#asamani

Asamani got Mer-made for MerMay

How he’d look as a matsyaati (mini-merperson in his story) with his scales based on his feathers

Asamani’s usual look so you get the fucking joke

Process on my Patreon

Pay me to make you cute shit

Ended the stream early due to sudden low energy + wrist acting up so here have some attempts at Asamani visual development I did last night.

Here’s a first look at the Maharaja (proper name...someday), the main antagonist of the story. If you’ve read my plot ramblings you know he’s not the nicest guy and a constant thorn in Asamani’s side (just as much as Asamani tries to be to him as well and for good reason).

One of the things meant to set the Asamani story apart is the visuals, which would have the Humans mainly in silhouette/lacking details as well as mainly prismatic/roy g biv colors rather than natural skin/hair/etc colors. The only things that would appear as they should would be things Asamani finds important  (his home, his community) or dangerous/hates (human hands, teeth).

((yes i realize that means technically the humans all over should just be colored/drawn regularly SHUT IT STOP RUINING THIS FOR ME))

Design notes: I want to say that the original idea for the Maharaja was to create a foil to Asamani’s own design (squares vs sharp edges/triangles, super curly hair vs wavy, pronounced bottom lip vs pronounced top lip) but this was honestly mainly a case of “What do I not draw a lot? I know! Curly hair, cheek bones, and lips!”

Yeah I know I'm late and there's no physical contact WHATEVER MAN THAT'S THE JOKE

Asamani hates all Humans, especially those in the palace, but if he had to rank Rashmi, he'd say she's near the bottom of the list, making her the 2nd Least Hated Human In The Palace.

Vishal, naturally, is The Most Hated Human on the list, right at #1.

Whenever the hell I start drawing this story out properly, I think I have to find or make a 3D model of her sitar because I didn't realize how many strings and knobs and how awkwardly shaped the base of a sitar is.

yeah yeah a few days late again WHATEVER IT’S DONE

HAPPY BELATED HUG A TINY DAY

If Vishal is the most hated person on Asamani’s list, Darshana is close behind

Since she’s the palace bird/animal handler/witch/doctor, she has a slightly over-enthusiastic interest in Asamani and the potential ingredient a Garujaati (bird people) feather could provide

Besides being handsy, Asamani doesn’t like the fact that Darshana just isn’t afraid even slightly in getting clawed or bit to shit by him (Vishal is a Weenie Hut Jr in that regard) because she’s “used to worse”

IT’S STILL THE 21ST WHERE I AM THIS COUNTS

Yeah, ok, no physical contact with this year’s Hug A Giant Day pic BUT Asamani is still on my mind and this is as close as he gets.

Yay Karishma gets an official color scheme! Now to decide on textures/patterns (along with everyone else’s, really)

this is it this is their relationship ala that scott pilgrim quote/meme

ignore the anachronistic microphone

hey bridget remember when asamani was meant to be your angst story and while shit still gets sad you keep putting in gags and jokes anyway? 

pepperidge farm remembers

(god i need to do more research and make better outfits/find textures for vishal and rashmi’s clothes)

Abanusi, Asamani’s mate!

She was a Traveler, having left her flock as soon as she was able. Almost instantly caught Asamani’s eye the moment she arrived and did his best to flirt with her as often as he could. Made his intentions official during one of the courting festivals by making loop-de-loops and giving her marigold petals as seen here (which I should redraw someday)

Tall, strong, and one of the few dark-winged birds in the West Asaman Forest flock. Stands out among them but was surprised she had caught anyone’s eye (let alone Asamani’s). Is one of the flock’s builders and is always learning new ways to make things as well as helping others construct new nests or rebuild old ones. Has a few extra cloth scraps to use as hair bands, her favorite one is the bright blue one Asamani gave her.

Her wings are based on an Indian Jungle Crow, known for their dark feathers giving off a purple sheen. So because I am le crap at subtlety, I ended up just giving her dark purple feathers. Yeah.

OC-tober Day 28: Garujaati, the bird people!

First and foremost: garujaati are completely made up and are not in anyway a part of Indian fairytales/stories/etc. I just wanted an excuse to have a story featuring tiny animal people and also attempt a portmanteau that makes sense.

Garu (for Garuda, the bird mount of Vishnu) and jaati (Hindi for caste or race of people) = garujaati

It’s a theme going on with the next 2 mini animal people coming up (who are also technically made up).

THAT SAID they could just as easily be described or categorized as Yaksha (nature spirits) so garujaati could be, like, the name they gave themselves as a species. Whatever.

Garujaati believe themselves to be created from fallen feathers of Garuda himself. Another theme the next 2 races have in common. Their wings can be any kind of bird, from songbirds to waterfowl to raptors and the like, but they will always be of a small size and not relative to the bird they might take after. No  2 inch hummingbird garujaati against a 3 foot tall lammergeier garujaati, etc. When it comes to eggs/babies, it can go one of three ways: the kid will have one of their parents’ wings, a mix of both wings, or neither of their wings entirely. It’s why Asamani came out with blue wings when his moms have red and white wings.

(why yes it DID always piss me off when animal babies in animation came out as mini copies of their parents instead of mutts like they should be THANKS FOR NOTICING)

Of course there are human/bird people in Indian tales/myths that will be referenced, such as the byangoma and the gandharva. Asamani gets mistaken for both during his unfortunate time at the human palace. He gets confused and almost offended whenever someone asks that question around/to him.

Yesterday’s pictograph: In Love/Married

Can you guess today’s?