A problem with visualising history is that many people in history have no photo and, if they have a painting, it can be quite vague. So, in most cases, it makes sense to make a fictional image of what someone looked like because then you can imagine the person doing things in history; and that is memorable.
Gregory the Great is from around 600AD. What if, by saying his name, I could build the outline of his fictional face for visualisation purposes? I could compact the name to be GGREat : The G of the first name and then a lot of the second name expressed in upper case.
Using the hairstyles and hair colours articles, I could express the "GG" as a hairstyle (the male G hairstyle or the female G hairstyle - no need to use the male one exclusively - especially since hairstyles are quite unisex); and the colour for "G" is the colour fill to apply to that hairstyle.
Next, I need to express the "R" of "GGRE..". I have thought of a way of doing this: the head shape, eyebrows and mouth of a comic book sketch can allow 3 x 3 x3 = 27 varieties; so a cartoon face can express leeters A to Z and have a configuration spare to mean "Other".
The gender decides which of 3 face types to apply:
Male:
1. The Blocky Powerhouse (Square/Rectangular): This shape is defined by a heavy, wide jawline and a flat chin that mirrors a broad forehead. It suggests stability, stubbornness, or physical strength. Visual features include sharp 90-degree angles at the jaw, a thick neck that often blends into the width of the head, and a low, prominent brow line. This is the go-to archetype for the "tough guy," a stoic superhero, or a gritty detective.
2. The Jovial Circle (Round/Oval): Characterized by soft, continuous curves with no harsh angles, this shape often conveys friendliness, softness, or a non-threatening nature. Visual features include full cheeks that hide the bone structure, a rounded chin, and often a shorter vertical height compared to other shapes. The features—eyes, nose, and mouth—tend to be clustered more toward the center of the circle. This is frequently used for the comedic sidekick, the friendly neighbor, or a gentle giant.
3. The Calculating Wedge (Inverted Triangle/Diamond): This shape features a wide forehead or high cheekbones that taper down sharply to a narrow, pointed chin. It often creates a look of intelligence, cunning, or fragility. Visual features include prominent temples, sunken or thin cheeks, and a long, sharp nose that follows the vertical line of the face. This shape is the classic choice for a mastermind villain, an eccentric scientist, or a high-fashion aristocrat.
Female:
1. The Elegant Heart (Heart-Shaped): This shape is characterized by a wide, rounded forehead that tapers gracefully down to a small, delicate, or slightly pointed chin. It often creates an air of youthful charm, elegance, or vulnerability. Visual features usually include high, soft cheekbones and a distinct "widow's peak" hairline. This is a common choice for the classic heroine, a magical protagonist, or a refined royal figure.
2. The Determined Diamond (Angular/Diamond): Defined by sharp, prominent cheekbones that are wider than both the forehead and the jawline, this shape conveys a sense of strength, maturity, and intensity. Visual features include a narrow, defined forehead and a crisp, pointed jawline that lacks the bulk of a square shape. This archetype is often used for the fierce warrior, the high-powered executive, or the mysterious anti-heroine.
3. The Soft Pear (Teardrop/Trapezoid): This shape features a narrower forehead that widens out into a full, rounded jawline and soft cheeks. It suggests groundedness, warmth, or physical resilience. Visual features include a broad base to the face and a neck that appears sturdy yet integrated into the facial curve. This shape is frequently used for the nurturing matriarch, the reliable best friend, or a character with great inner or physical strength.
| Gender: Male | |||
| Head Shape 1: | The Blocky Powerhouse (Square/Rectangular): This shape is defined by a heavy, wide jawline and a flat chin that mirrors a broad forehead. It suggests stability, stubbornness, or physical strength. Visual features include sharp 90-degree angles at the jaw, a thick neck that often blends into the width of the head, and a low, prominent brow line. This is the go-to archetype for the "tough guy," a stoic superhero, or a gritty detective. | Letters A to I | |
| Head Shape 2: | Characterized by soft, continuous curves with no harsh angles, this shape often conveys friendliness, softness, or a non-threatening nature. Visual features include full cheeks that hide the bone structure, a rounded chin, and often a shorter vertical height compared to other shapes. The features—eyes, nose, and mouth—tend to be clustered more toward the center of the circle. This is frequently used for the comedic sidekick, the friendly neighbor, or a gentle giant. | Letters J to R | |
| Head Shape 3: | This shape features a wide forehead or high cheekbones that taper down sharply to a narrow, pointed chin. It often creates a look of intelligence, cunning, or fragility. Visual features include prominent temples, sunken or thin cheeks, and a long, sharp nose that follows the vertical line of the face. This shape is the classic choice for a mastermind villain, an eccentric scientist, or a high-fashion aristocrat. | Letters S to Z; and Other | |
| Gender: Female | |||
| Head Shape 1: | The Elegant Heart (Heart-Shaped): This shape is characterized by a wide, rounded forehead that tapers gracefully down to a small, delicate, or slightly pointed chin. It often creates an air of youthful charm, elegance, or vulnerability. Visual features usually include high, soft cheekbones and a distinct "widow's peak" hairline. This is a common choice for the classic heroine, a magical protagonist, or a refined royal figure. | Letters A to I | |
| Head Shape 2: | The Determined Diamond (Angular/Diamond): Defined by sharp, prominent cheekbones that are wider than both the forehead and the jawline, this shape conveys a sense of strength, maturity, and intensity. Visual features include a narrow, defined forehead and a crisp, pointed jawline that lacks the bulk of a square shape. This archetype is often used for the fierce warrior, the high-powered executive, or the mysterious anti-heroine. | Letters J to R | |
| Head Shape 3: | The Soft Pear (Teardrop/Trapezoid): This shape features a narrower forehead that widens out into a full, rounded jawline and soft cheeks. It suggests groundedness, warmth, or physical resilience. Visual features include a broad base to the face and a neck that appears sturdy yet integrated into the facial curve. This shape is frequently used for the nurturing matriarch, the reliable best friend, or a character with great inner or physical strength. | Letters S to Z; and Other | |
| A to I is three sets: A-C, D-F, G-I. | Eyebrows are horizontal and straight | ||
| J to R is three sets: J-L, M-O, P-R | Eyebrows are curved and straight | ||
| S to Z is three sets: S-U, V-X, Y-Z and Other. | Eyebrows are diagonal and straight | ||
| Within a set of 3 letters, the mouth decides which one to select: | |||
| Set item 1 of 3: | A wide elliptical mouth | ||
| Set item 2 of 3: | A pouting square mouth | ||
| Set item 3 of 3: | A small round mouth | ||
| Head Shape | Brows | Mouth | Letter |
| Head Shape 1 | Eyebrows are horizontal and straight | Ellipse, Square, Round | A, B, C |
| Head Shape 1 | Eyebrows are curved and straight | Ellipse, Square, Round | D, E, F |
| Head Shape 1 | Eyebrows are diagonal and straight | Ellipse, Square, Round | G, H I |
| Head Shape 2 | Eyebrows are horizontal and straight | Ellipse, Square, Round | J, K, L |
| Head Shape 2 | Eyebrows are curved and straight | Ellipse, Square, Round | M, N, O |
| Head Shape 2 | Eyebrows are diagonal and straight | Ellipse, Square, Round | P, Q, R |
| Head Shape 3 | Eyebrows are horizontal and straight | Ellipse, Square, Round | S, T, U |
| Head Shape 3 | Eyebrows are curved and straight | Ellipse, Square, Round | V, W, X |
| Head Shape 3 | Eyebrows are diagonal and straight | Ellipse, Square, Round | Y, Z, Other |
The "R" of GGRE... would have to be the male head shape 2, diagonal eyebrows, round mouth.
A prompt to Gen AI could be "In comic strip style, on a white background, draw me Gregory the Great from head to toe. His head shape is "Characterized by soft, continuous curves with no harsh angles, this shape often conveys friendliness, softness, or a non-threatening nature. Visual features include full cheeks that hide the bone structure, a rounded chin, and often a shorter vertical height compared to other shapes. The features—eyes, nose, and mouth—tend to be clustered more toward the center of the circle. This is frequently used for the comedic sidekick, the friendly neighbor, or a gentle giant."; his eyebrows are straight diagonal lines; and his mouth is small and round. CRITICAL: the eyebrows, mouth and head shape must be strictly obeyed."
So, the first pass at this can be:
But the "E" of "GGRE.." can be the colour fill of the outfit (see the olours article). E is a shade of green (hex colour 42B62A).
Eventually, we arrive at the coloured hairstyle and a meaningful clothes colour:
Now, if I want to remember something about Gregory the Great, I can think of his name as GGRE and arrive at the comic strip image of him; and then I can remember visual stories about him.
I did not dictate a lot of rules about the face. Skin colour, eye shape, nose shape are all possible to be creative with.
(Actually, I had intended the diagonal eyebrows to be slanted like angry eyebrows but it worked out OK.)
