!DISCLAMER! (again)
This is only my opinion, if you like designing like this, knock yourself out, I cant care less. I just not a fan of it

DISLIKES:

-=Modeling=-

-Repetitive designs is something I've seen every once and awhile. Now when it comes to models closer to the FNAF, since they all have similar limbs and such, but in the context of more realistic animatronics, their built to have very different molds (especially head wise). If your trying to make more realistic animatronics, having a female counter part be the same character, but a different color and clothes, that's just lazy

-Trying to make your model a horrifying demon spawned from hell to make your game scary, is a bad idea. UNLESS your character was made for a horror attraction of such in story, your character looks like they need to belong in their scenario. for example if the place is a kid friendly western styled place, the character should be some sort of friendly cowboy, and not a Satan octopus, or a hedgehog with bloodshot eyes

-=Shading=-

-I've seen a lot of people on scratch go for heavily, and I mean heavily DARK shading, but a lot of the times its just the circle gradient spasmed everywhere, I personally am not a fan of this, specifically if its also applied on shading for the latex parts of animatronics, since typically, latex stays clean. Overall this type of shading looks like they were rolled in musty bread crumbs about 5 times

-Another one I've seen is the cheaper way out of the second one, were people just use the circle gradient once on the head. Usually the characters seem to be a very bland colors which I'm not sure if its a result because OF the gradient. I personally think this looks a little worst then the excessive gradients, but I guess both have cons for me

-=What's the best way to model?=-

-References, though it cant just be a reference from some animatronic you picked off (though that's ok), I personally suggest animatronics from that time frame. I would also suggest cartoon character references and such.

-Remember, Your models don't have to be heavily shaded to look good, while ill admit my models could use a bit of that shaded, finding a perfect blend is hard. and its ok, practice makes perfect!

-Turbowarp/scratch addons have some features that really help with shading, specifically the opacity addon, I would suggest trying it!

-One thing that helps me is doodling on paper, doodling on paper gives me more liberty to draw what I want before converting it to a scratch model, though that might be because I'm decent I'm drawing

Theirs probably a lot more that I cant think of ATM, so i might add on to this later on