The first 2D prop I've finished since my last post is an ink well, which is rather representative of the creative process in general. I have several upcoming projects, but they must be put on hold for now, as I just received a request for yet another model tank. So, in the interest of keeping everyone entertained for the next day or two, here are some hints of what is to come.
At some point late in the story, Rubina Karamazova gets the idea to copy the Zaphnora, and makes a few necessary changes (and some unnecessary ones as well) to the design of the black trireme.
Этот кораблёт называется Жарпесня, название происхождение от "жар-птица," тотемное животное Рубины Карамазовы. У кораблёт есть уникальная гальюнная фигра.
Translation: this airship is called the Firesong, the name is derived from "firebird," Rubina Karamazova's spirit animal*. The airship has a unique figurehead.
*The firebird is a common motif in Russian culture, upon which Rhûnnish culture is heavily based, as if that weren't obvious.
There is to be yet another derivative, and that is a high-detail model of the Zaphnora's sister ship Pherazmil. I showed off some low-detail models of all four black triremes about three years ago.
So far, only the hull is finished. I swapped out the component on the model of the Zaphnora just to see what it would look like, but I'd like to make new conning towers as well.
Now, I know what you're thinking, it's a bit on the nose, but you should see the old one! Besides, me being, you know, ME, all four of the black triremes are simply loaded with Easter eggs, and so are some of the plot threads I have in mind:
"You played the queen's gambit and it failed you, now witness the death of hope!" - Kaia Blackwing, from the Zaphnora's bridge
"Fuck you, and fuck your references!" - Rubina Karamazova, from the Firesong's bridge
There is no such thing as too much comic relief in a grimdark setting.
If I ever figure out how to create that side-by-side format, I'll start making proper bilingual posts - and the rest of you can watch my countrymen cringe at my atrocious grammar, nearly incomprehensible (sometimes archaic as well) rhetoric, made-up words, and constant misuse of the letter ё.
To conclude this batch of updates, I decided against the tedious task of constructing vanishing points and trying to draw perspective from scratch in Adobe Flash CS3 for my comic backgrounds. From now on, I'll just make 3D models of the sets in Autodesk Inventor, then trace them. That last step will eventually be eliminated anyway, since I want to transition fully from 2D to 3D art for all my characters. The latest addition is thus (which is almost illegible because I exported the images at a low resolution, so captions are below):
Аля: Могу я одолжить Зафнору?
Alya: May I borrow the Zaphnora?
Кая: Конечно, нет, и вот зачем.
Kaia: Certainly not, and there's why.
Аля: Если позволяю спросить, повреждением вашего кораблёта, чем ты срожался?
Alya: If I may ask, the damage to your airship, what was it you fought?