Key takeaways
Keep a 1024 × 1024 square master when possible, then export smaller copies.
Use a larger face and simpler background for token-scale images.
Keep horns, hats, weapons, and other identity features inside a safe central area.
Export JPEG or WebP for painted backgrounds and PNG when transparency is required.
Separate portraits, avatars, and tokens
A character portrait is usually designed for a sheet, journal, or profile panel and can show more clothing and equipment. An avatar is a compact square identity image. A token is viewed directly on the battle map and must remain readable at a much smaller size.
Using one image for every purpose often creates weak results. The portrait may have too much empty space for a token, while a tight token crop may feel cramped on a character sheet.
Create one high-quality square master
A 1024 × 1024 square image is a practical master size for most personal tabletop use. It provides enough room for a clean face, shoulders, and a signature feature while remaining easy to resize.
A 512 × 512 image is often adequate for direct VTT display, but starting larger gives you more flexibility for cropping and future exports. Avoid repeatedly resizing the same small image upward.
Practical export set
Keep a 1024 × 1024 master, a 512 × 512 avatar, and a tightly cropped 256 × 256 token copy when you need a lightweight map asset.
Protect the face and identity features from cropping
Circular and hexagonal token frames remove the corners of a square image. Keep the eyes, mouth, horns, hat, and other critical identity features inside the central area. A weapon can extend toward the edge, but it should not be the only feature that explains the class.
Leave enough space above the head for horns, tall hair, or helmets. At the same time, avoid a distant full-body composition where the face occupies only a small part of the frame.
Make the face larger for map-scale readability
For tokens and small avatars, the head and shoulders should dominate the frame. Strong value contrast around the face helps the character remain recognizable when the image is reduced.
Simplify the background and limit tiny costume patterns. A clear cloak color, eye glow, horn silhouette, or signature shoulder piece survives reduction better than intricate embroidery.
Choose a background that supports the token
A painted background works well for portraits and profile avatars. For battle-map tokens, a simple dark or light backdrop often provides better separation. Transparent backgrounds are useful when a token frame or map should provide the surrounding color.
Transparency is not automatically better. Fine hair, smoke, glow, and semi-transparent magic can create rough edges after background removal. Test the final token against both light and dark maps.
Use the file format that matches the image
JPEG is broadly compatible and efficient for painted portraits without transparency. WebP can reduce file size while preserving good quality. PNG is the appropriate choice when the token needs transparent edges or crisp interface-style graphics.
Avoid exporting at maximum quality without checking file size. A campaign with many large assets can become slower to load even when each individual image looks harmless.
Test the image at the size players will see
Do not evaluate only the full-size master. Reduce the image to a small square and place it against a map-like background. Check whether the face, ancestry, class silhouette, and team color still read immediately.
If the token becomes muddy, crop tighter, increase separation around the face, simplify the background, or choose one stronger accent color. These changes usually matter more than adding detail.
Put the guide into practice
Create a VTT-ready character portrait
Generate an upper-body fantasy portrait with a readable face and token-friendly composition.
Start creating