Yes!!! :D

[sigune]

I'm absurdly excited about this picture.

There are two reasons.

First off:
I fixed the character design for Gawain :). It's quite ridiculous how long it has taken me to do that - it's probably mostly due to my absolutely chaotic and unprofessional approach towards comic making. I haven't got character charts or anything, and until recently I never quite considered that things like costume designs for each character might be useful :p. In the meantime, I have changed my mind. There are things like consistency and recognisability to be considered. Also, if a costume is going to be worn regularly, it might be worthwhile thinking through the design to make sure it's not too complicated :).

So here is Gawain. I have adapted his hair to the style I have in mind (see Florie). The costume I gave him for the first part of the story is very Irish. He is wearing a long-sleeved tunic (called leine), and over that, a ionar or vest with short sleeves. This vest is fairly heavy, made of leather, and serves as protective gear instead of chainmail (which is very heavy).

I kept the design of the sword very simple. The weapons are difficult, actually. I don't want a fantasy look for them, but it's hard to find designs from the 6th century. There are plenty of Halstatt and Le Tène Celtic swords, but these are positively antiquated by the 6th century. There are some great Saxon and (later) Viking weapons to be found, but their style is wrong. So Gawain ended up with a practical, simple sword that looks neither recent nor antiquated *g*. (I'm still worrying about Excalibur though. But maybe it's okay if that sword looks old-fashioned. It's been forged by fairies after all.)

The shield is a round Irish shield. It's rather fortunate that Gawain's emblem from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight does not look conspicuously medieval on a Dark Ages shield :). I can easily maintain it throughout the story, even when the setting changes.

Second:
I have pretty much established the style that I want for the comic. It's what you see in this picture :). So I guess I will be inking after all, but with (brown) Faber-Castell PITT pens instead of Staedtlers. They allow for less detail, but that's not bad, because it forces me to simplify and I think that's a good thing. And even though cabepfir has warned me a thousand times about how time-consuming watercolour is going to be, I like the look of it so much that I'm determined to give it my best shot. I'm increasingly enjoying the use of these paints, too, so I want to see whether I can pull this off.

I know I'm very slow - too slow for a professional, I guess (and then I'm not even talking about my skill level). But though I sometimes get frustrated by how much time I need for everything, there are always moments at which I feel that things come together, and then I am reminded of why it's worthwhile for me to take my time. This is one of those moments. I know I'm on the right track, and things will work out in a way that I can be happy with. I was looking for something, and I have found it. Now it's a matter of making it work for an entire comic :P...

I am determined to start on The Sword of Kings (by way of test case before I tackle the 200+ pages of The Darkest Hour) this week. Wish me luck :).

Comments

[branquignole.livejournal.com]

This picture looks gorgeous. Awesome perspective too. :)

[neke.livejournal.com]

It looks wonderful!

[poultrygeist99.livejournal.com]

Hawt! I love it!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

GOOD LUCK!!! *giant hugs* This is a lovely drawing, and as always, I can't wait to see/read more!!

[mary-j-59.livejournal.com]

What I love about it? The perspective. That downward view is very striking, and so are the colors. Gawain's costume is wonderful, too!

[todayiamadaisy]

Good luck! I'm really looking forward to seeing the results.

There will be blood

[cabepfir.livejournal.com]

YES!

Ah, it's great to know that there's at least someone who considers me as obnoxious as I intend to be ;)
Please now go to add panels, balloons and more blood.

As for watercolour question: I fear I've never worried about lightfastness, so I cannot offer much help :/

[authoress-susan.livejournal.com]

Oh, my! He IS gorgeous. What a cool perspective too. I want more!