I'm working on polishing a draft. The trouble is that several of the characters are semi-famous. Their writings have survived, but there are no portraits or description that I know of describing what they look like.
Two of the characters are Biagio Buonaccorsi and Agostino Vespucci. I imagine Biago to be thick-necked and somewhat heavyset and Agostino to be thin and wiry with a sharp nose that points downwards, but those are just guesses. Agostino was described as trim and blond in the prize-winning "Enchantress of Florence" but I doubt he was. I've checked out the murals of the Vespucci palace (which are always thinly veiled family portraits) and there's not a blond in the lot.
My question is, what sort of liberties should I take? I prefer to take none, but these are somewhat major characters. It's a mystery and they are suspects, so not examining them might seem strange. Agostino I can triangulate from his more famous cousins, but Biagio? Not a clue.
Is there a good way to weasel out of giving a description while still painting a picture for the reader?
Two of the characters are Biagio Buonaccorsi and Agostino Vespucci. I imagine Biago to be thick-necked and somewhat heavyset and Agostino to be thin and wiry with a sharp nose that points downwards, but those are just guesses. Agostino was described as trim and blond in the prize-winning "Enchantress of Florence" but I doubt he was. I've checked out the murals of the Vespucci palace (which are always thinly veiled family portraits) and there's not a blond in the lot.
My question is, what sort of liberties should I take? I prefer to take none, but these are somewhat major characters. It's a mystery and they are suspects, so not examining them might seem strange. Agostino I can triangulate from his more famous cousins, but Biagio? Not a clue.
Is there a good way to weasel out of giving a description while still painting a picture for the reader?
