Now to answer your question, how you describe the two characters will depend on how you describe all of the characters. You want consistancy across the board so as not to fetishize or isolate any one ethnicity. That means if you use food descriptors, use it for all of them, nature-based, then nature based for all. Most important, and where I think most folks trip up, don't describe their ethnicity for the sake of describing it. Always put it in the context of the scene in contrast, compliment or action. "The bright white napkins made the olive hue of his hand seem darker, more vibrant." "Large, vibrant eyes seemed all the bluer staring out from the dark, vanilla bean face." "He placed a pale hand on the pummel of his sword, the blue gems in the hilt a near match for the dark veins visible beneath his skin."
Now if they all arrive someplace together the first time, then it would be appropriate to describe them all at once in turn, but I give the fair warning that if you only describe them once, especially if it's all in the same scene, by the time your reader is later in the book, all of the angels will look the same. They won't recall which is which, without subtle reminders throughout the work for those characters that carry the story.
And I'm happy to be a sounding board. I'm working through my own Angelic mythos so it's helpful on both sides. :)
Answer part II
Date: Tue, Apr. 26th, 2011 07:20 am (UTC)Now if they all arrive someplace together the first time, then it would be appropriate to describe them all at once in turn, but I give the fair warning that if you only describe them once, especially if it's all in the same scene, by the time your reader is later in the book, all of the angels will look the same. They won't recall which is which, without subtle reminders throughout the work for those characters that carry the story.
And I'm happy to be a sounding board. I'm working through my own Angelic mythos so it's helpful on both sides. :)