Like the Space Marine, I started designing the Scientist by drawing a template, photocopying it and drawing the details onto it.
Scientist 1 is a basic B-movie damsel in distress, who only wears a skimpy dress, similar to those seen on other B-movie posters. Nothing on her design communicates the idea that she’s a scientist, so I decided to improve this in later designs. I thought this design was too simple, but I used it as a starting point.
Scientist 2 is the polar opposite. She has glasses and a lab coat, but lacks design elements that have a 50s, retrofuturistic or B-movie aesthetic- save for the hairstyle. While I like this design, it doesn’t have enough retro flair for the character I want to create, so I decided to move on.
Scientist 3 and 4 both wear retrofuturistic clothing, and are much closer to the design I had in mind. Ultimately, I prefer 3, but I also like some design elements of 4, such as the shorts and high heels.
Scientist 5 is my final design. She has the hair from 2 and the base costume of 3, but with some key changes. She now wears high heels instead of boots, and the skirt is now transparent plastic with shorts underneath, to further push the retrofuturistic aesthetic. She also has a utility belt with an atom logo and lab equipment including goggles and liquid vials to emphasise that she is a scientist.
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