"A woman standing behind two sphinxes." That's it. That's all the info I was given when I was asked to do a cover for a fanzine.
Steven Silver had a secret agenda and was asking artists and writers to do things with as little information as possible. NO ONE (save one person we find out now) knew what he was up to. He has an online Fanzine that he was going to do a special issue of.
Here is the link to enjoy the entire finished project: http://efanzines.com/Argentus/Argentus-SE4.pdf
The idea of recreating a 1941 fanzine without the new authors/artists knowing it, was risky at best, and more likely brilliant in it's idea! You can see the new AND the original fanzine on the link.
Well now that it has been published and the big secret revealed I can post the pics I worked on! Above is the sphinx I made based on books acquired from the very small Egytology section of the library. But until after I had to ask a few vaguely answered questions of Mr. Silver. I didn't know which type of sphinx Steven wanted - should they be Egyptian or Grecko-Roman? What should the woman be doing? Should it be drawn or painted and scanned or .......? "Egyptian" and the rest was up to me!
Steven Silver had a secret agenda and was asking artists and writers to do things with as little information as possible. NO ONE (save one person we find out now) knew what he was up to. He has an online Fanzine that he was going to do a special issue of.
Here is the link to enjoy the entire finished project: http://efanzines.com/Argentus/Argentus-SE4.pdf
The idea of recreating a 1941 fanzine without the new authors/artists knowing it, was risky at best, and more likely brilliant in it's idea! You can see the new AND the original fanzine on the link.
Well now that it has been published and the big secret revealed I can post the pics I worked on! Above is the sphinx I made based on books acquired from the very small Egytology section of the library. But until after I had to ask a few vaguely answered questions of Mr. Silver. I didn't know which type of sphinx Steven wanted - should they be Egyptian or Grecko-Roman? What should the woman be doing? Should it be drawn or painted and scanned or .......? "Egyptian" and the rest was up to me!
My husband is what I consider the "real" sci-fy nerd. Or at least I did until this project. I have always enjoyed WATCHING "sci-fy" movies and shows. I love Star Trek still and the new Syfy channel hit shows like Lost Girl. But I didn't THINK I read sci-fi and have never read any of what I would consider Sci-fi classics or cannons. But I LOVE fantasy and thanks to Steampunk reaching a fever-pitch, I realize, only now, that I DO HAVE a Sci-fi affinity (addiction/obsession)!
As steampunk music, art, literature, and of course, steampunk fashion are finding a common ground to congeal on, I have found a home. Something I have been searching for, wishing for, or trying to fit into for a long time now. (Before I forget, speaking of steampunk music, like Abney Park, Steam Powered Giraffe, The Dresden Dolls & so many other talented bands, I have started "collecting" on a Steampunk playlist you can enjoy under mavendumordant on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA964B9A70714EF09&feature=mh_lolz!)
So, if it was up to me -- what other direction could I go -- STEAMPUNK! And is just that I did! I came at this Egyptian sphinx from classic stand point, created one and then flipped it to be a twin. Then I had to start thinking about my lady. I was thinking steampunk - then the various parts of a nearly century-long span of Queen Victoria's reign. That made me think first of pith helmeted British explorers, but it just wasn't right enough. Then I started thinking about the sphinxes as lions and how they looked like they were in a tamed or trained pose. So of course a circus trainer came to mind.
As steampunk music, art, literature, and of course, steampunk fashion are finding a common ground to congeal on, I have found a home. Something I have been searching for, wishing for, or trying to fit into for a long time now. (Before I forget, speaking of steampunk music, like Abney Park, Steam Powered Giraffe, The Dresden Dolls & so many other talented bands, I have started "collecting" on a Steampunk playlist you can enjoy under mavendumordant on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA964B9A70714EF09&feature=mh_lolz!)
So, if it was up to me -- what other direction could I go -- STEAMPUNK! And is just that I did! I came at this Egyptian sphinx from classic stand point, created one and then flipped it to be a twin. Then I had to start thinking about my lady. I was thinking steampunk - then the various parts of a nearly century-long span of Queen Victoria's reign. That made me think first of pith helmeted British explorers, but it just wasn't right enough. Then I started thinking about the sphinxes as lions and how they looked like they were in a tamed or trained pose. So of course a circus trainer came to mind.
But not ANY circus tamer - a STEAMPUNK CIRCUS lion tamer! In looking at tons of circus costume pics as well as historic circus pics, I started doodling. Now, my steampunk sphinx was going to have to be over the top, bustled, but edgy. She's of course need a show-worthy jacket, and the requisite pair of steampunk goggles and top hat. But rest, well, the rest I decided HAD to be PUNK! Imagine that! The other half of the otherwise Victorian-inspired STEAM! As with most authors and artists, I am inspired by real life. At the time I was drawing her, I was bored enough to have on My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding - or something like that - and was mesmerized by the Romanian gal's HUGE eyes! They were beautiful, but were nearly too big to fit on her head. I just had to use them - esp. when she had her make up done and they outlined them like a circus act! My lady had to have tall leather spats over her Victorian boots, with stocking that are slightly run - sphinx have claws you know. She has the nice leather knife, bullet, and futuristic gauges/weapons that do anything you can imagine. She is also tattooed and jewelry-ed up. |
The pyramids and sand were no-brainers and I thought I had to leave room for the title stuff -- I didn't know the title was going over the whole thing. Then I started playing around with placement, sizes, colors, etc... and came up with some very fun ideas. I knew Steven needed it to be in black and white, but I thought if I could give him a few solids to chose from they might make interesting gray tones. I'll put my favorite results on here as soon as I figure out a way to convert them from word documents so they can be loaded.