Free Planet character designs: Commander Gracchon
Added 2025-03-25 02:59:26 +0000 UTCContinuing my process posts about Free Planet, this one focuses on Commander Oliver Gracchon, revolutionary leader of the Lutherian war for independence and founder of the Freedom Guard.
Gracchon was a late addition to the cast, spun out of an idea for a grizzled veteran character Aubrey and I had been kicking around:
2022 Marker sketch: the initial design for Gracchon was clearly solid gold, as this is basically his look in the comic- cybernetic visor, handlebar mustache, good hair, weather-beaten face.
Marker sketch: an alternate idea for him, featuring a cybernetic handlebar mustache, was nixed as it gave him very little ability to emote.
Pencil and marker sketch of Gracchon's uniform, which is intended to show his connection with the foot soldiers of the revolution.
Pencil scribble of Gracchon's stay-at-home clothing.
Test to see how the digital zipatone would interact with color. I decided to add graytones to the artwork, to both aid in rendering shapes and distinguishing backgrounds and foregrounds, and to very literally add texture and grit to the feel of the art. I scaled back Gracchon's medals in the book- this felt too self-aggrandizing for the character.
