The Good Guys

Most space operas feature an epic battle, and on one side of it stand the brave men and women struggling to save the universe as they know it. Consider your setting while designing the look for your heroes, but here are a few tips that will help you get started.

GOOD-GUY PALETTE

When selecting your palette for the good guys, choose warm tones, tinted yellow and red. Earth tones are also a good option here; they look inviting and comforting and instantly set the viewer at ease. Without knowing anything else about a character, the palette you color them with can do a lot to establish the mood.

PILOT

Even though this pilot is wearing a helmet, the faceplate is transparent. While you’re designing battle wear for your heroes, try to keep the faces visible. Being able to observe a character’s expression humanizes them for the viewer—even if they do happen to be an alien.

OLD GENERAL

Remember, a space opera is set far from here and many, many years in the future. Try changing up the expectations in your clothing design. For example, this general doesn’t wear a uniform at all. She just looks like a wise, old grandmother.

WHITE KNIGHT

Even in an outfit with such bland colors, it’s possible to get some warmer tones into the picture. Using comfortable, visually appealing colors will subconsciously clue the viewer in to the fact that a character is friendly and welcoming. On the flip side, using this kind of visual shorthand for a character who ultimately betrays his friends might help to throw off expectations.

ALL WALKS OF LIFE

In a battle of the size and scale seen in most space operas, all hands are welcomed to the cause. Showing variety in your character designs will go a long way toward telling the wide-spread appeal of the fight, all without a word.

ROBOTS

Not all supporters of the cause have to be human—or even living. Like many sub-genres of science fiction, space operas tend to be heavy on the robots. When you design them, try for amiable and appealing, and bear in mind that the heroes are the kind of people who treat mechanical creatures like family, so keep them in good repair.