Character Design Processes

Character design process and explorations for Laurent (left) and Mycelia (right) in Darling Carmine, a fantasy-gothic story about a disgraced surgeon trying to find a magical cure for death.
Both of these characters’ palettes are primarily purple as they share a connection to death.

Left:
Laurent is a surgeon with materialistic and criminal tendencies, so I combined Highwayman fashion with Victorian era formalwear. The story takes place in the 1800s, but the flamboyant aspects of his clothing take inspiration from a century prior, in order to demonstrate how out-of-touch he is with his profession. I tried to incorporate wolf-like elements into his design including his hair and hat resembling ears and a mane, his jacket and cloak resembling a tail and fur, and his features are long and pointy.

Right:
Mycelia is a teenaged forest druid who detests modern-folk. Her design takes inspiration from medieval illustration styles and natural life, including a mushroom-reminiscent hat and gill patterns. She is meant to resemble a rabbit in her physical features and the visual language of her clothing.