the character look structurally sound. It makes it look like it could actually sit on a stage and perform.
AI and Prompting (The Shortcut)
If you can’t draw or model, you can use AI generators, but be warned: the community can usually tell. If you use Midjourney or DALL-E, use specific prompts like "Vintage 1980s animatronic, low-poly aesthetic, VHS grit, withered fabric, cinematic lighting." It’ll give you a vibe, but you’ll still need to go in and tweak the details to make it truly yours.
The Role of "Remnant" and Modern Lore
By the time we got to Sister Location and Pizzeria Simulator, the "science" of FNAF got weird. We started talking about Remnant—essentially soul-glue. When you’re designing your character, ask yourself if they were a product of Afton Robotics or Fazbear Entertainment.
📖 Related: That Which Does Not Kill You Helldivers 2: The Secret To Surviving The Impossible
Afton Robotics designs are "Funtime" style. They have face-plates that open up, built-in heaters, and weirdly specific features like "ice cream dispensers" or "parent tracking." They are sleek, dangerous, and look like they cost a million dollars.
Fazbear Entertainment designs are cheaper. They’re the "budget" version. They look like they were made by a committee that didn't care about safety. Using this distinction helps you choose your color palette. Funtimes use a lot of white, pink, and purple. Classics use earthy tones like brown, indigo, and forest green.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Too many accessories: A top hat and a bowtie are classic. Adding a cape, a sword, and glowing neon wings makes it look like a different franchise. Keep it simple.
- The "Mary Sue" Syndrome: If your character is faster than Foxy, smarter than Freddy, and stronger than Bonnie, they aren't scary. They’re just annoying.
- Ignoring the Endoskeleton: The joints are where the realism happens. If the arms just bend like rubber, it kills the illusion.
Why the Community Loves OCs
The reason the "fnafsona" or OC culture is so big is that the games leave so many gaps. We know there were other locations. We know there were "mediocre melodies" and failed spin-offs. Your character is a way of filling in those gaps. Maybe your character was from a competing pizza chain that Fazbear Entertainment bought out and left to rot. That’s a great hook. It gives the character a reason to be angry and a reason to be in the building.
Actionable Steps to Finalize Your Design
To finish your character, don't just stop at a drawing. Put them through a "stress test" to see if they actually fit the FNAF universe.
👉 See also: That Time Elijah Wood Visited a Stranger's Animal Crossing Island and Reminded Us Why We Play
- The Silhouette Test: Black out your character entirely. Can you still tell what animal it is? Is the shape interesting? Foxy is recognizable just by his hook and ears. Your character should have one "hero" feature that stands out.
- The Audio Profile: Write down three sounds your character makes. A footstep, a breathing sound, and a scream. If you can’t imagine the sound, the design might be too generic.
- The "Death Screen" Lore: Write a one-sentence "Game Over" message for your character. It should hint at their personality. A polite character might say, "Please stay in your seat," while a broken one might just emit static.
Once you have these elements, you haven't just made a drawing. You’ve created a piece of the FNAF mythos. Whether you’re planning to use them in a fan-game or just want to show them off on Discord, focusing on the mechanical reality and the "cheap pizzeria" aesthetic will always yield better results than just trying to make something "cool." Stick to the rust, the grime, and the unsettling stare, and you’ll have a character that would make Scott Cawthon proud.