Debated long and hard about posting these...they're two main characters from my Thera fantasy universe, which unfortunately means they don't mean squat to anyone but me. But I figured, hey, why not, you might never get the chance...

In a nutshell Thera is a fantasy world that's something like 24 years in the making; I dreamed it up at age 16 and have been adding, subtracting, altering and changing it ever since. Most of what goes on in it centers around a select few characters, Pirion and Carrodock Evolar being two of those.

I've actually done more than these two, but they're the only ones I have bios written up for. I might share the others later, sans bios, if the mood strikes me to do so.


Pirion:



Parts:

Head, right hand: Comic Pack Anakin Skywalker
Torso, skirt, legs, left arm: Obi-Wan (various versions)
Background: Paranor Library dio by Cap

Pirion appears to be a blonde-haired human male somewhere in his mid-to-late twenties, of average height and build, and a mage by profession. In truth he is close to 2000 years old, a once-golden scaled Dragon punished for ignoring the will of the Dragon Council by being trapped in human form.

In this form he retains some of his Dragon abilities—heightened senses, access to the Dragon magic as well as that of the other Races, the ability to withstand great amounts of damage and regenerate his injuries quickly. He lacks, however, the ability to do the one thing all Dragons love—to soar across the skies, to take flight. He can do so, but only once, as transforming back to Dragon form will cost him is life shortly thereafter.

For the most part, Pirion has not allowed his punishment to bring him down. He has spent his time studying magic in every way, becoming a powerful Wizard (a master of all sphere’s of magic, a title precious few have ever earned); good and kind-hearted, if a bit idealistic, he has loved many wives and given life to many children over the years. He is the adoptive father of Cromack the Wolf and the Silvaen Lyssa, and has sponsored many apprentices at the Keep, including the Silver Elf Healer Marin.

Pirion has seen the march of history across Thera, has seen empires and cities fall, has seen the Races rise up in triumphant, and cower in defeat, sometimes with his involvement, other times merely as an observer. He has long served the Order of the Magi in various roles, currently holding the office of Minister of Security and Defense, a job he no longer relishes as he has watched the once-neutral and mighty Order shift to something that is self-serving and increasingly prejudicial.

When the Lady herself calls upon Pirion to aid in restoring the lost Order of the Silvaen, he sees this as an opportunity not only to do good, but to once again set the Order of the Magi back on it’s proper path…something, he is told, that will be necessary to stop a coming Darkness that may well destroy Thera once and for all!


Design Notes: I struggled long and hard to come up with the parts to define Pirion (who, oddly, does not look like I usually envision him, but rather as he's supposed to--go figure) and then I spotted the Anakin Skywalker (the one who came with the Assassin Droid) and knew I'd found him; the head had the youthful yet fierce look that Pirion displays when he temper flares, which thankfully isn't often, as he commands considerable magic...

The torso is actually glued to the skirt/legs, which I had to cut apart from two different Obi-Wan figures to use; I used multiple layers of yellow, gold, and added darker drybrush to bring out the highlights of his robe. The right hand was the real bonus, though--Pirion has always worn a black glove on that hand, and the Anakin had looks IDEAL with it's odd shape and slightly longer length, to mirror his glove-covered Dragon's foreclaw.


Carrodock Evolar



Parts Used:

Head: Star Wars A'Sharad Hett
Rest: 25A Red Ninja (slightly modified)
Wazikashi: 25A Red Ninja
Background: Inn at Shady Vale by Cap
Special thanks to: RavenofNod, who inspired me to use this figure


Carrodock Evolar is a rogue and a member of the Siren race—tall, graceful humanoids best known for their exquisite looks, magical singing voices and ability to master water; Sirens can breathe water as if it were air, and can literally shape it around their bodies, allowing it to shield them or simply flow past them without resistance. Not surprisingly a good many Siren are expert sailors, which often goes hand-in-hand with the race’s innate sense of curiosity.

Carrodock himself grew up with parents who were archaeologists, who spent much of their time poking around and uncovering various lost ruins and cities throughout Thera. While young Carrodock found this initially interesting, the lack of any real danger (most often handled by skilled guards when it did arrive) quickly bored him. At the age of 12, seeking adventure, he stowed away on an exploration ship heading for parts unknown. Two weeks into the voyage he was discovered; fortunately, the crew being all Sirens themselves, they were inclined to by sympathetic to him, and tasked him as a cabin boy. It was a starting role that would see Carrodock work his way through the ranks, growing from boy to man and visiting lands few even knew existed.

At some point Carrodock’s ship landed in a place where the inhabitants referred to themselves as the Nissei, a feudal culture that was a wild mix of warfare, art and carefully structured society. When the ship left Carrodock chose to remain, and it was here he learned the style of two-handed fighting he now employees, as well as the twin short blades he carries. His reasons for eventually leaving are a mystery; he tells a different story nearly every time, and swears all are true, and if there is one thing Carrodock enjoys, it’s making up a good story!

Several years after returning to Thera, Carrodock made the acquaintance of Cromack the Wolf; the latter was pursuing a capture bounty on him, imposed by several merchants Carrodock had helped relieve of some of their much unneeded baubles. The chase ended when Cromack learned the stealthy Siren was, in fact, giving much of his ill-gotten proceeds to help the orphans in a particular southern city; owing to that he let Carrodock slip away, only to have him show up and work his way into Cromack’s trust and friendship.

While the two often travel together, Carrodock is just as inclined to slip away when he gets bored or sees an opportunity for adventure. For reasons he will not say Carrodock has little love for magic-users (excepting Healers), though he remains tolerant and respectful of Pirion. When the Lady tasks Erin with bringing back the Order of the Silvaen, Carrodock naturally feels the need to join up, ostensibly to protect young Erin but also knowing that there is bound to be some grand adventure awaiting him in the offing…


Design Notes: Ah, Carrodock...he gave me fits like you wouldn't believe! I needed a slender figure for him, but also one with a youthful head...and then I spotted a custom RavenofNod posted in one of the threads (his used different colors and an Obi-Wan head) and I KNEW I'd found Carrodock. Thought it galled me to by 25A (and a ninja no less... ), hey, the parts worked! The look was exactly what I had in mind, though I ran into issues with getting the paint to stay on (chipped like crazy) and I hate the hands...

I modified the belt by cutting out the loop where the knife goes and then replaced that with Green Stuff; even up close you can't tell it was replaced (one of my few successes). I also filled in the feet (losing the articulation) to give him more a look of wearing boots. The body suit is actually a very dark gray but shows up as black; I added the white tunic (which he'd remove as needed) to reflect his flashy nature.

The hardest part of this figure was the head. The A'Sharad Hett head is not a pop-off type, but has a fixed neck; I had to cut that away, then very carefully hollow out the head to fit. This proved tricky as the head uses very soft rubber and tends to heat up quickly using the Dremel so warping/tearing was always an issue. Luckily I was able to do it without damage, after which I mounted it to the neckball and filled in around it with Green Stuff. I opted to leave the pony tail in place; not practical but it works for him. Lastly I tailored his bio to match his new look, which actually ended up working out pretty well and helps to give Carrodock a somewhat more mysterious past.

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I am going to come back to the second custom later since I am in a rush right now.

Pirons bio is awesome, I really dig the thought put into him. definatly something that is a bit different yet still fimilar. But that whole "fall from grace" aspect is intriging and makes you question his real motives in any situation. Great work on him.

I will say his figure does retain alot of Jedi traits, which isn't a bad thing, but not what I would have done. Good job on the hair (I didn't realize it was anakin at first).

I will say that Carrodock Evolar looks alot better and more his own, I want to know how many coats of paint it took to make the red ninja white, I am betting alot.
But he has a wonderful contrast of black and white that makes him stand out really. Great work on that one

I will comment on the bio after I get back and read it.

Amazing what a little blonde dye job will do, no? The hair is mostly owed to the F&W Artist Acrylic Inks Cap sent me a while back--it's one of my favorite "shades" of blonde and blended really well in this case.



Actually, not that many! I primered him first, then used gesso (which is white) as a sort of secondary primer/undercoat, then went over it with Misty White. It was one of those really rare times the white came out good, without requiring the usual 24 coats to get it to blend. The gold trim, on the other hand--that gave me fits. It would blend well in one spot, but not others.



Thanks! I wanted a simple but flashy contrast and I think I achieved it. Looking at him I realize I need to take a better pic, though (too much flash on the face, which I had to paint to cover the tattoos.)

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Ok sorry I had to have dinner.

Interesting bio on Carrodock Evolar, kind of a merman meets elemental master thing going on with him. I must ask is the land of the Nissei an oriental land cause with the combat and the look of the character it does seem that way. Just wondering.

Still I enjoyed the bio very much and he is a well fleshed out and interesting character.

On another note is Thera a continant or the planet, I had always assumed the planet was named Thera but the bio indicates continant. I suppose not really an important question but something that poped into my head.

Still I hadn't read your comments so I wasn't sure what went into him.
but then to my horror I read this:



How dare you deface a figure I have been searching for

Just kidding but I couldn't resist.

Yes, but he was defaced for a good cause! Just be glad I didn't have a video camera or it'd be on Youtube, like, ya know, that guy who ripped open the Mexican Predacon did...

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Another grand set of figures from your ever emerging fantasy line. I too have a fantasy world that I have been working on for a long time - going on twelve years now, although I have not worked on it for quite sometime. The whole thing is heavily inspired by the Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey Halfblood Chronicles. I have never even thought once to make figures of the main characters though, of mine...or theirs for that matter.

I am a little put off by the fact that you were debating on not sharing these. I for one always enjoy your figures and stories and I hope to see more from you in the future.

If you even run into trouble making fixed neck heads to a ball joint head, for example if you make the hole to big. Try using a run of gel super glue around the hole you carved out to decrease the space the ball needs to fit threw to get inside the head. Works pretty well if you make the hole to big -

Thanks. I just didn't figure it'd generate much interest, coming from a line that essentially exists only in my head. You look at the majority of customs, and they're either from existing lines, or related to one.



I used a hot glue technique similar to that for a figure I'm working on now--a Star Wars head that was too large for the Golden Compass neckball. Worked pretty well, actually, the head came out a nice, tight fit, but in the end I wound up molded it to the body anyway...I get around to taking photos she'll be the next of the Thera line I show off, well, one of the next three.

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You know I like these already. Especially that work on the scowl. Awesome.

Glad you like the FW Artist inks. I am reeealllly glad you like them .

Need I say it, we demand more customs!

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Thanks, Cap, from you--high praise as always.

Glad you like the FW Artist inks. I am reeealllly glad you like them .[/quote]

I'm sensing something cool here... What can I say? They've revolutionized how I look at aspects of customizing (particularly how Burnt Umber can give anything a genuine worn leather look.)



I have three more ready, two need bios and the third needs a bio and pics (just finished her this morning.) With three more on the table as we speak, one of which is going through his post-sealer painting (also needs his weapon done up.) The two on the table, BTW, are making heavy use of the acrylic ink, turning their leather harnesses and pouches into something that could pass as real to all but touch. I do love that stuff, oh yes, I do...

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love what you did with the second guy. two toning the colors with the black & white looks awesome

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I need to hear more about these inks, they sound very interesting.

Thanks. The idea was to show contrast between his two sides (the sneaky rogue and the flamboyant Siren.) The black is actually a very dark gray; the idea there being it allows him to blend in with either total darkness or light shadows, but it doesn't show up well in the pic.





Cap's the man to talk to on these for specifics like permanency; he understands them better than I do.

What I've found is they produce a deep, glossy finish, though they take longer to dry than paint. What I like to do is apply the ink, then add a light coat of similar colored acrylic over it; the ink tends to be the stronger of the two but the end result is a slightly flatter, more "worn" look, at least for leathers. I then dry brush over them to take the sheen off; the ink is strong enough in color that it doesn't get washed out in the process and you get a much more realistic look from it.

Of course, they're also ideal for washes! Pirion I washed down with Burnt Umber to add some depth to his tunic; I used a drop of the ink and two of water and the results are what you see.

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I get the idea of what your doing. Judging by the over all look of it, I think it would be worth exploring in the future.

Where would they be at in a store. With the paints or with pens?

Not sure. I haven't been able to find them locally at all (either at Michael's or AC Moore) but I'd imagine if they were at Michael's, you'd likely find them around the Artists section (where they sell keep the squeeze tube oils and acrylics). I've checked there and the section with pens/inks (which is literally the next aisle over) at Michael's here, but no luck. Trying to find these there reminds me of the time I went looking for a hobby vise there (only one guy knew what I was looking for and told me "We don't carry them, and I sure wish I knew why!") He was nice enough to direct me to Harbor Freight Tools down the road, which he told me had two different kinds at decent prices.

Here's a link to just one place I found online (there are quite a few others, this was just the first I tried): http://www.artcity.com/drawing---illust ... -inks.html

Daler-Rowney is the type of ink I'm using now.

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Ya I used to use that kind of stuff in my drawings. I got them from my brother who did a grip of work with them. I haven't thought of those in years. Cool, seems to me that a majority of the a typical art shops have went the way of the mom and pop stores. grumble ... But I think I have a local one here that might work. Thanks Doc!