When in doubt...

I think I want that to be my epitaph. When in doubt, draw boobies. And weapons. And armor. I really gotta try some new poses out or something though. Hehe...poses.

Anyway, I've been chugging along lately. Work is not as busy as the holiday season was, but we still have a lot of stuff to do and prepare for. I'm looking forward to a couple of the projects we have lined up, which is pretty much all I can say about them right now.

I do want to get a comicbook done this year though. I feel like...it's the right time. Then again, I've always felt that. I just need to find someone who wants to write.

This is turning into one of those posts with no actual point, isn't it?

I've been listening to a lot of The Fratellis lately, they're very very good, and you should listen to them to if you have a chance. Apparently they are Alternative Rock.

That is all for now.

More like Axo"lol"tl

Been working on the next Codex entry, (my god has been seven months since the last one?) which concerns bird people. Or, since they don't have wings, as my sister pointed out, beak people.

Here's a sketch I did of one riding an Axolotl-type creature. Had a serious "ohmahgawsh" moment this morning when I realised that I had created a nomadic people...with no mount in mind.

Sure, you have some nomads who just wander on foot like the Native Americans, but the majority tend to have some sort of pastoral relationship with animals. Hence, the Sandwalkers (or Kaz'adir in the tongue of the beak people).

Edit: I should have mentioned, Native Americans before the introduction of Horses by the Spanish.

So once I have a bit more written, I'll make another codex entry. Believe it!

Planes Creature Codex: Varoan

So, when I make things, I usually like to have a think about the story behind it. I needed some bat-like creatures for the game I'm perpetually working on so I had a chat with the gang (Lawrence, sonics was an awesome idea) and sat down and started writing out a backstory for these things. Was good fun.

Planes Creature Codex:
Entry 751
The Varoan

The Varoan are a race of humanoid bat people, who evolved in the dark underground reaches of Opal Mountain. They are a proud race and followers of the god Roan. (The name of their people basically translates to the "Children of Roan"). However, of late a schism between the working class and the clergy has led to a divide in the Varoan people.Biology

Varoans have poor vision compared to humans, but compensate with an internal sonar, with which they can detect even invisible beings. They stand from 7 to 8 feet tall, and have vestigial webbing between the arms and torso. This webbing allows them limited gliding ability, and helps to break falls that would otherwise be fatal. A Varoan can also emit a sonic attack that can liquidize flesh and crack solid rock.

Weaponry

Varoans are adept at the use of their tuning weapons, usually a sword or spear, which they use in a traditional form of martial art developed to give them the advantage in tight, cramped conditions. These weapons are also capable of emitting sonic waves which can disorientate, stun of knock out foes. All Varoans are trained in combat from an early age.

Society

Varoans have not had a king for many centuries now, although there is of course, a prophecy about a king rising in a time of great peril for the Varoan people. The priests of Roan lead the masses, but lately have been opposed by the workers and intellectuals of Varoan society. The reason for this schism is the emergence of one Vexus, known as the Herald of Roan by the clergy. Common Varoan are mistrustful of Vexus, because although Roan speaks to him, he is also human.

The Cult of Roan (And the Rise of Vexus)

Roan is an old and bloodthirsty god, he demands regular blood sacrifices and ceremonies from the Varoan in exchange for his protection and knowledge. However, like all gods, he seeks to expand his power and in the merchant Vexus he saw his opportunity.

Vexus is a man with charisma, a powerful talker and leader, who was originally a merchant from the lands south of Alandria. Roan spoke to Vexus in his dreams, promising him power and status if he were to bring about the age of the Bat God. Vexus gathered a cult of like-minded or simply weak-willed humans and set off to find the promised Lost City of Varonan.

The Avatar of Roan

In his travels through the vast underground lands of the Plane, Vexus encountered a huge four-winged bat. Unusual for its great size, this particular bat had grown so large that it had taken to hunting Wyrms for food. Vexus merged his life force with this bat, empowering it and forming a telepathic link with the creature.

Upon this bat, he entered the City of Varonan at the head of a massive host of cultists. The Varoan people were suspicious of this surface dweller, but the Priests of Roan regard him as a messianic figure, the chosen one of Roan, the Herald of the Age of the Batgod.

Brain Overloaded

I've been having difficulty getting to sleep for the past few days. It's not that I'm not tired, it's just that I have these...ideas in my head. Lately, one idea in particular seems to be bugging me, so perhaps I'll try and work on making that idea a reality...you know, so I'll stop thinking about the thing.

Very vague...okay, I have an idea for a project to help kids develop art portfolios. I remember back in high school, Art was...not a taught or serious subject ( in forms 3 and 4 we had "Art and Crafts" in which I learned absoloutely nothing. Well, alright, I learned how to make an ornamental toilet roll holder, but I don't like flaunting this skill). This didn't used to bother me, until my sister started going to a new school ,where they do teach Art. Then it struck me, that there are kids in her class that might not even want the opportunity to learn Art, but take it because the freaking class is available to them (and perhaps, for easy grades).

I am pretty sure that out there are kids who have the potential to be great artists, who might even doodle regularly, or sketch things. But they probably wouldn't even consider applying for an art college after high school, because hey, Art's not a real subject they teach you in school. Granted, I know that if someone really wanted to, they'd find a way to get into an art school. But for every one of those, I'm sure there are at least a couple more who just didn't have the time or opportunity to develop a skill set. Who, if they knew how, could put together an impressive portfolio.

It just ticks me off a bit, when I think about kids who go on to become mediocre lawyers or accountants when they could be fucking fantastic designers, concept artists or illustrators.

I guess personally, I just want somehow to provide a chance to someone that I would have taken if it were available to me. I never really learned art, you know as a subject. I just kind of learned as I went along, and sometimes I don't even know if the stuff I do can even be classified as art.

This is turning into a TLDR post, isn't it? I guess I'll leave it there, and try and go to sleep.

Anyone have any thoughts on the subject though?