Character Art & Images
At the very beginning of character creation, things are not always the same. Sometimes I have a very good idea of what a character looks like. Sometimes I don’t. Often, I have an idea of their appearance, but might not know how they move. A sense of height, color, arresting features…as if glimpsed from the corner of my eye…is nearly always present. To bring the character into being afterward is a matter of conversing with them, and sometimes finding images that remind me of them. Between the character and me, we usually work out the details until I can see the character laughing (right down to the crinkles around the eyes), scowling, lost in thought, or surprised. Does the reader need all this detail? Of course not. Do I require it? Nope. It adds a dimension to the character creation that I enjoy, however, and helps me get a handle on those that are too shy to stand out.
For one story, I had a bit of trouble getting a handle on the size differences between a warrior woman and her court enemy, a slight woman with a presence equal to that of the warrior. I used pictures and a bit of photoshopping to put them side by side. Suddenly, I had no trouble remembering that Elyse always got a crick in her neck when arguing with Tameth, or that Tameth tended to overwhelm her physically. It was part of their interaction, and made the story richer.
On occasion, I’ll browse my files and the ‘net just to indulge my eye, and a character will whisper in the back of my mind “that’s me…tell my story.” Like this guy here to the left. Where did he get those scars and why that expression on his face? If he wishes to speak, I’ll sit and listen, shifting through what I hear and feel until I progress to a character sketch or thank him for his time and move on. His eyes almost make him look as if he’s been blinded, and that image stuck in my mind.
Now, here’s an embarrassing thing for me to admit. Sometimes my characters come to me on their deathbed, ready to share secrets….and once or twice…after they are dead. I know, gruesome and weird. Those characters lived a life filled with high emotion…love, fear, betrayal, triumph…all the things that make for good tension in a plot. These images are linked from one particular photostream of an artist doing a masterful job of blending elements into a surreal, ghostlike feeling and mood. I don’t pretend all her images are comforting, but I’ll visit her photostream when I hear a 
character crying betrayal, and sometimes the thoughts will gel. Sometimes these images just hit some melancholy aspect of my personality that brings forth words of description I can’t get elsewhere.
What I find interesting about these shots is the solidity of the figures and settings in their juxtaposition. Consider the middle picture, the figure standing in a room ruined with time. There’s something about that I almost can’t put into words, so can only draw your attention to it. Whether it is a theme of mine of which I am unaware, or have left unexplored 
or something to do with my love of history and unfortunate understanding of what life must have been like for women prior to modern medicine…to lose spouses, retainers, children, and even their own lives to germs and bacteria they couldn’t even see…I have always found these images disturbing, and also compelling.
I’ve included just three of her pieces. For the full scope of this artist’s work, please visit her photostream through any of the image links.
Now, there is certainly no requirement of images to complete my view of a character, or even to write the character. We all know that too much detail can kill a story; that you want to provide just enough detail to spark the reader’s imagination. This is just a technique or method to be used in making the character real for me so I might write them better.
These images come from everywhere. ..old art books, fine art, google searches, calendar art, you name it. Be on the look out and collect the images that speak to you into a digital or paper folder. Make it part of your swipe file. You just never know where it might lead.
I often go to find images for inspiration of characters. I find it helps me out alot. This is a great post, and that middle picture speaks to me, too. Wow. I’d love to read your work if you capture that in there!