I do a lot of consulations with people, helping design alterations from scratch. These guidelines are written for DragonRealms; if you want help designing something in GemStoneIV, simply replace the DragonRealms-native materials with GemStoneIV materials.
My email is firefall@play.net, and my screen name is hrshellkw. Please take a few minutes to go through the guidelines before contacting me.
Guidelines
Please have the item or a selection of two to three items to alter chosen beforehand. I want you to be happy with what you get altered, and I won't make any decisions for you.
That said, please decide on at least some of the following, especially if you've either never gotten an alteration done before, or are starting a new outfit.
Colors: Main and Complimentary
What colors do you like? What's the primary color you want most people to see when they look at you? I normally go with blue and grey and shades thereof. You won't want the entire item all one color, so think of a color that looks good with your primary, and will be providing trim and contrast. It will also help in choosing other things.
Materials: Cloth, Leather, Metal, Gem, Wood
Five things that are key to your wardrobe. Your materials tell a lot about you--your wealth, attitude, etc. Generally speaking, cloth and leather are generally for clothing and containers; metal and gem are for fastenings, trim, and jewelery. Wood can be used for trim and jewelery, but it's mostly used for cases, instruments, and other trinkets that aren't worn, like pipes.
Choice of cloth: silk, satin, cotton, wool, linen, etc.
Choice of leather: just plain leather, suede, doeskin, wolf hide, etc.
Choice of metal: copper, silver, gold, platinum, animite, etc. Be aware that
most alterers will require you to provide rare metals, especially animite and
above(lumium, niniam, damite, glaes, kertig tear or fist).
Choice of gem: ruby, sapphire, diamond, pearl, etc. There are literally hundreds
of different gems and cuts available. However, like metals, most of these will
have to be supplied by you, so choose wisely and according to your ability to
obtain it.
Choice of wood: ironbark, silverwillow, goldbark, ebony, maple, etc. Again,
alterers may require you to supply the material, so choose a primary wood carefully.
Symbols: God, Avatar, Guild, Race, Clan, Other or Generic
Do you wear the symbols of your god for all to see? Let me know, and I will be happy to work them into the alteration design. I'll need to know what that symbol is though.
Conversely, do you NOT like symbols or specifics on your items? Would you rather just have a description of cut and construction? Let me know.
Condition
What condition is the item in? Is it pristine and brand new? Old, battered and torn up? Used, but well cared for?
Feel
No, this isn't that "<something> that makes you cower in fear" description. A good alteration should have an overall 'feel' to it, be it soothing, as I've been told mine are, mysterious, cynical, etc. Let me know what you're going for and I'll do my best to design it.
Inscriptions
Do you want a saying, phrase, prayer, or just your initials on it?
If you can't fill it all out--don't sweat it. I can work with what you have. Here's a short form for you to fill out for your own notes. It'll help to keep it on hand for future alterations, whether you ask me to design them in the future, someone else, or you design it yourself. It's always the first one that's the hardest.
Primary Color:
Complimentary Color:
Cloth:
Leather:
Metal:
Gem:
Wood:
Symbol(s):
Condition:
Feel:
Inscription:
That's it!
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