Forums → Art, Music, and Writing → Strop's sporadic scrapbook

Your peregrin hawk is amazing! Makes me want to dig out my pencil again, I've got some serious work to catch up..

Okay, that update was slightly delayed because I drew a birthday present for somebody instead >_>

No I'm not posting it here.

Since you said it, Strop, you might as well.... :3

I'll let that certain somebody else decide whether they want to post it here, when they're done with it <_<

Something tells me it's no ordinary birthday present pic.... but nice Peregrin

It was a request, and that's all I have to say about it!

Thanks. I'm getting Defiance professionally printed, as a gift. It's a statement of intention, of the novel based on that character.

Some stuff added to the sketch, check the previous page. Refreshhhhh!

Changes made: I thought about Gantic's shortened muzzle comment and edited a few things, and sure enough, now a couple of the characters look marginally older.

New character on the bottom-right: Quinn. Those of you who follow this thread will know Quinn's essential story. I'm not happy with her head shape as it is here (it's supposed to be very simple, but came out a bit more angular than I'd like), but I did also change her build: this is Quinn after she mellows out a little.

I'm guessing Pat isn't into breakdance enough to consider filing down his horns for whatever personal reason.

A few lines seems to make all the difference. Seeing how subtle changes cause drastic results, I don't know how you deal with it as an artist, especially when you know something doesn't look quite right.

Seeing how subtle changes cause drastic results, I don't know how you deal with it as an artist, especially when you know something doesn't look quite right.

Okay, here's the page of sketches finished. I'm in the middle of doing yearbook stuff as well as the WoM, so very busy...

These are the most influential characters in Strugglers. There's the protagonist, and then there's those who mold the protagonist's motives.



Top left: Nes. The protagonist of the story, such that Strugglers is essentially an abbreviated biography.

Top middle: Raigeki. Former gangster turned gentle giant, he hopes that if he immerses himself enough in teaching the children, it won't matter what kind of hellhole he's in. But is it really strength or weakness that drives one to violence?

Top right: Pat and Nagesh, from the Amnesty Crew. Refugees from Cambodia and Bangladesh respectively who are trying to form a refugee liaison on the West coast of the US while breakdancing as a hobby (and for pocket-money). They're best friends, but tend to get into rapidly escalating arguments...

Bottom right: Quinn. A rebellious runaway from Japan, so-called the "Ice Queen" of the international breakdance circuit for not only being the best female, but also the best in general. Ruthless and driven, she sacrifices everything for the sake of remaining the best, and attracts the most powerful who in reality dream of being able to beat her. There are concerns that her continued influence on the dance underground is causing imbalance.

Bottom middle: Hal. Nes' eldest brother, separated from Nes when Ward 9 went under in the days following Katrina. Motivated, reliable and loyal, Hal was partial to his shy youngest brother, and their relationship has a profound effect on Nes for most of the story, despite, and because of their separation. I particularly like how his expression came out, it's very him.

Bottom left: Aeryn. A code name for a mercenary who has nothing else to go on after a life of active duty in a cruel army. Master of surviving and rationalising away her murderous lifestyle while plagued by recurrent nightmares, is she truly beyond any shred of redemption?

I'll eventually go through and get the other characters drawn... or maybe first I'll go through this sheet and redraw them the way I plan to!

You mammalist hotblood! Leporids and Felines and Ungulates. Oh, my!

Hal looks a little daft and more apt to find himself in hairier situations. Of course, he also looks like the sort of protagonist you'd see on the cover of a movie case. Heck, with a little editing, this looks like a wraparound.

Also, I gotta wonder if Quinn's tracksuit(?) is yellow.

You mammalist hotblood!

Hal looks a little daft and more apt to find himself in hairier situations.

Also, I gotta wonder if Quinn's tracksuit(?) is yellow.

I guess you haven't seen my crocodile character by the name of Salty yet...

That's about as mammalist as you can get! A crocodile! Named Salty!

I didn't see Quinn there the first or second time around. I probably would never have noticed if you didn't say she was in there.

That's for you to imagine.