Re: Work In Progress--Deryni Action Figure Project (was Duncan Action Figure)

[Alkari]

Whatever part of the world you are from, if you are required to ride horses regularly, you will end up with clothing that has basically the same practical features.   Like slits front and back in long jackets / tunics/outerwear, and relatively close fitting garments around your legs.  Or else boots / leggings to fit over looser trousers when you are riding.   

Evie, if you post a pic of that jewelled braid on this thread, I can take a look and compare it to what I saw the other day.   I don't know why the pics sometimes don't show up on Mibbit 

[Evie]

No problem, Alkari.  If you look at the circlet Evaine is wearing on her veil below, that's the filigree trim I was referring to.  It comes with clear rhinestones, but I colored some of them in with a Sharpie marker to make them look like sapphires.


Jeweled circlet and veil by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

I could just leave it this way,  since the sapphire and diamond (or crystal) stones echo the colors in her outfit,  or I could turn the clear stones to rubies,  since Camber's heraldic colors are blue and red.  Thoughts, y'all?

OK, let's look at Rhys' torso choices:


Muscle torso by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Here is Rhys wearing Chest Plate #1....


Smooth torso by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

...and here he is with Chest Plate #2.  I will leave it for KK to decide which one she thinks is best suited for Rhys, but feel free to weigh in with your opinions anyway.

And now, also for your consideration (as well as KK's, who has veto power), here are some candidates for Meraude:


Possible Meraudes by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

I have two brown-eyed brunettes who I think would both make nice candidates for Meraude, but it's been hard to decide which one to use.  The one in the red dress is extremely petite, which matches Meraude's description, but in either case the head would need to be moved to a more articulated body, in which case finding an ultra-petite olive skinned body to match that one's head would be next to impossible.  The shorter Obitsu dolls have the right body size for a petite adult woman, but they only come in two complexions--pale and paler.  I can find an articulated body that's very close to that shade, but it would be regular Barbie height.  On the other hand, the doll on the left has a head it would be much easier to find a body match for, but her upswept hair is practically lacquered in place.  If I take the hair down, I suspect it will come to mid-back or possibly even waist length, but it would probably still need to be kept in a braid or ponytail.  Then again, women in the 1100s tended to wear their hair braided anyway, so that's not much of an issue.  Or we could just assume this is a Gwyneddan hairstyle and showcase the updo with a tiara in front of it.  I have a spare articulated body that could fit her, but again, it's only slightly more petite than the action figure bodies Richenda and Helena have, and the same size as Mirjana's body.  But if Meraude needs to be shorter than that, I might be able to replace it with one of the more petite Obitsu bodies when I can afford one.


Height difference by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Here you can see how tiny the doll on the left is compared to the one on the right.  She also has younger looking features.  That's because she's meant to represent a high school student (Gabriella from High School Musical), so she may be too youthful looking for Meraude.  But I love her hair!  Maybe she can end up being a Schola student, if I use the other one for Meraude?  In either case, I'll find some way to use both ladies, because I like them both very much.  They have different head sculpts from any of the other heads I've used so far.


Earrings by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Both of these ladies come with earrings.  I might be able to change out the hoop ones, but the peridot earrings that the other doll is wearing are actually small bolts with jewels glued on.  Apparently her original ear holes were damaged, resulting in the need to hide them behind larger (and permanent) replacement earrings, and this was the solution her original owner came up with.

So...Feedback, anyone?

[Jerusha]

Here are  my humble opinions.   

Since a jeweled circlet is likely to part of the MacRorie family jewels, I think I would go with the red and blue.  Perhaps it was originally worn by Evaine's mother and has now come to Evaine to wear.

Definitely chest number 2 for Rhys.  It seems better suited to the scholarly healer. 

The best Meraude is a harder call.  The first one seems too young and giggly, but I'm not fond of the up-do on the other one, although Meraude did wear her hair in a braid wound at the back of her neck in KKB.  I have the thought that the first doll could make a good Stanisha Furstan.  Kelson notes that Meraude comes just up to his chin - how does she look standing beside Kelson?

[Evie]

Giving Evaine red jewels in addition to the blue ones should be an easy enough fix, as long as my red Sharpie marker hasn't dried out.  I may be able to echo the red in the dress by adding tiny ruby-colored beads or rhinestones to it, perhaps embedded in the ivory knotwork trim.  Not too many, since I don't think she'd want to come off looking like a Christmas tree, but maybe just one at center front of the neckline trim, and a smaller one embedded into the trim at the center of each overdress sleeve as you look at her from the side?  Just enough to give a visual reminder of her lineage, even though she's a Thuryn now rather than a MacRorie.  (Or is she?  I need to ask KK if she wants "Maiden Evaine" or "Married Evaine."  It might influence how I end up doing her hair, and if she needs a wedding ring.)

We really can't choose a Meraude based on height, since neither head would be remaining on her present body in any case.  However, the only choice of articulated body that would come close to resulting in a chin-height Meraude next to Kelson would be one of the petite Obitsu bodies, which only come in "Fleshtone" and "White" (which, being translates, comes closer to "Irish Barbie pale" and "OMG, is she a vampire?"  Asian dolls are very hard to find in darker skin colors.)  So the head with the updo looks like she'd work on the darker "Fleshtone" body.  A Barbie body is about a half inch shorter than Kelson's Ken body, so about eye height on him.  Obitsu adult female bodies come in 27 cm and 25 cm sizes, so I'm thinking the 25 cm size would put her right around chin height for a 12" male.   I have a doll on a 27 cm body that I can put next to him to see the height difference, and that should show me if 27 cm is short enough or if I need to go that extra bit shorter.  Obitsus also come with varying breast sizes.  Small would be similar to the modest sized breasts she's got now, Medium would make her more comparable to Richenda, Helena, and Evaine in her body proportions, and Large...well, I'll need to buy some stretch velour for her gowns if Meraude's to wear two of the Rhendall Mountains on her chest!   But really, do we want her chest circumference to nearly equal her height?  I think maybe we should stick to Small or Medium for petite Meraude.   

I seriously doubt that the updo would survive the hot water that I use to soften the vinyl around the neck area so I can switch heads to new bodies anyway, since that will probably wash away whatever styling product is holding it together.  So it's possible that I could change that hairstyle to a single braid or two braids (depending on how the hair is rooted), though whether I can wind it at the nape of her neck or not is a different matter.  It might need to just hang down her back instead.

But nooooooo to making a Stanisha, since that would mean I'd need to make a grown Rory and Payne as well (and probably a Noelie, if I'm to have Rory), and I'm tired of lunching on value meals so I can afford to buy dolls and their swag!   With the addition of Meraude, I would have the main canonical cast in place.  I might make one or two more of my favorite fanfic characters as well (yes, that means Jass, Annie! and maybe the rest of my Arilan family), but then I'll call it quits and concentrate more on costumes, props, and sets instead.  Her hair is nearly perfect for Jashana, though, just needs a comb-through with some watered down black acrylic paint, and she's got the laughing eyes to suit the part.  Maybe Jashana has spent a lot of time outdoors since she moved to Llyr and has acquired a little bit of a tan?  Or since I tend to envision her as looking a bit like a young Catherine Zeta-Jones around the time she appeared in Zorro, maybe she just has naturally olive-toned skin?  Mihall seems to like the idea, anyway....

[Aerlys]

My $0.02:

Definitely chest plate #2 for Rhys seems more fitting.

The second doll seems more mature and refined, and thus more appropriate for Meraude. I just can't look at the first one without the name "Gidget" going through my head.

And, as far as Meraude's body and..ahem..chest circumference, you might want to talk to Nigel. I think I hear him in the background saying, "Hey, what's wrong with the Rhendall Mountains?"   

[Evie]

Nigel might like the Rhendall Mountains, but I'd prefer for her not to be so top-heavy that she can't stand up without face-planting!   

Besides which, it's already hard enough to make fitted gowns for medium-bust ladies in 1:6.  I'm afraid Meraude's outfits would hang on her like feed sacks if I had to make them large enough to accommodate a DD-or-larger-cup equivalent body.  The waists of the gowns need to be loose enough to fit over the chest and shoulders, yet snug enough to not hang like tents around the waist area, and they hadn't developed the concept of darts yet.  Back or side lacing helps with achieving a more fitted look, but when the front panel of the gown is substantially bigger than the rear panel, that takes more skilled pattern drafting, and if Meraude becomes too hard to adapt clothing patterns for, I become demotivated to make her any new clothes.  So unless she's going to spend all her time running around in a loose chemise, it's probably in her best interest to be no larger than a medium cup size.

Yes, yes, I know Nigel would mind seeing his wife wearing no more than a chemise all the time, but she does have some Court duties to attend to, and he might want her wearing more layers in public!   

[DesertRose]

I like the second chest plate for Rhys, too.

Also, I think the first doll is a bit youthful to represent a grown woman like Meraude.  I like the second doll better, although I think she could stand a hairstyle change.

I realize that KK gets the last say, but that's my $0.02, for what it's worth. 

[Evie]

Miniature belt weaving by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Today I decided to try to weave a belt to match Evaine's outfit.  Yes,  I know I'm insane.  Here is the small bit I got done during my lunch break.

[Jerusha]

You're not insane, Evie, just ... focused!   

[Aerlys]

Evie's just focused in an insane sort of way. Or is her insanity really focused?

Or maybe she's just showing off! (J.K. )



(Pssst! Try looking at friendship bracelet patterns. Might be easier. Then again, maybe that's too inauthentic ... or too sane?)

[Evie]

A friendship bracelet pattern could pass for some sort of Deryni cording lore,  I suppose. 

[Alkari]

Thanks Evie - that gives me some idea of the scale, as I remember the width of the ivory braid.    So I will keep my eyes peeled!

I much prefer the left hand, smaller doll for Meraude, because I think it fits better with canon as she really IS supposed to be a tiny woman.   If you remember, when Kelson goes to visit Sidana in the royal quarters in The Bishop's Heir, this is Kelson's description:-  "He was always surprised at how short Meraude was.  The top of her head reached only to his chin."     And Kelson still hadn't quite reached his full adult height by then.  I also like the face on the smaller doll: Meraude is poised and regal in bearing, but I have always imagined her with pretty and kindly features rather than being beautiful, and to me, the RH doll is more the glamour babe! 

[tenworld]

... that's my $0.02, for what it's worth. 

not to veer OT but what is the Deryniworld equivalent?  (my books are packed so cant look up)

[Evie]

... that's my $0.02, for what it's worth. 

not to veer OT but what is the Deryniworld equivalent?  (my books are packed so cant look up)

A (copper) farthing, IIRC.

[Aerlys]

Or maybe she's just showing off! (J.K. )

(Sorry. I was channeling my smart-aleck teens when I wrote that!)