
A dress for formal occasions,
This dress was the first sketch of the dress Keyanna wore at the party at Lord Rubin’s mansion in book one.
‘The servant Martha knocked and entered the room, carrying a dress wrapped in tissue paper. She laid the dress carefully on the bed and began to unwrap it, revealing the most beautiful gown Keyanna had ever seen. It was made of eight white panels almost oblong, and in between them were specially shaped blue panels.’
In that description I didn’t mention the flared sleeves and the simple neckline, but I did describe the material the dress was made from.
‘Keyanna decided this dress must be Arten, a single touch was all she needed to confirm it, the fabric was definitely high-quality nylon. Artens often used artificial fabrics that simulated natural fabrics.’
I should have also mentioned the grey detailing on the hem, collar and cuffs. Using familiar Arten patterns, I intended a grey edge to define these features. If I was to re-draw this sketch, I would remove the central seam and rotate the panels to provide that central line. I tried to create the idea of a dress that can change with movement.
‘Risking a glance down she noticed that, as the dress spun around her, the blue panels became more noticeable, and when she became still, they folded away, leaving her looking like a graceful figure in white.’
No doubt this dress was influenced by many years of watching the television show ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and being envious of the beautiful ballgowns worn by the dancers.
Keyanna is not a natural born dancer, her limited skill came from hard work, but fortunately my character has grace to her movements, unlike myself, who has two left feet.
The Arten rope,
This pencil sketch looks more like an illustration from a horror novel depicting an ancient ghost rising from the grave. I tried to illustrate the leather robes worn by senior Arten administrators, beneath which a simple dress of cotton would be worn by women and the men would wear shirt and trousers. The unisex robe had been fashionable at the time when the Artens had come to the world of Gear, and the Artens had adopted it for their upper administration as a way of making the humans feel more comfortable. Like most formal Arten clothing the robe is made from white leather and edged with blue leather and finished with grey stitching. The sturdy, synthetic, leather robes were held around the waist with a braided fabric belt, which came in a variety of colours indicating various departments and ranks.
I’ve always been fascinated with the gowns and wigs that are still worn by lawyers in this modern age, as a part of tradition. I intended these ugly leather robes as a traditional item of apparel that no one would dare question as to whether or not they should still be worn.
I’ve always found it intriguing in my stories to include little ideas that suggest traditions and customs going back hundreds of years, I do this in an attempt to give my story depth and a feel for history.