I've spent this day sketching Discworld characters. I've been working on these sketches for a while now, and realized that, even though I have a mental picture of many of them, I don't really remember the descriptions given in the books in detail, and wiki and the other usual sources cite only a bit of it. I don't want you to go and check the books for me - I rather thought it would be effective if those who already are reading them anyway keep an eye open for detailed descrptions on how the characters look, how their uniforms and dress styles are described. For example, I started with the cast of Monstrous regiment, and I don't have most of my books right now - half of them, actually. I don't remember how the uniforms have been described, and I don't just want to go for the pictures I've seen already. I try to blank them out and go by the word only. If enough descriptions come up, the thread might be a helpful ressource for the many people who wanted to provide sketches for the Discworld Informer site. :bunny: Also, may I as well as others post half finished sketches and ask for feedback on details (and other things)?
Please say you haven't done a picture of Om's manifestation as a tortoise... Cos I've done one... Or is it just the ones you mentioned in the Discworld Informer Drawings thread (http://www.terrypratchettbooks.org/discworld/boardania/1399-discworld-informer-drawings-3.html)? 'Cos swamp dragons are awesome...
I've got a few very rough ones like the elf folk, Cohen, Vimes, and a noble dragon, a few Morporkians, no Om, no tortoise though. The most finished ones currently are the ones from "Monstrous Regiment".
You've got loads... I'll go and draw another... You can see a rough photo of my tortoise at the above link also, but I'm still trying to find a scanner...but I guess inside my house is probably not the best place to look.
When the MR arrive at Plotz to be kitted out, there really isn't much to go on. The uniform tunics have been described as being red. The trousers are probably black. As they are to be sent to the lines as pikemen they should also be issued with a pike and a sword, a shield in case of an arrow storm and a heavy (metal?) helmet. Breastplates are also among the stores so I imagine they would offer some body protection. Swords are stained and notched. Corporal Scallot offers advice to the group about 'filling their shako with food' when on the march, so that covers the normal headwear. The regimental badge is simply described as a 'flaming cheese' Jade, the troll, is offered some red paint in place of a uniform. Footwear is simply described as boots. If the group are wearing trousers I would say these would probably be short ankle height boots. Lieutenant Blouse is described as wearing breeches so I would assume from this descriptive clue, and the fact he rides a horse, that his boots would be almost knee high (riding boots). The Zlobenian troops as seen by Polly when they are staying at the inn, only get one line of description... "Now she could take stock of the invaders. They wore dark-blue uniforms, and big (high?) boots, and heavy cavalry helmets." . The group do take their sabres from them on the advice of corporal Scallot. The uniform made for Polly is described like this... "The uniforms that had been made for them had a special, additional quality that could only be called . . . girlie. They had more braid, they were better tailored, and they had a long skirt with a bum roll rather than trousers. The shakos had plumes, too. Her tunic had a sergeant’s stripes. It had been a joke. A sergeant of women. The world had been turned upside down, after all."
I have the full collection of pTerry's books and I have a habit of including one in my reading list each week. So the whole series is now read on a yearly cycle. My memory isn't that eidetic but I can usually pull up lesser known facts better than other members of the family. (Great for quizzes!) A great help is a scanner. Several of my favourite books and all of my Discworld series have been OCR'd and I can simply use a word processing package to look for the relevant key words. I got into this habit when I got a laptop. It's easier to lug around the country, especially carrying an accordion and rucksack. It means I can carry a few virtual books with me and prevent my actual books from being damaged (or nicked as the case may be. :shock So far I've held other members of the family at bay, by refusing to give them copies. pTerry is relying on sales to make his living - I respect the hours of pleasure I've had from his writings. So to use a few well known paraphrases... "Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards because a refusal often offends..." (Mort) "Do not twy to wun away,' said Butch, ' 'cos having your intestines chewed often offends." (Men at Arms) "Not a good idea (everyone said) to ask for your present back, as being turned into something small and sticky often offends." (Wintersmith) translated as "Please don't grovel, plead or bribe me for copies, as being sticked, belled and trampled by an irate Morris man often results in serious injury..." (Live quote - Joculator) So now you know!
