Wow, that’s impressive! I main Taliyah and have some questions and comments:
Questions:
- What does she weave?
- What does she surf?
- Does she have a pet?
Comments:
Taliyah has a distinct look, and while it has room for variety, some details should be consistent. First, her figure should be boyish, with narrower hips, a wider waist, and a flatter chest than she has in your concept sketch. Second, her clothing should be thick enough to protect her from the bad weather and weaving debris inherent to her life of surfing around Valoran. Third, you missed some characteristic elements of her character: her outfit should have two layers, along with a mantle and elemental coat tails. Last, she looks a couple years too young.
Also, the tone and style of the image are inconsistent with her character. Striking a fun pose with a big smile in a pretty dress is not quite her style. Her powers terrified her when she was little, and she kept them secret. Noxus tricked her with promises of learning and told her to bury a sleeping village or drown. She has watched and helped Yasuo kill men with his sword. She also had to return from her training early to confront what she had thought were just scary characters from her bedtime stories. She’s only 16 and still has no idea of where her tribe is.
Maybe if she had been born ordinary, were attending a dance festival with her friends, and knew her crush were there, would we see her as in your picture. Indeed, I somewhat wish that she could be as happy and carefree as you made her look; for despite her struggles, her lines and lore reveal her irrepressible joy, energy, and humor. Her original outfit represents this with an Ionian robe around a Shuriman shirt and leggings. The mantle of stone on her shoulders, likewise, symbolizes the burdens she carries, in her adventures and heart.
For inspiration if you make any changes to your drawing or any other Taliyah skins, I recommend the song I’m Still Here, by John Rzenik. She says the hook of the chorus to herself when you play her, and I imagine that the reference is intentional because the song is loaded with parallels to her story.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Huel7ftd6wM
