Alphabet Monsters Design Notes q / Q

What are Alphabet Monsters?

"Alphabet Monsters" is an original educational material where
uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet
are designed as
Pokémon-like characters.

By utilizing the shape of the letters as the silhouettes of the monsters,
we have designed them so that children can enjoy getting familiar with the alphabet.

As a design note,
I will write about the behind-the-scenes of the production.

※ The Alphabet Monsters list (A3 size)
is available for free download for home and educational use.

▶ Alphabet Monsters List (A3 size / Free Download)

Quinces and Qura

When it comes to representative words starting with "Q", it has to be "Queen". For this pair, just like with "C", I decided to make the character look like the letter itself, using it as the head.

Q (Quinces)

At first, I tried drawing it with a round outline, faithful to the shape of "Q", but it ended up looking too chubby and couldn't convey a noble feeling... So, I adjusted the jawline to be a bit sharper, giving it a sleek and smart look.

To bring out the queen-like quality, I added a crown and a decoration at the bottom (the tail of the Q), but if I overdo it, the shape of the "Q" gets buried. I was conscious of subtracting elements from the design so that the silhouette of the letter wouldn't become hard to see.

To give a sense of composure, I made the eyes closed and the expression smiling. The name is "Quinces".

※ Added on May 21, 2026

When producing the Alphabet Monsters Encyclopedia, I changed the design of Quinces' face. The latest list also uses this design.

q (Qura)

The lowercase "q" is imagined as a lady-in-waiting serving the queen.

I thought of the vertical bar on the right side as hair tied back, somewhat like a ponytail. She is usually quiet and reserved, but she is actually quite strong if she has to fight to protect the queen... I drew her with that kind of gap in her personality.

The name is "Qura". I gave it a slightly mysterious sound.

The balance between silhouette and character personality

If you focus too much on the shape of the letter, the charm as a character is lost, and if you decorate it too much, the letter becomes invisible. Designing "Q" was a fun task of finding that exquisite line.

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