This Is Suzy, A Gay Silk Cloth Acrobat (although In This Original Sketch, He Is A Tight Rope Walker)
This is Suzy, a gay silk cloth Acrobat (although in this original sketch, he is a tight rope walker) who dreams of becoming a ballerina but can’t because he’s a chubby cross-dressing drag queen. So instead he’s in a travelling circus, where he can be himself and be a “flying ballerina” all at the same time.
He is my entry for this month’s Character Design Challenge, this is my initial sketch of him as a tight rope walker.
Suzy was initially supposed to be a tight rope walker who would dance like the beautiful ballerina he dreamt of becoming, but I realised that as a silk cloth acrobat, the silk cloth could serve as his cape. Instead of wearing the cape himself if he were a tight rope walker, a symbolism for wings and flight, it is the silk cloth that gives him his wings and his ability to fly. This would serve as his connection with the Circus and how the Traveling Circus, his family who accepts him and loves him for who he is, is what helps him accept himself and inspires him to be more than just his initial dream of becoming a ballerina. So he happily chooses to stay in the Traveling Circus and performs his act “The Flying Ballerina.”
More Posts from 1bjavier and Others
Li Yang studies (Will post more in the coming weeks)
Although fairly timid in appearance, the University student Li Yang was a writer-turned-political activist at the forefront of the Equalist movement in Republic City.
His original concept portrait can be found here
Born to two fairly wealthy travelling merchants, Li has seen much of the world and has extensive knowledge about the different nations. Despite being a frequent traveller, he and his family consider Republic City to be their home. Being a child from an upper-middle class family, he and his elder sister had access to great education. His sister, who was older than him by 7 years, studied in Ba Sing Se University and became an inventor. Li on the other hand, a child prodigy, began studying Philosophy in a University in Republic City at the age of 15.
Primarily a writer, Li was very good with words and although he appears soft-spoken and quiet Li is very articulate and can be a very inspiring speaker. He saw the injustices against non-benders, both in Republic City and around the world, and sought to change that aspect of inequality in the world. At the mere age of 16, he became one of the main proponents of the Equalist movement seeking to uplift and recognize non-benders.
When he was 17, he accompanied his sister to an international science fair held in Republic City wherein his sister introduced him to Asami, whom he bumped into earlier that week in an incident involving ice cream, and Hiroshi Sato. Li furthur impressed Hiroshi Sato with his will to uplift the non-bending population. He eventually became close to both Father and daughter.
When Amon became a dominant figure, Li openly spoke out against Amon and Amon's anti-bender ideologies. He denounced such radical ways of thinking (believing that it would eventually lead to violence), splitting the Equalist factions into two. He also mentions that discriminating against benders would just be like how non-benders are already discriminated upon. They have no control over being born as benders just as they had no control over being born non-benders. Deciding to not use their gifts of bending would be like stopping non-benders from using their own skills.
Near the end of 169 AG, Li Yang was hit by an automobile and died.
(Li Yang’s way of resolving the inequality and much of his personality is inspired by the members of the Illustrados from the Philippines during the late 1800’s)
I'm a little sad that we did not get Swampstat (I also really wanted to see our favourite hoe burn) but it has still been absolutely amazing so far. I am looking forward to hopefully seeing Dumpstat.
Happy Valentines Day! Here’s Cyrus and Stella.
Cyrus is the crown-prince of Cloud Kingdom. Stella is an awesome sword fighting warrior that can kick-ass and rock a beautiful dress like a model.
This illustration of Stella was actually a rough draft drawn over a year ago to get a feel of the more traditionally feminine aspect of her design and her overall character. This is actually her first coloured draft (without Cyrus). The one found here was the second. This is her in a formal outfit for an event or a similar scenario. I just added Cyrus (and Stella’s right arm, which is hooked onto Cyrus’) recently because his design took some time for me to really figure it, and in fact he’s still undergoing many (mostly) minor edits so that I can really get him right.
The second illustration is a sketch I did on my notebook to help incorporate Cyrus into the already existing illustration of Stella. As you can see in the sketch, this version of Cyrus’ formal attire has a slight Indian influence to it while keeping a Mesopotamian and Assyrian touch.
Unfinished Portrait of Nikolai II
Nikolai II's abdication from the throne took place one day after his coronation as Emperor in the 18th century. Due to his abdication to give way to his elder sister, Empress Natasha the Great, Nikolai’s portrait as the fifth Emperor of the Tvardovsky Dynasty was never completed.
Please note that this is an original character. My character Nikolai Tvardovsky is in no way related to Russia’s Nikolai II. Any direct resemblance to real life people are coincidental.
Here’s a sketch deep within my drawings folder from two years ago (2016)
This is a study I made while I was on my flight to the US. It was the longest day ever mostly because I'm pretty sure my April 19, 2014 lasted for more than 24 hours.
Lately I've been practicing drawing from life. Before, I was a little scared because i didn't like making mistakes, but I realized that it's okay to ale mistakes because later on I'll be able to correct them. And as I drew from life, it has been excellent practice.
I wanted to draw the guy beside me across the aisle (because he had a nice blazer on and very very nice brogues) but unfortunately he kept noticing me looking at him so I couldn't draw him... The other people I drew didn't notice (when you see the drawings I guess you can tell why).
My favorite drawing here is definitely the mom and her daughter (mother and child jk). It was very very cute and it was great seeing that. The man in the middle left (no, not the one who is sleeping funnily) seemed to be quite nostalgic and a lot of people get sentimental or think while on modes of transportation for a long time. The man on the lower right, I'm guessing is purser of the plane, he seemed to be quite happy with how the people were doing when one of the meals were served.
I rarely get to go on vacation or travel, but I love it. Seeing all sorts of different people, and thinking of the many things that they have gone through or the kind of people they are. People are interesting.
A study.
Maybe coffee break tech guy’s boyfriend hahaha
A motorcyclist study I did in pen from some online references to help me with Harvey.
Wren studies.
Will post my Chaz/Rudy sketches at some point I guess 😅
Ignis.
He goes by Igu or Iggy.
(Revamped a character I designed a couple of years ago.)
