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metacog In reply to Puppetcancer [2011-05-01 20:15:16 +0000 UTC]

Well, the barrel of floundering hamsters I employ told me that SE's designs are very busy. o_o Too busy for small b&w illustrations. So I tried to identify unique features of the official design that expressed character and painted a visual signature: the tufts of wild hair, the flowing light blue cloth with an ornate border (that reminded me of a ladylike sari worn as a martial arts wrap--nice cerebral contrast that I wasn't able to maintain), the tooth necklace, the lance, the friendliness, the athleticism and attractiveness, the cool confidence, the ability to relax and then snap into action.

Then I simplified. Dropped some feminine flairs (smoky eyes, full lips, and ample bust) and added some masculine flairs that I thought fit the character (sideburns that cut to an assertive "fang/sabertooth" point at the jaw, a stronger chin and Adam's apple and fractionally receding hairline) and translated the show of skin from legs and cleavage to chest and back. I was basically asking myself how to say the same things about the character with less visual detail and in a masculine manifestation rather than a feminine manifestation. Not quite all of that made it into my on-page notes, haha!

Three things (out of many) that I noticed in the process of working out the sketch were: At first his 'cummerbund' was taller with two rows of decoration that kept distracting me from looking at other parts of the figure. It was too heavy for the rest of him. Slimming the band and dropping a row of its texture released my eyes to visit other less busy parts of the drawing. When I added that texture (which was towards the end) it suddenly gave him a slightly royal look (to accompany his hair's "shining sun" effect on his face) where before he was just a common lancer/dragoon. The foxtails and flared lower pant leg (reminiscent of a Clydesdale as I sat back and looked at it) gave him an animalistic touch (along with the tooth necklace, of course).

Sometimes less is more, and in this case, I rather like the thoughts left in the drawing even if it doesn't say quite as much as the more detailed original. Every 'sign' still means something, says something about Fang as a character (not specifically as a male or female but just as a person). Of course, they're just my non-serious, attempted reflections of the real character decisions made by SE.

Even that spearhead has a crystalline shape. But, whatever.

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Puppetcancer In reply to metacog [2011-05-01 22:20:42 +0000 UTC]

Wow!

I really loved it in your reply when you were using the wording of "signature" and "...and translated the show of skin from legs and cleavage to chest and back."

(If your romantic interests weren't already leading you elsewhere, I'd be calling you up for a date right about now. You ROCK.)

BTW, today I have once again reached the wondrous point in drawing with this new tablet that I need to stop only because my hand hurts rather than because I'm frustrated with the new tools and interfaces.

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metacog In reply to Puppetcancer [2011-05-01 23:03:17 +0000 UTC]

LOL. It's amazing how attractive the mind can be. And how unattractive it can be...

I'll take it as a compliment that we're both fond of a mental dive bar that doesn't always see a lot of business and enjoy finding someone to hang out with there for a drink and a chat, if not a date.

Glad to here the your tablet is becoming more and more comfortable!

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