Reeking of piss on the battlefield was another weapon in the arsenal I suppose. Not quite. Thank you for sharing this valuable information. Wearing a suit of armor was like being in your own private world. Clothes that are loose and hanging in folds. Your main character just put on some makeup and changed into a fancy dress, complete with heels and a tiny handbag. Whenever other races or species are involved, like elves and trolls, it's often best to give them clothing that differs from whatever humans (and other races) wear, even if those differences are subtle. At the end of the day, they were professional slayers, swords for hire. Or one who was forever wearing poorly-fitted clothing that appeared to be handed down from friends? We'll also take a look at female fantasy armor and those used by knights, potential designs, and ways to help you find inspiration for creating your own. stylish, expensive clothing, yet not specific to a certain time or place. For example, fur usually wasn't used as a piece of decoration for clothing and if used at all was often worn around the neck and shoulders or underneath other (often hide) clothing to keep warm. For example, a shy person will often wear 'regular' clothing, clothing that isn't too bright or outgoing in both design and colors. Even things like tattoos, hair colors, eye colors and so on can help with this.
Reddit - Dive into anything In one single piece of clothing description (a pink-eyed bundle of shawls), Dickens conveys how timid and ailing Mrs. Gradgrind is in contrast to her bullish, overbearing husband.
Allrightsreserved, create an authentic sense of time and place, Use fashion and clothing history archives, https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e7bbcc198c936bc1af3fbda128514c44fcfc10f0513ea31cad7c21ae61ba0ab0.jpg, 1: Use clothing to show status and position, 2: Build (or thwart) expectations using clothing descriptions, 3: Describe clothing to contrastcharacters personalities, 4: Show clothing to avoid over-relying on telling, 5: Change characters clothing to highlight character development, 6: Use clothing details to recreate authentic setting, Build (or thwart) expectations using clothing descriptions, Describe clothing to contrast character personalities, Show clothing to avoid over-relying on telling, Change clothing to highlight character development, Use clothing details to create authentic setting. Only in certain situations is a description even needed. Those of us who dont get all jazzed about writing clothing descriptions often fail to consider that a good wardrobe has layers. (Huh.). Otherwise they wont take you seriously as an artist.. So sometimes all it takes to create futuristic clothing is to take a trend that has passed, alter it slightly and you're done. - Another way to use color is to make things seem like they're glowing even if they're not and to use gradients. One does not refer to "a garb". Now, for the feedbackit depends what POV you're writing in. Here are some classic characteristics you can draw out through clothing description. Compare this, then, to Dickens description of Gradgrinds wife in the following chapter (Gradgrinds wealthy but poverty-claiming friend has just told Mrs. Gradgrind he was born in a ditch): Mrs. Gradgrind, a little, thin, white, pink-eyed bundle of shawls, of surpassing feebleness, mental and bodily; who was always taking physic without any effect, and who, whenever she showed a symptom of coming to life, was invariably stunned by some weighty piece of fact tumbling on her; Mrs. Gradgrind hoped it was a dry ditch? I love to wear baggy trousers in summer. Expensive indeed, and heavystronger horses had to be bred to handle the weight. What exactly are you trying to communicate about the character, setting, or situation? Armor, therefore, wasnt that heavya full suit weighed approximately 50 pounds, which is around 3 to 4 stone. Required fields are marked *. Since it's a friends' get-together, let's wear casual attire. If you tell your readers about Nanettes light pink cardigan and string of pearls, you dont have to say much about the shoes and skirt and silk blouse. This pride, though justifiable, displeased Katerina Ivanovna for some reason. To add to the previous mosaic part stealth technology can provide great patterns. I once wrote about imbuing everyday objects with meaning because talisman create great opportunities for symbolism! Your email address will not be published. Ive always wondered that too! For example, headphones aren't really a piece of clothing, but they definitely affect our style. Instead of saying, for example I saw that the station gate was coming down and the last train was about to leave, you could say The station gate is already screeching closed. William the Conquerors society was shaped with war in mind. Your article is really great. Particularly in genres such as historical fiction and fantasy, clothing can help to create other worlds (or a long gone era of our own). Am I trying to blow the interview? That would depend on a few things. The easy way to describe the setting is when the characters interact with it, e.g. In fact, you should be putting lots of thought and development into protagonists because thats who the story is about.But how much thought have you given to your tertiary characters? Great article. You can even use different pieces of clothing to cover up body parts differently. s a fantastic image that Thomas Feichtmeir, AKA Cyangmou has put together. But the definition of sneaky depends on your characters situation. As well see below, medieval armor developed through necessitypeople needed to protect themselves from those wicked blades and needle-sharp darts. Much of the clothing we wear today were either rare or completely nonexistent a hundred years ago. Think armor, bulletproof vests, and bandoliers. One major element that makes creating more futuristic clothing easier is to make sure it doesn't look familiar, to make sure it doesn't look like something you'd come across today. For a bigger image, just click on the link above. Now turn the edges a different color or make them light up and you immediately have a more futuristic looking suit. Its because concrete details are incredibly effective in communicating abstract concepts. In this section, Ive included some more guides on creating fantasy armor designs that you may find useful. Blades hacking, slicing and puncturing, cutting open gaping wounds and severing limbs and heads from bodies. As a result, feudal England became rife with young murderous men. If sturdy is a top consideration, your character might be expecting trouble or adventure. Whats the respected uniform, and does your character wear it? Cookie Notice He took off his helmet and a Norman archer made a lucky shot that put out Harolds eye and ended the battle.It should be noted that, with the helmets of the time, it wasnt necessary for Harold to take off his helmet, either to be seen or to get his eye shot out. This is less important for non-visual arts as clothing isn't always described in writing, but it can still be incredibly helpful to have a fully detailed character in your head or written down somewhere for reference and just to make everything feel more real and alive. Why this arguably works better is the details of getting dressed tell us multiple details about Gem. The line could be thin or thick, glowing, metallic-looking or just plain, padded or smooth, patterned, decorated or simply a seem. Thanks Benjamin! Is your character trying to attract positive attention? The final design with all its layers will often hide elements of the clothing that a client may want to see later. At a quarter to six, Gem pulled off the low-cut top Emma had wolf-whistled and clappedat when theyd met for their usual weekend catch-up. If done right you could even use these elements alone with clothing of today to sell a futuristic look. And if you need a place to organize your complex responses, I recommend Dabbles Character Notes feature. Imagine your own armored knights storming through the battlefield like iron giants. Coats of plated armor soon came about, which consisted of a series of plates linked on top of one another. Mail was lightweight and flexible. One character might demonstrate their power by showing up to prom in a designer gown. How do they change, and how does their clothing reflect that change? What would high stakes clothing look like in your story? 2012 - This can be a very effective way if your universe is based on an existing culture. Okay, maybe not.Secrets in real life can be a little trickywe all have thembut they have a way of blowing up in our faces, depending on how big they are.Your characters are really no different. Are they overalls or coveralls? Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. Discover an extensive list of terms you may want to know here. Creating new clothing styles for fictional worlds can be a daunting task, there's just so much out there already and so many elements to play around with to create a fun and unique style, no matter whether the art form is visual or not. Which was, indeed, a little weird straight off! So here are some more ways to alter a design while sticking with familiarity and a more historic feel: How were women treated in the Middle Ages? As soon as the actor enters stage right or left, we have an inkling of whether theyre a wealthy landowner or peasant, an elegant heiress or humble flower-seller. If you write historical fiction, youre probably way ahead of me. Sweaters or jumpers? The rope belt is solely decorative and a status symbol. - Mix cultures. What your character wears can tell us a lot about how they feel or how they want to feel. The Victorian author Charles Dickens is widely regarded as a master of characterization, for good reason. Heres a great visual guide on female fantasy armor by YouTuber Shadiversity. From time to time we may use affiliate links to help with the costs of running the site. Once quenched, the steel was re-heated to make it more resilient. What is the prevailing value in the society of your story? - Change lengths. But it makes a good story. Just click this link and dont even think about touching your wallet. You can weave clothing description into your process when using our story planner for writers. Thanks I will be following your blog from now one I just came across it today.
You suddenly know which details to include, which to leave out, and whether to call it a blood-red cloak or a goji berry wrap. Without decriptions of the clothing it's a bit boring, the novel becomes a list of people the reader can't imagine doing things. Both doublets and chain mail were worn in conjunction with plated armor for that added protection, particularly for areas plate could not cover, such as arms and the groin. But the biggest challenge can sometimes be simply making something look futuristic or historic fantasy-ish, which is the main focus of this guide. Not to pile on, but dont forget to make sure you know which materials wereand werentavailable in the world of your novel. As far as guidelines go this is the first to be broken though, consider this one more of a starting point rather than something to necessarily end on. In 2021 his debut novel, Pariah's Lament, an epic fantasy, was published by Of Metal and Magic. The answer to this question gives you a ton of clarity. How long do they need their clothes to last? A band t-shirt. It makes for a more entertaining read. Maybe your character is snuggled up in their fleece pajamas while the blizzard rages outside. However, you can show and imply a characters intention without spelling it out: Theyd agreed to meet downtown at six. Once blue, it is quenched a second time, permanently fixing its hardness. For example, a meticulously dressed character who is discovered in a disheveled and poorly dressed state. You find that its about more than throwing out fashion terms and listing articles of clothing. A warrior had to fight the enemy, and to fight his armor as well would be too distracting. But there is so much more to the experience of clothing than that. All cultures have dress codes to some degree, some more so than others and some more stricter than others, but every culture has a range of styles that would be considered normal, 'out there' and unacceptable to most. It can genuinely be tough to come up with cool ideas for epic fantasy armor without drifting back to things that weve seen in the likes of Dungeons and Dragons, The Elder Scrolls and movies like Lord of the Rings. Knights werent as immobile as people assum, though I can imagine in a quagmire itd be tricky to get up. It really doesnt take much. (Hopefully, I dont really know your life, so maybe not. Pingback: A fantasy writers guide to weaponry Richie Billing. Someone jumps down from a boundary wall wearing dark clothes and clutching a bag, that's enough of a clue they're a burglar, and if the protagonist now has to chase them then a description of the form those clothes take down to the buckles on the shoes is going to break the flow. Copyright 2023 Richie Billing | Fantasy Writer. In both of these it was mostly the rich who had the extravagant clothing, which brings back the earlier point of how culture influences what a character might wear. As time marched on, small plates of leather or iron were added to the mail to protect key areas, such as vital organs. A self-conscious kid tries to disappear inside their oversized sweatshirt.
Describing armor and clothing. : r/writing - reddit Have fun with it. One specific form of descriptive writing that particularly affects setting and characterization is the portrayal of characters' clothing. What the description shows is that many of the inviteesplay at status through fancy dress. Similar to how pixelated designs tend to look more futuristic so do designs full of geometrical shapes. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. There is simply more characterization, not only of Gem but the other characters, too. Do your characters care deeply about looking respectable, or are they more afraid of putting on airs? That also will help readers really experience things through their eyes. Tell us how the wool of your protagonists sheath dress scratches the skin on the underside of her arm. I tend to avoid describing clothing. ). Now, if you write historical fiction, its important to research the clothing of your chosen era. I mean what your character wears provides a clue to how they see themselves, how they want to be seen, and even how others see them. With these two changes alone you already have an item that didn't exist in medieval times, but is familiar enough to work in a fantasy setting. Do they need a ghillie suit to blend into the natural environment?
160 Best Character description ideas | character description, fantasy Thanks, Teresa, and for sharing that great example from the stage. I would be great to expand it with armor from other areas, Samurai armor, for example. It's also an indirect way to describe their physical appearance by examining how the clothes fit them.
Creative Words to Describe Outfit & Clothing - INK Although such armor exists in fantasy worlds, its important to understand how things work in the real world, even at a basic level. - Diagonal lines: Diagonal lines aren't all that common in historic clothing and they usually only came in the form of neck lines, the edges of unbuttoned jackets or from large pieces of fabric being held up (think ancient Rome).
How to describe scenery ? : r/fantasywriters - reddit.com Like all forms of exposition, your goal is to deliver this information without pulling the reader out of the story. 80s-inspired. For fantasy stories to be more believable, we need to understand how it interacts with our characters, especially if theyre enchanted. - Use nudity. We even have the technology to create clothing without seems. It took leaving the Midwest to recognize it. Love this topic!! In some cases because they simply didn't have the technology for it, in others because it was too expensive and/or time consuming for the average person. Also his mother was poor and anyone who knew that might wonder how he could afford such clothing so it hints at the actual story. (Cough-cough-cough.) Heres a superb glossary, with pictures, of all types of armor. Like Dostoyevsky, think how something as small as a characters change of clothing can affecttheir own or others behaviour. (Find out more). Other clothing pieces could be various types of hats and scarves, (trench) coats and even something as simple as pockets or buttons used for fastening rather than as decoration to name just a few. Characters can also comment on or react to one anothers clothing, as long as the exchange reveals something about the world or relationship. The more people that join this thriving group the better it becomes. I'm sort of into historical armor so would get a kick out of finding an excuse to talk about vambraces/rerebraces, spaulders, etc. In battle, you are trying to strike a moving target, so mail was sufficient as most blows were glancing ones. Its fun to play with power in clothing, because it's a relative concept. Some helmets had chain attached which hung around and protected the neck, called an aventail, and most were padded inside, for added comfort. The front part of helmets, or the visors, were there to raise or open so the wearer could breathe during taxing hand-to-hand combat or scan around the battlefield. Those outfits can become iconic. The more outlandish the fantasy species your character is the more outlandish you can usually be with clothing, but familiarity is usually still a solid ground for a realistic feel, even if the universe and the creatures are completely unrealistic. The shrewd king essentially licensed out parcels of his land as rewards to his warriors in exchange for their military service. or the world theyre desperately resisting.
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