So who is this Stam anyway?

Art Commission and progression

I've finally created a character I liked so completely enough (despite some weaknesses at her created level and current level) to ask for an artist I know to do a commission.

And she's good.

(Warning, image-intensive.)

The character is one Katla Arneson, a female half-elven monk, weaponsmith and minor arcanist (wizard).

Here's the description I gave Raina:

Standing just under 5'5, Katla Arneson is a half-elven woman of thirty-three years. She has her elven father’s gold-flecked blue eyes. Her long hair has a bit too much brown in it to match her her mother's rich, Sunite-red shade. Katla keeps her hair under control in a tight braid; exposed hair in a forge is a very bad thing for a woman, regardless of what a dwarf will tell you about how many times he's singed his beard. The pulled-back hair exposes her pointed ears for anyone who wants to double-check her bloodline. Her face is pretty in a plain kind of way. Katla has no obvious facial flaws, but is no striking beauty like her mother. Her body, too, reflects the same. While she’s properly proportioned and in very fit condition, her build is not close enough to the slender look that most (or many) prefer. Katla's physique is somewhat short and stocky for her race. Time spent before a forge has toughened her muscles, yet her muscles are layered in compact, modest (dare I say, feminine?) packets instead of showing overtly. Palm, knuckles and edge of her hands are calloused from time spent at the forge and more time spent practicing the unarmed attack forms.

Now that the weather has improved, she wears a simple sleeveless close-fitting robe in the warm colors of her order: a not-quite-bright yellow edged in orange. Falling just to knee-length, a sturdy leather belt cinches it at the waist on which she also hangs her spell component pouches and (while she's working) tools. Just over her heart, the symbol of a trio of deities - Selune, Sune and Lathander - are embroidered, with Selune's Stars-around-eyes closest to the right, Sune's flame-haired woman next to it on the left, and Lathander's sunburst below them.

Also at her belt is a small pouch full of razor-edged shuriken and what looks to be a smaller version of a scythe. The kama's blade shows its craftsmanship, with fold-ripples in a crescent pattern and a slight bluish hue to the metal.
Katla also wears a pair of newly-created silver bracelets. Made of beaten metal, the pair of simple ornaments were brushed down until they almost glow with a nice silvery shine. Very apt for a Selunite.

Here's the sketch Raina sent me...hmm...I think it was a week later?

That was swiftly followed by this pair. She was playing around with a new book on character art and its accompanying tools (without any hint of complaint from me, I might add).

The one on the left was the first of the two, but it looked as if she was somewhat off-balance. In the one on the right, Raina had moved the right leg (of the character, that is) a little.

And then there was this step - mostly finished, now:

Then this, where Katla was polished up a bit:

And finally the end product.
All I asked for in this one was a color-enhancement and that the eyes be tweaked a bit for the half-elven slanted look.

For those of you interested in commissioning her considerable skill for your own characters...Raina can be reached here on Deviantart.

Posted by adam at May 22, 2006 06:08 AM