What is an object-head?

An object-head is a fictional character who has a (most of the time, humanoid) body and, as the name says, an object where their head should be. This is a fairly straightforward way of anthropomorphizing objects, and one I find an incredible appeal to.

Why object-heads?

Personally, I find object-heads a base concept that leads itself to endless possibilities of characterization and interpretation. I think they are inherently visually striking designs, as well as being able to hold an enourmous amount of symbolism. The natural and the unnatural. The living and the inert (Not undead. Undead were alive. Inert was never alive in the first place). The tool and its creator.

While you don't need much more thought than to put a common household object on somebody's head to have a silly little character, just like you can do the same with an animal, I do see object-heads as an embodiment of the relationship we, as humans, have with the tools we create. We make objects to help us with our daily tasks and enrich our lives, yet we discard them as soon as they stop being useful to us. And unfortunately, we do the same with eachother, too. Think about how companies mass-produce products with no regards of where will they end up, or how they hire people to make their goals come true yet treat them horribly.

I believe that nowadays, people have a difficult relationship with the objects they surround themselves with. The "garbage" we mindlessly throw away. Not knowing how to repair (or not being allowed to repair!) the things that have helped us or enriched us, and thus not being able to "help" them back. Accumulating more and more objects, without cherishing them or giving them the use they were meant for, just for the sake of "having more" or fulfilling an artificial need for completeness. Determining value based on usefulness, be it an object, a plant, an animal or a person.

Perhaps, much how anthropomorphic depictions of animals helped people see them as sentient beings, anthropomorphizing objects could be a step towards the right direction to help people heal their relationship with objects and eachother.

Overall object-head design guidelines

Note: these are mostly for me, to know what I like and what I don't and to keep it in mind for future designs. You can design your object-head however you damn please.