Research: Character Design Part 2 - Inspiration

There are a few pages in the book Drawing For Fantasy Artists by Socar Myles that give some information on Inspiration, ideas.

As this book is primarily focused on creating fantasy characters, It relates to my project quite well, and I can further use this book in future research to help me as it goes into quite some depth about designing characters, but for now I want to focus on inspiration.

Myles suggests that ideas can come from anywhere, from the work of other artists to the natural world. He suggests that fantasy artists may seem to be at a disadvantage, as no direct reference exists for subject matters, but as a fantasy artist you can pull ideas from virtually anywhere.

He gives some examples of where you can find some inspiration and some explanation:

Other art

Other artists work could be a good place for inspiration. Myles suggests you should not only admire the work, but look at it with a critical eye. He also suggests that you should look at art from amateurs to the masters, and it can be helpful to to look at the work of a single artist and how it has evolved over the years.

Video Games

Myles also suggests looking at video games with a critical eye. Do the people and creatures you encounter look like they belong in the environment? Are they dressed appropriately for the weather? Prepared to handle the terrain?

This made me think about how I should make my characters have everything they need, for example a bag or pockets to store things in, and their clothing/ armor be suitable for what they're doing.

Fashion

Haute court-re lines often feature impractical, extravagant creations. These designs are intended to show off the designers skills rather than attract the average customer and are works of art. Nicole Miller and Oscar de la Rent are some people to research.

Jewelry

Gemstones have often been assigned symbolic significance. A single , gleaming pearl may suggest purity, innocence or mystery. Diamonds are hard; rubies re fiery, opals are brittle; emeralds are green, associated with grass, new growth.

Books

Myles suggests that reading a wide range of books from gardening to history books to comics will help inspire you. Which is odd as reading isn't exactly visual in the way you would think, but I still think it's a good idea.

Conclusion:TBBC