Jay.

Here’s my version of Mark / the Tactician from FE7.

I know that the devs were just having fun and that there’s no way Morgan from Awakening being Mark from FE7 is ever going to be canon, but it IS a fun idea to just play around with 😁

(Please notice my Easter Eggs.)

Happy Valentines Day! Here’s Cyrus and Stella.

Cyrus is the crown-prince of Cloud Kingdom.  Stella is an awesome sword fighting warrior that can kick-ass and rock a beautiful dress like a model.

This illustration of Stella was actually a rough draft drawn over a year ago to get a feel of the more traditionally feminine aspect of her design and her overall character. This is actually her first coloured draft (without Cyrus). The one found here was the second. This is her in a formal outfit for an event or a similar scenario. I just added Cyrus (and Stella’s right arm, which is hooked onto Cyrus’) recently because his design took some time for me to really figure it, and in fact he’s still undergoing many (mostly) minor edits so that I can really get him right.

The second illustration is a sketch I did on my notebook to help incorporate Cyrus into the already existing illustration of Stella. As you can see in the sketch, this version of Cyrus’ formal attire has a slight Indian influence to it while keeping a Mesopotamian and Assyrian touch.

A study.

Maybe coffee break tech guy’s boyfriend hahaha

Part 2/6 - Adapting a Classic (Style)

        Part 1 - The Family | 3 - The Sicilian Assassins | 4 - Buttercup and Westley | 5 - The Prince and the Count | 6 - Florin Castle

One of the ideas behind this project was about bridging the gap between the old and the new. I wanted to express the vibrance and colourful quality of a medieval (nearing renaissance) setting while using contemporary techniques, to appeal to a modern audience, with a nostalgic undertone.

Adding some browns to the palette also helped pushed it towards that slightly nostalgic direction. I shifted the other colours slightly, like using mustard or yellow-orange instead of just yellow, vermillion instead of just orange, and throwing in some violets, all to add that dash of quirky-ness to reflect the fun and witty tone of both the movie and the book.

Another idea is that this version would be a series. This gives us time and opportunity to see and experience the characters' past, like in the book.

I was figuring out how light would interact with the characters while pushing the role of line. I did studies on how to make a line express form, colour, and light. From afar, the line can be reflected light, but up close the "line" expressing reflected light would spread in a stylized manner. This creates the feeling of an increase of detail when we look at something up close all while strengthening the colourful quality of the project throughout.

Part 1/6 - The Framing Device (The Family)

       Part 2 - Style | 3 - The Sicilian Assassins | 4 - Buttercup and Westley | 5 - The Prince and the Count | 6 - Florin Castle

Around two years ago for my final year of college, I was required to pick an existing story to imagine as an animated adaption. So to make sure it could hold my attention for a whole year, of course I chose The Princess Bride.

Let’s start with the grandson from the movie is all grown up telling the story to his own kids. 

The Dad’s design is inspired by Fred Savage, who played the grandson in the movie, combined with a softness and reliably dorky impression that the project calls for. The book talks about the author’s father and his own son while the movie depicts a grandfather and grandson. But the Princess Bride is a story that has something for everyone, it’s not just for little boys. The two children express the idea, further driving it home with their differing personalities — The Princess Bride is for Everyone.

Side note: I needed something to tie their designs together and keep them cohesive, so I thought bears might be a funny way to do it (please get the joke) 🐻🧸🐼

For the kids’ bedroom, I wanted to eliminate the barrier of bed and chair so that a growing closeness between the father and his kids could be literally depicted as the series progresses. I took cues from retro interior design (wood panelling, colours, etc.) and modern design (light wood, shelving/divider, platform, etc.) to create something contemporary but would carry with it a nostalgic undertone.

Another Coffee shop sketch dump from a few weeks ago.

Yuji.

He is my entry for this month’s CDChallenge with the theme Samurai. 

Based on the scenario given, (which was that the Samurai, was tasked with rescuing his/her daimyo’s love, the Geisha Sudo Magodo.) I wanted to make sure there was no possible way Sudo Magodo could fall in love with her rescuer on the way back to the palace (Didn’t want another Shrek situation). So I was trying to come up with possible ideas for that and figured that the best solution, due to the unlikelihood, would be a child. (Can’t speak for his best friend Fatu though, if he is of age.)

Yuji is a prodigy, and is the Kingdom’s last hope. He’s confident and has no doubts about his own skills, but due to his age is often overlooked. He takes advantage of this in battle but is often left out of certain activities (like drinking with his fellow Samurai) because of it. Despite being self-assured, and his fellow Samurai acknowledging his skill, and seeing him as an ally, he wants to be seen as an adult, instead of just the skilled child. He believes that by saving Sudo Magodo and therefore his Daimyo from committing Sepuku, he would finally be seen as man, and gain respect, instead of just acknowledgement.

I included some sketches of an alternate idea, that I explored just to make sure I didn’t get tunnel vision on a kid design, and therefore miss out on another possibly good design. So I figured, maybe the bonus illustration of the adult samurai could just be Yuji as an adult!

Egyptian-Mesopotamian inspired dress concept for one of the characters I'm making right now. 

Some messy sketches of Severa and my original character, Oliver.

I’m a huge fan of Cordelia and Stahl so that’s how Oliver happened. I figured it would be a good contributing reason for why Severa acts so tough all the time (I mean, come on, a war with a younger sibling by your side, got to seem like everything is fine even when all hell is breaking loose) and really cute if her younger sibling was super affectionate and Severa secretly likes his hugs.

I have a bunch more drawings/illustrations of him, that I will post when I finish (not as sketchy as these hehe)

He’s around 5 years younger than Severa and I thought it would be funny if when they traveled to the past, he would arrive many years earlier, so by the time the other children arrived, He would be as old as Lucina and Laurent. Severa would be very confused about seeing her not-so-little brother again and would find it awkward to have her now very tall brother hug her. She's also kind of sad that she wasn't there as he grew up to his current age.

I figured he’d be as easy-going as his dad, and have naturally messy hair too, but because he’s such a momma’s boy he’d try his best to keep it neat, because that's how Cordelia liked it (in the short period he knew her before she died).

Unlike Severa, he’d be good with people because he’s relaxed and empathetic like his dad. He’d also be unafraid to show how much he admired his parents and how he wants to be knights just like them. (He dreams of flying on a pegasus like his mom, but he is not a pure hearted maiden) He is horrible at wielding every weapon except the bow and arrow. Although he idolizes his parents, His sister is his ultimate hero. He thinks she is the most awesome person and warrior ever.

Also, I kind of thought of Cordelia and Stahl as another red and green knight in a way. I know the red and green knights are Stahl and Sully respectively but since Cordelia is also a Knight and has the red colour scheme going on, I kind of see them as another version of the red and green knight thing.