Dumpster Goblins

i don’t consciously think about it but the answers to these i think are important to designs especially when i'm stumped:

what kinds of things to you like in a design/like to draw?

what does the design say about the character?

including things i like to see and draw in designs makes sure ill enjoy drawing them again and again. and to be sure the redraw factor is doable. sounds obvious i know but it's important to keep in mind. and i don’t only seek out the things i currently like, it's also important that i seek out new things i enjoy drawing and learning about. learning new things is a fun part of making new designs and expands my visual library so i have more to pull from. plus the learning factor alone is interesting

and during the design process, sometimes i find something that works right away and goes through very minimal changes, like the wyrm design or designs in other projects, but not always. and sometimes things that work out and need changes later, but don’t let it discourage you. knowing what doesn't work is one step toward figuring out what does. you'll find something final eventually. for me it's outfits that are my achilles heel lol

i try to work with parts of an outfit i like. but if it doesn't work, it doesn't work and i need to find something better. it sucks but that just is what it is. you'll get that sense of what does and doesn't work as you do it more

and things like colour and shapes to express character personality can be way more flexible than you might think. so i don’t stay stuck with just one shape or color to "mean" any one thing

the wyrm needed to speak to what kind of person Minna is and what her struggles were in duviri. what does a deer skull-headed wyrm "say" with its design?

a deer reflects how she likes being outdoors (and they have an added cryptid look lol). it being a skull means she's no stranger to the death around her, whether on the zariman, in duviri, while fighting battles, or deaths in nature. and the design of the wyrm as i described in my other post shows her as being unlike other duviri residents while still tying her to the place

and choosing something like animal motifs i prefer to pick things based on the actual animal characteristics instead of symbolism. symbolism for one thing can vary wildly, and while this isn't bad at all it's more fun for me to find and learn about obscure animals and plants to make into designs. the deer had the right vibe for her. but don't do this just because i do it, maybe symbolism is something you prefer doing. or a blend of both. important to try and see what works best for you. it's also okay to add details just because you like them and think they look nice. that's why i add the beads with strings around Minna's wrists and ankles

animals in general i like to smoosh together to create all new creature designs. it's fun learning about them and their biology. the possibilities are endless

and the antlers are a nod to how she doesn't care about what's meant to be "for" one gender or another lol (bc antlers aren't strictly gendered either. female caribou grow antlers). and because I think antlers are cool

and to me, the deer head with the fluff still makes her look like herself

i hope some of that was helpful lol i'm not too good at tutorials when it comes to designs because everyone's got their own process and preferences and i don’t want to railroad anyone into one that doesn't work for them

as i said in my previous ask, sometimes the thing to do is to just try something out and keep going with it to see what sticks. even if the end product looks nothing like where you started. you won't know until you do it

and for the love of everything good never use ai