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JaredT — Sheila Shavin - Profile (WIP)

#child #elf #magic #blondehair #timeline #ageprogression
Published: 2017-06-27 00:25:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 680; Favourites: 13; Downloads: 4
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Description Work in progress of the second task of
The second task was to make a profile for Sheila. I still plan to finish coloring and shading the picture. I also left some space at the bottom for some more character sketches.

 
About Sheila: Sheila is the daughter of Fayeon and Ceaven Shavin. She was born in a small Rusharie village. (Rusharie are a made up creature for the book do not bother looking it up) Her mother, Fayeon, was the healer until she died of a magical illness when Sheila was nine. Her father, Ceaven, worked as a fisherman with the Rusharie. At a very young age Sheila began using magic, and with the help of her mother she developed a basic level of skill. When her mother died, she made Ceaven swear to take Sheila to the Academe, where she could properly learn magic. For more information read the "Guess Who" description.

Background and setting: The continent that Sheila lives on is basically a very large island, separated into two kingdoms. Soon after Sheila and her father begin heading to the Academe, they discovered that the Southern Kingdom is in the early stages of a civil war, and the Southern King is meeting with the Northern King in the capitol. Of course that is where the Academe is at, and soon after Sheila and her father arrive at the Academe her father is drafted into Northern Kingdom's army and sent to provide aid/assistance for the Southern Kingdom. Now skipping a few years and a lot of details and storytelling, the war has grown to the point that the entire continent is affected, and the only thing that Sheila and her classmates seem to look forward to after graduating is to be sent to the front lines. At the age of 26 Sheila still looks like she is around 7, look at the "Age" description, and graduates from the Academe, and has the last layer of safety stripped away, as like the graduating classes before her, she and her friends are sent to the war.

Age: Due to a curse, or wish, or the fact that she started using magic at a very young age she has "slowed" early, therefore every year of actual physical growth takes more than a decade. Starting at the age of five, which means she will be in her late teens before she looks 6. I was trying to get her to look around 5-6 years old, and therefore still in the Academe. However most people are saying that she looks around 10 and that got me thinking of drawing her anywhere between 5-14(looking), and that will give me a larger supply of experiences for the rest of the OC-T.

Appearance: She looks to be a young elf, with gold blonde hair and green eyes. Typically, she wares whatever clothes she happens to put on in the morning, and as she grows very slowly her wardrobe tends to show a bit of ware before she updates it. However, after she reaches the rank of "High-Mage", she is given a unique looking set of robes that are basically magic armor, and becomes part of her standard uniform. Unfortunately, the uniqueness of the robes also makes her, as well as the other High-mages, a prime target for enemy forces, and therefore she is usually heavily guarded, and used the same as a piece of heavy artillery.

Personality:
   
Before going to war: Inquisitive, Optimistic, Caring
    After going to war:  Guarded, Driven, Suspicious

Family:
               
Grand Parents: All thought to have died in the last war that forced the elves out of the forests.
                Parents:
                               Mother: Fayeon Shavin
                                             Occupation: Village healer.
                                                    Status: Deceased
                               Father: Ceaven Shavin
                                            Occupation: Fisherman, Soldier-Squad Captain
                                                   Status: Alive (as far as she knows)

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Comments: 26

MaddieJK [2017-07-23 18:03:16 +0000 UTC]

The age progression is awesome! Very nicely done

She's a very pretty character, and I really enjoy the curse aspect. It makes her very interesting in terms of figuring out her maturity versus her actual appearance, and how she could use that to her advantage, or vice versa.
Lovely ^^

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JaredT In reply to MaddieJK [2017-08-01 04:53:13 +0000 UTC]

Thanks I'm glad you like it.

Yes, she has at times taken advantage of looking young. However, if she needs to change the mind of the person that she has fooling, it is all but impossible.

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RitellianCaptain [2017-07-16 01:54:46 +0000 UTC]

Very interesting!   Is she not taken seriously due to her appearanc?
 You have a very fascinating world, it is very well developed!

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JaredT In reply to RitellianCaptain [2017-08-01 04:37:20 +0000 UTC]

Indeed, without the influence of someone trustworthy to vouch for her, she often has trouble being taken seriously.

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Drayah [2017-07-10 19:44:29 +0000 UTC]

An age chart was an awesome idea! Especially since your story goes through a wide range of ages for Sheila, and also the fact that she doesn't age at the same rate as a human, or a normal elf either, it's really helpful. It must have been really tough to draw all the different ages, but you did a fantastic job and it looks pretty amazing! 

So do most elves not use magic, or use it much later in life? Is that why she doesn't age at the same rate, or is there something else going on as well?

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JaredT In reply to Drayah [2017-07-11 16:28:17 +0000 UTC]

Actually, most elves can use magic with varying degrees of skill. By the age of 5 or 6 they will start do something like a flash of light or gust of wind, or something else insubstantial. It will usually take them learning "glyphs" to focus their magic. However, the persons ability and eagerness to learn glyphs, and their access to someone that can teach is usually limited. Unless they can find and afford a tutor, or master, or attend the Academy, most tend to only learn from their parents and employers. Also, most parents and employers only teach, or know, just what is required to do their jobs.

Sheila on the other hand by age 2 she was casting levitate, and other complex spells without using glyphs as a focus. By age 5 she was developing her own spells, and doing combo spells. She was essentially not "casting spells" but "using magic", although that skill is rare it is not unheard of, in fact it is one of the main qualifications to becoming a High-Mage. As an aside, one of the main reasons a High-Mage is given the robes that mark them as a High-Mage is mostly due to tradition in battle. A enemy soldier coming upon a normal battle mage, thanks to the glyph casting, has the time and opportunity to find cover, or change targets to attack the mage, or use a counter spell. However, an unmarked High-Mage is no different than a shivering child that has somehow wandered onto the battle field, and is ignored right up until fire starts raining from the sky.

As for whether or not that is the reason for her slowing early, I think I'm going to keep that particular macguffin a secret for now. I have not decided if it is necessary to explain it or not as part of the story. It maybe like the "midichlorian" in Star Wars, we didn't need to know how the Force worked, and knowing may have arguably reduced the mystic and prestige of the story and the Jedi. Having that bit of mystery not explained contributed to the huge success of the original story. Now I am not saying that my story is going to be as epic as Star Wars, but there is a lesson there about trying to explain things that did not need explaining. I am not, and will not explain what magic "is", or why they can use it. I will explain how they use it, but not the why. At the moment I see her age as being in that same category, therefore, it a secret for now.

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Drayah In reply to JaredT [2017-07-16 18:54:26 +0000 UTC]

Thanks so much for the details! It's fascinating to learn about your character and her world!

Yep, the mark of a great storyteller I think, is not just telling a good story, but knowing what should be kept secret, revealed later, and what should be left to the imagination.

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MrPr1993 [2017-07-09 16:29:29 +0000 UTC]

My you included a an age chart. And my, didn't think she was smol!

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JaredT In reply to MrPr1993 [2017-07-09 19:00:56 +0000 UTC]

Right, I meant to update that chart...

After extrapolating from a few female growth charts, I determined that she is actually a little taller than what I had placed. However, yes she is small.

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Kitty-Craftsy [2017-07-04 18:17:30 +0000 UTC]

wow this is such a amazing detailed ref sheet of Sheila ^^ 
I love it how you shown of her grown cycles a lot. also those expressions are nice. 
Nice work!! c: 

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Flame-Bloom [2017-07-04 11:44:04 +0000 UTC]

She looks amazing!
You really managed to keep the character consistant though time, that's awsome! The story is really interesting, and your artstyle is gorgeous!

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HelevornArt [2017-07-02 19:55:24 +0000 UTC]

Impressive work! It must have taken ages to draw all these poses and expressions, explaining her physical development in such detail, and the anatomy looks great in each of them!

She's so tiny and cute, and yet a disconcerting and terrible sight to the enemy once you realize she's not a mere child but a warrior! The sulky and the mocking expressions are my favourite, and I like the adjectives you chose for her personality - it seems that the war changed her. Looking forward to seeing her outfits (her battle outfit, especially) as well!

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JaredT In reply to HelevornArt [2017-07-04 19:01:15 +0000 UTC]

Thanks, I still don't think I got the pout of the lower lip quite right on the "sulky" expression.

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HelevornArt In reply to JaredT [2017-07-05 17:12:21 +0000 UTC]

Well maybe, but I realized she was pouting right away and she looks really cute

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mintysoup [2017-07-02 07:32:48 +0000 UTC]

Wow, I'm amazed by all the renditions of this oc  You're really quite talented at anatomy and figure drawing. And also well done on the age progression; that's really tricky to do!

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Akaszik [2017-07-01 22:42:41 +0000 UTC]

All drawings look super cool!

However I doubt the description behind it. 88cm height at the age of five won't happen if you like Sheila to be as tall as human beings. See a reference: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fil…

I'm looking forward to see her "Wardrobe". I hope to see robes of High-Mage.

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JaredT In reply to Akaszik [2017-07-04 18:17:18 +0000 UTC]

Hmm, if I am reading that chart right then it says that she should be somewhere between 95-97 cm tall at 5. That is assuming that elves have a similar growth progression to humans, which I do not see why they would not. I have a feeling that I accidentally looked at the 4 year old numbers on the chart that I used. Unfortunately, I cannot find it to verify.

Anyway thanks for spotting it and I will make the adjustments.

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UnaOwens [2017-06-28 19:54:22 +0000 UTC]

Nice job on the presentation!!

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JaredT In reply to UnaOwens [2017-06-28 20:19:33 +0000 UTC]

Well thank you very much.

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WafflenutOfKitties [2017-06-28 01:42:33 +0000 UTC]

Interesting how her age slowed down, even for an elf. She must've had a rough time at the Academe with people treating her like a little kiddo when she may have been older than them. :0

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JaredT In reply to WafflenutOfKitties [2017-06-28 02:37:56 +0000 UTC]

That and her tendency to dress like a street urchin did not help her with the teasing either.

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girl-n-herhorse [2017-06-27 15:28:37 +0000 UTC]

Interesting. Does this mean she'll have a longer lifespan as well? Can't wait to see more!

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JaredT In reply to girl-n-herhorse [2017-06-27 19:17:43 +0000 UTC]

As someone that has their hands directly on the development of her story, I can say "yes" she will have a longer lifespan. However, as for the character herself and all those around her, they can only speculate.

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girl-n-herhorse In reply to JaredT [2017-06-27 19:19:42 +0000 UTC]

Got it. It must be so confusing to people who come in contact with her the first time. I can only imagine the reactions to someone looking that young being in battle.

That said, awesome concept

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JaredT In reply to girl-n-herhorse [2017-06-28 02:33:27 +0000 UTC]

Indeed, I do not know many soldiers, but even the most harden veteran would hesitate if they found a child in the middle of the enemy forces.

Although, that does remind me of a scene where she is walking through a new platoon, with her escort, to the war tent. Even her own side, who have heard of her, are incredulous at the site of a child being escorted by 2 orcs, 3 elves, 2 dwarfs, and a gnome. All of which are grizzled veterans that look as though each one of them could easily guard a dozen children carrying sacks of money through the most crime ridden part of the kingdom by themself.

Although that is not exactly how the scene is worded it should get the point across.

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girl-n-herhorse In reply to JaredT [2017-06-28 02:39:03 +0000 UTC]

Ah cool! I love that image

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