Artwork help! Iterating Iona

My vote is for 4 then 3

Face 3 is the prettiest, but I'll agree with everyone that said that pic 4 (both face and armor) suits what we know of her much better. So, 4.

Seiryus

3 definitely!!

Anrae

Number 1 Looks more like a warrior woman/barbarian with the rougher look. The armour is more that style as well. Number 2 strikes me as a good facial expression with hairstyle but her armour makes me thing expensive with more rich/noble bearing as there is a lot on show/guarded. Number 3's face looks the more 'noble' lady of the lot but her armour is a bit rougher and more suitable for a combatant I feel. It's not too over the top stylistically but definitely seems fit for a knight. Number 4 is probably my favourite with her hair and face being nice. She's got a practical style with it in a bun/tight braid like she does. Her armour is perhaps the most suited for a cavalry knight wither her armoured skirt for her thighs. she has less parts that jut out to snag or be caught on and she still has a good look/armour coverage to her. So number 4 for me!

Viva01

I think 2 fits her best simply because she doesn't look like a particularly happy or confident person which matches what we've seen of the character so far. Her character is young and troubled and hasn't grown into herself properly yet. 1 looks more like Iona from a bit further in the future after the order has been all but destroyed and she is older and has grown into and made peace with herself. 3 looks like a confident, calm self-assured knight who spends 2 hours each day combing her hair and polishing her armor. Iona comes from the school of hard knocks, not a fairy tale castle. 3 looks way too polished and proper for a girl with her backstory.

Melting Sky

Face of 4 and expression of 1. Especially after the current chapters. I imagine she will end up a bit less naive and a little disillusioned after (a little more battle hardend).

Should have posted a poll, unless you enjoy tallying this yourself.

Signspace

Somewhere between 1 and 3 good, while 2 is soft

3!

FancyPantsu

I like 2 and 3

Reid Palmquist

I am a fan of the armor & hair on #4, but the sharper looking head/gaze on #1. The face on #4 feels too soft.

Patrick

3

4

Ranorus

really like the 4th one

tim

I think any of the last 3 would work. 1 is a little too barbarian raider for someone that is a squire in a medium-large order.

Kapelteta

Of the first 3 I'd go for 2. 3 is too mature/refined, 1 is too wild and doesn't suit the idea of protector. I think my favourite is 4 though. It's a younger less refined version of 3 and it suits my image of her. I agree with someone else who said that 3 looks more like her mentor.

robertmurz

3

Taksu

3 or 4

Raven

Didn't she have Cute as one of her skills that merged with Stellar Body? I think 4th fits the best overall with the face, hair tied up instead of down and easy to grab, and armor/rest of her.

Russel Yount

same

Lazy Lemon

While I love the look and feel of 1 and 3, they don't really fit Iona in my mind. How old is Iona? Because 3 suits her mentor very very well. If she's aged a fair bit, I'd say go for it. 1 doesn't fit her current knight-protector job, but I could see her transitioning into that look if she's striking off on her own if the Valkyries are splitting up. If I was going to pick an overall winner with the sketches as is, it would probably be 4.

Tarodan

I really like 1. It captures a less "middle age" aesthetic than the very formal knight look, and she looks battle hardened.

Keith Rice

Threes bedroom eyes and fancy hair feel very wrong to me. 1 feels very tom boy, 2 feels like shed be a valley girl. I really like 2s button nose tbh but the rest of the shape feels like she hasnt spent most of her time training physically.

Alex Matheny

I like 3 the best. One almost feels like a male face to me and two is too severe.

Tiffany Lieber

IMO 3 doesn't really fit her. It's too... refined/elegant, which isn't how I pictured her character. It looks more like a princess. It's possible that this impression is due primarily to her hairstyle, though. I could see the face of #3 with the hair of #1 maybe working. #2 looks too severe, although maybe that fits her personality? #1 looks pretty good to me, and is the one I'd choose overall if I had to choose immediately without any edits.

Alex Piccolo

I'm thinking 1 and 3 are the best choices. 2 just seems almost meek, where I imagine she would be more striking.

Jake Cantrell

I'd got with 2 or 4 for the face.

Prial

3 Definitely

ar1357

Love 3&4 looks just like how I pictured her

Owen Wilson

I'm weird. I like 1. I think it shows she has lived some.

Edit: Having a better understanding of the question, I now think that #3 is my preference for a face, and the armor on #4 is good so long as the indent for the cleavage goes away.

Grumlen

3 or 4. 4 is my favorite even if you are not planning on using the 4th pic as her

Brad

Her 'beauty' skill is Charming.

Muspellsheimr

3

Weebeedee

I like face one the best.

Lictor Magnus

For anyone interested in historical armor function and design, I strongly recommend Knyght Errant's channel on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/KnyghtErrant/about For fantasy artists in particular, I suggest starting with this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8DaGHL8WzM Edit: So Patreon hates links? If anyone knows how to make the links function, let me know so I can fix them. Otherwise, copy-paste works. Okay, why do the links work for me on the Android app, but not on a PC web browser?

Muspellsheimr

3 all the way

Rainer

Starting with faces, I vote for left-most. Without context, I *think* I prefer the right-most, but it feels like a different character in my opinion. For the three sketches, I greatly prefer the body/pose/attitude of the third. Regarding armor, it currently has a major flaw that appears in most modern works. The cuirass plate *must* end at the base of the ribs. Any armor below that needs to be flexible - faulds usually begin here for full plate harness', but mail or similar also work. The movement of the torso is centered around the waist, between the ribs & hips. If a single rigid plate continues to the pelvis or groin, as in sketch 4, it badly restricts movement, and any attempts to bend or lean forward will drive the collar into the neck; this is generally uncomfortable and restrictive, and crippling in combat.

Muspellsheimr

Face 3 doesn't fit Iona. I get the other commenters points that face 3 is the most beautiful, but that doesn't seem to jive with Iona as warrior, especially in so much as a childhood tragedy was one of her defining moments. My particular critique of face 3 is that it's too ... sultry? Maybe not best word choice, but it's a face for a cocktail dress not armor.

luda305

Can the armor please have clear articulation at the waist? A rigid metal armor going all the way to the hips would leave the user unable to bend and it’s a common fantasy armor trope/mistake. Very annoying if you have any interest in armors. I realize this isn’t a major concern for most readers, but to me it looks like the armor is made from cloth instead of metal when people get this wrong.

Chymor

What is it with people and big boobs? Seriously?

Rainer

I like 2 the bes

Titania

I like 3 best all around then 2 if you are going for a Younger looking face Full order 3,2,4,1

Razyr

I like the hairstyle of 3 the most. And the face from 4.

Tiamaw

I think the 4th one is the cutest of them all, even though its not supposed to be an option. The third one looks a bit arrogant to me, which totally isn't her.

Saskia Køltzow

Just from the three faces in the line-up, I have to say I like 3 the most. I will however add that I like the face from the 4th image the most. I'm assuming this is all grown up Iona, however as others have pointed out, I believe the skill she chose was "Cute" and the first face doesn't really fit into that theme to me. Even if she chooses a new skill instead of Cute, I'd imagine after having Cute for so many years, quite a lot of the facial changes would stick. So in order of my preferences - 4 (Even if it isn't in the line-up), 3, 1, 2. The second one just felt a little too boring looking.

Helios

The First is The Best :D

Grissly1000

Who is Iona?

Patrick Schuldt

While I like 3 and 2 faces the best. They give off a more noble cool beauty vibe. While this girl grew up wanting to be the best fighter. She was a wild child and I feel the first one captures her character the best. The messy hair showing she is more focused on what she is then how she looks.

Lancelot9402

1 for me

I'd have to say the face from the 4th picture is the best. But if I had to pick between the first 3, I'd go for 3.

Bockus

Number 3; it's the only one that says 'Cute' to me, which if memory serves, is a skill she possesses. I do like the ponytail from 2.

Jesse

Iona's in a strong Norse/medieval setting though

Selkie

I like the style of 2 a lot but the face and hair for one is the best IMHO.

Theredscare77

Number 3 !!

Tiago Mieres

Fourth face seems best? Maybe? Third face seems very icy, not sure about that.

Arkeus

I'd say number 1, because it's more warrior-protector i feel. The second doesn't look good in a mostly roman-like setting and the third is the face of a noble to me

Potation

2nd one is best :)

Linkneo5

The third face is definitely the Hottest of the lot. Though I also like the face design on the last one, it gives of a very kind air that I think suits her character from what we have seen of it. Edit: if I had to pick an overall design out of the 4, I would pick the 4th one. But if the first 3 are the only options for the face, then 3 is my choice.

Signspace

I'm with icewing. I like head of 3rd one the best. I think it's just the hair more than anything. I do think the third face itself is the most typically anime, don't know if you want to go for that or not. It's say it's maybe a bit to generic? Face 1 with head three's hair is my two cents. Hair of 4th pic would be most realistic. Long hair = too grabable in combat. Boob armor smh D:. ;)

Vegetables

I personally like the 3rd one the best

Lynx of Chaos

The boobs aren’t big enough.

FrostyNips