Let your creative juices flow by creating a character sketch based on a photograph of someone you don't know. Study the picture carefully, then make up biographical information based on your initial impressions. Include your subject's name, age, nationality, marital status, occupation and educational background. Imagine looking inside your character's pockets and inside his desk and closet, then write about the secrets hidden there that reveal his true self. Add another paragraph revealing what your character wants to do in life before he dies, or write an analysis of how he gets along with close friends and family members.
Some of the best character sketches are inspired by strangers you catch just a brief glimpse of while going about your daily activities. Take a notebook with you when you are out and about and jot down your impressions of people you see in the park, at the grocery store and in restaurants. Ask yourself who they are, where they live and what motivates them. The fact that you don't really know the person frees up your imagination and helps to develop your own creative vision. Listen to conversations and note unusual accents or figures of speech.
Write a character sketch based on someone you know. Try telling a story about one encounter you had with her. Simply tell what happened when you spent time together and give a brief description of the place where the encounter took place. Focus on elements in the scene that are representative of the person you are describing. If the encounter took place in someone's home, for example, you could describe items of furniture or add details about pictures on the walls. Aim to give your reader a strong mental image of your character based on how she speaks, gestures and facial expressions, and try to convey something about your character's personal beliefs using direct quotations.
Journal exercises are a useful way to hone your character writing skills, as you can experiment with different writing styles. You could, for example, write a sketch based solely on your character's actions or reveal your character solely through dialogue with another character. Alternatively, try writing a scene in which your character does something alone in a setting that is particularly significant to her. Have your character engage in a mundane activity like washing the dishes or playing a computer game. Ensure that she has a problem or an issue to work out while engaging in this solitary activity but do not tell your reader what it is.