Heavily inspired by Darth Vader, and for good reason. Being packed inside an airtight enviro-suit for your entire life can't be healthy...
Little attention was paid here to the differences between Human and Quarian faces with regard to texture, forehead ridges, etc. The possibilities there are innumerable so I didn't bother too much with it. We do know from the ME codex and ingame conversations that Quarians have two eyes with lids, lips, teeth, a human-ish nose (seen through visor) and something not entirely unlike ears. Those facts have been accounted for. I did experiment a bit with the nose, adding slits that curve around from the nostrils much like a dog's, but otherwise her nose is human.
I was going for a very unhealthy look here, the face showing signs of irritation from contact with suit components. The constant presence of a feeding tube has left the corners of the mouth inflamed and the lips chapped.
Whatever skin pigmentation was present at birth is almost completely gone due to lack of contact with natural light. The skin is now pallid and nearly translucent, showing obvious veining.
Eyes are bloodshot and shadowed from years of strain, both from adjusting to visor-refracted light and flickering holographic HUDs.
The scalp and brow sport a few wispy grey hairs. A medical treatment similar to chemotherapy is used to prevent hair from growing inside the helmet, removing the need to dangerously expose the face to the elements every month or so for something as trivial as a haircut.
The nasal tubes reach into the trachea and would be very difficult to unintentionally dislodge. From an artistic perspective they're there to emulate endotracheal tubes used in real life. In Tali's case, they could serve a variety of purposes, from rapidly administering antibiotics, to monitoring the respiratory system via connected sensors, to preserving oxygen supply in case of windpipe constriction due to allergic reaction.
So, no, I definitely wasn't going for a "cutesy" look here (or absurdly hideous) as most fan artists have tended to. Many of Mass Effect's female characters are sexualized to a ridiculous degree, and Tali's suit is already unnecessarily (and implausibly, given its function) form-fitting, so there's no need to compound the problem and cheapen the character by stereotypically idealizing her face too.
Realism has a way of separating the men from the boys, so to speak.
Later, I hope to redesign the entire suit as well. Will post if I ever get around to it...
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