#arihas

[teadrunktailor]

I had to dig out some old branding stuff from the bowels of my external HD the other day and came across the first test shoot I did for Colonel Irvin as Arihas, the god. There were still a couple of good images lurking in the file so here’s one looking a little like an old-school daguerrotype

Irvin/Arihas are from a thing I’m (very slowly) writing called The Mind Thief. 

[teadrunktailor]

Had the first official photoshoot for Arihas/John Irvin the other weekend out in the badlands. Nothing like dressing up as your own characters and getting out into a setting that’s very like one of the more climactic scenes in your work. Just ALL the wonderful insights.

I was fighting a lot of costume malfunctions this time around plus I was just coming off some minor stomach flu so I wasn’t at full capacity but we made it work regardless. Tbh, the candid shots were the best to come out of this shoot, especially the last in this set. I still feel like it could benefit from prosthetics or pushing the makeup further. 

Very stoked to get out again on Sunday with the marvellous @neith-hotep and do it again. Going to change/add a few elements and see if it works better.

Arihas the god and Major John Irvin (who becomes Arihas the god after dying in a skirmish with his cavalry regiment on the North-West Frontier in 1910) are both characters from the thing I am (slowly) writing called The Mind Thief. (N.B. The cavalry carbine I’ve got there is about fifty years too early for the setting of this particular event. However, it was quite potentially looted off some Indian Army troops earlier and then relooted from the enemy by Irvin as he’s trying to get back to HQ in Peshawar). 

Photos here by the superb Paul Keely Digital Art & Photography.

[teadrunktailor]

Finally debuted Arihas/John Irvin at Calgary Expo this past weekend. No joke, there were nearly tears the first time I saw it all together since it's only been a concept in my head for the past two years. It turned out far better than I hoped too. My expectations were pretty low since I was working with the airbrush and stretchy material which are still both Scary and New. But once I paired the legs up with the torso, everything really came together. Going to do a tutorial for the legs as well since I think it might be useful. There are still minor tweaks to do to the wig to help it lay better but on the whole, it's pretty much in the bag. Sooooooooo stoked to do a proper photoshoot with this! Arihas and Major J. Irvin are both characters from a thing I am (slowly) writing called The Mind Thief.

[teadrunktailor]

Still can’t decide if I want this Mind Thief story to be:

1) an extravagant panoply of spectacle a la The King and I

2) some kind of trippy esoteric metaphysical thing with the main character stuck between worlds 

3) a what-what-tally-ho-let’s-go-pig-sticking-mmmyes memoir of India under the Raj

or

4) a hard af military account of campaigns on the North-West Frontier. 

Probably all of the above tbh.

[teadrunktailor]

Finally did a costume test for Arihas/Maj. Irvin. Finally. It was nice to do this well ahead of its debut so I know what to tweak. The bodysuit *generally* works well but I’ve still got to figure out how to blend the neck and re-sew it a little tighter through the body and the sleeves. 

His bling still needs some adjustment too. It’s been great fun scavenging extant bling from thrift shops and reworking it so far. 

I really need to cue up some good reference images for the makeup contouring - didn’t have anything specific to go on yesterday so most of it was ineffective guess-work. (And I kind of defaulted to my normal Loghain makeup lol. Gotta see what kind of prosthetics I can put together for this)

It is also worth mentioning that Major Irvin assumes the aspect of Arihas after his death in battle. Despite his new semi-divine status and his repertoire of abilities, he is still blind af - something that carried over from his human form. Therefore, Arihas with glasses = Maj. Irvin. Arihas without = just Arihas.

It is also also worth noting that Arihas, the god, is generally quite indolent, useless, and prone to trolling the other gods. Bonus image at the bottom with cartridge pouches (actually for a horse) and smooth-bore rifle (historically inaccurate for the time period of the story).

[teadrunktailor]

The fruits of the weekend's labours - fancy pants for Arihas. The fruits of today's labours - seven hours into a unit plan for my upcoming practicum. It was long but worth it. Work hard, play hard, my dudes. Sooo close to whipping out another makeup test with this! Only have the leggings and wig left. #themindthief #arihas #majorirvin

[teadrunktailor]

The plot thickens with Arihas... Extra bling plus shirt. I wanted something loose and fancy and chiffoninous to wear if A) I got tired of walking around half "naked" and B) to do a more modern "Boho" version of him because the style and the character both lend themselves really well to it. I've got the pants and skin leggings on the work table today. Dying to get it all together and do another makeup test. B)

[teadrunktailor]

Damn, guys, I am getting so pumped for Arihas here. Nothing like finally seeing a design come together after something like two years. Sourcing all the bling and reworking cheap necklaces from the thrift store has been the best part, no joke. Still going to add another 20 lbs of dangly stuff before we are done. Last image is a bonus because it (kind of) shows the arm markings plus I just really like that scarf with it. Next Steps: do the "leggings" and puffy pants and figure out something for footwear. And find more bling. Arihas is one half of the main character from a thing I'm writing called The Mind Thief. (See tag for similar)