This is what happens when I'm an insomniac. Hah.
Character concept: Laerion, Son of Song, Silvan Elf of Mirkwood. (Yes, I know they're mostly blonde; I made him a red-head anyway.)
Art concept: A costume for this character.
Garment details:
Pants
-Made of suede-cloth, preferably of an auburn color. Close-fitted to the leg to adapt to the boots, they lace on both sides from under the knee to ankle. Laces are of sunset-crimson silk cord, and lace from bottom to top. They are not drawstring; they fasten on the sides with two buttons (preferably simple forest green ones) on each hip, and another three to four inches of the same color lacing-either of silk or leather cord-to adjust for the hips.
Tunic
-Made of silk, preferably something akin to a light dupioni, it is meant to be of a orangey-peach shade. Flesh toned, plus a bit of rust-color added to it. It is close fitting but still allows for movement, and is long enough to go just past the butt. There is a split in both front and back at mid-waist/bellybutton level, and the tail of the tunic has vaguely petal shaped edges that overlap approximately an inch or so. The collar has similar petal/leaf shape to it, but does not overlap in front. The edges meet evenly, and the shirt is fastened with rust colored light silk cord loops and small forest green buttons. The sleeves are fitted to the arm, to allow for less bunching under the bracers, and have overlapping petal shapes on the inside of the forearm similar to the tail of the tunic. They are fastened with the same silk cord and buttons as the front of the tunic, however with much less of them. There is also embroidery on the outside of the upper arm of the sleeves, akin to ivy and vines (and perhaps white flowers)-the sketch is a basic; the design itself likely will be more intricate. The seams are sewn with rust/crimson thread for a bit of decoration/detail. No other detail is noted.
Jerkin
-If I ever get into leatherworking, this will be made of dark mahogany (dark brown with a bit of dark red) leather. Until then, it is made with much thicker suedecloth of the same color. It is sleeveless, and has no collar. It is long like the tunic, but is an inch shorter than the tunic. It laces up the front with similar crimson cord as the pants. Its tail petals are not seamed up the side like the tunic, however, but are separate and laced up (again, with crimson cord). This allows for a bit more movement. There is mirroring vine-like embroidery around the edges of the tunic (both front and back), with a bit extra added in on the bottom and top inner corners of the front, and in a narrow but long triangle shape on the top-center third to half of the back.
Accessories
BOOTS: As boots are expensive, boot-tops will be substituted until/unless they can be afforded. They are made of the same leather and/or suedecloth as the jerkin. The tops on the shoes are smooth. The top of the boot-they are knee high-is comprised of one large petal shaped panel, with a smaller petal shape forming a sort of tongue underneath in front. The panel will either be fastened with the cord-and-button system used on the front of the tunic and the inside of its sleeves, or the front edges will lace up over the front of the boot. The edges of the main top panel will have vine-like embroidery mirroring tunic and jerkin.
BRACERS: Leather vambraces are very much needed to complete this garment. However, since I am not a leatherworker or an armourer, I cannot make these. They are, however, meant to be a golden-tan color, and either left plain with some scrolling knotwork on the edges, or with mirroring vine designs.
BELT: This is not pictured, but a ring belt of a chestnut brown color is needed for this set. Preferably the tail will be trimmed to approximiately knee length.
WEAPONS: A recurve bow (of chestnut-stained wood, preferably with some ivy enameled onto it), a quiver (colored in forest and such greens, and with similar ivy designs) with arrows (preferably of naturally-patterned fletching), and a pair of long knives (smooth wooden handles wrapped with leather for grip, and with gently curved blades approximately 15-18" in length, depending on person's height) with hip sheathes (of thick leather, preferably in matching color and design to the quiver), are meant to go with this set. If the exact coloring is unobtainable, dark brown or chestnut brown is acceptable instead. All designs must be elegantly curved and complementing the designs of the garments.
HAIR/EARS: Yes, false pointed ears will be necessary for this costume-as will be costume makeup to make the edges blend in, as per skin-tone. Also, the hair is meant to have two side braids on each side, brought to be tied in the back and then braided into one long braid over the rest of the hair. Hair is meant to be long, as per Tolkien's elves, however so long as the hair is elegantly and attractively styled it will suffice. (Fortunately, if it's me, I won't have a problem with the long hair. ;) )
-Made of suede-cloth, preferably of an auburn color. Close-fitted to the leg to adapt to the boots, they lace on both sides from under the knee to ankle. Laces are of sunset-crimson silk cord, and lace from bottom to top. They are not drawstring; they fasten on the sides with two buttons (preferably simple forest green ones) on each hip, and another three to four inches of the same color lacing-either of silk or leather cord-to adjust for the hips.
Tunic
-Made of silk, preferably something akin to a light dupioni, it is meant to be of a orangey-peach shade. Flesh toned, plus a bit of rust-color added to it. It is close fitting but still allows for movement, and is long enough to go just past the butt. There is a split in both front and back at mid-waist/bellybutton level, and the tail of the tunic has vaguely petal shaped edges that overlap approximately an inch or so. The collar has similar petal/leaf shape to it, but does not overlap in front. The edges meet evenly, and the shirt is fastened with rust colored light silk cord loops and small forest green buttons. The sleeves are fitted to the arm, to allow for less bunching under the bracers, and have overlapping petal shapes on the inside of the forearm similar to the tail of the tunic. They are fastened with the same silk cord and buttons as the front of the tunic, however with much less of them. There is also embroidery on the outside of the upper arm of the sleeves, akin to ivy and vines (and perhaps white flowers)-the sketch is a basic; the design itself likely will be more intricate. The seams are sewn with rust/crimson thread for a bit of decoration/detail. No other detail is noted.
Jerkin
-If I ever get into leatherworking, this will be made of dark mahogany (dark brown with a bit of dark red) leather. Until then, it is made with much thicker suedecloth of the same color. It is sleeveless, and has no collar. It is long like the tunic, but is an inch shorter than the tunic. It laces up the front with similar crimson cord as the pants. Its tail petals are not seamed up the side like the tunic, however, but are separate and laced up (again, with crimson cord). This allows for a bit more movement. There is mirroring vine-like embroidery around the edges of the tunic (both front and back), with a bit extra added in on the bottom and top inner corners of the front, and in a narrow but long triangle shape on the top-center third to half of the back.
Accessories
BOOTS: As boots are expensive, boot-tops will be substituted until/unless they can be afforded. They are made of the same leather and/or suedecloth as the jerkin. The tops on the shoes are smooth. The top of the boot-they are knee high-is comprised of one large petal shaped panel, with a smaller petal shape forming a sort of tongue underneath in front. The panel will either be fastened with the cord-and-button system used on the front of the tunic and the inside of its sleeves, or the front edges will lace up over the front of the boot. The edges of the main top panel will have vine-like embroidery mirroring tunic and jerkin.
BRACERS: Leather vambraces are very much needed to complete this garment. However, since I am not a leatherworker or an armourer, I cannot make these. They are, however, meant to be a golden-tan color, and either left plain with some scrolling knotwork on the edges, or with mirroring vine designs.
BELT: This is not pictured, but a ring belt of a chestnut brown color is needed for this set. Preferably the tail will be trimmed to approximiately knee length.
WEAPONS: A recurve bow (of chestnut-stained wood, preferably with some ivy enameled onto it), a quiver (colored in forest and such greens, and with similar ivy designs) with arrows (preferably of naturally-patterned fletching), and a pair of long knives (smooth wooden handles wrapped with leather for grip, and with gently curved blades approximately 15-18" in length, depending on person's height) with hip sheathes (of thick leather, preferably in matching color and design to the quiver), are meant to go with this set. If the exact coloring is unobtainable, dark brown or chestnut brown is acceptable instead. All designs must be elegantly curved and complementing the designs of the garments.
HAIR/EARS: Yes, false pointed ears will be necessary for this costume-as will be costume makeup to make the edges blend in, as per skin-tone. Also, the hair is meant to have two side braids on each side, brought to be tied in the back and then braided into one long braid over the rest of the hair. Hair is meant to be long, as per Tolkien's elves, however so long as the hair is elegantly and attractively styled it will suffice. (Fortunately, if it's me, I won't have a problem with the long hair. ;) )
~~~~~~~~~~
So, there you have it. Concept art for my (first) Mirkwood elf.
