How do you describe your characters?

I describe characters through their actions and interactions. I find that sometimes setting helps with the description of the character. From what I've learnt over the years character description should be done subtly rather then dumped upon the reader in the few pages of chapter one.

 

I'm reading Manon Lescaut at the moment, and I came across this description of the title character:

"It was Manon. It was she indeed, but more bewitching and brilliant than I had ever beheld her. She was now in her eighteenth year. Her beauty beggars all description. The exquisite grace of her form, the mild sweetness of expression that animated her features, and her engaging air, made her seem the very personification of love. The vision was something too perfect for human beauty."

I think that's great physical description. She's clearly beautiful, and more importantly the POV character is besotted with her. However, it's not a poetic police description: no mention of eye or hair colour, for example. I see her as the most beautiful woman I imagine. The character in my mind might look different to how others, or the author, imagine her. To me, that's part of what makes the description great; I don't have to translate the author's ideal and think "remember she's stunning" - the author gives the broad brushstrokes and I supply the details that fit for me.

 

yes, this. when writing fanfic, of course, it helps to know that the audience already has a good idea of what the canon characters look like, so one can skimp on descriptions a lot. but even with original characters, I prefer to go for the occasional relevant detail--he's tall, so he looms over someone; she has long hair, and she brushes it out of the way; he's fascinated by her clear blue eyes; she's a little alarmed at his jaundiced yellow skin.

 

I do it through interactions and other characters. Let the characters describe each other as the occasion deems necessary.