[2/22/21] The Children of the Monsters - Snow hike

Stryker2011 wrote:I like the totems. They look cool.

Ty, I made some more, bit they will be in another post.

GubernatorFan wrote:I vote Shryett -- maybe even only one t (which, by Egyptian tradition, would actually be silent). The -ette ending begs for something more "sophisticated" and French like Nicolette or Henriette or Claudette, and that hardly seems appropriate here.

The little details are amazing as always and add so much realism. I like how the blades turned out in the final photo featuring them -- otherwise I was wondering whether (if stone) they shouldn't have more light and beige coloring to them. The amber is perfect, as are your tiny feathers and discovering such a viable source for them. I think your fangs and totems already look very good for what they are meant to be, teeth and bone carvings.

Thanks, Shryett sounds good enough. Let's say she is sophisticated in her own special way.

About the blades, still thinking about making them shiny black or even get some slightly translucent polymer clay


Now, winter solstice is over, all the big fires on the hills burned out, the elder totems with them, sent as sparks to the stars and as ash to the ground.
Hundreds of animals were sacrificed, their blood filling the stone rings, their flesh the tribesmens' bellies, the children carved effigies from the bones and gave them to the fire. Every tribesman deceased this year was honoured, especially the elders who were given to fire, not soil. The young adults burned their last child masks, painting themselves with the hot ashes, turning them into women and men. The shamans shared the soil's holy medicine and guided the young to find the spirits for their final mask.

The dwellers of the Atlantic Cargo cities and the fenced Mirror Communities watched in fear and awe as they listened to the throaty chants and howling neo-wolves on the burning hills. Showing them that despite all their knowledge and technology, they are no match to the numerous masters of the forest.

Trikiljuf needed a break from people and family, wandering the forests on a foggy day. Not a lot of snow had fallen this year.































Little friends, buglet spirits visit her.




But what's that?


Why is she throwing that stick?


Something moves behind that hill....

Wow, amazing addition! Stunning scenery as well — you did an incredible job of angling the photos to look to-scale. She’s gorgeous and formidable, and I love her outfit. It’s aesthetically pleasing but also still practical for being in the woods. I’m of course curious what is behind the hill .... ; )

Beautiful shots. She looks really awesome out there in the wild.

Very nice work -- from the detailed backstory to the beautiful outdoors photos which could very well be stills from pseudo-medieval fantasy movie. And way to leave us with a cliffhangers. My bet is on a carnivorous bunny rabbit who feeds on unwise knights venturing into the forest.

P.S. the mask and the little spirit friends give it a bit of a Princess Mononoke vibe. One of my fave movies. <3

love those foggy outdoor photos! reminds me of my favorite scary flicks....
and then you go and leave us with a teaser shot at the very end. bravo to you, beautiful figure and photography.

Really cool designs you've come up with! The accompanying music actually reminds me a bit of this: https://youtu.be/uee_DYp4ceo

I also get Princess Mononoke vibes from the most recent figure, which is actually one of my favorite Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki films. The natural background compliments it really well. I need to try visiting one of the trails/waterfalls within the area again, it's just that last time I ended up slipping down a muddy hill, busting my tablet screen and tearing a huge hole in the back of my shorts (and behind!).

skywalkersaga wrote:Wow, amazing addition! Stunning scenery as well — you did an incredible job of angling the photos to look to-scale. She’s gorgeous and formidable, and I love her outfit. It’s aesthetically pleasing but also still practical for being in the woods. I’m of course curious what is behind the hill .... ; )

Thanks! Yeah I tried my best. From afar the trees look much more dense and the fog looked more intense (rhymes...), But when you stand (or crouch...or lie..) in the middle of it all the effect is weakened. Yeah, that hill...had to remove giant leaves, but was too lazy to get them all.

Stryker2011 wrote:Beautiful shots. She looks really awesome out there in the wild.

Thanks, these rather robust, non seamless figures without too many delicate items are good for 'the wild'.

GubernatorFan wrote:Very nice work -- from the detailed backstory to the beautiful outdoors photos which could very well be stills from pseudo-medieval fantasy movie. And way to leave us with a cliffhangers. My bet is on a carnivorous bunny rabbit who feeds on unwise knights venturing into the forest.

Thanks a lot Gubnold! Although I can't think of a pseudo medieval fantasy movie right now...you mean something like King Arthur and Braveheart?
And your suspicion was totally right, it was a flesh eating bunny. You now force me to do what film and TV directors were doing the last years: make something completely different to subvert expectations and proof that those fan theories were ALL WRONG.

skywalkersaga wrote:P.S. the mask and the little spirit friends give it a bit of a Princess Mononoke vibe. One of my fave movies. <3

Ye, thanks. Glad it reminds you of one of your favourites.  
If you look at the totems you might find similarities as well. I was drawing those simple minimalistic little faces since a very young age and when I discovered Mononoke I was rather happy. So I think that design is something that occurs naturally when creating stuff, it's one of the most basic, simplest ways to depict emotion/faces. And maybe one of those deformed survivors was a Mononoke fan, who knows. Or they communicated throughout emojis?

GregT wrote:love those foggy outdoor photos! reminds me of my favorite scary flicks....
and then you go and leave us with a teaser shot at the very end. bravo to you, beautiful figure and photography.

Thank you, I had to take the opportunity yesterday, no fog today.

AlKelAstra91 wrote:Really cool designs you've come up with! The accompanying music actually reminds me a bit of this: https://youtu.be/uee_DYp4ceo

I also get Princess Mononoke vibes from the most recent figure, which is actually one of my favorite Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki films. The natural background compliments it really well. I need to try visiting one of the trails/waterfalls within the area again, it's just that last time I ended up slipping down a muddy hill, busting my tablet screen and tearing a huge hole in the back of my shorts (and behind!).

Hah, The HU made music for that new Star Wars game?? That's funny, thanks for showing. I think the music is similar because both Heilung and the HU perform a throaty 'Pagan' style of music.

Interesting you noticed Ghibli similarities too. It wasn't planned, don't exactly know when it started to have similarities, I think when the round mask was created.
And that is one heroic story with that muddy hill, keep on trying.

If anyone wonders, The HU ist some kind of Mongolian Biker Ghengis Khan venerating pagan heavy metal band. Their instruments look like expensive artsy wespons.
https://youtu.be/jM8dCGIm6yc

But now, back to that hill...



So, why would anyone throw sticks in a forest?


The answer can be easy, sometimes!








"Ahh, terbar ladnu? Koshi."


"Nakku mel shysktik."


"Norwemej, norwemej...stuglen shöesch.."


"Ahh, makosher histik? Drüdrüdrü!"
"Woof!"
"Hah? Drüdrüdrü! Hehe. Pergelvart mofi?"
"Woof!"


"Spakaimo! Gryrt, spakaimo noschesz..."


"Woof!"


"Geeerhle, heb!  Grattimayse pumhu, he?"


"...pumhu, pumhu nef farli..."








I got this dog as part of an advance payment for rooting tank girl style postapoc heads. I was reluctant to buy one yet, as the poses are quite limited...but I gave it a try.

Heheehe, I love him! I had my suspicions, but wasn't sure you'd found a doggie [neo-wolf?] to be her pal yet. He's adorable, and I love his large bottom canines.

Puppies! You know, judging by recent films, subverting expectations may be a poor choice. But everyone loves puppies, so it's ok. I was thinking more of films like Dragonheart or Dragonslayer, which were not (to the best of my knowledge) perversions of existing literary works/myths/histories.

So good. The pup looked really good in a lot of those shots. Excellent.

skywalkersaga wrote:Heheehe, I love him! I had my suspicions, but wasn't sure you'd found a doggie [neo-wolf?] to be her pal yet. He's adorable, and I love his large bottom canines.

Yee Thanks, was reluctant to buy a dog yet, but with that tank girl deal I did not have to think twice and picked that guy up. I think I will add a collar with little totems some time.

For the father I might get a German Shepard,
For the mother a wolf or husky with piercing blue eyes, just like she has.
What do you think about painting the dogs' faces, similar to the humans?

GubernatorFan wrote:Puppies! You know, judging by recent films, subverting expectations may be a poor choice. But everyone loves puppies, so it's ok. I was thinking more of films like Dragonheart or Dragonslayer, which were not (to the best of my knowledge) perversions of existing literary works/myths/histories.

Yeah, although cute little baby puppies would be cool too. But they are expensive!
Ah, Dragonheart...don't remember much, watched it when I was 7 or something, I know it was rather sad. ;(

Stryker2011 wrote:So good. The pup looked really good in a lot of those shots. Excellent.

Thanks, I think that textured hair in natural light helps a lot.


It was just that one foggy day, but I visited two locations. This one is less 'canon', or how you would say. But could depict some old machine hall, although it does not look like it was abandoned and left to nature for hundreds of years.

Many photos so I will split into two parts again.

Nice to see them exploring some old 'ruins' from the bygone modern world. Maybe it was not abandoned straightaway, and that's why it's held up fairly well? 

And I don't see why the dog can't have his own tribal markings, lol!

you have got this lighting-framing-composition of 1/6 photography down to a science; love how your stories build too.

Very nice new photos. Perfect location (an abandoned van?) for your shots, conveying just the right amount of post-apocalyptic atmosphere. Did you do the drawings and writing or was it there to begin with? At any rate, inspired.

Really well done, as others have said. Nice compositions, and use of that old vehicle.

skywalkersaga wrote:Nice to see them exploring some old 'ruins' from the bygone modern world. Maybe it was not abandoned straightaway, and that's why it's held up fairly well? 

And I don't see why the dog can't have his own tribal markings, lol!

Thanks a lot trusty commenter. Yep, maybe it was a mirror community center of some sort...or something else.
Well my only concern with painting the dogs face: It might look bad. But he looks cool with sunglasses.

GregT wrote:you have got this lighting-framing-composition of 1/6 photography down to a science; love how your stories build too.

Haha, how flattering, thanks. ^^ I try to make the best of my middle class phone camera.

GubernatorFan wrote:Very nice new photos. Perfect location (an abandoned van?) for your shots, conveying just the right amount of post-apocalyptic atmosphere. Did you do the drawings and writing or was it there to begin with? At any rate, inspired.

Yep, an abandoned van. It's been there forever. No more tires, it's only the transport section ( or how you call it). Although sometimes there are wooden chairs in the front to simulate a cockpit. Maybe for interdimensional space travel?
The drawings inside the van are mine, yes, two or three years old I think. But not the graffiti outside. They are...an expression of youth culture I think.

Stryker2011 wrote:Really well done, as others have said. Nice compositions, and use of that old vehicle.

Thanks a lot. It's cheaper and faster than making a diorama.

Part Deux, the climb.



The little 'windows' were cut into the rusty frame by someone. For slingshot warfare maybe.












































Totally not in scale anymore, was still a fun shoot.

Yet more wonderful photos! These are delightful -- i especially enjoy the one of the girl and her doggie looking at each other out the windows, lol. 

And totally understandable you don't want to risk messing up the paintjob on the dog. Instead of painting him, you could perhaps give him a little collar, or rather, 'dog necklace', that matches the aesthetic of his Forest girl companion. Not necessarily as a sign of ownership like in our times, but more to show he's part of the tribe. :')

No diamantine collar for that dog, I guess...
By the way, did I mention you did a beautiful job with the fur. And of course it's great to take another stationary ride with your characters in the great new images... (see what I did there? )

More great photos. Really great stuff.

skywalkersaga wrote:Yet more wonderful photos! These are delightful -- i especially enjoy the one of the girl and her doggie looking at each other out the windows, lol. 

And totally understandable you don't want to risk messing up the paintjob on the dog. Instead of painting him, you could perhaps give him a little collar, or rather, 'dog necklace', that matches the aesthetic of his Forest girl companion. Not necessarily as a sign of ownership like in our times, but more to show he's part of the tribe. :')

Yeah, them looking at each other is my favourite too.
And yeah, dogs definitely earned their place in the tribes, they might have saved a number of ancestors from trigger happy survivors. Dog necklace/collar still WIP though.

GubernatorFan wrote:No diamantine collar for that dog, I guess...
By the way, did I mention you did a beautiful job with the fur. And of course it's great to take another stationary ride with your characters in the great new images... (see what I did there? )

Who knows what treasures are to be found in the swamps that once we're cities! Thanks about that fur, just had to cut it in the right places, the rest was done by nature and the busy animal growing that fur a long time ago. 

Stryker2011 wrote:More great photos. Really great stuff.

Thanks sir!

...

First attempt at stone age style arrows.


Took me some time finding the right material. Couldn't find wood in the right scale, so I used a 1,5 mm polystyrene rod.


A 1/6 arrow for reference, mine are a bit thinner.



Cut in some dents for nocks and arrowheads.



Some simple polymer clay stones.



And cut into form. I will leave them grey I think.



Primed the shafts. Also made a new bow, although it's a bit fake too. It's an elastic cord and I bent the wood, but it can shoot.



Arrowheads and dent were cut to fit each other, then glued and wrapped with cord.



For the feather, I cut out a row from a feather and split it in three.



And glued on. I think I will add black paint to simulate the tar glue and maybe color the nocks so Trikiljuf can find them better.

Amazing work, and so detailed for this scale -- impressive! 

That is super-impressive. Excellent work on the arrowheads and feathers.

Looks very promising. It's amazing what you do in this scale, and how close you manage to get to the original thing (or what would have been the original thing, had this not been fantasy). I like that you try to make it as functional as possible.

skywalkersaga wrote:Amazing work, and so detailed for this scale -- impressive! 

Thanks, yeah perfectionism started to take over and eat my time somehow, again.

Stryker2011 wrote:That is super-impressive. Excellent work on the arrowheads and feathers.

Thanks a lot!

GubernatorFan wrote:Looks very promising. It's amazing what you do in this scale, and how close you manage to get to the original thing (or what would have been the original thing, had this not been fantasy). I like that you try to make it as functional as possible.

Thank you sir. The thought of having to make arrows worried me a bit. Using large feathers made everything easier. Good thing about this being fantasy, I can borrow from everyone, watched 1:1 videos about native American and Neolithic and Mesolithic European methods alike. So many similarities.
And by the way, I testfired a feathered arrow inside, had 10 meters of space and it hit the door, might get much further, maybe 15, 20 or more.

Added the rest of the fins, cut them into form later.








To simulate birch tar, I added black acrylics to the glue.


Have to add the rest of the wrapping now. The birch tar looks intentionally messy.

Incredible, detailed work. I continue to be in awe!

It gets better and better. Just remember to be careful when you (inevitably) try to photograph one of your characters drawing and aiming the arrow. With that functional bow, we don't want you to get your eye shot out.

meticulous, genius-level attention to detail

GregT wrote:meticulous, genius-level attention to detail

I agree -- the way Ovy cut the feathers down to shape and size, and then made the glue that looked like tar.... these are things I would NEVER have thought to do. I would probably have just cut some 'feathers' out of paper or something, and then painted the area black. Not to mention making it fully functional... that would not have even occurred to me to bother with, I would have just been content with the illusion. But it's that high level of attention to the details that amps up the realism, and I greatly admire it. Especially since I struggle to have the patience for that level of minutiae, myself. ;p Though I can see it's worth it for the result! ;'D