#backwater downs

Ratchet, Austin, and Reg owned and lovingly designed by the amazing @youhavehitawall !!

bonus:

2024 Art Summary! Except none of this is by month and there's 13 images. This year I tried to work on backgrounds and scenery for characters and it went pretty ok!

Most of this year focused on my original characters from Backwater Downs. I did a lot of experimentation with linework, expressions, perspective and even tried painting again! I do not have the patience for painting.

I also did my first proper comic in years (seen on the left) and had time to do some dragon practise, again for the first time in years. I also managed to squeeze one feddy fabear in there :)

Dusk Conrod gets an overhaul!

Dusk is Cass' husband, and he runs Conrod Genetics and Recalls, a small firm that focuses on detecting genetic anomalies that could cause damage. Dusk also specialises in hybridisation and is the go-to for any cars of different breeds who want to try for a production.

His paint is naturally glitz pink, the stripes and two-tone he added to break up the glam. He is calm and soothing in a professional setting, but out in the world he's every inch a footy-following, pub-attending loud and proud Aussie bogan. And I love him dearly for it.

AS YOU INSIST KRONK!

Rico and Austin are the only ones I can think of right now that have canon model counterparts. I'm a bit loosey-goosey with the fangs, because it partially goes for personality and partially is a genetic trait passed from racing machines. Basically the sportier a vehicle is, the more likely they are to have massive canines and fangs.

Ricos' canines are specifically designed to look like a vanpire's due to his dark work and unpredictable personality. Where Strip Weathers, pure racecar for several generations, shows some interesting traits in his teeth. He's starting to develop curled tusks, sharp canines, as well as massive long fangs.

Both of these guys are great because their mouth is "hidden", so their teeth quite literally reveal hidden aspects of character. Rico's cruel dismemberment of his fellow cars, and Strip's aggressive streak.

Austin isn't a racecar, but he's heavily modded himself. He's stubborn and violent at times, so he gets very large, thick canines to show this. It's not shown here, but he also has massive 'tusks' on his bumper, to further emphasise his ruthless personality. His canines would still stand out next to, say, Bob Cutlass, but both his partners are racing stock with huge fangs, so it isn't noteworthy for him.

Docs' teeth look fairly normal. His canines are sharp but not oversized. However, Doc cut his fangs in '54 to completely disown the racing industry and to distance himself from who he was as Hud. This is part of a long history of repressing his racing instinct, which Lightning helps him to recover again :)

And of course, Hud's old fangs...