thedeathofall wrote:Great work with what background you have. It looks fantastic and very real.
The background is an interesting revelation for me. While in most of my recent art, I've not really had my characters anywhere, adding the background really seems to add life, and I didn't expect how much.
It was something I really
should have known, because one of my
favourite pieces from my early art works well because of the background Silva inhabits.
Evidently, more backgrounds are needed. Not for everything of course, only some things need it, and some would actually suffer for the addition of one, but there are clearly things where it's very appropriate.
Unfortunately however, it has a downside. When I close my eyes I can now only see little leaf shapes...
However, I would think that a long braid like that could get in the way... just a thought.
Something I very much know. But there IS a reason for it.
If this were entirely realistic, she'd probably have hair barely longer than it needed to be - probably shorter than my hair is at the moment (especially at the full moon), but then again I do need a haircut.
She'd have nothing to get in the way or for people to potentially use as a handhold.
However, this is not reality, it's art. Given the high degree of gender specificness in hair, giving her short hair (typically masculine) could create ambiguity as to her sex.
Also, if I were following that rule, most of my female characters would have short hair. I don't want all my characters with identical design elements, so I don't let myself consider a character's hairstyle from a practicality viewpoint.
The last point is that Frost's armour is form fitting. While with other characters, their clothing can be used to suggest movement, I can't do that with Frost. But long hair makes a good substitute.
Silva's hair and grenade pin necklace, as well as the unfortunate's hair, shirt and bootlaces were useful for a suggestion of movement back in
Excessive Force, and that's something that Frost's hair is there to try and help with.
I agree with you however, T&A is wouldn't be the best thing to do with Frost. Not only to keep her realistic, but because she just wouldn't look good with it.
It would also look ridiculous alongside my other characters if the shortest one had boobs three times the size of any of the others.
As far as height goes, Frost is a hair over 5' tall, while Silva is 5' 11" - and over twice Frost's weight. Bionics are heavy.
It's a little disappointing that it's a cliché where realism is a subversion, but that's the way it is.
I'm going with sensible because it's what I like, and the unsensible alternative may alienate people. Not that my art is likely to have many female fans, but no reason to discount that possibility.
... because I have never liked scalemaille. Its too fantasy for me i guess.
Try looking up Dragon Skin, one of the best modern body armours. It uses larger plates, but it's that kind of principle.
Either way, that's the look I chose for Frost, and I like it, which is probably the most important thing, given I'm the "client" for the work (I'm a harsh boss and an incompetent worker. I blame the poor pay rates.)
Besides, Warhammer 40,000 is often better described as "Science Fantasy" anyway.
8)
