I attempted Raven's character design more than anyone's before it worked.  This is actually the second successful  cd...  after about the 30th page full of characters that looked nothing like Raven, I doodled Raven properly in a margin.  Captivated by it, I drew this much more impressive chara design.  I didn't add anything else for a couple years, whereupon I realized this didn't tell me enough, and drew side views, different expressions, etc.  The hand things themselves I character designed endlessly even before I got the rest of him, drawing different versions all over my notes, drawing the design right onto my hands and making replicas.  I -want- these things.