Luthien walk cycle

Beren sketches

Beren was a little harder for me to draw, mainly because he's such a conflicted character. He's supposed to be this big, strong warrior who's supposed to overcome the odds and win the heart of the fair maiden, but when it comes down to the crucial moment, he's pretty much powerless. So I wanted to go for a physically strong vibe, but with a helplessness to him too. And he has to be pretty good looking dude for Luthien to fall in love with him on sight, so that was one of the aspects I considered too (heh, heh, heh).

I based his costume on the Japanese ninja and warrior costumes I sourced. I like that while the silhouette is strong and distinctive while he is standing up, the softness of the pants give a sense of vulnerability when he's slumped in despair as well.

Luthien test

I started doing some character developments for Luthien. I imagined her as a Mulan type princess who does what she can to fulfill her mission, including giving up her dresses. As Kate and I are exploring the Japanese ukiyo-e type aesthetic, I imagined Luthien as a black clothed ninja; which would have been practical for the long journey she had to go on to find Beren. However for the flashback scene, we also get a glimpse of Luthien as the elf princess she is. I decided to go for a loosely based kimono dress - something not as binding as a kimono (so we can get lots of lovely flowing movements), but with the obi belt and billowing sleeves (mimicking the plumage of a nightingale perhaps).

I also did some quick tests on her movement, especially the bit where she's dancing. It's a little rough, but I wanted to achieve a graceful and yet gentle movement. Many more in-betweens to come, haha. 

I also tried to do a simple walking test for her. The first one was too perky, so I slowed it down and made the knees bend more subtly. I'm also thinking she'll probably move differently in her robes and in her ninja costume - her stance might be wider, and her head will be held higher (especially when she faces down Morgoth).