Stellar Redesign Round 3 (Patreon)

All right, this isn't the sexiest thing, but it's something I'm working on, so I figured I'd share it as some of you may find it interesting.

I'll be working on a fantasy project next, but it's still in the development phase, as I'm currently exploring the character designs and visual identity.

And I've been thinking a lot about this character, Stellar, and what her role will be in the story. She’s a princess, but one in a specific situation, with a specific disposition. And the design really needs to reflect that.

Initially I had her dressed like some kind of space idol, and it wasn’t too obvious what she was supposed to be. Then I put her in skimpy harlot attire (which I liked better) but it still seemed off, based on what I know about her character.

So I decided to do some back to basics iterations, in order to explore what this character needs. I wanted her to be a little more modest, to contrast Stiletto (the more lusty, rogue-like character). And I need her design to read like a princess, visually.

In the first attempt I tried for something more original, using the color pallet from her previous design, with a slim dress with a flared bottom… but this felt too formal to me, and still not modest enough.

In the second attempt I decided to try a basic medieval dress, and immediately realized that this was more in line with what I wanted. It reads like a princess, but it felt too basic, cliche, and lacking identity.

With the third try, I took the medieval dress and gave it some modern flare, with a V-shaped neck line and analogous colors. I kept coming back to this one, refining the colors and pattern until I got something I liked.

Lastly, I tried a more casual look, with a lace-up front and white under gown. I don’t mind this look, but it feels a bit too renaissance inspired, and a little less like a princess.

All in all, I am the most pleased with the 3rd option here. It clearly reads as “princess” with just enough originality to be its own thing. It’s also simple enough that drawing it over and over again won’t be too tiring.

I still need to do another character sheet of both her, and Stiletto, with updated looks, but I figured this might be worth posting so you could get a closer look at my process and how I think when designing characters.

In the end I almost always find that simple is better when it comes to design. The challenge is all about making the right choices and finding that balance.