Developing the Race

Drawing has always been the easiest way for me to find out what I want in my characters. So regardless of quality, sketching something out and giving it a look is always my first port of call after having a look about for my inspiration. After drawing a vanilla early teens protagonist with the ears, it seems too bland. Too human to be anything special, and far to normal to be my hero. The race needs to be further from normality.
Although Jak's race is never really explored throughout the trilogy, he's obviously not human. He's something more special.

Rafei contorts and stylises the features so well. Taking the typical human form and tweaking it. Even without the ears we would know that Jak isn't like us. I want my features to be more extreme than Rafei's so that the difference is unmistakeable.

So I sketched out some rough body types that are both typical and exceptional, while keeping it easilly recognisable.

These were the easily recognisable body types of fantasy. Humans, Halflings and Elves. Our hero is atypical, so I want someone who doesn't seem capable of defeating the bad guy.
Coincidentally, this image coincided with the release of second installment in The Hobbit franchise. As a short person, the idea of the little guy who could really appeals to my nature, and I found myself being drawn to our halfling fellow.

 

 

Frodo and Bilbo are both fantastically flawed, physically and mentally.

So we've decided on our hero's build. But what about our Villain? Villains should be opposite of the Hero in terms of appearance atleast. Harking the hostility between Tolkein's dwarves and elves, I feel that a tall character would be both imposing and superior enough to sell the villainous character.