I do not like the look of my character. Any thoughts?

[gem.9038]

I don't know what it is, but I just can't seem to get the look of my character quite right. I don't know if it's the colors, the armor skins, etc. Anyone have any thoughts on it? Thanks.

https://i.imgur.com/m8WmuGO.jpg

[ZeftheWicked.3076]

You started off the wrong end. First thing you do is ask yourself:
What am I going for with my look? What is it that i want to express with it?

Good looks have a message to them. They tell of your character's identity, and the good ones add "unique" in front of that identity part. So figure that first, then let us know what it is, then maybe we can help.

 

[Obfuscate.6430]

Aesthetically you've got a matching set, a good icy color palette and a weapon that fits in the color scheme. It's a great look! 

But you mention something doesn't quite "seem right". That might be because the pauldron and boots are only one color. I recommend adding an accent color - for example the color of her top. The pauldron has 2 channels and the boots have 3. Try playing around with adding a second color to tie all the pieces together. 

[Danikat.8537]

I agree with @ZeftheWicked.3076. What you've got looks fine, the dyes go together and the sword matches the armour, but the fact that it's all T2 and T3 cultural armour dyed to match the weapon, combined with the fact that you're asking this question, makes me think you're not sure what you were going for when you chose it.

 

In fact that would be my first question: did you choose that sword skin because you like the colours and the style and wanted to use it on her, or did you use it because it's a stat-selectable ascended weapon, kept the default skin and dyed everything else to match?

 

If it's the first one then you've got a starting point: think about what you like about the sword and why it fits this character and then expand that to the rest of the style. If not then think about the question more generally: who is this character? What did you have in mind when you created her? What do you want other people's first impression to be when they look at her? What was your starting point for this style and why did you choose it?

 

You don't have to have a whole backstory and RP-ready personality worked out (although if you do then you could definitely use it), something as simple as "I want her to look like a classic fantasy warrior" or "I want her to look a bit mysterious" or "I really like blue and silver" is enough to get you started.

 

Then have a look through the wardrobe in the game or the armour galleries on the Wiki and see what catches your eye. What fits that theme? If you do have a personality in mind what do you think she would choose to wear?

Edited May 17, 2021 by Danikat.8537

[Jijimuge.4675]

A useful resource for the fashion-conscious can be found at https://www.gw2style.com

You may find some interesting looks there or inspiration for a new direction.

You can also post your look as "help wanted", though I don't think the site is as active as it used to be.  Hopefully there are still some style gurus hanging around there, however.

[TheAgedGnome.7520]

 

I do a lot of fashion wars, and find the instantaneous almost-subliminal reactions to provide my best input to my alterations. Some of these kinds of thoughts on looking at your images:

• Those boots and pauldrons don't work for that armor - they are too clunky/blocky.
• The pastel blue drags down the energy of the whole ensemble. Try an entirely different color (e.g., purples, greens, tans) to complement the darker blues. Its all too blue-on-blue-on-blue.
• There is a mismatch between the more "primal warrior" tattooed face & body vibe vs. the elegant sword & T3 armor, especially with the pastel blues (blacks/reds/tans might make the armor match the vibe better).

 

This all results in: "I don't know who she is", which I think you are also sensing.

 

Sometimes I try the most improbable choice for an armor piece or a theme color, and build around that, to see if I can come up with new or interesting looks. Doesn't always work, but it helps me to break out of mere incremental changes that are often underwhelming.

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by TheAgedGnome.7520

[Boulder.3589]

The rumors are true? This is the true end game? O.O

[TheAgedGnome.7520]

5 hours ago, Boulder.3589 said:

The rumors are true? This is the true end game? O.O

 

Any troglodyte can mash a few skill buttons in the right order, but mashing a few skill buttons while looking fabulous - that's next level!  

Edited May 18, 2021 by TheAgedGnome.7520

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

1 hour ago, TheAgedGnome.7520 said:

 

Any troglodyte can mash a few skill buttons in the right order, but mashing a few skill buttons while looking fabulous - that's next level!  

Lets be honest, sometimes doing a characters looks without it going badly is harder than the highest-end content, but not as hard as chosing a name, admittedly.

 

Chosing a name is the hardest boss in the game.

[medivh.4725]

Experiment
Look at the pieces in your wardrope, experiment with them. Sometime even weird combination produce unexpected good result. 

Story
What are you trying to express? She is showing much skin. If as heavy armoured soldier, shouldn't her build be more muscular to play the part? Try to make a story to each character, then your designing will come natural as you are fitting them with the gears that match their story or identity. This is much like role playing. Only to make your role convincing.
 

Focus
Now is there a focal piece, a piece you really liked? If yes try to tie everything to that piece. Make bold changes and you can get a very different result.  

 

Color
2 tone is too 1 dimensional. Real warriors don't really dress like that. 
You want to be more adventurous at picking colors. If that light blue is your fav colour, no problem. Pick out a color palette set of 4 or 5 to match. Then deploy them. We can call this color themeing. You have set on very light colors. Are you going for a really fantasy like style or appearance?

[Joote.4081]

She is out of balance,  skinny.  Not a problem if you weren't showing so much skin.

Cover up or put more meat on her.