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Ash Williams
2007-07-21, 09:12 PM
Okay, here's the situation: I play Mutants and Masterminds. The universe I've created for my players and I takes place in the 30th century. Characters with superpowers do exist, but without the costumes or secret identities.

My character is a freelance pilot named Syd Dijek. The character has ice powers. However, a running gag with Syd is that nobody knows if the character is male or female (the upcoming description will help you understand; obviously, the character's an homage to Vaarsuvius). My problem is the fact that no matter how I try, every sketch I've done of Syd is obviously one gender or the other.

DESCRIPTION
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: In his/her early 40s, but looks about 5-10 years younger. 5'8", Indian-Japanese ethnicity. Looks nearly exactly like Freddie Mercury from the Bohemian Rhapsody video, but with glowing blue eyes. Due to radiation poisoning, Syd's left arm below the elbow is a cybernetic one (not one that looks like a regular arm, but a blend of metal and circuitry).
ATTIRE: Since cartoon characters always wear the same outfit, Syd's usual attire is based on Emperor Palpatine's robe from Star Wars, but dark red instead of black.

So, if there are any artists out there that can help me, I'd really appreciate it.

Mike_Lemmer
2007-07-21, 09:19 PM
Draw him with long hippy hair and draw his body like he's a woman pretending to be a man.

Ash Williams
2007-07-21, 09:28 PM
Draw him with long hippy hair and draw his body like he's a woman pretending to be a man.

Drawing the outfit's not a problem; it's when I try to do closeups of his/her face that it always looks like either gender. Didn't you read my first post?

Bryn
2007-07-22, 09:48 AM
Um, you never specified which bit is hard to draw in the first post. So he couldn't really have known that you could easily draw the body.

My advice is to go through the 'Art/Fanart Showcase' thread in Arts and Crafts and use the 'Find in this page' tool to search for Vaarsuvius. That way, you'll find other peoples' drawings of Vaarsuvius and therefore you can see how they drew the androgyny. Apart from that, practice! :smallwink:

Artemician
2007-07-22, 10:06 AM
Ohoho.. what are the odds.

I have this problem. Characters I draw tend towards androgyny. It looks like we could help each other out.

Thinker
2007-07-22, 10:16 AM
Drawing the outfit's not a problem; it's when I try to do closeups of his/her face that it always looks like either gender. Didn't you read my first post?

Calm down. He was trying to be helpful. You could always give the drawing features of both male and female on the face.

nerulean
2007-07-22, 10:53 AM
Jaw lines, cheekbones and eye-size define whether a character looks male or female, facially. A slender chin or even pointed chin, high but not sharp cheekbones and big eyes make a character look female, whereas a wide, blunt jaw and solid-looking cheekbones with small, sharp eyes make a character look male. Mixing these things up will give you a character of ambiguous gender.

Dairun Cates
2007-07-22, 01:44 PM
A strong jawline, medium length hair, biggish eyes, and a soft complexion should help. The other part is to use a lot of obscurity in drawing the face. Instead of being detailed, you want to show as much while drawing as little as possible. This may sound crazy, but once you grasp the idea, it works. You might also try to find pictures of androgynous characters and study them. Hell, use Marlyn Manson or Boy George if you have to. Either that, or look at some of the stereotypical male anime bishonens. That should help as well. Hell, you could even watch the first episode of Oran Host Club and see the opposite in the most androgynous female ever.

Yiel
2007-07-22, 06:27 PM
Is this the sort of androgyny you had in mind?


http://www.buf.kristianstad.se/rg/Elev/frida/res/Omslagsbilder/skivomslagaladdinsane.jpg

You should take aspects of both the female & male face and merge them. The angular strength and thinner lips associated with male faces, and the soft cheeks and long lashes associated with the female face.

Ash Williams
2007-07-22, 08:15 PM
Is this the sort of androgyny you had in mind?


http://www.buf.kristianstad.se/rg/Elev/frida/res/Omslagsbilder/skivomslagaladdinsane.jpg



Actually, Syd is based more on Freddie Mercury, but I appreciate everybody's help.

Anxe
2007-07-22, 10:52 PM
Image (http://www.nicholasjdanton.supanet.com/figure5.jpg)
Take that image and color the eyes blue. It won't be wearing robes, but it's what you want ain't it?