Ok. *steeling myself* Here goes my first shot at essence. I may have the class whatzit stuff all wrong, but I just tried to go from my simplest knowledge of what essence actually is and took it from there.

Alright, starting with the character I know best: Aaron. The first thing I thought of when I started his essence was his eyes: they're very descriptive.

Eyes
[turmoil {smoldering coals, a storm at sea, a thunderstorm in winter, wind-blown clouds}
color {a bay horse, rust, walnut stain}
sparkle {morning sunlight on dewdrops, moonlight on a blade} ]

Next thing was his soul: he's been hurt badly in the past and he doesn't have much hope left.

Soul [ ? couldn't find a name since I don't know very much about this {a single candle in a dark room, a clean bandage over a deep wound, a buried treasure } ]

Movement [graceful {an ice skater, a gazelle, Ravel, an eagle}

Anyway, that's what I have so far. Tell me if I'm completely wrong. :P

Edit: He reminds me of Ravel because Ravel is very graceful, precise, etc. It also might help that Ravel's black and Aaron's coloring is dark and his hair is black.
e.g.

Sorry I know it's off subject but,
Did you draw the picture of him?

No, I'm not that good an artist. It's a screen shot of a character from Final Fantasy (I only know it from music videos). I think it's from this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-S95MRt45RQ4 Ok, maby not, but it'll give you an idea. I just edited it some with our Paint Shop Pro software.

Here's a revision of my previous Essence (which was a mess, lol) :

AARON
BODY {Eyes...........[Turmoil...........(smouldering coals)
................................................(a storm at sea)
................................................(a thunderstorm in winter)
................................................(wind-blown clouds)]
...........................[Color.............(a bay horse)
................................................(rust)
................................................(walnut stain)]
...........................[Sparkle..........(morning sunlight on dewdrops)
................................................(moonlight on a blade)}
..........{Movement..[Grace............(an ice skater)
................................................(Ravel)
................................................(swan)
................................................(panther) ]
...........................[Strength........(an eagle)]
...........................[Speed...........(a gazelle)
................................................(a cheetah)]}
SOUL{..................[....................(a single candle in a dark room)
................................................(a clean bandage over a deep wound)
................................................(a buried treasure)}

It's pretty good. Now I feel like I can recognize him if I meet him anywhere.

K, new version. Added quite a few things. And here it is:
AARON
BODY..........{Eyes..........[Turmoil..........(smouldering coals)
........................................................(a storm at sea)
........................................................(a thunderstorm in winter)
........................................................(windblown clouds)
........................................................(surf crashing on the shore)
........................................................(a teenager making decisions about life)
........................................................(fighting an irreversible curse)
........................................................(a young composer struggling to find the right notes)
........................................................(a nation's struggle against oppression)
........................................................(churning whirlpool)...]
...................................[Color.............(a bay horse)
........................................................(rust)
........................................................(walnut stain)
........................................................(80% cocoa chocolate)
........................................................(a hazelnut)
........................................................(withered leaves)...]
...................................[Sparkle..........(morning sunlight on dewdrops)
........................................................(moonlight on a blade)
........................................................(stars reflected in a deep lake)
........................................................(torchlight on a suit of armor)...]
...................................[Sorrow...........(an abandoned child)
........................................................(a shattered, rusty sword)
........................................................(a neglected puppy)
........................................................(a caged mustang pacing the fence line)
........................................................(a single tear on the cheek of a warrior)
........................................................(missing a best friend)
........................................................(dry leaves rattling on the bare branches of a dead tree)
........................................................(a pool of tears)
........................................................(clouded night sky)
........................................................(the sound of a single violin)
........................................................(a crumpled notebook page in the trash can)
........................................................(black mourning garments)
........................................................(ruins of a beautiful castle)...]
...................................[Determination..(an unbreakable sword)
........................................................(steel)
........................................................(Boromir)
........................................................(the contradictory high-held head of a slave)
........................................................(a stubborn colt)
........................................................(rising from the ground after a fall)
........................................................(looking evil in the face)
........................................................(a shirt of chain mail)
........................................................(snow-covered mountains)
........................................................(a single trickle of water in a dry riverbed during a drought)...]
...................................[Mystery.........(a cloaked figure in the dark)
........................................................(a partially hidden object in the grass)
........................................................(a book without a title)
........................................................(an encrypted message)
........................................................(a glimpse of a letter over someon's shoulder)
........................................................(a movie trailer)
........................................................(snatches of a familiar melody)
........................................................(the key to a door long forgotten)
........................................................(a strange look in the yey of a storyteller)...]
........................................................(Brom)
........................................................(a sealed parchement)
........................................................(a package adressed to someone else)
...................................[Depth............(a well)
........................................................(a huge library)
........................................................(a magician's mind)
........................................................(kalidescope)
........................................................(a long railway tunnel)...]
.................{Motion.......[Grace.............(an ice skater)
........................................................(Ravel)
........................................................(swan)
........................................................(panther)
........................................................(a gymnast)
........................................................(a sword in the hand of a veteran warrior)
........................................................(a horse's flying mane)
........................................................(dreams-flowing smoothly into each other)
........................................................(a banner in the breeze)
........................................................(sapling in the wind)
........................................................(a river running over rocks)
...................................[Strength........(an eagle)
........................................................(a pitch-black Arabian stallion)
........................................................(dancing flames of a bonfire)
........................................................(a soaring dragon)...]
...................................[Speed............(a gazelle)
........................................................(cheetah)
........................................................(an arrow)
........................................................(a practiced pianist)
.................{Stance.......[Dignity...........(a prince)
........................................................(an oak tree)
........................................................(a stag)
........................................................(skyscraper)...]...}
................{Hair............[Style.............(Cloud Strife or Zack Fair- though not quite as spiky )
........................................................(waves on the ocean)
........................................................(in his eyes like a wild stallion's forelock)
........................................................(sheepdog)
........................................................(wind-blown wisps of cloud)
........................................................(Shire's feathering)
...................................[Color.............(moonless midnight)
........................................................(sunless depths of the ocean)
........................................................(glossy, polished obsidian)
........................................................(black as the shadows cast by a rising full moon)...]
..................................[Texture...........(fine and silky like a colt's mane)...]
................{Skin...........[Tone..............(a deep beach tan)
........................................................(ripe wheat)
........................................................(Hispanic)
........................................................(Native American)...]...}
...............{Voice..........[Pitch..............(french horn)
........................................................(baying of a hound)
........................................................(viola)...]...}
And that's what I have so far. Yes, it's rather long. If you got this far, thank you for reading.

amazing job

wow, now I can really recognize him anywhere. I love how you made it so long, he has a very in depth personality. I'm still an amateur at this whole essence thing, but I guess you've got it.
I am amazed that you found so many metaphors existing in the universe. I hope you don't mind if some of them appear in my essence maps, I also did the stallion and mystery similes.

Wonderful job!

Wow. I loved reading that. There are the foundations of an amazing lot of descriptions for him. Very well done!

Something I have noticed with mostly everyone's essence maps is that they all focus on the Body Aspect/Metaphor. They look into the rest of the person through it. I am wanting to see some really good essences done on the 2nd or 3rd Level aspects, or on Desire, or on Mind. There have been a few, but I think y'all understand it enough to give it a try.

I am myself right in the middle of using my character fractalling system on one of my favorite characters (one could say he is the main character of all my stories, even though he only appears in three of them). When I finish, I will also make a massive essence map for him (using simpler, and more advanced techniques). Then I will post it all. Can't wait to see yours!

Wow, Lady Eruwaidhiel! That's amazing! I really don't know how you came up with so many metaphors... after awhile my all start sounding the same!



I did one recently where I started with mind, soul, and spirit instead of body. It helped me focus a little bit more on her personality! I noticed in my essence on Alyse I kind of burned out before I got to the good part... I think I might redo the end.

That was actually where I was going next, Jay! just haven't had time to write it yet.