Cover Design Concepts
A long way from human
The Dragon and The Onion Girl (Cover)
Candy
Just finished an outline for Candy the antagonist in my book Gabriel and the Black Candy Circus. Next I have to color it.
Now that I have some color I need to add some dramatic lighting, simulate texture, and add a background. I think I’ll have her standing on stage in front of her crowed. Spot light shining down on her dark figure.
All done
Candy, youngest family member of the single most powerful coven of witches ever, The Black Circle. What makes them so powerful you ask. They are the keepers of Lucifer’s Grimoire also known as The Black Book. The book was a gift from Heavens first fallen, the devil himself.
As for Candy, though she was indeed the youngest, she was in no way the least of her family. In fact she was a prodigy, having mastered every spell and incantation years ahead of her time. As it so happens, on her sixteenth birthday, having been so accomplished, she presented herself to the head of the family, Mistress Glenumbra, and asked to have her name added to the contract located in the back of The Black Book. However, Candy was too young. You see contained within this book was not only every spell, hex and incantation ever used by the witches, the book is quite literally the source of power for those very spells. Should the book be destroyed, Magic would end and the witches would be powerless, not to mention mortal once again.
As it is no secret that those of the witch kind are immortal, it is however not commonly known that it is again this black book to which they owe their longevity.
When Lucifer first entrusted his book to the witches he also offered them a pact represented by a blood contract located on the last pages of the book. Those who inscribe their names no longer feel the pull of time on their flesh. However, this gift comes with a major drawback. Sure, those who subscribe no longer age, however they no longer grow as a person either. Be it, emotional, physical, spiritual and every other aspect of their being. From the moment the deal is struck who they are remains constant, forever.
As such, it is no surprise that Mistress Glenumbra denied Ms. Candy’s request. Though Candy was indeed talented, she was also a vain self-centered sixteen year old and so she would remain for all eternity had Glenumbra accepted. Needless to say, though the circle could be tolerant of Candy’s young disposition and personality, they were not however, prepared to put up with it forever. Thus Candy was denied.
As could be expected the young witch did not take the refusal kindly. In fact she was so absorbed in her own disappointment that she went and did something no one expected. Candy went behind her family’s back, stole the Black Book, and signed the blood packed.
It did not take long for her treachery to come to light. Fearing the wrath of Glenubra, Candy with the help of her brother fled with the Book.
Escape however did not come easy, for the might of her family was against her. Cornered, but not out of options, Candy wove an ancient spell contained within the Dark Books pages. A great incantation that had only been wrought once before. She created another world, one separate from our own and bound to her will.
Retreating within this world with none but her brother for company, Candy escaped the wrath of her family, and they dared not pursue her within this new world.
She did not stay within this world for long however. Neither did she flee. Far from it. All to quickly her thirst for attention and the spot light, which would now ever be apart of her, drover her to what she did next. She created The Circus, within which contained her world and within which she was lord and Mistress. Since that day, people from all over came to witness the wonders of her circus and the glory of its mysteries. The young enchantress had found her spotlight and this time, no one could deny her, for she was now founder, and ringleader of the Black Candy Circus.
Spare Oom
I was trying out some photography and decided to have some fun with it in Photoshop.
Oriental Painting
This is an oriental style painting I did on Photoshop. The execution of this one was verily easy but I’m still proud of how it turned out.
Lilly the She-Wolf
Just did for the heck of it. feel free to comment and let me know what you think. I tried out a new style of line. Also I’ve been messing around with her anatomy and I think i did make her breasts to far apart. I’ll get it right next time. as for the chest I’m having a bit of difficulty getting the curves right without the abbs. still a little rusty with human anatomy, but I’m getting better. Hope you like her
Don
Biography
URSC Engineer, Don Spooner and his close friend, Captain, Gerard Flag, where marooned on an alien planet for two and a half years after the research and study development camp stationed on the planet’s surface was attacked by the Bugs. The Bugs, as they are referred to, are an alien race of insectoid creatures that have not only mastered space travel, but also powerful weapons of destruction which they use without prejudice in there conquest of the known galaxy.
Don and Gerard stayed behind during the evacuation, in order to insure everyone’s successful escape during the attack, unfortunately, this led to them both being cut off from home, with no way to contact help. Working together, the two of them began salvaging what they could to survive on this deadly new world. Worse still, during the evacuation Don became infected with an alien parasite native to the planet that had originally been collected for study. The parasite infecting him, however it is no ordinary organism. In fact, it possess a most effective defense mechanisms, in that it manipulates the genetic makeup of its host inducing a rapid adaptive mutation by way of releasing a highly reactive retrovirus into its hosts bloodstream. Less the a month after infection, Don’s body having been continually changed to better suite survival on this new planet, nothing remained of his humanity, but his soul.
A year has passed since the escaping of that planet and making his return home… his return, to war.
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The change continues. During his time on the planet his body was in a constant state of rapid adaptation and evolution. the plant in question had ow gravity, but a humility and temperature. In order to better regulate his body temperature, as well as increase his bodies energy efficiency, the parasite inside him forced his body to take on a more reptilian design, even to the point of making him cold blooded. However once Don manages to get off the planet his body was adapted too and back to civilization, he finds himself again in a state of adaptation. Though his changes are more subtle then before they make him into a something better suited for survival in the deep reaches of space. A creature that has a fighting edge in this war for survival.
Don Transformation
: 1 Day :
It has been one day since the evacuation. Last night was long, if you can even call it night since this planet has two sons. Despite the ever presence of light it is a very faint light thanks to the thick neon foliage. Also I kept hearing noises.
Flag is out looking for food, while I set up camp, and while I salvage what I can from the cruiser that we crashed during the escape.
The heat and humidity is too much, I try to keep cool but I’m wary of the water as its unnatural glow could hide all sorts’ of creatures just beneath the surface.
I can still feel it, that organism that Lora was researching. To think that it’s not only inside me, but that it’s actually messing with my DNA. Nearly all of my hair has already fallen out, and my skin has begun to lose its tan. I have even started growing claws. We need to get it out of me. If I can manage to get a ship up and running, and get us back to civilization, then maybe they can cut the creature out of me before it can manage to do any extensive damage to my body.
At the very least I hope Lora made it to the colony safely, if you are hearing this love, then know that I can’t wait to see you again. Stay safe and stay strong. I am on my way. Don Out.
: 2 weeks :
It has been two weeks since we first set up camp. The humidity isn’t as bad as it used to be though Flag disagrees. Maybe I have just gotten used to it.
We managed to find the wreckage of a downed destroyer and I was able to salvage some of the frame and the engine but the life support is completely shot. I might be able to salvage the weapons too but that will take time. Time I don’t have. With every passing day more and more of me changes. I doubt even Lora would recognize me or that anyone other than flag would mistake me as human. I mean, Sure I have gotten taller, faster, and in some cases, stronger, but the bulk of my changes have in no way been that subtle.
First off my fingers/claws have begun to fuse together and I have already lost a few digits. Also my teeth have grown long and jagged though not so much that I can’t still chew my food. Yesterday Flag noticed I’ve been eating allot more. He insists that I should stay busy working on the ship but honestly I don’t see the point. Sure I want to go home but it’s taking too long and it is going to take longer still if we can’t find the right parts. There is only so much I can do without the proper components, so I have decided to accompany him on his little hunting expositions. Maybe while we hunt together I can keep an eye out for the right parts.
Still I haven’t given up hope. I am coming. Whether I am still human when I do is doubtful but I refuse to let that slow me down. Don out.
: 2 months :
It has been two months since the attack. While out hunting yesterday I ran into a scout. Since I started joining flag I’ve gotten allot better at moving about quickly without being seen and I don’t think it saw me but it’s hard to tell. Flag and I knew it was only a matter of time before the bugs took an interest in this planet. Sure enough they have begun nesting near the wreckage of the abandoned research facility. Now that they are here we will have to tread more carefully and if we are going to make it off this rock at all we are going to have leave soon. Unfortunately we will have to do it without the resources left behind by the URSC.
On the bright side, I have almost finished constructing the frame for our ship but navigation and life support still need work. It’s certainly not your standard run of the mill destroyer, but I’ve managed to salvage the full rods from our cruiser which is a little big for the ship but should still be compatible, if I can make room that is. I scraped the weapon system completely and converted it into a heavy duty forward shield generator, not only will it this help with full efficiency but since the engine is nuclear I might be able to run the whole ship off of it. Crossing what’s left of my fingers.
As it turns out I don’t sweat anymore and I think it has to do to the fact that I am now undoubtedly cold blooded. If that isn’t enough churn your stomach then wait till you hear about my tail. That’s right I have a f%#king lizards tail. I’ve even started growing these weird spine things on my lower back and on the top of my head. I am under no illusions, if and when we do get home I am going to need to do some serious explaining. Flag says I don’t have anything to worry about and that he will do the talking, but honestly, I’m less worried about whether or not URSC soldiers will just shoot me on sight and more worried that Lora might not be able to fix what that parasite did to me let alone take it out of me.
Also something else troubles me about my changes. I’ve read about how the pit viper can tell where it’s pray is by sensing the body heat of its victims but this is entirely different. I can see everything around me even when my eyes are closed, and not just animals, but the ground the trees, and I can see it all just using this… sixth sense. It only seems to have a range of up to fifty feet but still. What this thing inside me has done to me, defy what I thought I understood about science and biology. Fortunately the changes thus far have been only physical. My mind, beyond my new sixth sense and new hunting prowess, remain unaltered. I hope that will be enough when we get home. Don out.
: 3 months :
It is finally done. I still have to finish with the navigation software but other than that, and gathering supplies for our trip home, the ship is done. If our luck holds out we will be on our way by tomorrow. Since I managed to fix the air conditioning, Flag has taken to sleeping inside the ship. I don’t think I have ever seen him sleep so well. As for me, sleep just gets harder and harder. And why wouldn’t it, just under 3 months I went from being you average Joe to being a ten foot tall spiny scaly lizard man. My tail has grown almost as long as I am tall, worse still about a four days ago I started getting this weird bulge on my chest and sides that just got bigger and bigger. Then just two days after that suddenly I have two new appendages. Just when I though having a tail was the worst this parasite inside me could possibly do, now I literally have four arms. I guess there is just no knowing how or what will change next, not until I get this thing out. It’s bad enough that I have had to endure the process of having my humanity striped from me, but to wake up every single day and not recognize your body from the night before. It’s more than I can live with any more. Soon enough I won’t have to. I am going home. We are going home. Don out.
Spinter
Biography
URSC Engineer, Don Spooner and his close friend, Captain, Gerard Flag, where marooned on this alien planet for two and a half years after the research and study development camp stationed on the planet’s surface was attacked by the Bugs. The Bugs, as they are referred to, are an alien race of insectoid creatures that have not only mastered space travel, but also powerful weapons of destruction which they use without prejudice in there conquest of the known galaxy.
Don and Gerard stayed behind during the evacuation, in order to insure everyone’s successful escape during the attack, and they are now both cut off from home, with no way to contact help. Working together, the two of them have begun salvaging what they can to survive on this deadly new world. Worse still, during the evacuation Don became infected with an alien parasite native to the planet that had originally been collected for study. The parasite infecting him however is no ordinary organism. In fact, it possess a most effective defense mechanisms, in that it manipulates the genetic makeup of its host inducing rapid adaptive mutation by way of releasing a highly reactive retrovirus into its hosts bloodstream. In less then a month after infection, Don’s body being continually changed to better suite survival on this new planet, nothing remains of his humanity, but his soul.
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All done with Don here. He took me about a week from start to finish and though he also started out as a pencil sketch he is 100% digital now. Funny thing is he looks nothing like his original sketch, in fact I was very disappointed with how the drawing came out. Despite how bad the original was I decided to try and salvage it by scanning it into my computer and manipulate it until the sketch was acceptable using Photoshop. Anyway I hope you all like him as much as I do.