"Sanna" #5 - Story and main character

(Click here to go to the first blogpost about this project)

The client contacted me a few days ago and said she had been working on developing a story based on a story about a mediteranean girl who washed ashore in Traena. The story goes more or less like this:

"Sometime during the 1700's, there was a little girl aboard a ship that sailed to Norway. This was either a boat of immigrants or a trade boat from souther europe, although it was unusual for women and especially children to be on board ships. During a terrible storm, the ship went down outside Traena, and the whole crew drowned. The ship was shattered to pieces, and the biggest piece that was left whole was a little chest that drifted ashore in Sanna. Some people who were out looking for driftwood found the chest, and inside was the little girl, huddled and afraid. An old childless couple took her in and raised her, and eventually she married and got children herself. It is said that today, a few people with lineage far back bear her characteristics, like black curly hair, dark eyes and olive skin."

(this is a summary I've put together myself, based on several versions told by several different people. Note that having black curly hair, dark eyes and olive skin was very rare and exotic in this otherwise pale, blonde blue-haired culture, especially before society became as globalised as today)

Based on this new knowledge, we know that the main character is going to be a mediterannean girl. I was right away thinking of the (perhaps stereotypical) spanish flamenco dancer, and did some sketches. We also know that the main character will be quite young, so I also looked at some west-european paintings from the 1700's, to see what children wore at this time.

Costumes and characteristics of spanish flamenco dancers, and some miscellaneous children, from poor to posh.

One of the most important characteristics of the girl is that she will have to look different and darker than the other Norwegian characters. She will have dark, curly hair, and possibly wear clothes with bright colours, especially red. She will also look different before the ship sinks, after she's drifted ashore, and when she's been taken in and integrated into the Norwegian society.

One of the most striking differences will be her eyes. They could look green, but that might be too close to the typical blue/grey nordic eye colour. I will be consulting with the client, but my personal favourite is the honey/dark brown colour.

The design of this character will be a difficult challenge. One of the main points of the story is that there are families in Traena that look different, yet have lineages far back. This is all because of one girl, and the strength of her genes are thought to reflect on the strength of the girl in life.
I will have to be careful to not make the story and designs come off as racist, but still keep the conflict and characteristic of the story alive. This could be an interesting theme for the narrative, and could lead to a good moral for the story suitable for children.
The client mentioned that she was intrigued by the eagle in my style concept, and thought the little girl might befriend the eagle and talk to it. Eagles were as mentioned considered pests, so this could be a forbidden friendship between to "outcasts".

I will have to hear more from the client about where the story starts and ends to know exactly what to do next. Until I hear from the client, I will be researching more about boats, both norwegian and south-european. I will also try and make a finalised drawing of the girl, at different ages and in different clothes and states. I might also suggest some character designs of parents (both biological and adopters)

<---#4 Artistic Style

#6 Structuring the Narrative --->