Green Elf sketches

Posted Jan 26, 2018, 10:43:31 PM UTC

Just a couple rough clothing ideas for Green Elves. The one on the right I ended up using as a base for the Clan Druid ceremonial attire, the left one is meant as a more casual everyday outfit.

If you notice a running theme of there being a lot of uncovered skin in Green Elf attire, there are two reasons for that. For one, they have no concept of body modesty and think it's really kinda silly that other races do. Secondly, they live in temperate rainforests (much cooler than tropical rainforests, mind) and are also naturally resistant to the cold, so they don't need to bundle up unless it's especially chilly.

When I get around to drawing armor for non-mage warriors, you'll see more full coverage for purely practical protective reasons, though mage armors tend to be pretty scant too as mages rely more on magical barriers and force shields.

Comments

MaskedLin
Jan 30, 2018, 9:15:16 AM UTC
Keeping cool is a big concern when you have to work, the casual wear looks like it's good at that~ The druid attire looks like it would take a while to put on, though that makes sense, rituals and ceremonies often take a while to prepare for.

Physical armor certainly needs to cover to work, it always annoys me when people make armor for women look like battle-themed lingerie, like, that's not how it works?? Though where magic is the real protector, the actual attire doesn't need to be as covering. Nice concepts!
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- Indigo-Dusk
  Feb 5, 2018, 5:14:35 AM UTC
  Thanks!
  
  And yeah, as you can see in my other sketch thingy I did design a very revealing mage armor outfit, but it's just meant as supplemental coverage to protect the heart on the off chance the magic shields fail. This is partly symbolic as well, as Garden society does associate the heart with the "emotional center" of the body, and believes that the soul is housed within it, so during battle it is important to protect it at all costs; if the elf dies, but their heart is undamaged, there is a better chance their soul will make it to their afterlife intact, in their belief.
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  MaskedLin
  Feb 5, 2018, 7:57:13 AM UTC
  That is a cool bit to add to them, stuff about a race's society and beliefs like that are fascinating and offer a lot of material to work with in the case they run across someone of another one! And it is smart, the heart isn't all too hard to hit, so protecting it would keep them alive longer than protecting, say, their kidney, though both would hurt with no doubt.
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Firiel
Jan 27, 2018, 1:57:59 AM UTC
Oh, that is nice. <3 I like the glove-binding, fluffy flower collarline, and almost Roman army-belt like layered skirt. It looks like you're coming up with a lot of good costume thoughts for these folk...
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- Indigo-Dusk
  Jan 27, 2018, 4:24:40 AM UTC
  Thank you! I'm glad you like my ideas so far. I do feel they lack focus as I've drawn inspiration from a lot of different sources with little unifying them aside from the liberal application of flowers and flower petals, but that should improve with time; I'm in the early stages of worldbuilding still.
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  Firiel
  Jan 27, 2018, 6:13:19 AM UTC
  It's also possible that there are reasons for some diversity in costume design? Traditions from different regions, with some folks adapting multiple styles due to mixed heritage in their village or tribe or whatnot?
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  Indigo-Dusk
  Jan 27, 2018, 11:56:05 PM UTC
  Fair point! I still have a lot of work to do filling out Garden* lore and history, so I might could keep all my outfit ideas and work their diversity into the history.
  
  *The Garden is the name of the large tropical rainforest in which Green Elves, Avian Elves, Avians, Treeants, and assorted spirits live.
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  Indigo-Dusk
  Jan 27, 2018, 11:57:15 PM UTC
  *temperate rainforest, not tropical. Sorta like the temperate rainforests in Washington state.
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  Firiel
  Jan 28, 2018, 4:41:01 AM UTC
  Garden... I like that. Brings implications of - this is a safe place rich with life, this is a place that is cared for.
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  Indigo-Dusk
  Jan 29, 2018, 3:45:51 AM UTC
  That's what I was going for! Glad you got that same impression that I hope to elicit in others.
  
  What I eventually intend to do is write/draw a webcomic series in this setting and also another world I've designed. I keep not doing that because I've even less faith in my story-writing skills than my art. Also I'm just lazy. >.>
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