Rock of Many Mini Rivers

Made this piece long ago, just felt like making an image of a water Glatorian sitting in the jungle on some rock.

Ideas still come flowing to mind when I look at this image; there may even be a story behind it someday. Who knows, maybe this Glatorian's name means river. She sits in rest on a lone rock in the jungle, splaying her hand out to the stone so water can flow from the rock and give the plants a drink with many mini rivers. Who is she? Why is she in the jungle? What is she doing there and how does she relate to other existing characters with built identities in some of my already existing stories? These are some of the questions that can liven this image.

I might even find a place for this anonymous image in the Life of Lewa series, the possibilities are open for many concepts.

Mediums used: Pen, Prismacolor pencils, and marker.

Trvia: Her helmet design was inspired off Kiina's, and her her build somewhat off Marine's.

Bionicle 2015-opinionated article

We've all been hearing it; Bionicle fans across the internet have been raving on about Bionicle 2015.

Naturally there are both cynical or enthusiastic fans on the subject. I myself would be one of the people who stands in a neutral zone on the subject. Am I excited? Maybe only a tad, but am certainly not one to jump on the hype train. 

I'm glad to see that LEGO finally listened to its fans and brought back a name that so many have grown to love; however, I hold a certain amount of skepticism towards this.

Many would say they're glad to just have  more pieces to play with and purchase; which, I'll admit the 2015 Bionicle sets aren't too bad, especially in comparison to Hero Factory. But the only reason they're more interesting in my eyes is because the masks and legs aren't so generic like HF. They hold more life to them, despite the fact that the sets still contain the same basic structure as the HF sets.

 

Bionicle 2015 compared to Hero Factory

 

  My view on the toys themselves is kind of iffy. I'm glad that the sets are now back to a decent height, and more proportionate, but...they still seem to lack a certain charm that the old Bionicle sets contained. In simple terms, they still look kind of cheap because the HF structure they still have (but maybe that's just me). I likely won't be able to purchase any sets of 2015 anyway.

At least the new sets have some pretty cool looking heads (left image).

It's disappointing to know that LEGO melted the traditional Bionicle set molds. In fact, it appalls me. Such a waste of a perfectly good mold for a toy line that still seems to ring superior in design compared to what LEGO is now dishing out. I would never rid of something that would likely become a sought after toy and storyline once more.

 The old sets of Bionicle just seem to contain more detail, more character, regardless of year (personally I loved the basic structures once it started hitting 2006 and older).

The only other reason the new sets disappoint me is because most HF parts are not friendly with basic Bionicle parts of the old sets. You can only make really cool stuff if you still have a hardy amount of traditional Bionicle pieces.

That's my opinion on the toys themselves and how I look at it.

Opinion On Storyline

I get that it's likely challenging for a company to end one story and then have to begin it again, but have to consider on how to please both traditional fans, while introducing and interesting new fans. 

From the sounds of it so far, LEGO is changing up the story to something that branches off from the original Bionicle line, and seems to take a turn in another dimension or time. Granted, I'm interested to see what they come up with and how they plan to reintroduce the story to new readers, but my skepticism still remains.

A newer storyline that branches from original seems all right, though it drives me crazy that the cliff hanger in original story may remain a cliff hanger for the rest of history.

And from the sounds of it, some of the traditional artists/writers and designers who helped on the Bionicle storyline in the past are now on to new projects and are leaving the new Bionicle series up to new artists in LEGO. This makes me even more skeptical of the stories success, considering what LEGO offered before with the pitiful excuse for a story in Hero Factory. HF seemed to be lacking a large amount of creativity, and was absurdly vague. I hope that the writers who work at LEGO will stretch out that creativity further, so we don't end up with another Hero Factory with a golden label.

I'm also skeptical on the villain aspect of the story. Skull spiders don't seem that threatening, not like the Bohrok or Rahkshi. You go from original Bioncicle story where the foes are about the same size as the heroes, then you go to HF where the villains are twice the size of the heroes, then you get Bionicle 2015 where the threat is small compared to the hero (excluding the boss figure I guess).

 I never wrote about how I looked at it when Bionicle was first canceled. When it went away and HF was brought around, lots of fans were naturally disappointed. But then in time, I got use to the fact Bionicle had been discontinued, and the more I thought about it, the more I felt that it was better not to ask LEGO to bring it back. Why? Because I felt that despite the fact it ended on a cliff hanger and was discontinued, at least it had ended before ideas were lost, and thus kept Bionicle golden and untouched as a story which has inspired so many. I saw how pitiful HF was, and all I could think is, if this is how simplistic LEGO wants to boil down, then what would they do to the traditional Bionicle storyline if they brought it back. Now that I see they have, I'm glad they left the original story alone and on its cliff hanger, essentially making that past series golden and open to possibilities.

That's my view on things so far, pretty sure I'm still a late fan of the older series.

Coffee Sweet and Chilled

This was a request image; Sapphire Gothic Lolita asked if I could make an image of Kopaka and her character Debbie having iced coffee.

It's the first basic request I've taken....probably won't be a frequent thing for me to do because I have so much on my own project plate to do. In this case though, I figured why no give it a try? It's sort of like a way to thank SGL for drawing my MOC Frona twice because she liked it, and I appreciate the fact someone was inspired off what I make.

I didn't expect the piece to turn out like it did (so much for I'll take it simple). Somehow it ended up coming out the way it did and took about the same time, a little less as a regular art piece (started and finished it today O.O) 

Plus, is it me? Or does Kopaka look oddly smexy? (Did not intend that, it just happened). :P 

Like the title? It was inspired off Kopaka's lines in the Bionicle movie when he says, "Rahkshi, washed and chilled".

 

The thing that kept me driven on making the piece despite the work it would take, is the challenge of turning Debbie from a humanized Bionicle drawing into a basic Bionicle drawing. Rather funny, because SGL likes looking at Bionicle figures and Humanizing them; whereas I faced the challenge of doing the opposite of that. I even used my own styles so I could add some of the fashion aspects to the figure (hope it's okay).

 The drawing below is what I worked off as a reference.

No Mask No Service

A comic I've wanted to do for quite some time. "No Mask No Service"

It's a moment of what would happen if my character Pearllight brought Onua to a coffee shop on Earth. What came to mind is a complication of company policy in not being able to serve someone wearing a mask. Little does the clerk realize there's a reason Toa wear masks, and that Onua isn't a human in costume. Pearllight comes into the scene fast to save the day before Onua has to say anymore.

The comic was fun to make. It's all pretty much free hand sketching and coloring. I loved making the simple expressions and adding in the clerks body language of pouring the coffee which starts to drop from her hand when she sees Onua's face.

Marine's Canopy Hoop Chair Throne

 A project from long ago, the very first broken headphone project I ever made. This was the first broken headphone hoop chair (used for small figurines or dolls); other broken headphone projects following in its wake. 

To the left of the panel above is the base structure of the hoop chair. Bottom half is made from what once was the headband part of the headphones. With some help from my sister, the hoop chair was completed using heavy weight wire, coiled in a swirly pattern for interest, and bent to be a canopy.

I finalized the chair with scraps of purple tulle, tied in the center, draped over, and secured with lighter purple ribbon.

Marine's throne room, or more specifically sleeping chambers. These photos were taken for fun, to show how the headphone hoop chair worked. 

I felt it worked better as a hanging chair/bed thingy, hung with silver elastic thread over a curtain rod. Now Marine can either rest or sit, cozy as ever in sleep, or as a princess training to rule.

This is one way of viewing parts of Marine's kingdom, and just in time too, now that the Life of Lewa story is moving along. 

 I also made a second panel just for close up shots of her royal ruling.

Single views of each photo below. Enjoy. ^-^

 

 

 Two of my favorites.

 Above and below are my main images. I love the mysterious enchantment of each piece. First one is when she's sleeping, then below she's relaxing and ruling.

 Just some close up shots of Marine resting.

Close up shots of Marine Ruling.

 Main Royal Ruling image.

A Kiss Goodbye

 A Kiss Goodbye. An emotional scene from Life of Lewa chapter 7- "Saving Marine". The close up shot above depicts the final moments of Ashton as his sweet heart Fiamma gives one last kiss, a sign of forgiveness and love before he goes. Lewa and Tahu stand to the side respectfully, hiding their own emotions. Care to know more? Check out the story chapter. ^.~

 I took a few more shots, experimenting till I got a shot that displayed the emotion I was going for. First full scene shot is nice, in the the sense that it displays the grandeur of Marine's palace; but it also makes you feel like a side line viewer, someone who's not at all involved, just watching, and almost leaving the room.

 The second shot was a bit more zoomed in, making you feel like a closer viewer, curious to know what's going on, but still not involved. It doesn't make you feel like you're about to leave the room, but it doesn't fully help you relate to what's happening.

Both shots have their purpose, but hold a different emotion which didn't quite convey the feeling I was going for. I'm sharing these shots for the sake of displaying the full view of the room, but the final shot at the top is for the story. It helps you feel up close and personal, involved with the characters and able to relate to them. Just shows a grand scene isn't always what's needed to get the proper emotion across. You barely see any of the room, just the characters, making them the main focus.

Tips on scenery: I used a blue sheet of fabric, a sparkly wrap draped over cardboard walls, a shoebox for the bed, Barbie pillows and an old lace trimmed napkin for bedding, folded Sari fabric for a blanket, a Barbie table and crystal ring holder as a fountain, a curtain rod, two American Girl Doll hangers hung from the rod, and a real silk scarf draped from them as a canopy.