Sci Fi Character Ideas

Press New character for a job, an origin, something carried, a tell and a trouble from a science fiction world.

Sci Fi Character Ideas: 30 characters

A street-stall fixer of gadgets nobody else will open, from a houseboat moored in a drowned parking garage. Carries a sun hat woven from cargo straps. Tell: whispers whenever a window is near. Trouble: pays rent to a company that no longer exists.

Padlock: keep a part. Arrows: change only that part.

Jobstreet-stall fixer of gadgets nobody else will open
Froma houseboat moored in a drowned parking garage
Carriesa sun hat woven from cargo straps
Tellwhispers whenever a window is near
Troublepays rent to a company that no longer exists

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A street-stall fixer of gadgets nobody else will open, from a houseboat moored in a drowned parking garage. Carries a sun hat woven from cargo straps. Tell: whispers whenever a window is near. Trouble: pays rent to a company that no longer exists.
A caretaker of a retired mining machine, from a scrapyard that is a rest home for old machines. Carries a loop of plastic tabs, each opening one lock. Tell: studies the horizon before answering. Trouble: is blamed for everything their double does.
A cab driver who only works when it rains, from a long-haul ship's schoolroom, class of two. Carries a tool roll older than they are. Tell: counts the doors in any corridor. Trouble: was photographed on a roof that is off limits.
A robot tuner who diagnoses by sound alone, from a small ship, brought up by its autopilot. Carries a small speaker that tells bad jokes. Tell: pulls a hood up at any clicking sound. Trouble: owes a year of dinners to a noodle seller.
A locksmith for doors that have no keyholes, from a library where the catalog answers back. Carries a radio stuck forever on a single channel. Tell: counts floors on the fingers in an elevator. Trouble: is blamed for everything their double does.
A robot tuner who diagnoses by sound alone, from a library where the catalog answers back. Carries a folding scooter with one squeaky wheel. Tell: tests the seal on every jar and lid. Trouble: carries papers under a misspelled name.
A teacher of children who have never seen rain, from a farm where the scarecrows walk the rows. Carries a remote control that has a single button. Tell: blinks only when reminded to. Trouble: appears on the manifest as cargo.
A picker on the top floor of a tower farm, from an alley lit by one stuttering sign. Carries a single seed in a screw-top capsule. Tell: squints in plain daylight. Trouble: was photographed on a roof that is off limits.
A well driller on a plain of salt, from the old city, three levels below the new one. Carries a loop of plastic tabs, each opening one lock. Tell: pulls a hood up at any clicking sound. Trouble: has to tell an old machine it is retiring.
A sled driver who brings the ice in from the pole, from the twilight strip of a world that does not turn. Carries a wind-up mouse that a machine once gave them. Tell: sets a cup down and watches to see it stay. Trouble: is next in line to be mayor and dreads it.
An archivist who backs up a district's family photographs, from a bunk directly over the engine room. Carries a homemade map with one corner left empty. Tell: gives each tool a name and uses it. Trouble: owes the seed bank more than a harvest.
A chess coach to a computer that hates losing, from an orchard the first landing crew planted. Carries a lens for reading very small serial numbers. Tell: straightens cables wherever they lie. Trouble: left the right package at the wrong skyscraper.
A cargo tallier who trusts only a paper clipboard, from a library where the catalog answers back. Carries a loop of plastic tabs, each opening one lock. Tell: sets a cup down and watches to see it stay. Trouble: is owed money by a vending machine and has proof.
A storm spotter on the crater rim, from an alley lit by one stuttering sign. Carries a folding stool and nowhere to be. Tell: looks straight up when asked about home. Trouble: let the goats into the seed store.
A cargo tallier who trusts only a paper clipboard, from the old city, three levels below the new one. Carries a single seed in a screw-top capsule. Tell: always walks on the dry side of a street. Trouble: holds the deed to land now under a lake.
A namer of mountains for the settlement office, from a settlement that was out of contact for sixty years. Carries a screen with a crack hidden under stickers. Tell: says "one moment" and goes quite still. Trouble: agreed to mind a stranger's parcel, a month ago.
A solar sail patcher, always one seam behind, from a farm under a dome. Carries a lens for reading very small serial numbers. Tell: taps a wall twice before leaning on it. Trouble: is the only person one old computer trusts.
A librarian for a voyage of many generations, from a sleeper ship, woken a century early. Carries a screwdriver on a cord around the neck. Tell: dusts off a chair that has no dust on it. Trouble: owes eleven months' rent on a bunk.
A portrait painter whose sitters are all machines, from a capsule hotel, raised in the pod nearest the elevator. Carries a lens the size of a plum, from an old robot. Tell: knows the cleaning robots by name. Trouble: has failed the pilot's exam six times.
An etiquette teacher for freshly built robots, from the last stop on the elevated line. Carries a camera that prints small paper squares. Tell: squints at any sky with no ceiling. Trouble: still has a school atlas checked out decades ago.
A tug pilot who parks other people's ships, from a night market under eight lanes of traffic. Carries a screen with a crack hidden under stickers. Tell: tests the seal on every jar and lid. Trouble: owes the seed bank more than a harvest.
A baggage weigher at a ring station, from a salvage family that gives every wreck a name. Carries a notebook listing everything a computer wondered. Tell: tells the time by shift, never by hour. Trouble: signed for a crate that has gone missing.
A hull painter who works on the outside, from a mine whose drills all have names. Carries a wind-up mouse that a machine once gave them. Tell: sets a cup down and watches to see it stay. Trouble: disagrees with an autopilot about where home is.
A conductor on the midnight maglev, from a factory town, minded by the night-shift machines. Carries a loop of plastic tabs, each opening one lock. Tell: cannot sleep without engine noise. Trouble: shares a stall pitch with a bitter rival.
An advocate for a robot that wants a name, from a school with robots in half the desks. Carries a harmonica tuned to the hum of an engine. Tell: haggles out of habit, even over gifts. Trouble: is next in line to be mayor and dreads it.
A portrait painter whose sitters are all machines, from a houseboat moored in a drowned parking garage. Carries a string of dried peppers. Tell: pockets every scrap of string and wire. Trouble: once gave a machine a wrong answer it never forgot.
An elevator attendant in a mile-high tower, from a school with robots in half the desks. Carries a folding scooter with one squeaky wheel. Tell: counts floors on the fingers in an elevator. Trouble: pays rent to a company that no longer exists.
A namer of mountains for the settlement office, from a tower apartment so high that the street is a rumor. Carries an offcut of sign tubing that still glows. Tell: pours the last of every cup on a plant. Trouble: lives in a house that argues about coats.
A namer of mountains for the settlement office, from a repair dock full of ships nobody came back for. Carries a dust mask decorated with a drawn-on mustache. Tell: wakes a screen with one gentle knuckle. Trouble: has to tell an old machine it is retiring.
A conductor on the midnight maglev, from a factory town, minded by the night-shift machines. Carries an instruction manual annotated in three inks. Tell: tells the time by shift, never by hour. Trouble: walked the wrong way through customs.

Next step Put them in a sci fi story Design the outfit

Job: all 60 jobs

Ships and stations 15

airlock inspector with a spotless record Two heavy round doors, one behind the figure and one ahead, and only one of them open.
baggage weigher at a ring station Stand the scales on a floor that curves gently upward to the left and to the right.
cargo tallier who trusts only a paper clipboard Stacked crates behind, a pencil over one ear, and a sheet covered in tick marks.
deck gardener in charge of the one real tree A tree in a tub under a lamp, with a railing around it and a watering can.
docking controller who talks ships in by voice A dark room, one headset, and a window full of slow lights.
galley cook on the quietest shift Steam, one long counter, and a single tired diner at the far stool.
hull painter who works on the outside Draw the figure tiny against a wall of metal plates, with a roller on a long pole.
hydroponics hand on a slow ship Rows of plants with bare white roots hanging in troughs of water, and no soil anywhere.
librarian for a voyage of many generations Shelves bolted to the wall, with a strap across each row to hold the spines in.
lost-property keeper at a transfer station Shelves of single gloves, helmets and umbrellas, each with a paper tag.
solar sail patcher, always one seam behind A sheet of foil as wide as a field, drawn as one vast triangle with thin lines to the hull.
suit fitter for first-time spacewalkers A rack of empty pressure suits hanging in a line like a line of people.
tug pilot who parks other people's ships A stubby craft that is nearly all engine, nudging a hull many times its size.
warden of the long-sleep deck Rows of frosted lids, each with one small light, and a lone figure walking between them.
water recycler who can taste the difference A wall of pipes and dials, and a small glass held up to the light.

Colony worlds 15

dome glazier who swaps out one triangle a day A dome built from flat triangles, with one pane out and raw sky showing through.
farmer of the first soil on a dry world Gray dust and broken rock to the horizon, and one small square of green.
keeper of the colony's only beehive One white box of bees under a clear roof, ringed by flowering trays.
mayor of a settlement of forty A sash that is slightly too grand, worn over work clothes.
namer of mountains for the settlement office A map with blank peaks and a pencil held crosswise in the teeth.
postmaster for a colony with one mailbox A counter, a set of scales, and a single slot in the wall behind.
relay tower keeper, three days' walk from anyone A lattice mast with a hut at its foot and guy wires running out of the picture.
rover mechanic at the last garage before the dunes Six big mesh wheels, one of them off, and sand drifted against the door.
sky engineer partway through a thousand-year job A wall chart with a very long timeline and a pin near its start.
sled driver who brings the ice in from the pole A sled train loaded with pale blue blocks, steaming a little in the sun.
storm spotter on the crater rim A small shelter of stacked stone, a wind sock, and a huge bowl of land below.
surveyor who maps one canyon each season A tripod on a cliff edge and a long striped pole held by nobody.
teacher of children who have never seen rain A classroom wall with a hand-drawn chart of a cloud, labeled with arrows.
vet for a herd of six imported goats A stethoscope, a patient goat, and five others watching over a fence.
well driller on a plain of salt A flat white ground cracked into six-sided plates, and one thin tower.

Cities of neon and street tech 15

arcade attendant who can mend every cabinet A row of glowing screens, and one cabinet open at the back with wires out.
archivist who backs up a district's family photographs A wall of small drawers, each with a face on its label.
billboard painter in a city of screens A real brush and a real ladder, in front of one huge hand-painted eye.
cab driver who only works when it rains Wipers in mid-sweep and colored light smeared across a wet windshield.
conductor on the midnight maglev A smooth train with no wheels to draw, only a thin dark gap above the track.
elevator attendant in a mile-high tower A brass panel with far too many buttons, most of them worn blank.
glass cleaner on the outside of the hundredth story A cradle on two cables, a bucket, and clouds reflected in the glass.
locksmith for doors that have no keyholes A flat case of odd tools, opened against a blank steel door.
noodle seller under the elevated track A cart with a striped awning, a hanging lamp, and pillars rising out of the frame.
picker on the top floor of a tower farm Shelves of greens stacked like bunk beds under strips of pink light.
rooftop courier who never touches the street A running figure in mid-jump between two water tanks, with a satchel flying.
sign maker who bends glass tubes by hand A glowing line of tube shaped into half a word, with its glow tinting the fingers.
street-stall fixer of gadgets nobody else will open A tray of tiny screws, a lamp on a bent arm, and a magnifier on a headband.
tailor who sews glowing thread into coats A dark coat on a stand, with one bright seam running down a sleeve.
umbrella renter on a street of constant rain A rack of identical umbrellas and wet pavement that mirrors every sign.

Robots and made minds 15

advocate for a robot that wants a name A stack of forms, and a robot sitting very upright in the next chair.
builder of toys that ask questions A workbench of small wheeled animals, one of them looking up.
caretaker of a retired mining machine A rusted giant parked in a garden, with flowers planted in its scoop.
chess coach to a computer that hates losing A board, a clock, and a camera on a stalk leaning in close.
dealer in gently used household robots A yard of mismatched machines, each with a chalked price on its chest.
etiquette teacher for freshly built robots A row of identical robots, each holding a teacup at a different wrong angle.
ferry pilot whose co-pilot is the ferry An empty second seat with a headset resting on it and one lit panel.
file pruner for a machine with too many memories Long paper tapes all over the floor and a pair of scissors at work.
go-between for two machines that refuse to talk Stand the figure between two tall cabinets with a cable in each hand.
minder who reads stories to a sleeping computer A dim hall of humming racks and one reading lamp on a stool.
portrait painter whose sitters are all machines An easel, and a model that is a boiler with a hat on.
robot tuner who diagnoses by sound alone One ear pressed to a metal chest plate, eyes shut, a finger raised for quiet.
shepherd of a flock of lawn-mowing robots Low round machines spread over a hillside, and a crook that is also an antenna.
tutor to a newly woken ship's computer A chair facing a wall speaker, with a picture book held open toward it.
voice of every elevator in one tower A small padded booth, a microphone, and a script of floor numbers.

How this list was compiled

Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Made up for this list; no book, film, show or game is named. Real things in the notes were checked on 2026-10-02 against English Wikipedia: Hydroponics (plants grown without soil, roots in a water-based nutrient solution), Airlock (a chamber with two airtight doors that do not open at the same time), Solar sail (pushed by sunlight on a large surface), Rotating wheel space station (a wheel that turns to make artificial gravity), Geodesic dome (built from rigid triangles), Regolith (loose dust and broken rock over solid rock), Maglev (a train lifted by magnets, not rolling on wheels), Neon sign (glass tubes of gas that glow), Vertical farming (crops in stacked layers), Terraforming (changing a world to be more like Earth). The other notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

From: all 60 origins

Ships and stations 15

a bunk directly over the engine room Blur the outline of everything on the shelf a little, to show the hum.
a cargo hauler shared by nine cousins Bunks three high, laundry on a line, and one small round window.
a family that has never set foot on a planet Give the whole family the same pale indoor skin and soft-soled shoes.
a long-haul ship's schoolroom, class of two Two desks bolted to the floor and a star map where the blackboard would be.
a marker buoy beyond the last mapped star A small lit cabin on a floating frame, with dark all around it.
a mining rig bolted to a comet A cluster of boxy huts on rough ice, with a faint tail streaming away.
a repair dock full of ships nobody came back for Dusty hulls on cradles, with a child's chalk drawings low on one of them.
a salvage family that gives every wreck a name A hand-painted name on a dented hull plate, with a date under it.
a sleeper ship, woken a century early One open lid in a long row of closed ones, and a blanket left behind.
a station whose signs are in a forgotten alphabet Invent six letter shapes and repeat them on every door.
an orbital shipyard, raised among half-built hulls Curved ribs with no skin on them, like the bones of a whale.
the baggage hold of a passenger liner Stacked trunks covered in labels, and a nest of coats in one corner.
the garden deck, between the lemon trees Tubs of small trees under a low ceiling of lamps, with a hammock slung between two.
the lowest deck of a ring station A corridor floor that bends up and out of sight, like the inside of a wheel rim.
the third generation of a twelve-generation voyage A wall of framed portraits with empty frames waiting further along.

Colony worlds 15

a batch of twelve, grown from one sample A group picture of twelve people with one face and twelve haircuts.
a cave town lit by its own glowing moss Light the figure from below and behind in soft green.
a cliff town strung along a single gondola wire A small cabin on a wire, crossing between two cliffs of stacked houses.
a desert outpost built around a single well A ring of low houses that all face the same small stone circle.
a farm under a dome Curved glass overhead and furrows that bend to follow the wall.
a greenhouse made from the old landing craft Vines growing out through the hatch, and a row of seats used as shelves.
a mining town on a moon that has only a number Stencil the number on every roof, crate and helmet.
a settlement that was out of contact for sixty years Clothes and tools a little out of date, mended many times over.
a town that floats in the clouds of a giant planet Platforms hung under balloons, with cloud tops below instead of ground.
a valley with two sunrises a day Give every object two shadows, one long and one short.
a village cut into a glacier Blue-white walls that glow from behind, and doors with rounded tops.
an orchard the first landing crew planted Old twisted trunks in dead straight rows, with numbered tags on them.
the first house ever built outside the dome A squat hut with very thick walls and a porch nobody dares to use.
the only island on a world of ocean A flat horizon all the way around and one hill with a mast on it.
the twilight strip of a world that does not turn The sun sits on the horizon and never moves. Shadows run sideways across everything.

Cities of neon and street tech 15

a capsule hotel, raised in the pod nearest the elevator A wall of small round hatches, one with a welcome mat.
a closed subway line that became a street Tiled walls, an arched roof, and shop fronts built on the platform.
a district where the rain has not stopped in years Draw every surface with a streak of reflection and a drip at its lowest edge.
a flooded district that moved up onto stilts Plank walkways from door to door, with boats tied up below.
a houseboat moored in a drowned parking garage Painted floor numbers on pillars that stand up out of dark water.
a night market under eight lanes of traffic Strings of bulbs between concrete pillars, and headlights passing overhead.
a rooftop hamlet of bean rows and rain barrels Bean poles, a rain barrel and a deck chair, with towers all around.
a street where every window shows an ad Fill each window with a flat bright color and one huge smiling mouth.
a tower apartment so high that the street is a rumor A window with only other windows in it, and cloud where the ground should be.
an alley lit by one stuttering sign Color one side of every object pink and leave the other side in the dark.
the back room of an arcade Stacked machines with dark screens and one bare bulb on a cord.
the crawl space above a family repair shop A mattress among the rafters, with a trapdoor and tool noise from below.
the last stop on the elevated line The rails simply end at a buffer, with a small house built against it.
the old city, three levels below the new one Brick arches underneath and glass towers on top, with pipes joining the two.
the one neighborhood that switched its signs off A dark block in a wall of light, with candles in a few windows.

Robots and made minds 15

a factory town, minded by the night-shift machines Tall windows lit orange, and a lunch pail set down beside a huge steel foot.
a family with a robot for an aunt A family photograph with one member made of cylinders, wearing a hat.
a farm where the scarecrows walk the rows Stick figures in old coats, each caught in mid-stride between the furrows.
a house that recognizes every footstep A hallway light that is already on just ahead of the figure.
a household run by a patient kitchen robot A machine in an apron at the stove and height marks penciled on the door frame.
a library where the catalog answers back A card drawer open by itself, with one card standing up.
a mine whose drills all have names A name painted in careful letters down the side of each machine.
a nursery run by a soft-spoken computer A round speaker grille on the ceiling with a mobile hanging from it.
a school taught by a voice in the ceiling Every pupil looks up when answering. Draw the chins lifted.
a school with robots in half the desks A class photograph in which every second pupil is square-shouldered and shiny.
a scrapyard that is a rest home for old machines Dented robots sitting in deck chairs in the sun.
a small ship, brought up by its autopilot A child's chair fixed beside the pilot's seat, and drawings taped to the panel.
a town where robots outnumber people ten to one A busy street on which only one figure has a scarf and a shadow that slouches.
a toy shop where the stock switches itself on Rows of small lit eyes on the shelves after closing time.
a village that shares one elderly computer A cabinet with a rug on top, a vase of flowers, and a line of people waiting.

How this list was compiled

Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Made up for this list; no book, film, show or game is named. The curving floor of a wheel-shaped station was checked on 2026-10-02 against the English Wikipedia article Rotating wheel space station. The other notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

Carries: all 60 objects

Ships and stations 15

a coil of tether and a clip mended twice Loops of flat strap over one shoulder and a hook wrapped in wire.
a handwritten logbook, volume nine A fat book held shut by an elastic band, with a number inked on its spine.
a harmonica tuned to the hum of an engine A small silver bar cupped in both hands at the mouth.
a jar of soil from a world they never saw A screw-top jar, half full, with a handwritten paper label.
a lens for reading very small serial numbers A folding magnifier on a swivel, held close to one eye.
a mug with a magnet in the base Stick it to a wall or a pipe in the picture, sideways, with the handle up.
a pass to a crew lounge that no longer exists A faded card on a lanyard, with one punched corner.
a porthole cover kept as a lucky charm A dished metal disc on a cord, with a ring of bolt holes.
a ration bar saved from the launch, never opened A foil block gone soft at the corners, with a date stamped on one end.
a single seed in a screw-top capsule A tube the size of a thumb, worn on a string at the neck.
a star chart on paper, creased into a small square Soft white creases across dark blue, and a pencil ring around one dot.
a tin whistle that can be heard across a cargo bay A short pipe with six holes, tucked into a chest pocket.
a tool roll older than they are Canvas tied with a strap, with every handle worn pale where a hand goes.
an unused ticket home, kept flat in a book A slip of card with a torn-off stub still attached.
one glove from a pressure suit Thick ribbed fingers and a wide metal ring at the wrist.

Colony worlds 15

a dented canteen with three owners' initials A round flask in a cloth cover, hung from a shoulder strap.
a dust mask decorated with a drawn-on mustache A cup-shaped mask pushed down around the neck, with a curly ink mustache.
a folding stool and nowhere to be Three legs and a canvas seat, slung across the back.
a hand fork with one tine bent sideways Three short prongs, one of them askew, and a wooden handle dark with use.
a homemade map with one corner left empty Careful contour lines that simply stop at a ruled edge.
a pebble that may or may not be a fossil A gray stone with a faint spiral. Leave it unclear on purpose.
a radio stuck forever on a single channel A box with a long aerial and a dial taped in place.
a rolled flag for a hill not yet named A short pole with cloth wound tight around it and tied.
a sash of sample bottles in many colors Small bottles in loops across the chest, each a different color.
a small kite for testing the wind A diamond of cloth on two sticks, with its tail wound around the hand.
a string of dried peppers Wrinkled red shapes threaded on twine and looped at the belt.
a sun hat woven from cargo straps A wide brim in a checker of two strap colors, with a buckle left on.
a weather diary kept in pencil stubs Columns of tiny symbols: suns, arrows and dots.
the first leaf the colony's oldest tree ever dropped An open notebook page, with a flat brown leaf under a strip of tape.
goggles with one lens darker than the other Push them up on the forehead and show two different reflections.

Cities of neon and street tech 15

a camera that prints small paper squares A boxy camera with a slot at the front and a photo half out.
a folding scooter with one squeaky wheel Carried under an arm, folded into a narrow letter Z.
a loop of plastic tabs, each opening one lock Colored plastic tabs on a loop, fanned out like a hand of cards.
a paperback, read soft at the corners A curled cover and a transit ticket for a bookmark.
a pocketful of spare fuses Little glass cylinders with metal caps, spilling between the fingers.
a rain cape made from a billboard Part of a giant printed face wraps around the shoulders.
a screen with a crack hidden under stickers A spider-web crack with bright patches over its center.
a screwdriver on a cord around the neck Worn like a pendant, with the tip tucked into a shirt pocket.
a street map drawn inside a jacket lining Hold one side of the jacket open, to show ink lines on the cloth.
a take-out box that is always half full A folded carton with a wire handle and two sticks standing in it.
a tin of mints with a transit map inside the lid A flat tin held open, with colored route lines printed under the lid.
a transit pass showing a stranger's face A card on a clip, with a small portrait that plainly does not match.
an offcut of sign tubing that still glows A short bent glass rod that lights the palm in one color.
an umbrella with a light at every rib tip A ring of small glowing dots around a dark canopy.
headphones that work in one ear only One cup on the ear, and the other pushed back behind it.

Robots and made minds 15

a cable ending in six kinds of plug One cord that splits into a bunch, like a small metal bouquet.
a childhood toy robot with a dented chest plate Square head, round eyes and a shallow dent where the paint has worn off.
a lens the size of a plum, from an old robot Hold it up between finger and thumb, with rings of reflection inside it.
a lucky ribbon of paper tape, punched with holes A paper ribbon full of small holes, wound around two fingers.
a memory chip worn on a chain A small flat square with gold teeth along one edge.
a name badge that a robot misspelled A clip-on tag in neat machine lettering with one letter wrong.
a notebook listing everything a computer wondered Lines of block capitals, each one ending in a question mark.
a pet repair drone with one bent leg A palm-sized machine on the shoulder, with three legs straight and one crooked.
a remote control that has a single button A plain box with one large red circle and a thumb hovering over it.
a small speaker that tells bad jokes A round grille on a wrist strap. Draw a few sound lines coming from it.
a spare battery, always kept warm A cylinder wrapped in a knitted sleeve, held inside the coat.
a spare robot finger, kept in a pencil case A zipped case lying open, with one jointed metal finger among the pens.
a tuning fork for testing motors Two steel prongs held near the ear and a hand laid flat on a casing.
a wind-up mouse that a machine once gave them A tin mouse with a key in its back and a tail made of wire.
an instruction manual annotated in three inks A thick booklet, bristling with paper flags along its edge.

How this list was compiled

Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Made up for this list. That a space suit is a kind of pressure suit was checked on 2026-10-02 against the English Wikipedia article Space suit, and that neon signs are glass tubes of glowing gas against Neon sign. The other notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

Tell: all 60 tells

Ships and stations 15

answers every question as a numbered checklist Fingers count off one, two, three while talking.
cannot sleep without engine noise Draw a small fan or a humming box set on the pillow.
counts the doors in any corridor One finger taps against the thumb at each doorway.
gives every distance in days, not miles Hold up fingers for the count, with a far-off look.
hooks a foot around the chair leg when seated Show the ankle wrapped tight, as if the chair might float off.
looks straight up when asked about home Chin lifted, throat showing, eyes on the ceiling.
sets a cup down and watches to see it stay A hand hovers a finger's width above the handle.
squints at any sky with no ceiling One eye half shut, with a hand flat above the brow.
stoops through every doorway, however high Shoulders hunched and one hand up, with a clear gap above the head.
taps a wall twice before leaning on it Knuckles at the wall and the head tilted to listen.
tells the time by shift, never by hour A wristband with three colored blocks where the numbers would be.
tests the seal on every jar and lid A thumb presses the middle of a lid and one ear turns toward it.
tucks the blanket in tight on all four sides A bed made as flat and square as an envelope.
walks in a slight curve on flat ground Leave a trail of footprints that bends gently to one side.
whispers whenever a window is near A hand beside the mouth and a sideways glance at the glass.

Colony worlds 15

calls every building "the inside" A thumb jerked over the shoulder at a doorway.
climbs stairs slowly, saving breath from habit One hand on the knee at every step, unhurried.
dusts off a chair that has no dust on it A quick flick of the palm across a clean seat.
greets each seedling by a name Crouch by a tray with one finger pointing along the row.
keeps a tally of sunsets on one sleeve Rows of short ink strokes in fives from cuff to elbow.
picks up pebbles and puts each one back A stone held to the light, and a small dent in the ground that waits for it.
pockets every scrap of string and wire One bulging pocket with loose ends hanging out of it.
pours the last of every cup on a plant Tilt a mug over a pot and draw three falling drops.
shades the eyes with a flat hand, even indoors The shadow of the hand falls across the eyes under a ceiling lamp.
stops and stands still whenever it rains Arms a little out, face up, with everyone else running for cover.
studies the horizon before answering Turn the head away from the listener, eyes narrowed at the distance.
switches off every light on leaving a room One arm reaches back through the doorway for the switch.
tastes the wind on a wet finger before going out A raised finger in an open doorway, with one foot still inside.
tips each boot upside down before wearing it Hold a boot by the heel and let a little sand fall out.
whistles when the wind changes Lips pursed, and the hair blown the opposite way from the scarf.

Cities of neon and street tech 15

always walks on the dry side of a street Hug the wall under the awnings, with one wet shoulder all the same.
checks every vending slot for forgotten change Two fingers in a coin return in passing, without a look down.
counts floors on the fingers in an elevator A hand held low, with the fingers folding down one at a time.
drums the rhythm of a train on any table Four fingers in a rolling tap, with short motion lines.
eats standing at the counter, never seated A bowl held at chin height and the eyes over the rim.
haggles out of habit, even over gifts A raised finger and a tilted head, facing someone who holds out a present.
murmurs each sign's words while passing it Lips moving, and the eyes tracking from left to right.
navigates by which food stall smells nearest One hand points while the other taps the nose.
pats one pocket every few steps A flat hand over the chest pocket, mid-stride.
pulls a hood up at any clicking sound Two hands at the edge of the hood and the head turned toward the noise.
sleeps through sirens and wakes at silence Sitting bolt upright in bed, in a room where nothing is happening.
squints in plain daylight A hand visor and narrowed eyes, with a hard-edged shadow underfoot.
steps around puddles on a dry floor A long sideways stride over nothing at all.
talks loudly, as if over traffic Mouth wide and a hand cupped beside it, in a silent room.
watches reflections instead of the sky Head down, with the towers upside down in a puddle at the feet.

Robots and made minds 15

apologizes to machines for keeping them waiting A small bow toward a ticket gate, with a hand on the chest.
asks the elevator how its day went Face the button panel and not the other passengers.
blinks only when reminded to Wide, steady eyes with a very small highlight in each.
counts on the fingers in binary Some fingers up and some folded, in a pattern nobody else can read.
covers any blinking light with tape Small squares of tape on every device in the picture.
gives each tool a name and uses it A label on every handle, in the same careful capitals.
hums a start-up chime when waking Arms in a stretch and three rising notes drawn in the air.
knows the cleaning robots by name A wave at floor level to a low round machine.
never interrupts a machine mid-sentence A finger held up to a person, while the face stays turned to a speaker.
says "one moment" and goes quite still Eyes unfocused, with one hand stopped halfway through a gesture.
speaks slowly and clearly to appliances Bend at the waist to face a kettle, with the mouth shaping each word.
straightens cables wherever they lie Crouch to lay a tangle out in neat parallel lines.
thanks every door that opens A small nod toward the doorframe while walking through.
tilts the head like a lens finding focus Three faint outlines of the head, each at a slightly different angle.
wakes a screen with one gentle knuckle A soft tap on the glass and a glow spreading out from the touch.

How this list was compiled

Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Made up for this list: small habits a life on a ship, a colony, a crowded city or among machines might leave. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

Trouble: all 60 troubles

Ships and stations 15

appears on the manifest as cargo A printed list with a name between two crate numbers, and a weight beside it.
boarded the wrong ship and has not said so A uniform in a different color from everyone else's in the corridor.
grew attached to a plant that is due for harvest A pot hidden behind the back and a guilty look.
has failed the pilot's exam six times A wall with six framed score sheets, each one a little better.
has the only key to a locked deck A heavy key on a neck chain, half hidden by a collar.
holds a berth on a ship that already left A ticket in the hand and an empty docking arm behind.
is the only one who can mend the old pumps A line of people holding buckets outside a small workshop.
knows what the rattle on deck four really is An ear pressed to a floor grille and a worried eye.
owes a favor to the dock union Three large figures with folded arms wait in the background, in matching caps.
owes eleven months' rent on a bunk A stack of pink slips wedged in a locker door.
promised a message to someone three stations back A sealed envelope gone soft and gray at the folds.
signed for a crate that has gone missing A clear square of clean floor in a dusty hold.
walked the wrong way through customs A striped tape on the floor behind the heels, and an officer with a raised hand.
was last seen with the captain's missing cat A poster with a cat's face on it, and fur on the figure's sleeve.
was promoted by a filing error and it shows A hat with too much braid, worn slightly crooked.

Colony worlds 15

broke the only spare part in the settlement Two halves of a small gear held out on an open palm.
drilled a well that came up as steam A white plume from a pipe, and a hat blown clean off.
forecast fine weather on the morning of the storm A chalkboard sun with a smile on it, and rain running down the board.
found something under the ice and told nobody A dark shape below a frozen surface, and a boot scuffing snow over it.
has to give the founders' day speech Note cards shuffled out of order and a platform hung with bunting.
holds the deed to land now under a lake A rolled paper in the hand and a fence post standing out of the water.
is blamed for everything their double does Two identical figures at a distance, one waving and one hiding.
is next in line to be mayor and dreads it The sash of office hangs on a peg, a little too close.
is on the wrong side of a water dispute Two groups at a low wall, and the figure standing alone at one end.
is the only witness to a very small meteor A smoking hole the size of a fist, and one pointing arm.
let the goats into the seed store An open door, a chewed sack and a trail of hoof prints.
named a mountain after the wrong founder A new signpost, with a second name on a plank nailed over the first.
ordered seed and was sent four crates of doorknobs An open crate of brass knobs, and a seed tray standing empty beside it.
owes the seed bank more than a harvest An open ledger with one column far longer than the other.
sowed the wrong crop in the best field Tall purple stalks where low green rows were expected.

Cities of neon and street tech 15

agreed to mind a stranger's parcel, a month ago A taped box under the bed, and a screen message from a sender shown only as a gray circle.
became famous overnight for tripping over The same fall, repeated on every screen in a shop window.
carries papers under a misspelled name An identity card held out, with one letter circled in red.
fixed a gadget so well that its maker noticed A device on the bench with its case off, and two suited figures in the doorway.
has slept through the last train all week A bench, a bag for a pillow, and a clock high on the wall.
is locked out by a password they set A hand on the forehead in front of a screen showing a row of dots.
is on a billboard by mistake, forty feet tall The same face, huge, on the wall above, with the collar turned up below.
knows which shop sign hides a door A lit sign with a thin dark seam down one side.
left the right package at the wrong skyscraper Two identical towers, and a figure looking from one to the other.
owes a year of dinners to a noodle seller A long paper tab pinned to a stall, curling at the bottom.
pays rent to a company that no longer exists An envelope pushed under a door with a faded nameplate.
shares a stall pitch with a bitter rival A chalk line down the middle of a table, and two sets of goods.
still has a school atlas checked out decades ago A date slip stamped only once, a very long time ago.
was leaning on the switch when the district went dark A black skyline, one elbow on a wall lever, and a frozen face.
was photographed on a roof that is off limits A grainy picture of a small figure against a skyline.

Robots and made minds 15

disagrees with an autopilot about where home is A steering wheel pulling gently to the left, against two hands.
gets daily reminders meant for a stranger A wrist screen that shows someone else's dentist appointment.
has to tell an old machine it is retiring A gold watch in a box, held behind the back.
is negotiating with a field of striking harvesters Big machines parked in a row with their lamps off, and one small table.
is owed money by a vending machine and has proof A receipt held up to a coin slot.
is regularly mistaken for the newer model A passer-by reaches out to check for a serial number.
is the only person one old computer trusts A cabinet with a single chair in front of it, and a line kept behind a rope.
is trailed by a survey robot with one more question A small machine three paces behind, holding a clipboard arm.
keeps losing at chess to a kitchen appliance A board on the counter and a fallen king beside a kettle.
lives in a house that argues about coats A front door that stays shut, and a coat held out on a hook arm.
once gave a machine a wrong answer it never forgot A screen showing an old question, underlined.
promised a robot a name and cannot pick one A sheet covered in crossed-out names, and a machine waiting patiently.
shelters a lost delivery robot nobody has claimed A boxy machine on wheels parked under the kitchen table.
signed a contract drafted by a very literal machine A scroll of paper that runs across the floor and out of the door.
was graded by a machine and came out "adequate" A printed slip with one word on it, pinned above a tidy desk.

How this list was compiled

Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Made up for this list: debts, mix-ups, promises and small disasters, none of them violent. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

How it works

Each result is one person of a science fiction world in five parts: a job, an origin, something carried, a habit that gives them away and the trouble they are in. Each part has a drawing note below.

Read the full guide

Ships, colonies, cities and machines

Every list covers ships and stations, colony worlds, cities of neon and street tech, and robots and made minds. The parts mix across them on purpose, so a tug pilot can come from a rooftop hamlet of bean rows and rain barrels.

Ordinary jobs, small troubles

The jobs are ordinary work in an extraordinary place: a hull painter who works on the outside, a noodle seller under the elevated track. The trouble is a debt, a mix-up or a promise, never a battle. Real things in the drawing notes, such as hydroponics and airlocks, were checked against Wikipedia on 2 October 2026.

Draw the carried object worn: tape, dents and a mended strap say more than a new gadget.
The tell is the part that shows in a picture. Sketch that pose before the costume.

Questions and answers

What are some good sci fi character ideas?

Start from a job, not a hero: a hull painter who works on the outside, or a tutor to a newly woken ship's computer. Then add where they are from, one object they carry, a habit and a trouble. Each press deals all five.

How do I make a science fiction character feel real?

One way is a habit the setting left behind. On this page a ship-raised character tucks the blanket in tight on all four sides, and a colony one tips each boot upside down before wearing it.

Are the characters from a film, a show or a game?

No. Every job, place, object, habit and trouble was written for this page. No book, film, show or game is named.

Can I make a robot character with it?

The page deals people who live among machines: a robot tuner, or someone from a household run by a patient kitchen robot. To make the character a robot, keep the job and read the origin as the place it was built.

Job: all 60 jobs

Ships and stations 15

Colony worlds 15

Cities of neon and street tech 15

Robots and made minds 15

From: all 60 origins

Ships and stations 15

Colony worlds 15

Cities of neon and street tech 15

Robots and made minds 15

Carries: all 60 objects

Ships and stations 15

Colony worlds 15

Cities of neon and street tech 15

Robots and made minds 15

Tell: all 60 tells

Ships and stations 15

Colony worlds 15

Cities of neon and street tech 15

Robots and made minds 15

Trouble: all 60 troubles

Ships and stations 15

Colony worlds 15

Cities of neon and street tech 15

Robots and made minds 15

How it works

Ships, colonies, cities and machines

Ordinary jobs, small troubles

Questions and answers

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