Vegeta: The Dark Prince

I'm not a huge obsessed fan of anime, but I like a few cartoons. I LOVE Dragon Ball Z though. That show was a huge part of my childhood. From the first appearance of Raditz, to Goku turning super saiyan for the first time, to the final tear-jerking episode. I couldn't get enough of the stuff or the stories. Now we have Dragon Ball Super, but I'll admit I can't really get into it. I just really loved Z and the introduction of the saiyan race. This race of humanoid ape like warriors who were looked down upon by other races of the universe and became as powerful as the gods themselves. Almost reminds me of man's climb from the primordial ooze to becoming creators and gods within our own rights.

I really liked the saiyans, their designs, and stories. I really liked Raditz, Goku's older brother. So in drawing this rendition of Vegeta I decided to take some elements from Raditz' look, namely his boots and gloves. Next, I took Bardock's (Goku's father) main elements of his costume, namely the black armor and undergarment. I didn't give this Vegeta an undershirt of any kind. I felt it almost made him look somewhat more primal. More like a battle-hardened warrior, than a prince. Now, I'm not a huge fan of Vegeta's design, but I do really admire the character and his development throughout the show. He started out as this coldblooded asshole. Then he became this anti-hero, a necessary evil. From there he became a father, then a family man. He became more human than anyone from earth and loves his family more than anything in the world. It's why he trains as hard as he does. As a kid it was Goku who was the hero. As I got older I realized that Goku just wants to get stronger so he can face stronger opponents for the thrill of the challenge. Vegeta, just wants to keep his family safe.

Well here's this piece. It started as a small idea and a sketch at work using just a notebook and a pen. From there I decided to officially put it down on paper. Using 343x243mm drawing paper and Faber-Castell Watercolour pencils I was able to produce this. I know it's not perfect, but hey I'm having fun.