[Concept Art Discussion] - Thoughts on Characters (Patreon)

NSFW Warning: There is some nudity present.

I think Boobmont-verse lacks a regular nerdy magic-like character, so I think I'd like to re-purpose a character from one of my other ideas. That character's story may still exist, but since I haven't been actively doing anything with him, he can get some use under different circumstances. That character is one I've drawn from time to time in the past.

So let's just jump right into it.

Amaranth

Warlock

Amaranth is, for lack of a better word, a scholar. One who craves to better understand the world by obtaining knowledge that few would dare to seek. Amaranth is a student of the sciences and a practitioner of the magical arts.

His name is derived from Greek, meaning "unfading flower."

Amaranthus is a high-protein perennial plant that is thought to have represented 80% of the Aztec diet. Much like corn, early Mesoamerican culture must have depended heavily upon it's cultivation. 

The plant was used for food, dyes, currency, and ritualistic purposes... To give you an idea of just how relevant it was to their daily lives. Amaranthus was known to hold it's shape and colour, even when dry, demonstrating an impressive level of longevity. Thus where "unfading flower" comes from.

The cultivation of amaranth was banned by Spanish invaders, however. Those who continued to cultivate it were either killed or brutally punished; which could consist of the cutting of one's hands (I'm talking clean off, total removal). The decision to outlaw amaranth was likely a tactic to weaken the indigenous people and eliminate the practice of religions which were considered 'pagan' and thus wholly sinful. As a result, use of the plant nearly died out. 

What a nice history lesson...

Additionally, amaranthus is rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which cleanse the blood & help fight against diseases. These acids are also vital to early neurological development, like that of infants & fetus brains.

One of the most well-known species of amaranth is Amaranthus Caudatus, also known by "Love-Lies-Bleeding". They kinda look like hanging tentacles, huh?

The text above was not entirely related to the subject, but does provide an interesting level of context and tone. Onto the more immediate subject though...

Magic

Magic typically requires the use of incantations and magical instruments, such as tomes, wands, or staves. More innately gifted or experienced practitioners of magic, however, can cast spells without any sort of incantation. This is often the case for magical beings, for which sorcery comes like a second nature.

Amaranth is able to cast magic by gesture of the hand. This is considered to be among the most advanced forms of sorcery, requiring a great deal of practice to master.

Despite his seemingly friendly demeanor, however, this is a rarely celebrated character trait. 

Due to an overwhelming amount of historical malpractice, religious beliefs, and the fact that magical beings are antagonistic forces in this world... The use of magic is typically frowned upon, and it's users are often mistrusted. As a result, most magic users practice their craft in secret - out of fear of persecution.

Believing that magic can be a force for good, Amaranth can not stand to see others suffer at the hands of sorcery. This often puts him at odds with other practitioners, forcing him to come out of hiding and risk being discovered. Amaranth's way of dealing with conflicts differs greatly from Elayne's, who's a much more proactive destructive force in battle. He has to maintain the appearance of someone who is unassuming, as using his magic openly is a last resort.

Although one of the empathetic characters, the circumstances of his situation makes it difficult to develop very many lasting relationships or connect with people on a profound level. This makes for a lonely existence.

The Design

The leftmost sketch resembles what this character has looked like for a while, and it is very much unlike a typical magician character. He looks a bit generic -- which is, admittedly, a great way of hiding his identity as a magician. I think he could use some work.

Which is not to say that he can't dress like that... But perhaps he could really use an outfit that better communicates who he is as a character -- to the viewer. 

In the sketches above, we've swapped his coat for a cape and something resembling a dress/tunic/robe. This helps to make him feel like he's in a different time period; one much more appropriate for the idea of wizards and magic. There are long, flowing fabrics and layers of shapes interacting with one another to make for a rather unique silhouette.

But something still feels missing. Nothing really feels too dynamic about these outfits, and there's all this visual noise gathering around the neck because of the wrapping of the scarf. Also, these colours; I'm not sure they're working out. Amaranth has long been associated with blue & red colours, but many of his recent designs have been black & white, so I've often avoided having to create a coherent set of colours. 

It may be worth discarding these elements in favor of further experimentation, as they might be holding the design back. I dunno, just thinking aloud!

Onto our second pass...

This is a much less cluttered design, as the scarf is now freely flowing, and there are less contrasting angles happening throughout the design.

This portrayal feels a bit more like a tired old wizard, exchanging the flamboyant shape language in favor of simplicity. I think it also gives the impression of a child wearing adult's clothing, seemingly dwarfing him with it's large shapes. Like a cipher, his true nature is hidden. He looks so tired and sad, so seeing him smile should make the viewer feel even better! You must protect this smile!

Still... I miss having more "cute" elements in the design. This outfit just reads as a series of long, vertical rectangles (coat, pants, scarf). Perhaps that's not really the direction I want either. I quickly sketched up some new prospects that feel cute while still maintaining his slim physique in contrast to his apparel. 

These sketches play with a greater variety of shapes, and even the rectangles or of varying sizes and orientations, better contrasting against one another. It might be worth placing him under a metaphorical scalpel to re-examine just what kinds of shapes we use.

Anyway this is probably a good start to the character's new development.

Let's get back to the sexy ladies though:

Elayne Beaumont

Hunter; The Morning Sun

Slay anything that moves in an annoying sine wave pattern.

An exceptional hunter known for her skill with a whip. Now cursed, she travels the world in search of vampires and demons, seeking to free the world from the wrongs they wrought.

Hunters

Few people become hunters, being a dangerous profession where the risk to one's life is great. It is usually an act of desperation. Hunters pit themselves against terrifying monsters that are not easily destroyed by common men, having to routinely overcome the forces of darkness. As one can expect, the life expectancy of a hunter is not a generous one...

Though what kind of people, one must wonder, are the most successful hunters, who are still alive despite that fact? 

Of course, there are many kinds of hunters, each with a proficiency suited towards different kinds of creatures. Some hunters specialize in wild beasts, while others in petty demons. Among the greatest hunters are vampire & werewolf hunters.

Being a hunter doesn't afford one much room for happiness, however, as the most devoted hunters often hunt in solitude or in small groups. Because of the terrors they face on such a regular basis, they are often unable to effectively integrate with society. Just as vampires instill fear in the hearts of men, so too do the hunters capable of going toe-to-toe with them. As a result, they typically live nomadic lifestyles, moving from place to place, surviving off of the coin their hunts earn them. What few hunters that DO maintain a family, often do so at great risk to the welfare of those they love.

Alone, and with no other apparent goals, Elayne is seemingly perpetually on the hunt. She actively seeks out creatures which plague humanity, going as far as to invade their homes, where few would dare tread. She will also protect villages under threat in exchange for room & board, though her presence can often create a sense of unease among the townsfolk, so asking for her help is by no means something taken lightly.

Though her true aims, above all else, seem set on the Vampire Queen...

Countess Karantos

Vampire Queen

Once an avid student of the arts & sciences, she has since turned her back on the world and now lives a life of hedonism, desiring little more than to share her vampire curse and use humankind for her own pleasure. 

 I've discussed the Vampire Queen's design at length previously.

The Karantos Family was once known for it's thriving philosophes & art. Today, however, there are no remaining living members of the Karantos family. 

The Power of a Name

Okay now, so let's be real. "The Vampire Queen" is hardly a name -- in fact, it's more a title than anything else, and not a particularly unique one. It would feel a bit unnatural to refer to the character by that, especially in narrative. So I've decided to go with an actual name:

Countess Karantos

But why this name? Because phonetics, mostly.

The Vampire Queen's name is an alliteration consisting of hard (c) sounds. This is to make for a name that sounds threatening to hear. Even just saying it requires some assertion.

The sound of a hard (c) often precedes the non-front vowels (a) and (o), creating a set of guttural sounds. 

CO-untess (redacted) KA-rantos

Guttural sounds are often found in languages like German, Irish, or Welsh -- which make a habit of using heavy sounds that can (subjectively) appear harsh to the ear.

Karantos comes from the Proto-Celtic root word "karan" meaning beloved or friend. I think this makes for an interesting bit of depth considering her seemingly villainous nature, but not for too long before we return to harshness with "tos."

What do you think? Is that name a keeper? Or should we try something else?

The Life of a Queen

The Countess makes her home in The Karantos Castle, Lacrima. Here, she and her servants live secluded from the rest of society, indulging in pleasures & fantasies often scorned by the world. That's sex and freaky stuff.

Leaving her coffin at night to feed on the blood of the living, The Countess seeks humans to abduct and add to her collection of thralls, offering them eternal bliss in exchange. She takes many servants, but very rarely ever develops a close romantic relationship with any of them. 

She seems to be driven by desires to feel good for as long as possible, and she does so by prioritizing the pursuit of her pleasure above all else. This often means that her pleasure is at the expense of other people, and that's not a desirable outcome for anyone but her. 

As such, she is among the most infamous of vampires -- so much so that the idea of destroying her seems an impossible task to even the most impressive of hunters.

But y'know, Elayne doesn't care.

Anyway, I should probably stop here. I feel like this particular post has a lot of words, and it's never fun to read TOO many of those at a time. 

This Concept Art Discussion felt much more like a stream of consciousness for world-building & sketches, having less to do with analyzing art stuffs. Even the sketches of Amaranth were fairly lightweight -- I think there's still some work to do for him though, so it's a good foundation. I hope the next one will focus on the nitty gritty of a single subject like the first few posts of this type. 

So I guess this is an abrupt end!

Don't forget to eat & sleep.