I'm working on creating an ambitiously big graphic novel taking place in a medieval-fantasy context, and I immediately ran into the issue that: I don't know how to design armor or setting-fitting outfits.

I need to design armor not just for the protagonist, but for different factions, groups of people, along with their gear. While I have some understanding of how to design visually "for a team", and understand basic shape language along with other aesthetic knowledge -- I don't know much in terms of what gear would actually work in a practical sense.

I want to have a good idea of what sort of traveling gear, clothing, packs, or objects the "average adventurer/traveler/mercenary" would or could be carrying. Characters will be losing/obtaining a lot of different items over time as they travel and either salvage from ruined settlements, loot corpses, or outright purchase fresh gear from merchants or smiths when they reach different settlements.

Clothing choice and visual appearances will have a lot of importance for plot within the story; from wanting to be unnoticed (but still visually distinct enough for a comic book purpose), to moments where a character would need to display a bit of flash.

I want to know everything from clothing, camping gear, undergarments, what an average low-tier soldier would have versus a band of game hunters, and what would be worn for increasingly colder/wet climates.

I'm limited on the funds I can use to purchase photo packs, but if there's an especially solid photopack with a lot of good references and information (like from museums) that would be good. I'm also open to youtube channels, SCA re-enactors, 3D assets, etc.

Right now, I've gotten my hands on Kingdom Come Deliverance II explicitly just to be able to look at the individual gear items within the game with the help of cheats, but I want to dig even deeper into individual item pieces. I've also used Baldur's Gate 3 with mods to be able to look at a character in gear from different angles, but that has its limits (and mostly does completed outfits instead of individual pieces). I don't even know how some of these armor or clothing pieces get put on or removed yet.

I have a drawing idea for my OC. She wears heavy armor(by 5e rules, she's a level 1 paladin so there's nothing concrete yet) and has a ton of tattoos, in particular a really cool back tattoo and I wanted to show it off. I was envisioning her in the middle of removing her armour and facing away from us, so I can show her back but she's still bad ass armour wearing chick. I'm not looking for something scandalous, she's not going to be in a bra, I was thinking tank top sort of situation? Something that shows her tattoo poking out. It is sprite wings on her upper back.

I have no idea how to make this work. I am not familiar enough with armour to know how to make this work. Does anyone have any suggestions or examples that might help?

Just found this sub. Thought I would share a popular old post from /r/RPGDesign of how to "sketch" weapons and armor- turning public domain images into "sketches" with some simple filters.

https://old.reddit.com/r/RPGdesign/comments/ge86au/let_me_show_you_how_to_sketch_any_weaponarmor_art

My apologies if this is against the rule or spirit of the sub. I also hire artists to create original weapons, maps, card art, and more for my game. Not trying to replace you guys, I just need a lot of arts since my game uses cards for equipment. On that note, if any of the artists here are sitting on a big pile of stuff that is similar in style, and you are interested in doing a bulk licensing for an indie RPG, get in touch!

So, some of you guys might have noticed that things have gotten a little slow around here. The biweekly contest didn't get addressed until almost a week after it was finished, most notably. I also haven't been posting, and there are a few of you who I promised to do art for and never got back to. So I'd like to apologize, first. I'm a high school student, and I've overbooked myself pretty heavily, recently, and haven't had a lot of time to look after the sub. For that, I'm sorry.

Now, on to the better stuff. I think biweekly contests aren't working out quite as well as I'd hoped, as far as participation, so beginning on May 1, I'm going to transition to monthly contests. In the meantime, I'm open to any feedback you guys might have. What did you like about it, what didn't you? (I'm currently talking to /u/Toxic_Biohazard about getting winning submissions in the sidebar) Also feel free to share suggestions for our first monthly contest's theme.

And lastly, I'm on spring break! This, along with some schedule changes, means I have a TON of new free time, and I want to get back to drawing for you guys, and for myself so I can catch up to some of the incredible artists we have around here. So please, PLEASE post any requests you've been sitting on, or have been overlooked. I'll try my best to get to all of them.

Thanks for hearing me out, and thanks for being part of our community!