Mistress - Character Concept

The challenging part of designing characters is linking them to the world they live in. Although they're obviously one of the many races I crafted over the years, their culture has to display that, and for important characters still be unique enough. This concept is a first (public) reference sheet for a character for the upcoming webtoon, Memories of Crow. Her design was challenging as the ethnicity and current locations don't fully match, and she isn't a "typical" citizen either. I had to play around cultural and religious element, incorporating symbolism into the outfit, trying to imagine what people of this region would want to wear and how an outlier character would change that typical process of thought. In a place where tunics are more common, she displays more skin through carefully separated outfits, which both hint at her profession and create an image of a rebel fashion. Despite tropical weather, she's bravely wearing dark and expensive dyes, usually kept for formal occasions, and brings attention to her attire to create a memorable experience.