From Darkness: A Development

[fromdarknessdev]

I honestly don't remember how I drew these. :,D

Just T'zoria being sparkly

[fromdarknessdev]

Ive been feeling real odd and ucertain about my art lately, like, unsure of what i want to draw anymore. Its not that i dont have ideas, I end up with several at once and I think I’ve really let my mental library wither over the years, I used to look at references all the time but for human characters many of them were really difficult to work with. At the same time i think i definitely overthink it sometimes.

AlsoI keep having other ideas but end uo weighing which ones are most “worth” working on.

ain the end i just decided to finish working on the skeches that have been piling up. None of them are anything close to what i really want to make, but what i want to make is so unclear that i have no idea how to start without wasting a lot of time on an unsatifying attempt.

So, here’s Marr blotches instead :V

Mor

[fromdarknessdev]

Everytime I hear “Bitch Bitch Bitch” from Jekyl & Hyde I think of these two having a blast. A magical Emperor and his headmaid at a ball.

I haven’t completely figured out the maids’ uniforms yet but I feel like this is good for now.

(Also these aren’t their design colors they’re monochromized)

[fromdarknessdev]

”I thought you said you could dance”

Part of Ire’s military training includes learning formal dances for balls, but, troops also came up with their own dances for fun to pass time, including mock formal dances.

Lets just say Taj was caught off guard :> 

[fromdarknessdev]

Mars|

“I remember you” it said, “The wolf, my other half.” Its voice was cold, metallic, and uncomfortably familiar.

“Though, we may no longer be halves. You’ve grown, reeking of death and destruction… the part of you that was once me,” as it spoke, it swayed about in the darkness, crude machinery and organs whirring and clicking, “Your eyes terrify and amaze me, But perhaps that is the part of me that was once you.”

[jaelynb]

Bunch o art from like, 2 years ago that I forgot existed.

Ive been feeling pretty incompetent lately artwise. I miss the interest i used to have. But looking at this stuff just reminds me of what ive already done. Its not a skill issue, its an inspiration/mood issue.

Some of this is fanart some is original stuff, some is fan characters.

[fromdarknessdev]

War

[fromdarknessdev]

His Majesty

[fromdarknessdev]

Smoke

[fromdarknessdev]

Duality

[fromdarknessdev]

[fromdarknessdev]

[fromdarknessdev]

So I’ve been really getting into this idea of telling a gender role story, but with a fictional twist on what the roles are.  I’ve also been considering that, you know maybe T’zoria doesn’t overcome his insecurities for quite some time, not on his own at least. He uses the Dragon’s light to mold himself to the standard of masculinity basically lead him to be cropped out of the royal family. But, being who he is, is often smothered by it, and shifts into different identities to sneak around- but still tends to fall into safe, “masculine” habits. It takes him a few adventures to feel “okay” as himself.

Until then, the bat-out-of-Hell T’zoria is just how he gets when he runs out of chakra suppressors on a hot day, or is freaking out from anxiety. His public image is based on his father.

In this world, this empire at least men  are considered the brains, the leaders, they have to have every hair in place, and have their shit together 24/7, Idolizing animals like the peacock and lions, really striving for a bright, flashy beauty. If they’re not appealing in every sense they’re walking on wire. So a lot of them are over-controlling, manipulative, shallow, and have sticks far far up their asses, but they’re the ones making the decisions and running things according their idea of what a functional society requires.

I havent really figured out their fashion sense yet exactly, but im getting there. Im so close.

Insecurity has always been a part of T’zoria’s character, I’m just turning it into an arch now.

[fromdarknessdev]

No Rush

Once upon a time, there was an emperor whom wore a mask of amber and whiskers. He had many masks, for living many lives. He used them to dance, to sing, to play and holler, or just to have tea.

But on a cold day, like today, every mask was brittle, they cracked and crumbled like old paint on a soft surface. He would spend all day fixing and re-fixing them, hiding away when they fell apart.

Eventually, as the day creeped away into a dark but clear night, when he was weakest and the most frightened the Emperor flailed to find the Umbr for help.

The Umbr was near a village far away. It had exhausted most of the Emperor’s energy to find her, but it seemed she’d had a long day, as he’d nearly mistaken her for a scarcrow as she slept erect in the grassy feilds near her village, a tall, still shadow except for the tassels of her hat swimming in the breeze.

The Emperor’s arrival alone was enough for her silvery eyes to creek open, and her gaze settling on the Emperor’s small, shifting, bubling form was enough for him pull his cloak tight around himself and coil away. 

He considered that, perhapse, the Umbr would be bothered by the interruption, but a gentle hand took hold of the scruff of his cloak, and, with heavy eyes, the Umbr lifted the emperor up to get a better look at who had disturbed her.

”It’s dangerous for you this late, shifter…” she observed, before a long yawn split her face open, making her scarf fall from her face before all the pieces to settled back into place.

Though the Emperor wondered what she meant, and if the Umbr even recognized him with such a vague greeting, but he didn’t protest as she carried him silently back to her cabin, amongst the evergreens. She draped the Emperor in a spare blanket, before carrying him over to the window and settling down just next to it. She hugged the Emperor close as if he were a teddy bear.

’That’s right,’ the Emperor remebered tiredly as he felt the weight of the Umbr’s head resting on his own, ‘I never did tell her my real name.’  And yet… her arms were wrapping snuggly around him, before another yawn pressed her maw into his hair and the Umbr fell back asleep.

The emperor wasn’t sure what it meant, but the longer he stayed there, the more certain he was that he was at least safe. His restless form settled into something familiar that took no thought or effort as he yawned.

This was fine for now, the emperor thought to himself, admiring the canopy of woven sedge and hanging tassels above him.

There was no rush, for now.

[I was craving cuddles okay?]

[fromdarknessdev]

Nectar Between Your Teeth

(A little character experiment inspired by the story of Ares and Venus. This is a mirror universe of sorts I suppose, with the "flipped" version of Irestorm being named Eri. T'zoria is also flipped but I haven't thought about renaming him yet. Let me know what you think and if you'd like more! It helps so much to get feedback!)

The moments before Eri met the Emperor were a haze of red, stench and howling; of hot breath dissolving into cold air as the fires of a beautifully hellish battle blew out with the soul of her last opponent. The figurehead of the empire had never interested her before, so few men did what with their catty ways. The emperor was supposed to be the prime example of masculinity and leadership: a straight posture and stoically calm and gentle face; clean, pristine fashion brimming with intentional rhetoric; controlled, calculated movements and expressions. So soft and sensitive, men, she ignored them so easily before, their power was only over those that paid them mind. That was until she felt his hand on her face, blazing hot, but soft, like a fire. Metal bit into her skin just so and tilted her face down so that the blood running over it dripped off of her nose, just missing a shimmering, guilded forearm. All she could hear was static, and all she could see was his beautiful face glowing despite being so unconventionally dark. There was something nasty in those sunny eyes, something twisted under the graceful curl of his lip. It was magnetic.

“Why don’t you come with me and rest?” he asked softly, but his voice rattled through her skull like an earthquake. She could hear the many tones layered upon his own, the malice laced between syllables-- a demon's tongue lapping at her ears. He was a monster, just like her.

Without another word, the emperor’s armored hand floated down to her own battered-stiff and bloody knuckles, lifting up just by the fingers, like lifting a leash without any expectation of resistance. She half expected him to kiss it, but alas, he just turned and lightly pulled her along. The warrior's mind was still saturated with the stench of blood, her limbs numb, her breaths roaring in her ears. The world beyond jittered in a fuzzy darkness as she stepped over mutilated bodies after the much leaner, shorter man.

It must’ve been the timing, Eri thought as she reflected on that moment. She couldn’t think of a better reason why she’d found herself suddenly paying such a delicate thing any mind. That touch to her face, and the faint sting of T’zoria’s talons never left her. From that day on the sweet scent of roses and nectar that normally made Eri cringe made her hungry instead, and so, so itchy. Just being in same room as the Emperor and having to keep her hands to herself was torture.

Not that she wasn’t a fan of torture, it was her favorite game, after all. In due time, she'd have her turn. She'd pry open that wooden mask and have her fill.

[fromdarknessdev]

A few sketches from over the weeks!

The first two are T’zoria being T’zoria

The third is If Irestorm was more like T’zoria. An AU of sorts where Ire is more associated with Ares than Mars. Commits war crimes and occasionally burns out after being in fight/compete mode 24/7.  Probably even more dangerous than T’zoria (At least T’zoria doesn’t kill and brutalize people… on purpose)

. This has been bouncing around in my head for a while and i wanted to spit it out real quick. I really am still struggling with human faces :’D

[fromdarknessdev]

Felt painty, also wanted to do something with a vibe and colors and an environment for once. I like it! I did have to adjust the saturation/brightness a bit so details were more apparent, and I wish I knew what to do with the cloak design, but other than that I like it, may make something else later today.