Concepts (Pre-2013)

So finished work is always nice to look at, but some like to see the background scratchy sketches that eventually produce the final. Personally I do like to see the failures alongside the finished works, progress and experimentation is after all something all artists do. Thus this page is for my naff scrawling’s, germs of ideas, the beginnings.

Not all presented characters have pre-sketches, sometimes I find a photo that looks like the face I see in my head and work directly from that. Others times I invest in doodling until I find the face I imagine.

 I have tried to list characters in the order their portraits were uploaded (since blogger won't let me make individual posts on a separate page) so pre-sketches of older uploads will be nearer the bottom and newer ones nearer the top!


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Panda ideas

 So these are the first two sketches of our 'crazy' lady. The one on the left came first, although she looks a tad demure in that one.

 And, yes, I ended up drawing her a lot in those early days. She would often appear on my notepad at work, presumably because I was bored or experiencing one of the following:

She is also a character who likes to dress up, or strip off so I had a lot of fun playing with clothes and her exhibitionist nature

Spot the major problem with this image? Yep I accidently drew two left hands - d'oh!! >.<

I don't think Panda's design has changed much from the outset, matured perhaps though sometimes I will revert back to drawing her in more child-like ways as the below image on the left shows.

She is also a fun one to draw with any holiday theme, most recently being her usual crazy self in my 2013 xmas post

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Naiad ideas

1st sketch came out rather well

2nd sketch of Nai and she's just about right ^^
One later alteration was to shrink the antennae, although I personally think they still too large in her portrait -gah!

 So she became part of the peice now called 'Barefoot evil' - this is an early scan with just Nai and Kale, before I added our little Keir.

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Elgar ideas

1st ideas, thinness and uncomfortably wide eye spacing isn't too far off.

2nd sketches - Better and closer to the final design

Note to self on his metal leg...tho I kinda didn't draw the claw foot in lol

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Bug ideas

 

Bug is another of those characters who just seemed to pop out naturally in the 1st sketch, I like those :) 

Strange 'T' designs spiral round his right leg

 View of his head spike tendril things from above, plus a note to self that he has a star tattoo centred on the back of his neck

Notes to self on his back tattoos, inc the tail end of the one that starts on the front/right of his neck

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Lester ideas

1st sketch and origins of that saying ^^

2nd sketch, realised later that he resembles Naruto somewhat although I hadn't watched/seen anything to do with that anime when I sketched these

3rd sketch, like Jet addicted to his gaming station >.<

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Vay ideas

Just the one design for our pompous Lady Freya, decided later to slim down her face and make her a bit more withered-looking. Believe it or not I used a photo of Paris Hilton being snooty with her hairdresser to create this!

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Kha'Rii ideas

A very early sketch I made with no character in mind but later applied to the design of Kha'Rii

Ditto on the above - drunken sailor anyone? :P


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Eyzith ideas

Had quite a clear idea of how I wanted Eyzith to look from the outset, though had a bit of trouble with her face shape and dreaded dredlocks lol

A little improvement on the hair in the 2nd sketch I guess

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Ezra ideas

Just the one early concept for Ezra, swiftly altered since I realised I'd been watching too much Naruto and he was looking like Jiraya! xD

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Dro'Zar ideas

Dro'Zar 1st concept, had quite a clear idea of him from the start :)

2nd sketch, trying to get that emaciated to the bone look down 

Photoshop colour courtesy of my one and only Jethro McNeill ^^

 3rd sketch, working on his overly-long claws and burnt looking forearms, oh and I felt like drawing him in a weird/uncomfortable pose, can't remember why it was a long time ago!

 Again photoshop colour here courtesy of my love (twas his character after all)

A little something I thought of around halloween, it tickled me to think that buck-toothed Si'Ra (left) might get mistaken for a vamp/could easily dress up as one for the holiday and what Dro'Zar (right) who is actually a vamp might think of his interpretation.

 

My turn to play around with p-shop colour, not bad but certainly not got it down yet!

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Zya ideas

Very scratty 1st concept of Zya

A bit rigid, but kinda how her 'plating' should look

 Idea for more flexible plating/longer faulds, decided it was too girlie for her

 

Rough facial sketch, think I had been watching a lot of FMA at that time lol

 Better facial sketch and clearer idea of 'veins' in skin

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Arian ideas

Arian 1st concept 

 Closer up of 1st concept

2nd attempt - decided after this to make her look younger, thinner in the face and less frumpy!

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Luk and Evyn ideas

 

Evan at 16, Luke at 18 - in the beforetime as they say

More recent snapshot, not sure what's going on with the weird clothing in this sketch though!

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Si'Ra ideas

First concept

Another early design, the shape of his face and head is somewhat wrong here

 Jet is obsessed with the Felid, so this was a quick bit of fun

Now THIS, is how he should look, after many drawings I finally got one to work ^^ 

 Halloween sketch, Dro'Zar is dismayed at Si'Ra's portrayal of a vampire cat

'Straight Up,' (again) - Height comparison between Jet, Si'Ra and Hvidsten, also Jet seems to be a tad confused between his Bo staff and Si'Ra's tail


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Lire ideas

Lire first sketch

Down on all fours

Hunched over

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Klay ideas

First attempt at swishy hair

Second attempt at Emo head was better

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Mathias ideas

Just the one presketch of Mathias

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Loehn ideas

 Original headshot

Upper body sketch

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Keir ideas

First concept

Rough head turnaround/hair idea

More refined idea

Curiosity ^^

If Keir and Petra were to meet

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Ungus ideas

First sketch

Another early attempt

Side shot of head

More finalised version :)

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Na'Ru ideas

First ideas, her head's a little small here and face not long enough

Should be more like this :)

Colour attempt (her skin should be purple, woops!),

daww look she's even got a zombified thing with her in this one


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Hale Family
Alyx, Lenya and Petra ideas

Alyx first sketch

Lenya first sketch

Petra first sketch

 Petra sitting

Petra second sketch

Family pose in front of their award winning stall 'Theurgy Herb'

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 Mercenary Duo

Argo and Charrock ideas

 First Argo sketch

 Second idea and he's taking shape

 First Charrock sketch - drawn by my better half Jethro :D

Hard Mercs

Dropped something?

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Hvidsten ideas 

First full sketch

Rough headshot in graphite

Practicing eyes

I just wanted to draw a dragon :P

Jet, Si'Ra and Viddy....damn hes short


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Kale ideas

First rough (lacks insanity)

Lounging example (at least shows his vanity)

The 'Bite Me' tee again, hehe

'Barefoot Evil' - Kale seems to be encouraging Keir and Nai to tease him.

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Ruok ideas

First sketch

Headshot mask thing

All stitched in with super clean spray!

Front version of headshot - told you we had to pursuade him to remove that mask

Argh!! Spray those nothings, kill them good


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Tomor ideas

First sketch

Another early attempt

First draft of her favourite wyvern named Renma and a harness idea

 
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Amber ideas

 Amber attacks

Falling

Here's looking at you Fao

The grumps

Gots me a dragon eye!

Attempt at flat colour in photoshop


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Lukas ideas

 Very early concept

This is more how he should look

and iunno - its dark but not quite Luka enough


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Jet ideas

(#2 Jet)

Jet lends a hand

Strike!

Stern looking Jet

If Jet and Panda were one (I should have mentioned Panda can merge with other people, like literally throw herself inside and the stronger personality wins - this is the outcome of Panda merging into Jet)

Yes hes a little camp in apperance at times and soooo skinny


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Adeth ideas

Sheepish looking

 Early sketch

He addicted to his gaming station

Perhaps a touch too tall but slouchy and baggy

 Side slouch - where the hell are his actual legs?


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Cyan ideas

Looking lost and meek

 Awkward as always

Casting

Learning magic
 

Cyan attacks

Headshot

Um...yes I'm not so great with digital paint...but i tried!


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Dirzryn ideas

Fire!

Suffer this

 Height comparison between Dirzryn, Tomor and Ungus

 Glyphs are now on the left arm not the back

Suggested heights between Dirzryn, Kale and Keir