Fun Art Friday! - Autumn

Autumn

Autumn

This week's Fun Art Friday is a drawing of our main character, Autumn.  She's a little bit "sword" and a little bit "sorcery" but she's definitely no damsel in distress.

When I was developing this new Chronicle story, I kept doodling this girl with the ponytail and strands of hair  on each side of her face.  Eventually, I realized that this was going to be my lead.  A female lead is still fairly rare in fantasy, especially the traditional "sword and sorcery" style.  So, I take care when writing her so that she's believable and not just defined by her gender.  

Autumn's main conflict is that she doesn't know who she's supposed to be.  Is she a fighter? A thief? A sorcerer? Does she have to be any of those things?  Does she follow in the footsteps of the people who raised her or does she strike out on her own?  She's also a teenager, so she's going to have all of the insecurities that come with that piled on as well.

Her visual design is fairly utilitarian like the other three characters.  A simple tunic/vest combo with leggings and cuffed boots.  Her tunic is long enough to be worn as a skirt for a bit more modesty with the leggings.  I wanted it all to look like similar to what a squire might wear, to show her tomboyish nature, while still keeping a bit of feminine flair with the collar and cuffs.  I also wanted a pretty low key color scheme with the greys and browns and reds.  But, the cloak had to stand out a bit and frame her so I went with a complimentary green.

Autumn's only two accessories are a gold badge and a longsword.  Both of these bear the crest of the royal house of Belanthia, a nearby human kingdom.Where they came from is still a bit of a mystery that we'll be exploring eventually.

Overall, I'm having a great time telling her story and I hope you all are enjoying reading it.

Fun Art Friday! - Elias Silveraxe

Elias Silveraxe

Elias Silveraxe

This week's Fun Art Friday is a drawing of the Guildmaster of the Lower Haven Thieves' Guild, Elias Silveraxe.

Elias is a very down-to-earth dwarf, he's had some failures and defeats in his past and as such is pretty grounded and realistic.  At the same time, Elias has an incredibly insightful mind and keen eye.  These traits make him perfect for the head of operations of a den of thieves.

Elias' outfit starts out very basic, reflecting his grounded sensibilities.  Later on, I have plans for him to get a bit more flashy but he is always the level-headed "man with the plan."

Fun Art Friday! - Thalin

This week's Fun Art Friday drawing is Thalin, the legendary Lone Wolf and leader of the Lower Haven Thieves' Guild!

Thalin, a half elf, grew up in Lower Haven, one of its many street rats.  His clothing style reflects the more flowing style that is typical of this region.  Both his pants and shirt are made of loose cotton to allow for better airflow.  At the same time, he wears gaiters over his boots to keep his pants cuffs tight and out of the way of any fancy footwork.  The bandanna is for sand or dust in the air.  

Finally, you can get a pretty good look at Thalin's Lone Wolf Pendant and Desert Wolf Blades.  In his youth, Thalin earned a reputation as the infamous Lone Wolf, a dashing rogue who preyed on the greedy and corrupt powers of both Lower and Upper Haven.  The pendant was his symbol and the blades were a gift from a nomad who taught him the Whirlwind Stance, a powerful fighting technique.

Fun Art Friday! - Elysia

Elysia

Elysia

For the next couple of weeks, Fun Art Friday is going to focus on our Chronicle characters, as I get some promo art ready for my first public appearance.  You may have seen a mention of it on the Chronicle Facebook page, but there will be more about it in the Chronicler's Notes on Monday, so check back then to see where you can come meet me and get a sketch!

So, today's subject is Elysia, our resident sorceress.  I'm going to sit down and write some Thalin and Elysia stories someday, so I don't want to go to much into their background just yet.  But, I will talk a bit about her design.

Elysia's a Celasyn (or "high elf"), which means she's from the civilized branch of the elf family tree.  Her purple dress with its embroidered, corseted waist is indicative of perhaps a once noble life.  However, the pants worn beneath the dress reflect a practicality that she has learned since becoming involved with the Lower Haven Thieves' Guild.

Haven as a whole, is a very warm, arid, desert city, so the clothing is more loose and flowing.  You'll see in several of the Thieves' Guild cast, flowing dresses, pants, or billowy sleeves.  At the same time, these are thieves so they can't have loose fabric getting in the way. I try to balance the two.

Elysia's personality still conveys that nobility that is ingrained in her, but she does have a rebellious/wild side.  Her look here is basically saying, "Do you really think you can dodge this fireball?"