Meoran Model Sheet for Ratha Graphic Novel by rathacat on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

This is Meoran, the big bad clan leader of the Named. It is also one of the first character reference model sheets we did, and we used him to to dial in the design for the model sheet itself. We did a lot of debating about him on our working whiteboard site (Basecamp).

Should he have a lionish mane, or more of a wolf-like ruff. We decided against the mane, which made him just look like a long-legged gray lion. The wolf-ruff worked better. Should he have a wide or narrow face? Dani Long drew sketches of both versions, and we decided that the wider face fit his character.

Then Dani penciled the rough model sheet, and posted it on Bascamp. We all ooohed and ahhhed, made suggestions. Then Tod Wills inked it for group approval (which he definitely got). Then he filled the lines with amazing washes and paints, tapping it off with colored pencil on highlights. So I hope you like the technique and the final technique.

As a side note, we are archiving all the discussions on Basecamp, and hope to include them in a "making of the Ratha graphic novel" publication after we get the book itself done.

12/20/2013 I have made the two model sheets available as a free download.