Sunday, September 24, 2017

Concept Art: Kalara Vadras Casual Set

I haven't had a lot of time to write on The Uncrucified lately with conventions and a busy schedule, BUT I have been chipping away at these clothing concepts for Kalara's iconic casual look over the past few weeks!



2 represents the first ever outfit I drew her in for the fanfic cover.  For Kalara, I wanted something fashionable and elegant that she could move around in.  If possible, I also wanted to show her habit of wearing the craftsmanship of her Guild of artisans, which she likes to advertise by wearing their creations directly on her person.

Kalara's first iconic design. 
In the end, I favored the gold-green color scheme for her, which helped to set off her eyes and hair with the complementary color scheme.  I also like 2, 3, and 10 for their functional simplicity that still balances her fashionista nature without going overboard.  Funny enough, even after all this exploration, I still really enjoy the color scheme and outfit from that first original look!

I kept coming back to the gold trim with the swirling flame motif, which just felt right in reflecting her Southern desert heritage, as the region is represented by the element of fire.  She operates currently in the Central-East area of Creation, which, to me, says she would wear clothing acclimated to the region, while still showing hints of her Southern pride in her garb's motifs.

The asymmetrical cut of her shirt in my favorite choices also seemed to feel right and presented more unique shapes that were less overtly derivative of real-world cultures.

5, as eye-catching as it is, was the pure fun design where I focused more on visuals than rationale.  I think it's a cool outfit, but very out of character for her.  Too flashy and more dancer-esque than stylish.  I think it might be a cool outfit for her if she ever had to go in disguise on the road as a performer, perhaps!

Mood board for Kalara's casual look.  See more plus individual image sources at The Uncrucified board on Pinterest.

By the end of this exploration, her look started to get too formal looking, which will make them a great jumping off point when I move into her Formal and Business sets next!  It's nice to have variations also if she ever decides to change clothing in the comic that might one day be.

Which looks do you guys like?  It's always interesting to hear what resonates with other folks outside of my own POV!

Did you miss the live broadcast I did while I was drawing on her outfits and chatting about characters?  Watch them on my YouTube channel!

2 comments:

  1. I love three, six, seven, and ten. Actually I really love all of them, but those in particular have elements I adore - three's layering and brighter colors, six's sleeves and warmer colors, seven's sash and detailing, ten's front-closure lines... Oooh and eight's coat hem/length. I think she really rocks the more saturated colors as well, especially on the cooler side of the spectrum!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I honestly still can't decide between my favorites! I get the sense that some of these, like the long vest of 8, are going to bleed over into her Formal look. Before I can settle on her final Casual look, I'll probably explore more and see if I get a better sense of her style, overall, and what might be the difference between what she settles into on her day off and what she wears to the office, on the road, to special occasions, etc.

      Delete