One of the things I love about the Paizo products is the use of the Iconic Characters in all of the art. Whether inspirational, humorous, or simply illustrative of a scene/culture/setting the artwork containing the iconics has been very, very good.
One question that puzzles me, though, is the near-total lack of variance in character dress. Now in your average adventuring scene, I understand why the characters are wearing their "iconic garb". However, I see little reason why Valeros, Merisiel, & co in the same garb when their in an alpine region searching for Xin Shalast, a desert clime in Katapesh, or the depths of the Mwangi Expanse?
I think the iconics' "iconic look" is pretty well established at this point. Surely, artists could come up with variances in the Iconics' appearances with respect to climate & perhaps, culture?
It's not quite as bad as the comic-book syndrome where the fighting tights protect against arctic winds but still...
One of the things I always loved about the REH stories of Conan was that Conan usually adopted the styles and even the weaponry of different regions (save when he was an impoverished barbarian in a loincloth of course...). It always helped cement the image of not only his status/wealth in a given story but the region & culture where the story took place.
Just a thought/suggestion.
I would laugh sooooo hard to see Harsk in a tuxedo.
And Merisiel wearing an evening gown...and a dozen daggers. ^_-
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Seoni had on some thicker furs in that image where they're fighting the white dragon in the snow if I remember correctly?
We are dealing with people who live in a world where Endure Elements is cheap and easily available but I agree that seeing them mixing it up might be fun in the future.
I also can understand not doing it very often as well...the whole point of being an icon is having that particular look. As they grow older and more popular I'm sure there will be some variations.
Seelah in a an evening gown would be even funnier, daggers or without :)
Even funnier than that would be Harsk in an evening gown - sized for Merisiel.
Creative Director
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Three reasons, basically.
1) How often do YOUR player characters change their clothes? Assuming that they, like our iconics, have easy access to spells like endure elements? The majority of our illustrations of our iconics show them in adventuring situations like combat or exploration, and thus they're in their best adventure clothes. We DO, now and then, show them in other clothing, though.
2) Because asking for an iconic in different clothing is risky. They're Pathfinder characters, after all, and as a result they have restrictions as to what they can use and wear. The reason we go with iconics in the first place is because it's a LOT easier to show an artist who doesn't game a picture and say, "Wizards look like this guy," rather than give them a long list of what a wizard can and can't wear or carry. Long art descriptions do more damage than good, because artists get impatient or overwhelmed or annoyed by that much description more often than not. The iconics let us control what our adventurers look like and what they wear without having to retype huge descriptions every time we send out art orders.
3) Because the outfit an iconic wears is as much a part of their appearance as their face. That's why superheroes have unique and recognizable costumes. This way, when we have dozens of different artists working on art, the iconics have MUCH better chance of being recognizable for who they are. If they change clothes too often, it's easy to lose track of who they are.
Three reasons, basically.
1) How often do YOUR player characters change their clothes? Assuming that they, like our iconics, have easy access to spells like endure elements? The majority of our illustrations of our iconics show them in adventuring situations like combat or exploration, and thus they're in their best adventure clothes. We DO, now and then, show them in other clothing, though.
2) Because asking for an iconic in different clothing is risky. They're Pathfinder characters, after all, and as a result they have restrictions as to what they can use and wear. The reason we go with iconics in the first place is because it's a LOT easier to show an artist who doesn't game a picture and say, "Wizards look like this guy," rather than give them a long list of what a wizard can and can't wear or carry. Long art descriptions do more damage than good, because artists get impatient or overwhelmed or annoyed by that much description more often than not. The iconics let us control what our adventurers look like and what they wear without having to retype huge descriptions every time we send out art orders.
3) Because the outfit an iconic wears is as much a part of their appearance as their face. That's why superheroes have unique and recognizable costumes. This way, when we have dozens of different artists working on art, the iconics have MUCH better chance of being recognizable for who they are. If they change clothes too often, it's easy to lose track of who they are.
I too, would love to see the iconics in a wider range of outfits, but i can completely understand why it is unlikely to happen, no argument from me on point two and three.
But on point 1, I as a player, try to ensure that my characters clothing changes whenever it is appropriate, because helps me see them more as living breathing people. Only three characters characters i can remember playing have ever had consistent costume. A, a WFRP character had only two outfits, so would always be wearing one or the other, One of my necromancer in curse of the crimson throne, Dr. Titus Crow, had a long coat and plague mask which he wore like the uniform of a masked vigilante and lastly an old exalted character, mako-tears-flesh literally only had one set of cloths.
So yeah, my point would be that YMMV on this one :D
3) Because the outfit an iconic wears is as much a part of their appearance as their face.
And faces can be changed, too.
At least with the right genetic adjustments.