Pheonix Dawn Plate Armour: China!

[Zetheros]

Alright! Got home just in time to add the details before 6am New year's feast was pretty awesome. The one thing that doesn't come to mind when thinking about chinese food is just HOW MUCH of it there is. (Unless you always find yourself with leftovers after dining at a chinese restaurant).

Anyways, here's what I got down in the wee hours of the morning. I tried to capture the complete and utter anguish of having one's soul forged into steel with this poor satyr fellow. I imagine having fluting running down one's face would make such a reaction.



I hope the horn design (along with the fur) will give the pauldron a bit more structural integrity, without sacrificing too much of the all-important deflecting trait of plate armor. The main problem with this design is that it makes no sense for a Sky Baron to have satyr faces on his pauldrons. Unleeeessssssssss... I turn Zyrusil Ordane into a cruel, holier-than-thou crusader who's only mission in life is to crush paganism. Then I can put all sorts of awesome mythical creatures on my armor!

[Destichado]

To anyone else, I would say that much repousse would be a bit too ambitious -to say the least. For you? Yeah, you'll probably manage to make it look awesome. *sigh*

Your plan for "floating" scales above what are essentially pteruges is sound. However, I would suggest avoiding the work of capping your leather scales (pteruges, or pteryges, happens to mean "feathers" -so, scales, feathers, whatever), and instead practice your leatherworking skills by embossing the pteruges with a cap-like design.

[veltez]

To pull that off? While I dont doubt your ability id recomend a privMsg to Ugo. He is after all the resident negroli.

[SigmundrUlfriksson]

I'm liking where this is going. However might I suggest toning down the crest part of the helm, if you were planning to make that out of steel that is. It just looks like, even with lighter gauge steel, it'd be a big pain in the neck and I mean that literally.

[Zetheros]

@Destichado: Thanks I'll try my best.

Pteruges! I always wondered what that kind of skirt was called. I won't be capping them actually, just laying steel scales over the tops of them. Capped leather pteruges sounds like a good way to get a sword blade caught on the ends, lol.

@Veltez: It would be great if I could get a few pointers! I'll go see if he has any. I'm not sure if 16g can be annealed, then cold-worked on pitch for the repoussé and chasing. It just seems like the metal would be too thick for that, and if I work the steel hot on the pitch, it would likely give off tons of smoke and leave annoying residue on the plate that was being worked on. Maybe I should forge from the inside of the plate on a block of lead instead?

@Sigmund: I was actually was working on that today! I made the fan much smaller and added horns to fit in with the new satyr design. I have no idea who Zyrusil Ordane is anymore, I'm just trying to make this armor look cool. Maybe he'll be a champion of Dionysus now, but then it'll probably change the next day. I wonder if grape-shaped repoussé is any good at deflecting blows?

Here's today's update. I'm actually getting really excited with the direction this design is heading, which doesn't happen often!

Was listening to Euterpe & Time Goes By for a different perspective and inspiration.



There's a disadvantage with the lowest horn on the helmet however; it'll catch pretty much anything. Warhammers, swords, arrows, ...a mounted lance charge *gulp* you name it...

...But it looks so darn cool!

[Zetheros]

Wooooow, the holiday is still going. There's going to be a huge feast at my dad's house tomorrow. How long do these new year festivities last? Haha.

You know, I just realized that if I get lanced in the face by a mounted combatant and had not seen it coming, I would have had more important things to worry about, such as an arrow in the eye, or lower body paralysis. The lower horns are staying! (for now)

Inspiring Music: Illusion by VNV Nation

I realized the burgonet shape was essential to this design. It just doesn't look right without that sexy steel brim, and I'd be catching all sorts of nastiness in my eyes without it.



Gawdaaaaaamnnn, I've never been so pleased with one of my character designs before. I think I was just too impatient to stay and improve with one drawing (before moving on to the next) before working with steel. I originally wanted to be a concept artist for Blizzard or Bethesda Softworks, but the competition is just so fierce.

I haven't even gotten out of China yet, and this design is already smokin'! I wonder what it'll look like with daily work in a year or two!

[LastKNIGHT]

Lookin good! And Euterpe was also one of my favorite songs for a couple weeks ^_^

[zachos]

Will you be able to work on the cloth parts when you're in America?

[Zetheros]

Sure! It's not anymore different than working on it in China. The cloth will be more expensive as the cloth needs to be imported. the US does not allow hemp to be grown, kind of silly, since hemp cloth is pretty much the most durable natural cloth aside from silk. Same goes with the rope that can be made from the fibers. The nutrition in hemp seeds is ridiculously high too, pun not intended



Whelp, there goes the curled horn and the winged crest, and in comes a handsome Tyrolean hat. The Tyrolean hat says, "Hey schön, lassen Sie mich Sie zu einem Drink."

Bazinga!

[Zetheros]

Then there's also this; but if I get hit on the brim it'll really jostle my head with every strike. (Unless I make the added edge from leather.)



I think it's now a show-down between the more eagle/ram's head, and this. I think I'll improve both versions and see which looks better. Although, I think I'm leaning towards the new design.

The older design has very few weaknesses, except for the lack of a brim/smaller eye slots and a heavier crest, which can be changed, the design is pretty solid.

The new design doesn't have many weaknesses either. In fact the only weaknesses I can think of are the inherit eye holes, and that I'll need to replace the extended leather brim and cloth hood every single battle. The fluted steel hat will have similar traits to a sallet, and the steel mask, a bevor. But hypothetically, am I even going to fight in this?

[veltez]

very vampire hunter D of you.

[Zetheros]

You got that right.

[Zetheros]

It's getting really tough to make this look any more awesome than it is. I think I'll just clean it up and move onto the shield and weapon. I might skip a day or two on updates, getting ready to fly back to the US.

[Tom B.]

You must do your best to make it to Chris Gilman's Armour Workshop. Take a look at the list of who is going to be there.

Tom

[Zetheros]

@Enrico: I will try my best Hopefully it doesn't take too long for me to find a job and get settled. Maybe it'll be a week or so.

I've made a sudden realization (well, not really sudden. I had a hunch beforehand). Large, anime-styled weapons and shields just don't translate to the real world at all. When they do, they're big, clumsy, and silly.

They only work well in the movies because, like theater, things need to be more exaggerated and flashy to make up for the lack of other senses. Smaller, more detailed pieces don't work since the animator would need to draw out all the detail, and that takes forever, like what I'm doing here, haha.

Sail by AWOLNATION

Dance of Bad Angels by Booth & the Bad Angel



Just added some decorative leather pteryges (gosh I like that word!) to the shield and am in the process of changing Zyrusil's pose. This is just the 800x800px preview, I've uploaded the 60000x60000px one here: http://i.imgur.com/y07Zr.gif

[Zetheros]

...Played around with cuirass designs today, and here's what I've come up with!

I've made the lames overlap downwards, seeing as I don't have a horse.



And here's the normal version: http://i.imgur.com/DXrlP.gif

I'm not sure if I like how the anguished satyrs are taking over everything. They are very fun to draw though, especially this latest one, who's getting choked to death.

It's fingers are attached to the belt, and will articulate when I sit down; while it's forearms serve as the faulds.

[veltez]

Character developement at work . cloven sabatons... and simulated fur :O. sry thinking out loud.

[Zetheros]

That's actually a great idea! Cloven sabatons and maybe some hair-on deer leather (or maybe, to stay with the theme, goat leather instead) for part of the cloak...

Nowhere near my original path, but still this suit design looks pretty nice; I might as well give it all I got and make it even better!

[Zetheros]

Here's the last update for awhile. I adjusted the pose; the last one was really getting on my nerves. I got rid of the cloak and I'm also in the middle of making a helmet design that matches better...

Not sure if I should leave that long of a skirt yet. It's mostly accidental when I erased away the cloak.



High-res: http://imgur.com/KOINu.gif

[gr ben]

me like this helmet uhhh prety.
can't wait to see the end product

[Zetheros]

Alright, I'm back in the states. I'm really busy though.

[SigmundrUlfriksson]

I much prefer the first and the newest helmet designs over the second with the hat thing. Looks more like armour to me. Also no cloak is good, cleans up the look I think. Keep up the good work!

[LastKNIGHT]

I agree that the first helmet looked the best

[Zetheros]

The burgonet? Yeah, it's pretty nice, but it just doesn't feel like 'me'. I'll start updating again once I get a job and become adjusted to this new environment. As to those who want to meet me, my mother's friend probably doesn't want a party in her house, so maybe we could meet elsewhere. UC Berkeley is just a 20 minute walk from the house for reference.

Just set up a time and I'll bring my notebook if you want to look it over. My armor is still in China, and will be shipped by boat later, so I won't have any pieces with me unfortunately.

[Zetheros]

Alright

The first update here in the US is ready!

And moving is stressful. Ughh. I changed the head a bit to fit the new satyr theme, there will still be raven accents however.

Welcome Feru Zahn, The Angel of Corruption.



Full Rez: http://i.imgur.com/9pQgc.gif

The 'hair' will be made of cable wire.

I should get one of those USB wireless mice so I can work faster. Trackpads just aren't my style...

[Keegan Ingrassia]

Schiesse...elements of that face should be delivered unto the cthulhu armor thread...

[Ld Thomas Willoughby]

Feels to me like there's 2 armors being blended as this evolves. The bird/eagle one then the demon/satyr. My personal take is you should look into splitting it in two different ones with focus of elements on each.

[Zetheros]

I might do that later too, just to compare which one might look better

But I think the blend works, ravens can be interpreted as the carriers of plague and harbingers of war and death, whereas satyrs could be interpreted as, well, demons who are naturally corrupt and evil.

I'll try splitting the two though once I get done with this design. Maybe I'll even have a third character/element, since I designed the more humanoid mask with the hat.

[Zetheros]

Finding a job appears to be a job of itself...everyone keeps pointing out how young I am, and how I don't even have a diploma. It's getting rather frustrating that my self-worth is judged by the attainment of a piece of paper, and the biases towards youth.

I've already been through hell. Nothing should be difficult to me anymore...

I seem to have put all my focus in one talent, neglecting everything else. All my eggs in one basket. All of my skillpoints in +damage and not enough +defense.

Up until this point, nothing other than my artwork really mattered to me. Maybe I should get a GED or learn other tradeskills...

Agreement - Kitaro
Caravansary - Kitaro

[Zetheros]

The pose still needed a lot of work, so I flipped it horizontally to give myself a new perspective. The left shoulder (now the right shoulder) was waaaaay out of normal proportions so I tried fixing it today. I also added more detail to the helmet, which you can't really see without visiting the high resolution version.

Once I'm done with cleaning up the helmet, I'll try to give the entire suit of armor the same level of detail; the shoulders look rather mundane by comparison now... This is going to take forever to make in a workshop.



High res: http://imgur.com/CX8Eb.gif

[Zetheros]

*Sigh* Sorry folks, there's no one to talk to. I just had to get this off my chest I suppose. I recommend not reading 2am thought vomit though, especially mine. It's not related to armor, but maybe you'll gain some insight on how the thought processes I use to make armor! It's like.. dissecting my brain through text. Gross, isn't it?

I just hope this post doesn't come back to bite me when I least expect it. But at least now I can sleep without these thoughts clouding my mind.

I've just been too busy applying for jobs and places to rent that I've had no time to draw.


"I’ve wasted so much time. Too much time. My youth has been wasted. Why do I even care about youth. It is cold. Bleak. Desolate. My heart is not...it is broken. Broken beyond repair. I cannot love. I no longer yearn for love. But why do I still... The faces of my armor. Those faces are my own. I do not draw armor. I draw myself. Why do I draw myself? I am so alone. The anguish is my own. The sorrow is my own. The rage...is my own. Have I gone insane? I do not wish to be insane. I wanted to be a master of all trades. A God. Then why am I shivering? Why do I laugh as I cry, and moan in pain when I laugh? I wanted to be..be. be what. But I am alone. Alone but yearning, and not, at once. What kind of life is - I did not wish for this life. No. I wanted something else. Oakland. Why am I here. I do not belong here. I hate suburban towns. I hate civilization in general. I do not belong to this world.

Being civilized. Polite. Courteous. Laughter. That is not me. Interacting with people is not me, so no one will know who I am. Then again, do I even care? People are only made of basic elements. Shells for greater and lesser entities alike.

So much waste. I have so many talents. So much raw ambition. Why am I here? So much waste.

I don’t have enough time, no time at all. I wanted to be a God. My armor is the only thing keeping me here. Shackles of power bound to my soul. The perfect mirror of who I am. I am...a splintered husk of death. There is nothing inside. Then why am I still here.
Why. Why. why....

Valentine’s day. What a stupid holiday. Why are there even holidays? Why is this world so simple and mundane? Why are there...so many problems. Corruption. Greed. Ignorance. Arrogance. I hate it all with a blistering fury unimaginable. Then, am I angel...or demon?

Why do I even care about my youth and talents? I have been alone my entire life. I used to have something. A heart of gold. I gave my love too freely, and now I have nothing left. I have been bled dry. A dried corpse with fire in it’s eyes.

And what of my reputation? Do I even care for it? Of course I do. Without the masquerade of civility, this wretched shell would not survive. Pathetic. Now I have explained it all. There is nothing left of me, save for my armor. My protection. The chosen canvas for my soul. A shelter more durable than my own. Without the prospect of it I am nothing.

What a pity it is, then, that it should look so tormented."

[veltez]

An artist’s work reflects how he feels, no matter the medium or happenstance from which it is created; it is the truest form of self expression that I know.

Finding a job in this economy is hard when the criteria used to judge a person are sheets of paper instead of the actual skills the person possesses. Your GED while a step up in their eyes will almost mean nothing to you. You are an artist your worth and self worth, you hold in your work, and it is grand in scale and quality. Your work is in a very literal sense an inspiration to many and one day I whole heartedly believe it will be a standard by which others will judge their work.

Stand tall Zetheros these events while seemingly insurmountable at the present are but mole hills on your path, you have the talent and determination to lay waste to these obstacles and any that come here after.

What I would recommend is talking to people in your chosen field and show them what you can do. It is hard for someone to scoff at your lack of credentials when your work is undeniably on or above their level. It is not easy, and there are no quick paths to your destination but eventually your doors will open. Stand tall; it is darkest just before the dawn.

[Swete]

Maybe Chris Gilman or someone else on here could give you some contact information for some design/costuming jobs?

[Zetheros]

Maybe Chris Gilman or someone else on here could give you some contact information for some design/costuming jobs?

Oh...that is not necessary. I don't want to add to the competition of creating armor or costumes. Thanks for the suggestion though.

...What I would recommend is talking to people in your chosen field and show them what you can do. It is hard for someone to scoff at your lack of credentials when your work is undeniably on or above their level. It is not easy, and there are no quick paths to your destination but eventually your doors will open. Stand tall; it is darkest just before the dawn.

That's what I had hoped to do. But I hardly have anything made yet. Just some artwork and shaped steel back in China. Thanks for your supportive comments.
It is indeed dark.

[MJBlazek]

Talent and Education will get you so far. What you really need to do is build connections.
If you can, work for someone like Chris gillman for a year, heck for a summer, build connections with all sorts of people in the Design/Entertainment industry. You might not be doing exactly what you want to do to start, but you will meet pople in fields related to what you want to do, and have good references from respected professionals. Networking, it's a necessity.