Mastering the Headdress

 "Mastering the Headdress". This is a scene from the section "Mastering the Headdress" in Life of Lewa chapter 12, "Flight of the Seasons".

Venimbus had just finished showing Lewa how to craft his own headdress complete with gukko feathers, and he poses playfully.

 Again I tried out two different angles, finding they could both work for a comic page.

 Again it's a simplified part of the scene that took place in the chapter, with some added dialogue not mentioned or included in the actual chapter, including the part about Lewa flirting.

Market Date

 "Market Date". I've been cracking down on some fun photo projects. Market Date is a scene from Life of Lewa chapter 12 "Flight of the Seasons". In the chapter Venimbus takes Lewa on a lunch date and shares some Junti food dishes with him at a local food stand.

The main scene above is my favorite, created in a new prop I'll speak more about later.

 The second take had a slightly different head tilt. This is why I took both images and made a comic page below with them. The basic scene is composed of dirt, plastic plants, a brownie box, some Barbie accessories, found objects, bamboo mats, and fabric scraps.

 The comic page uses both photos and is a simplified, just a joke thing of what happen in Life of Lewa chapter 12. Lunch is Venimbus approved and Lewa is experiencing the odd side of the jungle.

Silvermask Darkness Posters

Silvermask Darkness, an emphasized theme in the Seawing series. These photos made into poster style pictures have to be my favorites cinematically.

Before I go further, I'd like to make something known which many of you I'm sure have noticed, but don't need to point out (this happened recently). Silvermask, being that he's not a special figure in build has not been given a MOC sticker sheet like Seawing and Shredwing. You may ask yourself why that is, and the answer is because Silvermask isn't an art MOC. His body is Jaller Ignika's just with a different head (reason for that is because he was part of a yard sale purchase.) I had Jaller's headless body, so I gave it a new one, and at first thought it looked weird. Seeing my pieces are fragile, I don't try to fidget with them too much because I can't afford to buy new ones if they break, thus resulting in me not messing with Jaller's form. By adding a new head, I simply gave the form a new role, and ended up liking the character that came out of a frankin build, my only mask choice the one I gave him. Think creatively, as some Humans have similar body types or the exact same outfit as another, I say Toa can have bodies that look the same to that of another beloved figure, but are in fact not the same character in role. Silvermask isn't special in body, but his character is very important in the series.

Now onto the art series. The main poster with that oh so cool glowing sword is my absolute favorite image. I've been in a rather spooky mood lately, so getting these art pieces down has relieved some of my inner gloom, and has left me feeling satisfied. For those rusty in Matoran, the first poster says (An Evil Within). I don't know about you, but that makes me excited.

Of course I made one blank poster and one titled.

Silvermask is a fire type as far I know, and like so many fire types, has a nasty temper that can lead to bad things. Fire Away is made to be almost like a movie poster that hints as being a sequel to the Seawing series (but really isn't, it's just concept). The Matoran at the top says (Time to Run). Pretty sure I'd be doing just that at the sight of an angry Toa with a mean streak.

The final image is a brother to the first poster, continuing the message in Matoran. Again this almost feels like a sequel image or movie poster. Also this time I had to add glow to the sword, but I guess it turned out okay.

In Matoran it says (Good Isn't Always As it Seems). A Deadly Game sounded like an interesting title, and I liked the look of a very large, spooky A that reminds me of the Alien series with the hatching egg. The A almost looks like it's own glyph or symbol here.

Seawing Interactions Card Series

 Seawing Island 

Here we go, more Seawing stuff....yes I just can't stop enjoying the process of digital work to make picture sneak peeks and concepts of the Seawing series. 

The Seawing interactions series tells some of the story secretly, and consists of the three main characters in the same setting, which is why they were so fun to make. I took separate images of each MOC and placed them into an environment, meaning that even though they look like they're part of the same picture, they were actually separate pictures beforehand.

I've also bee enjoying the process of creating background scenes with selected elements from different desktop backgrounds.

The first card in the series is Seawing Island, an introduction image that implies Seawing and Silvermask are the basic characters in this comic series, and that Seawing is familiar with Silvermask as a friend.

 Defense 

"Like this, grrrrr." Shredwing shows. "I get the blade part, but do I have to growl?" Seawing wonders. :P

A hint in the series is that Seawing spends time around Shredwing at some point, and they have days where defense training becomes a game, Shredwing an obvious skilled fighter willing to give Seawing a few tips.

 Soon 

"Soon I will have my revenge" (the words of Shredwing). This scene implies a very big part of the story, but I won't spoil it. You might be able to guess what's going on. I smell jealousy and something a bit deeper.

 Come At Me 

One of many encounters between Shredwing and Silvermask. Silvermask is of course hot headed and stupidly stubborn, not too bright either as ironic as that may sound for a fire type. Silvermask has no idea why Shredwing hunts him, but he's more than ready to fend himself from this skilled bounty hunter.

 Can't Get Me 

One more round in the jungle hunt, Silvermask taunts Shredwing and claims he can't be caught. Best watch out for those mighty metal wings, Shredwing isn't afraid to use them in sheer anger.

 Standoff 

Still in pursuit (I made lots of scenes involving Shredwing and Silvermask because I wanted to use all the odd angles of my pictures). Shredwing doesn't give up easily, not at all, and no amount of attempted reasoning from Silvermask is going to shake him off his trail.

 Behind You 

That spooky moment in a waterfall shielded cave. Something's in the dark, and it's right behind you. Best light your way with that fancy sword, Silvermask....

 Who's Behind Who? 

An extra scene to "Behind You" in the same cave with a sillier concept.Tracking each other in circles can be rather counterproductive, Silvermask proving to be sneakier than Shredwing expected.

 We Meet Again 

Nearing nighttime next to the ocean, Shredwing's classic time to hunt. A scary moment when you start wearing out, feeling duped by the highly determined bounty hunter on your trail.

 Sunset Sabers 

Battling at sunset, both fighters bathed in the golden light, toes gripping the cooled sands. I actually find this particular picture interesting because it almost feels painted.

 Ready to Fight 

In the chilled mountains and Silvermask is finally ready to fight till he wins, but he has no idea what he's up against, bound to be troubled at the end of the fight. Shredwing has the advantage of flight, Silvermask is all footwork.

Wind Fly-Bog Blast

One of those side comics, an off day in the story of Pearllight Origins in a sense.

I've had this comic idea for a few years, sort of have a strand of ideas that follow off this running gag in my head of Lewa being full of air, including the smelly kind.

This is also the first time I've drawn my character with Tahu, and in a jungle setting.

Kind of just slapped in the lines, background and figures drawn free hand with splotches of color. It was actually pretty fun to make. ;P

Seawing Book Cover

Seawing the book cover. After some experimentation, this is about as close as I could get to a concept in my head. 

I just couldn't wait, I wanted to tackle the cover before making anymore character postcards, hence why you're now seeing the three main characters, Seawing being the first focus, Silvermask second, and Shredwing looming at the top beneath the title.

It was interesting to experiment with elements that got the feel across, a wave of water seeming to be pushed outward by the determined Seawing, green plants and a faint view of the ocean moving around Silvermask who stands in the dark same as Shredwing, a way to meld the secret of the story. I felt the plants and ocean back scene helped express the island theme of this world.

I sort of tried to color balance through the cover with reds, blues, and greens, adding white water mist to the border just to pull it together a tiny bit.

Not sure if I'm completely happy with it, but it seems to be nice enough for now.

Seawing-Shredwing interactions

Little Flirt

Here are teaser pics for the Seawing series. Can you tell Seawing and Shredwing are attracted in an odd, cute way. Might ask yourself why that is, but this bounty hunter's heart is snagged by Seawing being a playful little flirt (a not so common thing to see).

Forgive Me

"Forgive me for all that's been done, for all that I can't take back and do over. We all make mistakes, sometimes because we have no choice."
Seawing and Shredwing share a back history which is slowly revealed in the Seawing series. Of course if you were a bounty hunter and the one you like is a gentle Toa of water, you may almost be on one knee in guilt asking for forgiveness.

Shredwing MOC- sticker sheet

Shredwing, yes I said Shredwing. This MOC may seem like a rebuild of Antronz, but it's not. Shredwing is the second character built in the pile the night I made Seawing. I used some parts from my bin. Shredwing started off as a basic build of Antronz who was missing important pieces, like a second wing and armor plating. To make up for that I used spare Barahki armor pieces and added different weapons, then created a set of razor wings from Vahki blades and 2001 Bionicle pieces, making a set of articulated wings. The light up blade in red was a thrill to add.

Who is Shredwing? He is one of the main characters in the Seawing comic, the second most important you could say. Shredwing is a bounty hunter with a back story that proves his character to be more mysterious than you would expect at first glance. He's not a Makuta as many assume, so what is he? That is the mystery of this story.

A little more on the build. This is the first bounty hunter based character I made in my collection. The weapons he wields all apply to his work. A curved blade with a knife balance in his right hand, and a laser sword in the left, connected to a chain with added features that become a bounty harness (I'll speak of that function in another post). He does contain a leech pod in a chest harness, but mostly uses it for scare tactics. In the menacing mechanical wings with no skin, there's an energy which allows Shredwing to float and fly. The wings themselves each have razor clip blades Shredwing uses to threaten his targets, sometimes pinning them to the ground and placing the blade slots over their wrists so they don't dare move while he harnesses them. The blades snip and clip by mind function, these mechanical monstrosities a form of prosthetic. These wings are what gave him his title. He had a different nick name before, that being Claw breaker. I can't get into anymore without spoiling the story. ;P Enjoy the build, as before, I do have some extra art to share for following posts.