#again disclaimer i might have gotten something wrong & my research is often pretty superficial

[ash-and-starlight]

Hi, hope you're well.

I love the way you draw Mai, and I was just wondering what inspires your Mai design? (Particularly her garments and makeup)

Hey thank you! As it often happens in my art her design is a mix and match of elements from different cultures, the clothes she’s wearing here are inspired by ming dynasty china, while her hair are done up in a korean braided bun (i think it’s called jjok, and it’s usually worn by married women but oh well she’s married to ty lee so… also the binyeo is of course a dagger in disguise)

i am trying to figure out a “less formal”/more FN look for her, this time inspired by vietnamese traditional clothing.

i think what i always try to keep in mind while drawing Mai in canonverse is that she’s always carrying around a full arsenal of knives, so the fit of her clothes has to reflect that lol, as for the make up it’s mostly made up, i’ve seen the two dots under the eyes a couple of times in modern hanfu models.