Cool Tapes 3.0

Dump tell no mandy: It's a landmower turned bankways.

[finlaena]

My Warframe Creator Glyph has been updated!

Your eyes are not deceiving you, your friendly neighborhood Bloo Wisp has gotten a shiny new look and is ready to be used for target practice.

It's been over 2 years since they originally approached me to contribute a creator glyph for the game (which coincidentally was with the Duviri Paradox update); the poor ol' gal was showing her age and wasn't representative of my evolving art style anymore. After working with DE on the Wisp Community Glyph (that dropped /w Techrot Encore), it was such an incredibly fun experience, I wanted to use what I gained from it to revamp my personal glyph!

And now the lil' Darvo Mote has an actual look and isn't just a beige bowling pin.

If you don't have it yet, you can redeem the glyph using my creator code, FINLAENA, over here on the Warframe site.

(and as before, if you should happen to pop up in a random group with me while using this, be sure you have a wishlist ready...)

If you have my glyph already, don't worry, you won't have to go through any extra steps and it should show as updated when you login next.

Again, thank you so much DE for this incredible opportunity and an extra special thanks to the Warframe community for supporting me over the last close-to-5(!) years.

[finlaena]

Continuing on my bullshit of my Male Star Sapphire fan characters/OCs, here's #3 of 5: Vanjak Zet, with a special bonus: his daughter, Valeri (who is one of the reasons why he's a Star Sapphire, btw).

Here's Meshul'm (Lem) and Koan-Ro, the other 2.

Vanjak was one of those characters I didn't really intend to expand upon and only use as filler, ig. For whatever the reason, a character started "speaking" to me and before I knew it, I'd written up a biography for myself that involved a Lizarkon widower who lost his wife and oldest son + only had his young daughter left. Said daughter (Valeri) was kidnapped and through comic bullshit, the familial love he had for her nailed him a Violet Ring.

He's gruff and incredibly cantankerous, but around the ladies of the Star Sapphires, he looks after and loves all of them in a sibling or daughter-y way, give or take and is far nicer to them than he is to anyone else. (No one said Love was nice, mind you...) Also a giga mushmellon -if not somewhat overprotective- towards his actual daughter, too lmaooo. It's a type, what can I say?

The funny thing is that up until today, I hadn't thought of a color scheme for him and ended up getting inspired by a leucistic alligator that we have at the Henry Doorly Zoo named Thibodaux. Not gonna link a photo because I'm terrified of gators and crocs lmao. (He's not albino, btw) I also gave him and Valeri head feathers (similar to feathered dinosaurs) to set him apart from Isamot Kol, as I didn't want Vanjak to be a color palette swap of him to violet.

So, 3 down and 2 more to go. idk if these are interesting to anyone, but I find it to be an extremely fun exercise to figure out how a Male Star Sapphire could work without being treated as a joke or anything malicious. (I love ya', Geoff, but your reasoning for not having any is outdated and archaic)

[finlaena]

pictured: Me, after returning home from a long vacation

Pages 6-10 have been a pain in the ass because I'm not used to doing action/combat scenes. q~q

Onwards and upwards.

[finlaena]

Brief thoughts from TennoLive:

Eeeewwww Fortnite. I get Epic and DE have a long history together, but collabing with Fortnite in Anno Domini? Not it.

Chimeraframes >>>>> Protoframes, full stop for me. I’ll take inner monologues within Warframes over pretty human faces and minimal body horror any day.

That said, IMHO it’s a good thing they’re bringing the Hex back if only to prove Hollvania isn’t entirely a content island. Makes me wonder if this sets up potential future takeovers/guest hosts of Nightwave with other characters (Darvo or Kaelli, anyone?) to give Nora some much needed breaks once a year.

Also it’s nice to have a Nightwave with a story again… sort of? Guess Glassmaker didn’t scare them off from it entirely. That said, I’m not a TTRPG person so it’s not really my thing, but the point stands.

Banshee Deluxe is GORGEOUS. Mischka SLAYED.

Citrine Prime is beautiful!! Was hoping for Kullervo Prime instead, but wygd. She looks like she’s not as over designed as recent Primes, fingers crossed her Prime Accents don’t overwhelm her TennoGen.

Jury is still out on Soulframe here. Like it so far but I haven’t touched it since the pirate update or w/e and hearing the mess the recent Preludes update ended up being, I think I’ll wait to go back to it.

While I have been exceptionally critical about the direction Warframe has taken over the last couple years -and I make absolutely zero apologies and stand by my opinions 200%-, I gotta admit this looks very promising. They’re never going to make everyone happy wrt Tau seeing as it’s been nearly 13 years and everyone’s going to have their own built up expectations.

That said, I love the neo noir bent, being a fan of the genre and movies like Blade Runner (both films), Drive, Streets of Fire, etc. Fellow creator, Dyana, whispered to me that it was very Coruscant-esque and I can definitely see it. Sentient civilization evolving in such a way makes me wonder what might happen if the Origin System people start traveling to Tau when all is said and done.

Not gonna get into my ridiculously petty feelings on Matt Mercer’s involvement (tl;dr: he’s everywhere and I get annoyed after a while like, let fresh talent in, y’all) but he’s okay in my book as Brysko. Reserving further judgement until then!

Overall, incredibly promising stuff! For once, I have optimism over the future of Warframe instead of cynicism. May the remainder of the year be a good one.

*Columbo voice* Just one more thing… */Columbo voice*

FORNAX?!? SERIOUSLY?!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? LMAOOOOO EVEN.

If you were or are a Mass Effect fan, you know.

(Speaking of which, someone get Rebb a copy of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition or even Andromeda so we can hopefully get some non-BG3 blood into the Warframe voice pool for once!)

[finlaena]

Ave Adara

Saint Walker, if he were to be possessed by Adara, the Entity of Hope

(... Or at least my take on what he could look like ig.)

[finlaena]

It was brought to my attention that it's been well over a year since I last drew my Wisp FashionFrame (affectionately known to some people as "Bloo"). Think it was the Glyph remake that was the last time I ever drew her.

So, uh, consider this an apology gift for all the Lanternshit I've been posting lately.

Joking aside, yeah, it's been a long time. Longer than I would like, tbbh. If there's two things my current hyperfixation on Green Lantern has been good for, it's a) rediscovering the joy of drawing again and b) gradually learning that it's okay to draw stuff that appeals only to me and not meant to please everyone else.

idk.

(also, this is reeeeeeally scuffed compared to Nokko and others because it's too damn hot to work on stuff in an uninsulated bedroom)

[finlaena]

Had a burst of inspiration and drew one of my Star Sapphire OCs again: Koan-Ro and his beloved, Passaflor, again. Xudarians have always been my favorite DC alien race since I first got into Green Lantern way back in 2011 and while I used to have a Xudarian Red Lantern, I wanted to have a Star Sapphire one.

(OG post here)

Maybe someday I'll explain my Star Sapphire Corps head canon lore but... not today. :)

Anyways, I thought it'd be nice to draw Koan-Ro showing some affection to an, uh, sentient plant (as one who's a xudarian botanist with a strong affinity for plantlife and is symbiotically/empathically bonded does). Their lore isn't important right now, but I kinda want to tell the story in a fan comic someday. idk. Got an outline written out it's just a matter of time and focusing on pre-existing projects + life.

Also, the 5 Star Sapphire dudes all have signature weapons or "Exalted Weapons" if you need a Warframe equivalent to get the idea: Koan-Ro has a scythe. They basically go through a person and infect them with the violet conversion crystals. What can I say, body horror is an interest.

Koan-Ro is also kind of a skinnyfat twig, lmao.

At some point I'll do the other 4 similar to this but eh, maybe after my trip in July.

ETA: Oh yeah, for my Warframe followers, think of them as sorta like Flare and Lizzie, only Passaflor is not yandere lmfaooooo

[finlaena]

Seeing as the GL fan comic I'm working on right now broaches the subject of male Star Sapphires, I realized I hadn't actually drawn all of the ones I'd come up with to have on hand as a visual reference, even if they don't play a major role.

So as a refresher, here's Meshul'm (Lem).

This fellow here is Koan-Ro, a Xudarian (Tomar-Re's species, aka "fishbirds"). How exactly he was chosen is another story for another time (if ever), but as I was drawing him, a backstory and all hit me like a truck hitting C'hp. ... wait Fan characters are fun like that sometimes.

The gist is that the 5 dudes chosen (and it's limited to ONLY 5 for reasons) represent different kinds of love in various forms. Koan-Ro's deal here is that he's... well... ummm... ahhhh... how can I say this in an appropriate way for civilized conversation...

He's bonded to a sentient plant (temp named Passaflor).

Like, we're talking "facultative mutualistic symbiotic relationship" bonded, but add actual love to it. That kind of love, however unusual and weird, counts I would think. And like, xudarians are half-birds, so you could make the leap that it's rooted in actual real world biology: hummingbirds and flowers.

... Look, I come from the Warframe community, we THRIVE off of weird shit. A fishbird alien being in love with and bonded to a sentient plant is definitely off the wall for Green Lantern but I love it when it explores the weird stuff (Mogo, anyone?). And tbbf, trying to make concepts work within boundaries of established lore is fun, imho.

[finlaena]

Putting super unfinished Mirage out here because I don’t foresee myself finishing this and tbbh my drive just isn’t with it these days. :T

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Saint Walker and my Blue Lantern OC, Sister Taario.

I'd like to think Bro'Dee would be very patient with new recruits, even if they are weird anomalies like Rio here.

Sister Taario was originally seen here; I adjusted her name so it's more in line with how slyggians are apparently named in lore (Salaak/Salakk, Dr. Thaava) but it still has the same spirit of her original name ig. Couldn't arsed to draw her mantilla/headcovering (think Eastern Orthodox) up for this one, so you get to see her without it on ahaha.

ngl this was nice and relaxing to work on. Might have to do more low-fi drawings like these from time to time.

[finlaena]

Salakk 💕💚

(Or Salaak, depending on which one you subscribe to)

This was a super lucky find: managed to win him on eBay for about $40 less than he normally goes for, albeit without package or stand.

Obviously, he has to be handled like the most delicate of porcelain because DC Direct figures were notoriously fragile and prone to breaking. (You should see my one-legged Saint Walker. :’) But until McFarlane Toys does their own take -and we all know the heat death of the universe will come first before they ever do a Green Lantern that isn’t a human or Kilowog-, it’ll have to do.

It’s a really lovely figure regardless. Primarily got it because a) having plastic effigies of your _ughhh_ blorbos can be fun and b) I needed it for reference for a special project I’m working on. >~>

Can’t say this is my favorite look of his, I’ve always been partial to his uniform in the late 1980’s Englehart-Staton run. But I like how alien he looks in terms of his body (can’t stand it when people slap his head and 4 arms on a regular human shaped body… hello, Absolute GL) and his head shape is perfect. I never liked how wildly inconsistent it was, so this being closer to the 80’s look does it for me… even though I have my own way of drawing him lmao.

[finlaena]

Fairy Ring

Nokko, based off a personal FashionFrame.

He truly is a fun guy. Play as him very rarely, but on the occasions I do he's a nice change of pace.

That said, if I never ever have to hear "roots 'n fruits" and "syzygy" again, I will die peacefully.

[finlaena]

Everyone's asleep, quick, post some Salaak or is it Salakk?!!

I scraped my brain trying to remember how I used to draw Sal from Ye Olden Times and ended up coming up /w something new lmao. The designs from the 1986 Green Lantern Corps comics (everything but the head) and the 2011 movie (head) imprinted on me as far as he goes because he has n e v e r been consistently drawn ever. But I rarely ever go with canonical designs insofar as capeshit goes lmfaoooo.

Think the reasoning behind this was his being Mission Control so he doesn't necessarily need an armored look per se. The visor is there because personal taste.

Sal is probably my favorite Green Lantern character when all is said and done because reasons. I have a soft spot for the pessimistic, grumpy, and high-strung ones, I guess.

Oh, and this is intentionally rough and not great looking because I'm trying to not do so many polished drawings. I'd say I'd do something more refined or w/e but... I'm keeping the vast majority of my Green Lantern fanworks to myself. >T

... Now I kinda want him to say "Change of plans, ignore your original objective" at some point. If you know, you know.

[finlaena]

Fan Deluxe Concept: Frumentarii Cyte-09

Inspired by Quincy's KIM conversations regarding Parvos Granum, I wondered what it would be like if Cyte-09 had a Corpus-themed skin. What started out as a TennoGen concept quickly exploded into something more elaborate and far beyond the scope/limitations of TennoGen itself.

It took a year -plus some tears, three crashouts, and at least one nervous breakdown- for this to fully be realized, but it's finally finished.

(A Tenet Neutralizer will come Soon(TM).)

More details below the Read More.

Specific inspiration:

> do kinda wanna meet this parvos guy tho > sound interesting. if kind of like a dick. but all major corpo r like that at the end of the day > b/c thats how u get ahead, innit

The concept was originally called "Son of Parvos", because the whole family theming between the Sisters of Parvos and Protea as his "daughter", why not have a "son"? (Quick, someone check on Nef Anyo after he sees this!) Which is why his color scheme and overall motif is based off of Parvos himself.

Another inspiration was the look of a priest, seeing as Parvos' hat evokes a mitre and all; the belt in particular as well as the collar (if you look hard enough). That said, I owe CaptainTagada a big one, as they suggested going with a military angle for Cyte-09's helmet. Ended up inspired by the Brodie —doughboy to us burgerlanders— helmet from around WWI-II.

What really made this all come together was the legs: Lua Luminary, iirc, suggested using the legs of the Jackal/Hyena proxies and once a quick visual was cobbled together, everything fell into place scarily quick. It's quite amazing how something like that can be the catalyst for an idea to be realized.

Of course, I couldn't do a Cyte-09 deluxe without a very special element: Quincy Isaacs himself. Normally, I wouldn't have bothered because I'm not a fan of Protoframes on the whole (I do like some of them as NPCs to a point), but considering it was Quincy's KIM convos that inspired this, it was only right to include him.

To seal the "Son of Parvos" angle, I gave Quincy a prosthetic, golden forearm + hand, as I realized while working on this that Quincy has a prosthesis on his left arm. I don't use Protoframe skins personally, so I confess I didn't know. And it has a layer of irony if you remember Deadlock Protocol and how Nef was contemplating self-amputation for a golden hand of his own. I could very well see Parvos giving Quincy a golden arm, tbh.

As a design choice, I gave him regular human legs. Cyte has the Hyena legs, Quincy has the golden arm. Balances out.

As a final note: The belt and Quincy's left arm are intended to be on the Attachments channel, as the belt could potentially be an auxiliary item to mitigate clipping.

Anyhow, thanks for coming to my TED talk lmao.

[finlaena]

Submission for the TennoCon 2026 Community Showcase: Titania and Father (Vilcor) Entrati

This is a special one to me, as it intentionally is meant to evoke the first ever drawing done of these two together near the tail end of 2020. Rather than being a straight-up redraw, I wanted to do a reimagining with a happier, fun and light-hearted bent opposed to a melancholic one, as a conclusion of sorts (more later).

I suppose it's time I finally explained why I like drawing these two together, so I'll keep it as brief as possible: ... I have a huge thing for "giant person + tiny person" dynamics, lmao. Ever since I was a little kid for reasons I can't explain. Titania can shrink to small size and while Wisp became my main, Titania became a secondary because I absolutely love Razorwing, fight me.

One day, the brain synapses fired a certain way and I thought it'd be neat to draw Father, who was -at the time- my sole favorite member of the Entrati Syndicate, with smol Titania. What was supposed to be a one-off turned into, quite honestly, a drawing that would unwittingly change my life going forward in the years following.

I like the idea of this diminished, broken man who's been rejected by his family (through... a good amount of fault of his own, lbr) befriending a very capricious, unpredictable pixie. She may intentionally misplace some tools or play some tricks on him from time to time, but she genuinely loves to hear his stories and advice, because he's the only one in her life who is actually honest and, in his own way, looking out for her, rather than throwing her completely to the wolves as a child soldier. ("Let's go over your arsenal once again. Look, I'm sorry, but I could not have you going out there without the best weapons I can offer.")

Anyhow, now you know the whole story. While this might be too niche/specific for the Showcase, it's a nice capstone to 5 years of this nonsense, ahaha. Will there be more after this? Well... hard to say. One of Vilcor's recently added quote ("You've got people looking out for you, right? Watching your back? Well you better, 'cause there's only so much we can do while we're grounded on this rock.") has given me pause. Maybe it's time for Titania to spread her wings even further and find others to pester. You never know.

[finlaena]

Continuing the 2011-2012 Memory Lane Walk, here's another Fan Lantern: a male Star Sapphire! He's a rather cheerful bloke, eh? His name is Meshu'lm. Call him Lem for short.

Lem is best described as exuberant, somewhat prideful, and and extremely odd bird with eclectic tastes, and part of those tastes includes pessimistic, four-armed Green La---nah, not getting into it 'cause it's a personal indulgence for art and fic that's reserved solely for my proverbial drawer. :V

Made him a Tamaranean because why not? My knowledge of them comes from the Teen Titans cartoon, but his backstory is that his family were nomads, so he never really grew up on Tamaran. He was chosen because of the love he had for his mercenary crew and was willing to put himself in danger for their safety. He longs for more permanent connections and companionship, not really having any due to never staying in one place for long.

Before you ask... yes, Star Sapphires are an all-women group, but it's fun to speculate and quite a few people did back in the day, too.

I actually have a fairly elaborate standalone AU that I'm slowly remembering (forgot how fun it was, tbbh) & adapting it for select recent-ish stuff carte blanche, but the gist was that Lem -and 4 others dudes- were part of an auxiliary/pilot program. The best comparison I have for this concept is they'd be like the Star Sapphire's equivalent to the Specialists from Winx Club, if anyone is familiar with that series.

I'd get into it more, but... not going to get into it because no one would care, it'd take too long to describe, and all of it is for me and me only lmaoooo.

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Out of the blue the other day, I randomly remembered some old Green Lantern Corps. fan characters of mine from Ye Olden Times of 2012-ish while I was out running errands. So, I decided to take a break from a bigger project to revisit one of them.

And yes, the pun is intended, because she's a Blue Lantern!

tbf, cannot fathom how the Fin of 2011-2012 drew this character often, considering four arms (she's Salaak's race, fwiw; their design was never ever consistent so I drew inspo from the 1980's GLC run) and whatnot... but I was also unmedicated and suffering the worst period of my mental illness, so... :V Something about her just makes me happy, probably because she's unconventional for a fan character, ig. I mean... who chooses a Slyggian for a character? Someone who isn't a masochist of an artist, of course.

Ah well. Much as I cannot bring myself to care about the state of the Green Lantern comics -I swore off capeshit about a decade ago- and reading the occasional storytime on /co/ has reaffirmed that choice, part of me will always have a soft spot for the Emotional Spectrum.

Hell, Green Lantern is why I love the Duviri Courtiers in Warframe so much! Personification of emotions that are also color coded? Sign me up! And looking at this sweet alien lizzer lady of Hope, I think I know what also subconsciously influenced my choice to pick Wisp's Gaoth helmet AND color her blue...

ETA: Finally remembered her name! She's Sister Tairiro. :>