Post by airey on Jun 30, 2023 11:50:48 GMT -5
Hi! (new poster here) I'm an artist who takes character design commissions and a client recently requested that I make two Apache characters (a brother and a sister) for them. I've been having a hard time researching certain aspects, mostly because google is really bad at pretty much any Native topic. However, since I want the characters to be accurately designed (or at least not embarrassingly out of touch), I didn't want to just wing it, since I have 0 Apache blood myself.
To begin with, I'm not actually sure what tribe the characters are supposed to be from. The client didn't specify and I don't feel comfortable making that assignment myself. From what I've been given about their backgrounds, though, I think they would be from the New Mexico/Arizona area. While I'm not sure reservations exist in the setting, I do know that the characters were raised "traditionally" though neither of them live near their homeland or among other Native Americans as adults.
So I have two questions that I haven't been able to answer through my own research, and I'm hoping someone here would be able to fill me in.
My client wants the brother to have "tribal tattoos", specifically tattoos on the face or arms - where they'd be visible in an ordinary outfit. I wasn't able to find any good sources relating to the subject of Apache tribes and tattooing, though. From what little I found, it seems that there weren't any tribes that traditonally practiced tattooing, but it's become popular among modern members. Is this accurate? If so, what kinds of tattoos are popular now? The article was paywalled, so I wasn't able to find out whether these tattoos are designed off of traditional iconography or if they're the kind of non-culturally specific art you'd find at any tattoo parlor in the western world. If it's the former, then I'd love to have some pictures I can use for reference!
My second question is about hair. I know that I should give the sister long and loose hair. However, the sister is part of a military organization, so while in uniform she would have to tie it back somehow. I was intially going to give her a bun, but then I realized that most of the female characters in my client's settings already have buns, and I wanted this character to stand out a little more. My second thought was braids. Is there any significance to braided hair for an Apache woman? Is there a style I should use, or a style I should avoid? I could still use a bun if that's more appropriate.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! TIA!
To begin with, I'm not actually sure what tribe the characters are supposed to be from. The client didn't specify and I don't feel comfortable making that assignment myself. From what I've been given about their backgrounds, though, I think they would be from the New Mexico/Arizona area. While I'm not sure reservations exist in the setting, I do know that the characters were raised "traditionally" though neither of them live near their homeland or among other Native Americans as adults.
So I have two questions that I haven't been able to answer through my own research, and I'm hoping someone here would be able to fill me in.
My client wants the brother to have "tribal tattoos", specifically tattoos on the face or arms - where they'd be visible in an ordinary outfit. I wasn't able to find any good sources relating to the subject of Apache tribes and tattooing, though. From what little I found, it seems that there weren't any tribes that traditonally practiced tattooing, but it's become popular among modern members. Is this accurate? If so, what kinds of tattoos are popular now? The article was paywalled, so I wasn't able to find out whether these tattoos are designed off of traditional iconography or if they're the kind of non-culturally specific art you'd find at any tattoo parlor in the western world. If it's the former, then I'd love to have some pictures I can use for reference!
My second question is about hair. I know that I should give the sister long and loose hair. However, the sister is part of a military organization, so while in uniform she would have to tie it back somehow. I was intially going to give her a bun, but then I realized that most of the female characters in my client's settings already have buns, and I wanted this character to stand out a little more. My second thought was braids. Is there any significance to braided hair for an Apache woman? Is there a style I should use, or a style I should avoid? I could still use a bun if that's more appropriate.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! TIA!