[Art] Keaton the Black Jackal: Commission Preview~ (21/10/09)

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Nice pic - I like the look on his face. Sort of a gentle smile, or something.

If I might expand on the eyes and nose theme a little, his left eye (on your right as you look at the pic) is a touch low - the outside corner of the eye should be level with the join of the ear to the head. And the nose, as well as being too long, is shifted to the right, or his left. This is probably caused by the size of his right eye - I think his left one is more reasonably sized, if a tad offset.

Other than that, his hand is a bit off, and... well... how big is his meat-and-two-veg? ;-]

*cough* attempting to be constructive with the criticism, as it were...

[Nikki]

...*evil idea*

[Sunblink]

...*evil idea*

Uh ohes?

But anyhooooo. *turns around in a swiveling chair* Today was a little bit productive and I decided to draw two characters I've been meaning to doodle for a while, but never got around to it because I a) didn't have the time, b) didn't solidify their designs, c) was lazy, d) voodoo. I think it's D, but that's because I'm a voodoo fool.

Anyhoooo2. These are two characters from Keaton's backstory, one which plays an active role and the other who won't spend much time on-stage when it's finally written for the forums, but has expanded beyond his original design.

CLICK HERE FOR FIRST IMAGE

This here is Aeriko Iyakune-Kamei'Sin, studious, hard-working, and unfortunate victim. He was born to a Kamei'Sin Incubus and a Being woman, spending most of his childhood studying magic and compensating for his physical inadequacy with prodigal mind-reading abilities which, surprisingly, erratically developed at a young age. Other children either avoided or mocked him because of his wings, feminine build, and sickly condition, leaving Aeriko rather isolated.

The clan marking which resulted from his magical studies and practices wasn't a problem. The superstitious and fearful townspeople, who had long distrusted the family due to their "freakish child," wouldn't suspect a tattoo despite it manifesting in the most conspicuous of places. It was when the head-wings grew in that things became intolerable, and Aeriko was sent to SAIA for not only his own protection, but to help control his volatile and drastically enhanced mind-reading abilities, which were now making him involuntarily detect the surface thoughts of others. This brought nothing but bad news for Aeriko, endangering his stability because of these uncontrollable mind-readings.

He happened to arrive to SAIA on the same day Keaton did.

Quite a shame about what happened to him. I wasn't expecting for Aerrie to develop a backstory, but I wasn't satisfied with the idea of his fate happening just because he was a bully. Instead, I decided to do a little role reversal, and made Keaton the bully, and Aeriko the victim who struck back. It's a little more in Keaton's nature to make life a living hell for someone if they're part of a clan which has robbed her of everything, after all.

CLICK HERE FOR SECOND PICTURE

Now for Kytharion, the primary antagonist of Keaton's backstory, who also faces a rather... unfortunate fate. The difference is, this one was quite well-deserved.

Simply said, Kytharion is a bastard son-of-a-bitch who manipulates and exploits others for a living, thriving on other's dependency by controlling villages in the clutches of his army of subordinates and harvesting their tributes for "protection." If there's any redeeming quality to him, at least he's cultured and knows what he's doing. Other than that, he's an asshole.

In case you're wondering about the bags under his eyes, he's an insomniac and thus doesn't get a lot of sleep, even in his many long years of living. Irritability and nighttime frustration is often an episodic predicament with Kytharion, so he tends to take it out on his subordinates by orchestrating them into positions they clearly detest, such as pairing them up with others they hate, assigning them to missions they loathe or that pain them, or etcetera.

Kytharion is very obsessed with sleep and trying to fall asleep, since it chisels away at his stamina and stability, so he pays a lot of money for potions and formulas that are intended to assist him with sleeping, which almost always inevitably fail. Nights are normally spent just lying in bed, fitfully staring at the neighboring wall or blankly into space, and when he does fall asleep, he is always plagued by terrible nightmares. Some have believed that Kytharion's cursed, and considering how persistent this ailment of his is, this could be the case.

Enjoy the pics and biographies, everyone.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Tapewolf]

Nice.  What kind of creature is Aeriko?

[Sunblink]

Nice.  What kind of creature is Aeriko?

Thank you. ^^ And Aeriko's an Incubus Iguana. I love reptiles.

I should probably make a leopard gecko character in the future.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Janus Whitefurr]

Maybe it's just the lack of avian-types that I've seen.

But Kyth makes me think of Jouster, just gone mad. X3

[xHaZxMaTx]

I should probably make a leopard gecko character in the future.

Signed.

[bill]

Excellent backstory. Demands actual story IMO. 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Nice pics.

The look on Kyth's face puts me in mind of the bird characters from The Pride Of Life...

I note his chest/arms haven't been drawn at all. Is that a lack of content to draw, or just fading the bottom half of the picture out?

[Sunblink]

Nice pics.

The look on Kyth's face puts me in mind of the bird characters from The Pride Of Life...

I note his chest/arms haven't been drawn at all. Is that a lack of content to draw, or just fading the bottom half of the picture out?

I should probably check out that website once I get out of school, because most of the graphics are not loading for me. St00pid comp00ter.

As for the chest and arms... it fades out with the bottom half of the picture. I didn't draw the chest because I tried, and it looked really stupid, so I erased it and hoped nobody would notice. XD

Thanks for the comments, everyone! =D I'm working on a new, really detailed picture. Probably my first one which involves multiple characters.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Ah. A little of column A, a little of column B. ;-] No worries.

[Sunblink]

AHAHA, I FINALLY FINISHED THIS THING.

CLICK HERE

I'm happy with just about everybody in this picture except for Noah (the guy on the far left). Oh well. Can't have everything, and besides, he'll probably be drawn again in the future. As will everyone else, preferably with their signature weapons out.

For those who are curious, this is, in the flesh and blood, Keaton's family. Not included in the image are Keaton and Lianna, because I wanted to conserve space. Unfortunately, all of those portrayed here died tragic deaths, save for Keaton's mother, the lady in the middle. I have yet to decide what has become of Keaton's mother.

But anyway, I have compiled, for your knowledge, information about Keaton's family. Enjoy.

From left to right: Noah, Jasmine, Esmeralda, Elizabeth, Salem, and Sierra. For the record, their heights are probably not as accurately portrayed as they are supposed to be, so I also included their heights in their information.

Noah Zachariah Jyraneth: Keaton's role model and the eldest child in the Keaton Clan. Resident bish. Too bad he's a total zealot. Noah was the pride and joy of his parents, excelling in his studies and training and quickly rising through the ranks of the Jyraneth Raiders until he was fighting alongside some of the finest warriors they had to offer. Level-headed, confident, and headstrong, Noah forges a mighty personality beyond his diminutive height to intimidate those who dare confront him, but is surprisingly tender around those he cares about—specifically his family. He is very sarcastic and possesses a razor-sharp tongue, although he avoids cursing and losing his temper and curbs his rage through sardonic comments. Secretly he is constantly evaluating his efforts and thinking of ways to improve himself, although without the fervent frustration that Jasmine suffers from.
   When more and more sisters were introduced, Noah took it upon himself to educate his younger siblings and oversee them as a perfect big brother. He was especially close with his sister Katherine, as she shared the same sense of twisted humor and looked up to him as a hero. He was almost always there when his parents weren't to serve as a fatherly figure for his younger sisters, comforting them and uplifting them in their darkest moments. Unfortunately, he's as zealous as they come, and while insults may not enrage him, violations of the laws of the Jyraneth Clan certainly will. He doesn't question the laws and rules set by the Jyraneth Clan, upholding them with religious devotion.
Random Tidbits:
-   Noah is 5'4". Very short for a male.
-   Noah's age at his time of death/disappearance was 89. He would be 540 today, if my mediocre math skills are correct.
-   Noah's clan marking is found on the back of his right shoulder, just above his wing.
-   Noah's weapon is a Großes Messer, or Grosses Messer (or Heibmesser if we want to get complicated)—a German single-edged weapon. It is called Devastation.
-       Noah would be voiced by James Marsden.

Jasmine Meinir Jyraneth: Standing at a grand total of 7'8", Jasmine is afflicted with gigantism, in which—described roughly—is characterized by excessive height growth. It was because of her gigantism and the lack of medical resources in that age that her family judged her life expectancy to be exceedingly short, especially with the violent lifestyle of the Jyraneth, and ruled her out as a potential candidate to continue the family legacy.
   Jasmine was far from a gentle giant. Her personality was brutal, aggressive, domineering—excessively violent and a zealot in general. In battle she was unforgiving, smashing and tearing and laughing all the way, enjoying fighting and bloodshed like one would a game. Her nature even made the more seasoned and dogmatist Jyraneths uncomfortable, even when she's trying her best to be friendly. She exaggerated everything, and while she tried her best to be a good sister, her presence agitated her more level-headed siblings. Because of what she perceived as a rejection towards her chance of being her parents' pride and joy, she was exceedingly unforgiving of her own mistakes and criticized herself mercilessly.
Random Tidbits:
-   Jasmine is the tallest in her family, as well as the most physically fit.
-   Jasmine was 87 when she died.
-   Jasmine's weapon is a two-handed battleaxe named Cataclysm. It was lost after Jasmine's death, likely stolen by a scavenger, or maybe even taken by Keaton during one of her visits back to the ruins of Harla'Keth.
-   Jasmine's clan marking is next to her navel.
-       Jasmine's violent death was instrumental in how Lianna went insane, because she was killed right in front of her and this was later a frequent topic of Lianna's hallucinations and nightmares.

Esmeralda Ashtoreth Jyraneth: Esmeralda has inherited most of her father's physical traits, although she hasn't been bestowed with the customary bloodlust evident in most members of Jyraneth Clan. Preferring art over the battlefield, Esmeralda spent every available free minute of her life idly doodling and painting, practicing in every art media known to man so to exercise her artistic abilities, and constantly entrenching herself into her personal fantasy world where she freely imagined new ideas and characters to illustrate. One would even jokingly say that she preferred her imaginary world over the tangible plane, an assessment which is unsurprisingly accurate.
   Esmeralda is always spacey, staring off into seemingly nothing and zoning out in the middle of usually one-sided conversations. Because of this people have dismissed her as either stupid or frustrating, but in reality, Esmeralda holds a deeper perspective than the shallow-minded, dogmatist Jyraneth that brand her with such unfair stereotypes. Esmeralda cares deeply for her siblings and her family, and while she may not be the best fighter, still throws herself into everything she does, even if she would rather be drawing than committing unspeakable atrocities.
Random Tidbits:
-   Esmeralda was 5'3".
-   Esmeralda was 76 when she died.
-   Esmeralda's weapons were two weighted tonfas. Their names were Scourge and Fiasco.
-   Her fighting style was based off of a combination of Gin from One Piece and Talim from Soul Calibur III.
-   Esmeralda's clan marking is emblazoned on the underside of her forearm.
-   Esmeralda adores lightweight, simplistic jewelry and fashion in general.
-   Esmeralda is certainly not slightly based off of Luna Lovegood... really! *shifty eyes*
-   Esmeralda is the only full-blooded fennec fox in the family besides her father, Salem.

Elizabeth Cassandra Jyraneth: The mommy of the Keaton Clan. Formerly a seasoned and talented berserker-warrior, she retired shortly after becoming pregnant with Noah. Overbearing, she attempts to push her lifestyle onto every one of her children in the interests of furthering the Jyraneth clan, although much to her dismay she has discovered that not every one of her children, unlike Noah, fits her perfectionist standards or has decided to adhere to her wishes.
   She is an extremely critical woman, appraising every effort her children do, no matter whether or not they're actually keeping her in mind, and constantly criticizing everyone around her. She does have several soft spots in all honesty, but most people (even including some members of her family, such as Lianna and Sierra) greatly dislike being in her company and consider her to be a second-rate person. She sounds like an overbearing bitch, but really, she just wants what's best for her children, and believes that pushing them into the Jyraneth Raiders will accomplish that. Plus, her attitude is possibly attributed to her experience among the Jyraneth Raiders.
Random Tidbits:
-   Elizabeth is 5'4".
-   Elizabeth was 2,480 when Keaton and Lianna were born, and was 2,548 when the Jyraneth empire collapsed.
-   Elizabeth's clan marking is located on her chest, just near her collarbone.
-   She was the original owner of Keaton's weapon, Catastrophe, but gave it to her once she graduated into the Jyraneth Raiders.
-   Elizabeth has a penchant for unusual outfits, specifically ones made out of silk and velvet, although as a habit she often wears more battle-friendly attires underneath her luxurious dresses.
-   Her voice is probably very similar to Suzanne Pleshette, who voiced Zira from the Lion King II.
-   Psssst... Elizabeth is still alive, but she probably doesn't know Keaton and Lianna are as well.

Salem Alexander Jyraneth: The devoted daddy and the second fennec fox in the family, so he's easy to distinguish by his ENORMOUS FREAKING EARS and shorter muzzle. A blacksmith specializing in magical weaponry, he is responsible for the creation of the Disaster Family, the series of weapons which belong to each member of the Keaton Clan. He isn't a very powerful fighter, but is one of the first Jyraneth blacksmiths to create weapons (not staffs) capable of channeling and enhancing magic through them.
   Salem was easily one of the smartest members of the Keaton Clan, although he hid his calculating nature through a laid-back attitude and a casual demeanor. He was much less overbearing than his wife, Elizabeth, and was more concerned with actually listening to his children than impressing a future they may have not wanted on them. Because of this he was much more understanding, and held a deeper relationship with his family than Elizabeth did.
Random Tidbits:
-   Salem is 5'6".
-   His clan marking is found on the left side of his ribcage.
-   Salem was 2,122 when Elizabeth gave birth to Keaton and Lianna, and was 2,190 years old at his time of death.
-   Salem once owned Noah's weapon, although Salem preferred using magic and exploiting the magical properties of his weapons rather than hacking and slashing people like weeds.
-   Salem's hands are scarred and calloused from blacksmithing.
-   Salem would probably be voiced by Ewan MacGregor.

Sierra Diana Jyraneth: Sierra is perhaps the gentlest among Keaton's family, something unusual among not only her bloodline, but the clan in general. Stricken by a disease that befouled her health at a young age, she spent a great majority of her life bedridden and remained too fragile to participate in any forms of combat even when she reached adulthood.
   Her close encounter with death bestowed her with a perspective entirely alien to most of her clansmen and family, one which actually gave her more of an understanding of the Jyraneths' victims. This even made her engage in inner conflicts between the undying, blind loyalty to the clan and its laws and her own empathy towards lives. Thankful that she never could enter battle, she hid behind a veil of disillusionment to mask her uncertainty, one which never relented except when in the presence of her most trusted allies. Unfortunately, Sierra had deep, almost obsessive trust issues, so these aforementioned allies were very few.
Random Tidbits:
-   Sierra was 5'5".
-   Sierra was 84 when she died.
-   Sierra never wielded a weapon. She also never had a clan marking, since she did not practice magic.
-   Sierra's illness is of such intensity that she can't leave the house without constant supervision, but can still walk around inside. She rarely leaves the house, however, unless explicitly necessary.
-   A good comparison for Sierra's voice is Tara Strong. Since Tara Strong can change voices like a chameleon changes colors, the specific voice I would want would be something akin to Raven's, from Teen Titans.
-      Sierra's theme song is "Suture Up Your Future," by Queens of the Stone Age.

[Tapewolf]

I do like that, although at the same time it's kind of sad, since they look so  happy but they're mostly dead.

The only criticism I have is the lack of consistency - some figures are darker than others.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I note Salem is missing a half a finger.

Also, what's a tonfa?

[xHaZxMaTx]

Tonfa are pretty nifty.  My friend (ninja) has a pair.

As for some characters showing up darker/lighter than other, you could say that Salem shows up the darkest because he's the most outgoing, and the lightest, Sierra, is very secluded.

...Or maybe I'm not making any sense.

[Sid]

Whoa. O_o I'll try to give a more detailed comment tomorrow (headache right now, sorry). But for the moment...

AHAHA, I FINALLY FINISHED THIS THING.

*looks at the many and complicated patterns and stuff* Got two words for you: Ink it.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Tonfas are pretty nifty.  My friend (ninja) has a pair.

Ah, I see. According to that article, and appropriately with what I know of Polynesian languages, "tonfa" is both plural and singular in form, so it'd be "a tonfa" and "a pair of tonfa" - slightly confusing, though. ;-]


... and Anglicised words tend to get munched into more or less standard plural forms anyway, so it's only worth mentioning if you want to make someone look small, or provide someone with ammo to make -you- look small, depending on how smart they are. ;-]

[xHaZxMaTx]

Tonfas are pretty nifty.  My friend (ninja) has a pair.

Ah, I see. According to that article, and appropriately with what I know of Polynesian languages, "tonfa" is both plural and singular in form, so it'd be "a tonfa" and "a pair of tonfa" - slightly confusing, though. ;-]

I actually knew that, but I guess I wasn't paying much attention when typing that.

[Zedd]

My your family is bigger than mine

[Goatmon]

Ooh I like how Kytharion looks.  You certainly can't go wrong with Avians.   

[rt]

  Can I just sit and gasp . .  . all those characters, and all those tatoos and closing designs.

How do you know go crazy if you need to draw those the same twice!

[Goatmon]

Oh.  Just as a fair warning;  I can neither confirm nor deny the possibly that I may have unintentionally given Keaton several very awesome character ideas.  That is all. 

[Sunblink]

Busy busy busy. I actually really like school, but sometimes it can be a little draining. Ah well. Soon I'll have some more sketches up this week (I'm not saying of what), maybe a colored image, but right now I have this newest drawing including a new, semi-spontaneous addition to Keaton's backstory.

CLICK HERE

Before anyone asks, this character is not a side character, nor is he a member of Jyraneth clan. No, he's more closely related to Keaton than anyone probably will guess. Since there's no tactful way to put this, I might as well just blurt it out: he is Keaton's illegitimate son.

If you're wondering where his head-wings are, I have to tell you that he is not a Cubi. He is an Angel, taken after his father. Yes, Kytharion (Keaton's enslaver and the main antagonist of her upcoming backstory) is the father of Keaton's child, and no, his conception was not consensual. The circumstances of his procreation, combined with the fact she was carrying Kytharion's child, nearly led Keaton to kill the child, but ultimately her conscience as well as the beliefs and teachings preached to her in Jyraneth Clan (it forbids the death or general harming of any child) convinced her to keep it. When she gave birth to the kid in seclusion, however, she deposited him in front of a home and fled.

Yeah, it's a really morbid story, and probably the worst thing I've ever done to Keaton. Don't flame me! 

Either way, the kid is still alive and goes by the name of Tikal. Since Keaton gave birth to him when she was eighty-two, he's four hundred years old in present time. As for what he's doing... well, I have yet to work on that. But an unhappy reunion between mother and son may be possible. I'll probably feature him in an intermission or main chapter in Keaton's backstory, but I need to figure out how to do it without presenting it in a a) manipulative, b) overly explicit, or c) amateurish manner. Especially since using rape as a plot device is, unfortunately, very common in the fanfiction world, and very rarely done in an expert manner.

...STILL DON'T FLAME ME! Oh yeah, and enjoy the picture.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

You've set yourself quite a challenge, there, Keaton.

... at least the artwork is worthy. It remains to see if the story is likewise, but I retain hope :-]

[Fuyudenki]

nice drawing.

If I may offer my advice, since it happened 400 years ago in continuity, why not simply gloss over the whole matter in the story and say "yeah, he's Keaton's son, she doesn't get along well with his father."

Add specifics if a scene calls for it.  Sometimes, less is more.

[Tapewolf]

I like it.  When can we expect Keaton's story to run?

[Sunblink]

You've set yourself quite a challenge, there, Keaton.

... at least the artwork is worthy. It remains to see if the story is likewise, but I retain hope :-]

Yeah, it'll probably be really difficult. I'm going over the list of things I should not do when confronting this idea and I'm hoping I don't snag on any one of those. Last thing I want to do is transform a good idea into something dreadfully stale and cliche.

By the way, thank you. I'm hoping the story will live up to the picture's quality.

nice drawing.

If I may offer my advice, since it happened 400 years ago in continuity, why not simply gloss over the whole matter in the story and say "yeah, he's Keaton's son, she doesn't get along well with his father."

Add specifics if a scene calls for it.  Sometimes, less is more.

Thank you. ^^

And I agree with you about that last statement, but I feel like it would be more powerful to present it, or at least confront it somewhat. I'm not going to show the scene, fortunately, I'm just going to allude to it. Which will hopefully be enough, yet not cross any borders, break any rules, or spit on anyone's awesome creative universe (ie: Amber's). Plus, I don't want to add Tikal in as an afterthought, as though I had hastily slapped his existence up and attached it with scotch tape to Keaton's backstory... I think they did that a lot in comics. "Peter Parker actually had a brother which was separated from birth although there was no proof which insinuated such nor any allusions to it."

What do they call that again?

I like it.  When can we expect Keaton's story to run?

Thank you, I'm glad you do. ^^ As for when the backstory will run... it probably will as soon as I finish the detailed overviews of all seven chapters (and possibly a few intermission chapters as bonuses if this turns out successful), and then complete the first chapter. So far I have 20% of the first chapter finished, and I'm in a little bit of a rut with it, but I think if I get some inspiration I can plow through it.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Tapewolf]

"Peter Parker actually had a brother which was separated from birth although there was no proof which insinuated such nor any allusions to it."
What do they call that again?

Crappy writing?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

"Peter Parker actually had a brother which was separated from birth although there was no proof which insinuated such nor any allusions to it."
What do they call that again?

Crappy writing?

Yes, but I think she was looking for "retcon", for "RETroactive COrrectioN"

[Sunblink]

"Peter Parker actually had a brother which was separated from birth although there was no proof which insinuated such nor any allusions to it."
What do they call that again?

Crappy writing?

Jumping the shark?

Oh wait, I'm the one who asked the question.

But yes, Llearch is right, it is retcon. *just remembered thanks to Cogidubnus* I hate it. Hate it hate it hate it. It's really something I'd like to avoid.

~Keaton the Black Jackal