More characters because you know you want them

Lily and Lilowyth Salix - is a willow hamadryad (I say is... because they are one person). 

Over time hamadryads (in this story)... developed this ability to shape shift their forms (which is why she doesn't look like a tree). While it allows them to fit in among humans better, their bodies are more fragile than tree bark which makes them VERY intolerable to flames.

They have the ability to disguise their skin (though not all hamadryads take on a human form... it's merely a generational trend). The one thing they can't change is their hair. Their hair is still somewhat vine like and has leaves on it (which is why she wears a large hat); and rather than flesh their skin still has a pattern of wood rings when you look close enough.

Lily Salix was from 50 years prior to the story. She is the reason why Oliver Cain (the story villain) is who he is. She was one of the first people... well beings... to treat him with any complete kindness without  question, and he's captivated by her look and sweetness. Unfortunately for Cain, he has a childhood bully by the name of Eric Melbourne; and one day Eric Melbourne's bullying goes a little to far which results in the accidental death of Lily Salix. Feeling weak and horrified at the loss of her, he goes on a quest of becoming stronger to protect creatures like Lily; but in turn things get out of control in later years and he ends up using those whom he desired to help.

After Lily's death, all that remained was a large seed in which he brought back to her parental figure (a kobold who's actually the narrator of the entire story); who plants it not knowing that Lily's core was still alive. This in turn produces a second Lily (AKA Lilowyth Salix). her guardian can't bare to call her Lily and encourages her to be different.

They share A LOT in common lol and are physically identical with one exception. Lily wore a necklace given to her by Cain (it's later becomes the group crest... so all members, good or bad, that know about the mythics carrying some form of this crest). She also wore lighter colors and had a more bold personality (which actually is what gets her killed... from protecting Oliver). Where as Lilowyth likes bright colors and doesn't own a necklace. Instead the crest actually appears as a form of birthmark in the center of her chest (where the original necklace rested... her heart). The necklace, while it was hot, burned the marking  into the seed at the accident. She also isn't as courageous as the first Lily. She has a terrible fear of fire.

There is a temple surrounded by man-made pools and contains a god. Within those walls and columns, resting in his hands, is the Lotus (the mythic artifact that can... when open to bloom... floods water but when turned upside down to close... draws in water). In the arch recesses of the temples exterior, like the mighty serpent, sit the nagi priestesses... standing guard and waiting for a possible threats.

                                              
Oden Foiergot - Kobold (fiery kobold to be exact) raised both Lily and Lilowyth from seeds and is the one that basically teaches Cain and that group (Milo, Catherine, and Robert) basically everything they know about Mythics and their Artifacts. Personally he has the ability to shape shift, some magic, and has a travel form that's a wisp of red flame which comes in handy since he's secretly that narrator of the story.

Book Series Progress Update: Charts

So I thought that I would show some of the elements that I keep just to organize my progress through projects and to make sure I don't lose my thoughts. These two are for the "Milo's Study" series. Above is a character relationship chart. Because there are so many characters that meet each other on separate occasions and it involves not only traveling and beings of other species... generations... etc, but the narrator makes references to different things, I keep track of everyone with a Character Relationship Chart. Also it's one thing to write it... but it's always difficult for me to come up with names. So often I'll keep track of who they are but add names later because it often requires a lot of research to find exactly what I want to use. This being a book that has multiple cultures... names are relatively important... I think.

This chart is a Book Progression Chart... which for me it will come in handy more so later on when I have to do large extended edits and proof readings (which I need to stop being so nit picky at this stage until it's more fully written... hahaha). Basically so I can keep track of what phase each book is in. Right now it's more so if people ask how everything is coming... they can keep track by looking at my chart. There isn't a standard length to the books yet. I just wrote down 15 (as in chapters) so I could have room. The writing pattern does have a formula to them though so that it sounds consistent. 

Character Teasers 2

Dryewvett Has- Kelpie/ nugel variety. And he's actually one of the bad guys. Master shapeshifter and known as the water horse, he can shift into maidens and a white pony. Regardless of his appearance he is ALWAYS wet even when he looks dry which is why they have called him Dryewvett Has (pronounced hos). He's basically used as a knapper. When he has found what he was sent for he will snaps his tail like a whip as well as excrete mud like fluid out of the glands in his pads on his webbed feet so that when he grabs his catch it will slide without and struggle when pulled. Though he can also excrete a natural adhesive through the pores of his skin so that his find can't escape from his grasp.

Kamida Hiromi- Kitsune (and she's A LOT older then she looks... as you can see nine tails)... master shapeshifter and is old enough to manipulate time and space (not perfectly though). She is being held prisoner (in the middle of a deep water pool) for that talent. As powerful as she is... she has a fear of deep water.

Character Teasers 1

Kublerstout- Goblin Height: 3 feetish, status: group leader and keeper of the goblins cauldrons (duplication ability) and is a murder suspect. The children meet him in the town of Condersoot in book two.

Charlie Nikolai- a modern house brownie. Status... orphan (parents were taken by a village cat; but he has a sister, Marci who takes care of him. The girls often find holes in their clothing when they move in with their grandfather. They think are moths but it's really "nicking" fabric for Marci (where they picked up their last names)

Tired of "book project" teasers....?

I know I've been sort of hinting at a "book project" with a tease of character ideas popping up from time to time on my facebook. So I thought I would actually clarify on the subject. I'm writing... a book series!!! Yes I said a book series and yes I know... I'm an artist. Why would I attempt writing? Well I'll tell you... some artists actually write for one thing. Secondly, all artists have worlds that they create and this is just one of mine.

So this was a project that I started back in early 2007. It was going to be a 40 page children's book that basically resulted in the concept of loss being a natural part of life where a girl loses her beloved, eccentric grandfather after staying with him and hearing his epic stories of his relations with creatures only found in folklore. After losing said adult figure, she discovers that the eccentric, story-teller wasn't just telling stories when she using the key he gives her to open a room full of things that support his claims. Well turns out that it was simply too large of a concept for a 40 page book. A lot can happen in the mind of an eccentric, old man; and a lot can happen in the mind of an eccentric, old me. So why limit myself to children's book format?

What was going to be a 40 page book, turned into wanting to make a book that crossed novels and illustrated books (and it would change the world). Then this morphed into extended story elements and optional reader participation (and it would change the world). Which this all then morphed into a novelette series with prequels and optional interaction (and it would change the world). After that, I thought that this all couldn't be done or released, plus whom am I to attempt a project like this? Suddenly, one of the illustrators that I highly respect released a book called "The Search for Wondla"; and this verified that my dream world could in fact be possible. It may not change the world now BUT after 4 years of planning this story world... I have a little more courage and a little more hope that this project can and will be done.

So right now it's organized as a book series of 7 books for the main story line and 2 book "prequels" (written in that order); and when I say prequel, I mean prequel/ spin off. The book lay outs have been hatched out on various papers, typed documents, and sketchbooks; and the writing of the books are being done in pairs because I want the books to be consistent to one another. So yes, this means I know what happens through the entire series. I've already allowed the story to mature; and at the moment, I'm rather proud of it. The prequels have also been hatched out. While the series is very much "children are the heroes", there are two supporting, adult characters that make appearances and are especially important in the story. These two characters were intended to have stories of their own and also wove themselves into the story (I know I'm acting like this story has a life of its own but... it has).

So just to give you a better understanding of this world and making it brief (no... I'm not going to give you the entire run down and spoil it). The series is about the world of two girls, Sarah and Phoebe MacLachlan; and how they discover that what they thought was their family... well isn't.

I'm hoping to convince my best friend to get in on the action... like I'd write the series and pass it on to him to over look and make all fantastic (because I love his writings), and I already have two people that have said that they were up for being "edit eyes". But yeah!!! There you go.

Soooo yeah... book series project YAY! Finally!!! More updates soon to come!!!

Ummm anyways... outside of this... I also have a list of projects (as usual). Just a couple major ones are (those I have quite a list):

- Illustrating "Elliot's Little Big Adventure" (another 40 page children's book I wrote a little earlier this year and also one of the stories I had planned actually in 2005)

- Re-re-illustrating "Dark" (not happy with some things... but it was written by Tory Chang)

- The visual WoW story (a gift)

- a few sculptures

Clearly some updating is in order

So I moved to a new apt at the end of last month. It's pretty swell, honestly. It's actually in the same building as my last one (because I have that kind of awesome luck that one out of my six neighbors were moving out the same time I was looking and they just so happened to have the one two bedroom apt in the building). Anyways it's REALLY neat. I really loved my last apt but this one is truly even cooler. I'll show pictures later. I just got the livingroom set up over the 4th of July weekend.

Anyways... even though there was a move and I've had a few commissions. I ummm well I never actually posted any of my other art since about June. So I thought I would post it now.

Well In my long list of projects I have a project that is really a present to my best friend/roommate.

He is a HUGE World of Warcraft player. So much so that he knows the world and lore inside and out. He started writing short stories for each of his characters. From what he's done, I must say that he's brilliant. Even though he had told me about some of the backgrounds while he was working on them... nothing beats actually reading them. They are both informative and stylish. He wrote them as biographical events with a bronze dragon narrator (which you even become attached to the narrator when you read it). It's written in a way that explains the individual events and situations PLUS the lore of the world for even those whom don't know can follow. Even a WOW player tends not to know the DEPTH which is WOW. The world is HUGE... the races are PLENTY... and they all have their subgroups, wars, and ways. As a WOW casual player, I could see the world I love and even viewing for people whom know nothing of the world... this is a REALLY entertaining read to discover it. He's only gone through about half of his 30 characters but seriously, I love them so much. I've planned on making a visual spin off... making illustrations for each story.
He may be my best friend... and has been for 6 years... but this isn't some bias that all friends have for each other. I'm a fantasy geek and his writing style is really amazing. So what I've done is created my own "visual narrator". Sort of as if she follows him on his journey (hero and sidekick like we are in person) and visually documents these characters as she meets them or as the story's told to her. So it will be compiled of the characters and a few joke drawings of inside jokes or of the narrators. It's a large project but when I have down time or are practicing or trying something new, I'll work on these.

Other than that I have... well I'm hoping that next years school theme show will be involving the end of the world. Either way I've had an idea for this piece for a long time and wanted to do it. "Out to Play" sort of representing the natural disasters. Basically Gaia is upset for our over usage and is basically seeking revenge with the help of her "child" (wind, drought/fire, earth, and water); and our cities are their play grounds.

Well this is all for now... more to come later!!!

Rán the Goddess of the Sea

I did this piece of years ago. Inspired by the stories of Rán.

Rán is a Norse Goddess (sea)... Rán also means "Robbery". The story of Rán is that she'd capture men as they sailed out to sea. She (by the story) had nine daughters... but for the piece I want to make her more terrifying. Since she isn't out there to be a sincere merfolk.

Well that was YEARS ago (I mean about 4-6 years ago). I wasn't happy with the end results but I liked the concept so this time I made her both beautiful and terrifying. So yes she is threatening and has FAR more than 9 children; but there is an aspect of beauty about her.

*yes I know blue spotted octopi or yellow bellied sea snakes aren't from that region of water but it's fantasy here...