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artmunki β khepri
Published: 2008-08-15 21:13:17 +0000 UTC; Views: 12638; Favourites: 174; Downloads: 431
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I've been reading a bit of China MiΓ©ville again, which has kinda inspired me to do some sketching again. Which is great, cuz I've been really neglecting my drawing lately.Anyway, this is an attempt to figure out what the Khepri race look like. I haven't read PSS in ages tho, so I'm kinda missing the best detail notes, but this is fairly close to how I *think* I picture them. I think.
It's the drawing itself I'm interested in here - the colours were just quickly slapped together in photoshop to make it look pretty, so don't gripe about the category, okthx!
[EDIT] - fixed coupla wee bits I missed before, and uploaded a slightly bigger version.
[EDIT (again)] - made some slight changes, and uploaded a full-resolution for making prints. We'll see if it's big enough.
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Comments: 66
I dunno - all they do is mindlessly eat and fuck, without the basic intellect to worry about anything, ever. Not the most engaging life, but they're probably pretty content, if bugs can be called content. I reckon the females have it much worse - they know about whatever the hell happened in The Ravening, they've gotta deal with living in shitty ghettos almost everywhere they've settled, and every now and then they have to just sit and take it while huge bugs rut with their headscarabs. The males have it easy!Β ;D
Hope you enjoy the book. I haven't read it in a while, but it's been one of my absolute favourites since I first picked it up.
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Long book and I am at chapter 5.Β Its intriguing. 8>
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This is great work and such an awesome book! I think you've done the Khepri justice!
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I've seen this one around then net. Love it. Thanks for making it.
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You have? How intriguing. ^_^
Glad you like! ;D
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This is like in the wiki, I though it was an alian at first
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Perfect.
I'm feeling what Isaac was feeling
Disgust for the head, then lust for the hot bod...
Such conflict.
I can't really figure out how the Khepri could biologically come to be, seriously.
Some giant insects cross-bred with humans? Is that even possible????
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Have you read The Scar yet? I figure when the Ghosthead broke the world it screwed with Bas-Lag's biology - the normal rules just don't apply. And don't worry if you haven't read it yet - that wasn't actually a spoiler at all. ^_^
And thanks for the comment man!
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Lol anytime.
Nah not yet. Not even halfway through Perdido Street Station yet but it's interesting so far. Has elements of magical realism which I really like. 
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PSS is the best introduction to Bas-Lag anyway, so you're off to a good start. I think The Scar is probably my favourite tho - just so much wonderful creativity in his writing.
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OK lol I'll definitely read it then.
My god so much holiday reading to do.
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Ah well, at least it'll keep ya busy! ^_^
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Wonderful. I always loved Khepri, that weirdo with a whole insect for a head. Nice take on that concept!
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Aye, they're a pretty cool race, but then I love most of the stuff he comes up with. Still not totally sure of this depiction of them myself, so I may have another try someday. Glad you like, tho!
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Very nice! I always imagined something similar to this, but with rounder and compound eyes. This is a gorgeous drawing, though.
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Thankyou! And yeah, there are a few things I would change myself if I was to do this again ... maybe someday I will!
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Oh, and thanks for the +fav & watch too, btw! ^_^
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Well, I'll have to see if I can dig out the original file, but that might actually be possible if you're really interested.
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A Lustre Photo at least 11x14 is good.
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I haven't forgotten about you! I'm having trouble setting the print up, but if I have to I'll maybe make some more adjustments on the pic and upload a new version, and set up the print at that point. If so, I'll let you know. One way or another tho, I'll try to get something sorted out for you.
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this is wonderful. you've done justice, almost perfectly, to the mental image I have of this race. Will now devour the rest of you gallery at once.
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I did get one wee bit wrong, but it's always really gratifying when another fan likes my xenians designs. thanks for that man, and for the +fav and devwatch too!
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i am reading PSS at the moment, this is a cool realisation of what Lins race could look.brilliant job.
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Thanks man! And enjoy the rest of the book too - it's a ride! ;D
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Absolutely great! Nice to find somebody else doing Bas-Lag work! Not enough online at all...
Take care mate.
L.
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Aye, it kinda surprises me there isn't more - I can't help but start scribbling every time I dive back into the world! Thanks again, sir.
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Not exactly how I had imagined the Khepri (I've imagined the headbug as more of a scarab-like beetle), but this is a great depiction nonetheless. Awesome work.
Currently re-reading Perdido Street Station, and been thinking of doing something inspired by it (probably a cityscape, showing Perdido Street Station and the Ribs). Mieville is a great author, can't wait for his next project (hoping for more of New Crobuzon).
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Yeah, I did try making the headscarab more scarab-like, but I decided I saw the xenians as being more distinctly unique races, rather than taking the descritions completely literally. When I tried the more-scarab-like head it looked too much like a girl's head had just been replaced by a beetle, so I tried to make it look more like her actual head, too. I'm still not completely happy with the design anyway (I got the neck wrong, for one), so I'll be re-doing the khepri at some point, and there's every likelyhood that I'll revise the head design when I do that.
Anyway, many thanks for the comments and +fav. It's incredibly gratifying when another fan lets me know they like my xenians. And I don't blame you for wanting to do some Bas-Lag artwork - every time I read any of those books I just can't help myself but draw xenians! And it seems he is actually sorta doing some work on something else Bas-Lag related - there's a pen & paper RPG in development based on his books (called Tales of New Crobuzon), and he seems to be quite involved in the process. I'd much rather have another book, but I don;t think I'll be able to resist the game when it comes out (even though I gave up roleplaying years ago).
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Well, it's a damn nice job no matter. The mental images we all get from a novel will always differ, I guess, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. 
I find that the most powerful books almost always makes me want to draw. And Mieville always has that effect on me. I think it's even stronger now, on reading Perdido Street Station for the second (but far from the last) time. I have a very strong image in my mind, of New Crobuzon, with a view over the rooftops towards Perdido Street Station, a view that would include the Glasshouse and the Ribs. I'm just unsure of whether I can manage to bring that image from my mind to my screen. I am gonna try.
Exciting to hear about an RPG. Like you, I gave them up years ago, but one set in Bas-Lag might get me to reconsider.
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Good luck on the cityscape - it sounds like a grand plan! I'm not so good at backgrounds myself, but I have a few half-formed sketches of New Crobuzon and Armada sitting around - one of these days I may actually do something with them!
^_^
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Well, there's a difference between grand plans, and actually having the talent to carry them out. I am gonna give it a try, though.
Looking forward to more Mieville fan art from you.
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Hehe - ain't that the truth! If plans were all it took, I'd have a book-full of all the xenians by now!
^_^
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That's a pretty good rendition and fits with the image I had in my head. Except I think he said she has a human neck, so maybe they should blend into skin a little higher. +Fave
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Yeah, you're absolutely correct. I hadn't read PSS in ages when I drew this, and when I read it again later I found out I'd messed up.
I *will* get around to redrawing it again someday ... along with the cactacae, the hotchi, the weavers, the handlingers, the scabmettlers, the wyrmen, the inchmen, the anopheli ... and all the rest of the xenians (yes, I've definitely missed a few). And that's me not even started on constructs, remade, golems .... MiΓ©ville just gives me so much I want to draw!
Many thanks for the +favs! ^_^
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I totally agree, all the characters are so wonderfully described. I'm only just reading it for the first time and I'm only a quarter of the way through. There have been a lot of scenes I've really wanted to paint. It's difficult remembering all the details as descriptions are scattered about amongst the chapters.
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First time? OOh! Just wait til you see what's in the Griss Twist dump. And wait til you find out what Yagharek did!
You're right again tho - he really does scatter the xenian descriptions all the way through the book. I literally had to read through all 3 Bas-Lag books, making notes as I went ... and then I lost the notes. Ah well, guess I'll just have to do it again!
^_^
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Yeah I really want to know what Yagharek did, I'm only on chapter 9!
I should have been taking notes, but I'll save that for the next time I go through it. Wouldn't it be nice if authors should be obligated to put descriptions of the characters in the back of every book
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Well, apparently there's currently a pen & paper RPG in the works called Tales of New Crobuzon, which should have plenty of images & descriptions for the major xenians. And yes, MiΓ©ville is involved, so it could actualy be interesting.
And as for Yag ... oh, just you wait! ;D
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That would be awesome and extremely helpful. I've never actually played a paper RPG before but I might try one for MiΓ©ville..
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I nkinda gave up on RPGs a few years back, but I suspect I'll probably at least pick this one up. Might even submit some art to the developers, if I get the time to sketch up the rest of teh xenians. Or, y'know, at least the main ones.
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Dude! I did not see that coming. Yags crime that is... what an ending!
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Haha! That was pretty much exactly my reaction too! I remember the first time I sat at a PC after reading it, the first thing I did was email my mate who'd recommended the book. It manages to retrospectively completely change what you think of the character - great ending.
If you get round to reading the other 2 Bas-Lag books, pay close attention during ... ummm ... I *think* it's Iron Council. There's a bit where you're told a certain piece of in-world history (that's the only clue I'm giving), and if you think about it, you realise it's Yag they're talking about. I haven't actually mentioned this to anyone else, and it is a very sneakily vague reference, but I'm almost certain it's him. Let me know if you spot it!
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I am getting Iron Council next, I was totally sucked into that book. It's crazy. Totally through me for a loop. I really wanna know what happens to everyone. He completely surprised me with Lin too. After I was done with it I was just... woh. Everything changed in an hour of reading. Even poor Lemuel who I'd gotten oddly attached to.
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Okay, I should maybe warn you first that the Bas-Lag books are only a series in as much as they share a world-setting, and that most of the main characters are from New Crobuzon. There's a gap of maybe a year or 2 (I think) between Perdido and the start of The Scar, and a much bigger gap from that to Iron Council, and the characters aren't continued from one to the next. I was a little disappointed at first when I read them, but it really didn't bother me for long.
Oh, and I said to my mate about the Yag thing, and he totally agrees that the bit I mentioned was about Yag. It was even the same clue that made us both sure, so you'll probably spot it too.
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