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Aikurisu β Eldar Concept - I
Published: 2010-04-29 16:30:50 +0000 UTC; Views: 29250; Favourites: 345; Downloads: 576
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Description
Well, as promised, here is that other Eldar fanart I was speaking of. And when I was looking for reference to drawing this, something sad occured to me. There is no official civilian art of the Eldar, or at least none I could find anywhere on the net. Why? It's clearly stated from official sources that many of the Eldar who are warriors are also civilians, but in times of war shed their robes of peace for armours of battle, to fight for the protection of their craftworlds and way of life. So... *shrugs*Anyhoo, hope you like, and hope I managed to capture at least a seemingly rare look of the race with this.
Artwork - Β© Kristopher P. Love // Eldar - Β© Warhammer 40,000.
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Comments: 87
Eldar are VERY interesting in that there is no standard civilian. Eldar live for so long that they travel "paths" for a period of time.. or practice a certain type of life for a time based on the need that they feel calls their soul. These would be your path of the warrior, exile/outcast, seer, artisan, etc. Everyone contributes since the race as a whole is dangerously close to extinction. When one stays on a certain path for too long, they can become lost on it.
If you want a "civilian" as we know it, look up paths of grief, artisan, awakening, outcast, and service.
wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Eldarβ¦
For what you were doing, I think you hit a civilian eldar pretty well. ^^ I also appreciated that you included the use of soul stones, that they possess to protect their souls.
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Thanks!Β Can't go wrong with having a soul stone, too.Β They're fun to draw.
And I almost feel like I could draw this one again.Β While I'm fond of the design it's one of those works I'd like to revisit and amend.
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Nice! I hope you do, the Eldar never seem to get enough love. You did a fantastic job with her. :3
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ugh. the breasts are completely out of proportion to the rest of the body. eldar, bring lithe, agile creatures, should have small perky breasts.
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Too true; if you want to see what happens to an army that ignores supply issues, just look at what happened to Napoleonβs or Hitlerβs campaign into Russia. In the U.S., there is already a 1 to 7 βTooth to Tailβ ratio, and itβs becoming even more disparate as technology advances. Any setting that prominently features war and tries to take itself seriously needs to deal with attrition; something WH40K has infamously ignored. Being grim and dark comes across as βbeing emoβ if there isnβt maturity to back it up, and simply conjuring βancientβ armies into the narrative whenever convenient just doesnβt inspire respect.
I will still praise WH40K for its imagery. The realism of the setting may be a joke, but the concepts and aesthetics behind the different races are solid and compelling. You certainly seem to think so; you were inspired by the Eldar at least. 
P.S. If you want a closer look at Eldar society, there is a trilogy of books you may want to read; Path of the Warrior, Path of the Seer, and Path of the Outcast, which spends a huge chunk of time exploring and describing an Eldar Craftworld. (I was actually reminded of your art while reading it!) The disconnect between the Eldar warriors and civilians is actually a crucial plot point, and though there are a number of tense battles, they donβt clash with the narrative, or detract from the calmer sections. I was especially impressed with how well the author managed to depicted the Eldar as alien, without sacrificing their relatability.
P.P.S If you are interested with civilian life within the Imperium, the Eisenhorn series is a good look for inspiration. (I think.) Most of it is centered on ferreting out discrepancies in otherwise normal imperial society, so what is normal and abnormal are addressed in detail. (Still plenty grim, though.)
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Hard to imagine the 40k universe without it being grim. I try to ignore it, but...
I'll see if I can ever get around to reading that Path trilogy you recommended. I think I've heard of them before, but from what I read from one review the writer wasn't able to capture who the Eldar were or something like that. I may just have to find out for myself whether that's true or not.
Anyhoo, I think attrition works wonders for telling a great story. To not have it is a shame and imo some of the best shows I've seen (especially in concern to anime) is when the protagonist has to survive rather than kick ass all the time. Starship Operators is one really great show that reflects this, including other shows I've loved over the years. Almost all have that theme in common.
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You're right, we rarely see any art of Eldar civilians. Of course, this is Warhammer 40,000, so any civilian art is probably a rarity. I think more effort should be focused on the non-combatants; constant war requiers constant support, and massive armies can't function without a large civilan populations to sustain them. A factory worker may not be as glamorous as a space marine, but it would give a better insight towards exactly how the different factions tick.
The lack of civilian art is especially galling in regard to the Eldar and Tau. They have extremely vibrant cultures according to the lore, and it would be interesting to take a closer look into how they might function.
As for your art, I think it nailed the most important aspect of an Eldar portrait; they are similar to humans, but just different enough to be otherworldly. Most people treat Eldar like they're just agile humans, but one of their prominent themes is how alien they are in spite of our similarities. She's beautiful and symmetrical, but just different enough to be off-putting. It's a hard balance to strike, and you sir passed with flying colors.
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Thanks! Still, I must admit I have the urge to redraw this concept sometime. It hasn't sit right with me for ages, though looking on the bright side this means I intend to draw another civilian-esque Eldar art at least! Maybe Myar...
Anyway, I really wish there was a lot more in the way of good non-combatant design references for all the races. It's for this reason I've never really been able to get into the universe, half because I'm not really attracted to the grimdark elements of it, and half because I can't take the universe seriously with its 'constant war' vibe. Like what I've said to others, it just seems strange that we hardly ever hear about what supports the war efforts in the first place. (And even then it's spoken in such an uneducated 'just so' way that it hardly inspires any creative thinking...) Kinda like how some ignorant people think the fruit, vegetable and dairy products bought at their local grocery store magically appear there and have no idea that they come from rural communities and their good farmers that produce them with a great amount of sweat first, before sending off to feed the masses. Talk about a disturbing mental image...
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Sorry, I made a new comment instead of replying. (See above)
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Awesome design! Very nicely drawn and very elegan as befits an Eldar. However, are you sure the waist-to-breast ratio is proper? I'm not usually saying this, but her breasts seem a bit, ahem, large... ^^"
Expression, design and details are all exquisite though! Good job!
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Thanks!
lol, and this art never really did sit well with me after all the criticism I've received about her... assets. Personally, I blame this on the angle I was striving for, but anyhoo. That's life. XD
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I like this for being a rare look at the Eldar at home, so to speak - in day to day life, rather than battlegear.
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Aye, though I seriously need to draw more ideas based on it. I'll admit I'm not too fond of this concept anymore...
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I saw another 'boobs' comment below, saying that Eldar boobs are apparently bigger than this.
They're smaller, for future reference. Most Eldar are fairly petit when it comes to assets.
(I'm not trying to be weird, just trying to alert you against those people who fap over imaginary boobs.
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Well, I think all this simply comes down to an artist's personal taste. Some prefer bigger boobs, while others theirs to be petite, etc. Same goes for the people who view their artwork, really, so of course we're going to see varying examples of Eldar anatomy.
Anyhoo, I'm not exactly a fan of huge boobs on the Eldar either, but I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule that all Eldar women should have petite ones. And judging from official designs, this seems to be the case, too.
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The face looks 3d rendered. If that's not the case, then holy sh*t is that some good drawing.
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lol, when I look at this there's quite a few things I wish I did differently, but yes and no about the 3D render. Like with most of my other close up works, I use a simple 3D program to give me the basic knowledge of human anatomy at different angles and then go on from there. Whatever '3D rendering' people seem to think they see with my work is minimal at best, and I've grown wary over time that I still have people who think my work is completely rendered and just sloppily drawn over. Maybe I should address this in a journal...
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I think it's excellent. The only thing that isn't incredible is her chest, which seems oddly angled, for some reason. It might be a combination between the robe slanting like that and then the coloring, but the perspective there seems a bit off. Otherwise, it's incredible. Also, I don't care what you do to get these results, because it works.
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lol, thanks for understanding. I'm happy if others are happy.
And yes... this one's chest... ugh. I must admit I feel tempted to draw this one again. The theme for it, I mean. The Eldar need more of this kind of stuff...
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Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice chest, but the perspective is slightly off.
Yes, very nice...
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we are talking bout boobs right? cuz they are massive but not the biggest i've seen on an eldar but apart from that that is a quite accurate drawing part from the background.
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lol, thanks. And I'll be sure to not make the same mistake about drawing big boobs next time I draw an Eldar.
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well by nature Eldar have big boobs if you look at any model in 40k they have gigantic tits and it would be cool if you changed the backfround a bit not that it's bad but it looks pretty abstract
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i know its been mentioned already, but that is one overly well endowed eldar. other than that, great work
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lol, so I'm guessing the well-endowment is a distraction?
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Filthy xeno! Stop looking so dishy and well-drawn!
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Foolish human! Your arrogance should be quelled to something more useful!
Anyhoo, glad ya like ... I think?
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Useful? Whoa! That sounds a bit rude, doesn't it?
Of course I like. Emperor save me, it's gorgeous!
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... wait, you thought I was serious when I said that? XD
Still... you have to admit it'd be a good retort for an Eldar after being called 'filthy'.
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Eh? Of course not. I was leering drunkenly at the thought of being 'used' by a dishy Eldar girl.
It's actually a quote from a Blackadder episode which I've got on the brain.
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You are a man of good taste then. Blackadder is a fine series.
lol, as for being 'used' by an Eldar girl, you may need to look to the Dark variety of their kin for that.
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Er, draw a Dark Eldar, I mean.
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Tempting, but I've never really looked into their side before...
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Yeah, go on...
Think about it. Bone-pale skin, full lips twisted into a depraved smirk, black robes embroidered with bizzare and slightly suggestive symbols, night-dark hair pouring like an ebon wave, be-thorned whip dangling from one hand, piercing lavender eyes...
Hell with it. I'll be in my bunk.
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Why, thank you. Best Britcom there is, in my opinion.
And, true. Dark Eldar are yummy. And regular Eldar are prudes to rival a Victorian preacher. I guess the risk of having your souls sucked out by your genetalia if you do anything more than lie back and think of the Craftworld would tend to cut down on one's sex drive.
Planning on doing one?
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Hmm... hard to say. About Blackadder being the best Britcom out there. I'm quite fond of 'Allo 'Allo too.
Ha, I don't think all of the Eldar are such prudes... but they are most certainly reserved folk now. Main thing is that they don't treat things in excess anymore, since it was the reason for their downfall long ago.
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Never seen 'allo 'allo, but I'll be sure to take a peek.
Well, from my point of view, refraining almost religiously from any excess seems like prudery. Maybe just a difference of definition, eh?
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Possibly. I just figure they prefer to keep their needs in check.
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Itz da pointy-eared gitz! Smash 'em, boyz! WAAAAAAAGH!
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Filthy, uncivilized creatures... I weep for my blade when their blood must stain its beauty.
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Stop yakkin' an' fight, ya git!
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