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blayrd — Schemers: Set and Horus
Published: 2010-01-28 04:48:32 +0000 UTC; Views: 48657; Favourites: 1044; Downloads: 19440
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Description
On hindsight, this didn't turn out at all like I intended. Messing with colors, but I'm not sure this worked. Also used limited layers (painted over and merged down).It seems wrong to submit mythological beings into "Fanart" or "Anthro" or "Original Characters", so Other it is. What strange categorizations you have there, dA.
This's for submission to a school publication themed "Myths and Monsters". The freshman orientation for next year is Egyptian-themed, particularly the story of Isis and Osiris, so at first I was going to paint them, but decided 'twould be too repetitive. Next best pair of that train of mythology was these two - everyone draws them fighting, so here's something a little different! I found it interesting that though Set is described in places as a white-skinned redhead, he's usually portrayed as dark (probably for the connotation of evil). Here he's, er, more of a carrot-top, I s'pose.
Just good ol' Photoshop, ~13h. Progress: [link]
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Comments: 166
I love these character and this beautiful piece of art. I read stories when I was little of how Set tried to rape him and I was like
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Ikr. Ah, mythology, you crazy, crazy beast.
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The facial expressions are so epic!
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Epic suits mythological gods, I daresay! Thanks
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Really cool, even if it didn't come out the way you wanted! I like the facial expressions.
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In hindsight, I think it turned out as a pleasant surprise, which is always good! Thanks (:
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I absolutely, positively LOVEEEEEE this!!!
Horu's expression is what impressed me the most. He has the "and what do you think you're doing???" look on his face! the colours and attentiont o detail (ie Horus's face and Set's body) is wonderful! Make more egyptian paintings!!!!
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Wow, this is gorgeous. I love how you decided to keep Horus' eye whited out too
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It conveniently helps the expressionless look on the side of his face directed towards Set, too. Thanks!
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This could go in the "fantasy" catergory!...
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This is just a big goal 
Yet I have to say I'm still WTF at Set. I never imagined Set like that...but it's not that I have a way to imagine Set...in reality I could never imagine Set. It was just 'Set' for me. But Set has a face now in your drawing and I think it's pretty much fun to guess what kind of animal is
Good to see there is people outside who still enjoys these stories
Thanks for sharing!!
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Set was tricky since he's usually depicted as a black blob! So my interpretation is a bit unconventional, I admit, Horus was rather more straightforward. Was fun coming up with the designs though, hee.
Glad you find it fascinating all the same, and thanks for taking the time to leave such a detailed comment <3
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It was nothing 
No matter the unconventional Set interpretation, I think the piece really hit one point. To be honest, as I said, I hardly imagined Set for the same reason. Was some blank space in my mind and I think that I even chose to ignore the appearance since I just read some odd descriptions. Somehow, with the time it was like Set was there yet without a face for me.
I said I thought the piece deserved some more than just 'I luv it'...but that's exactly what I have to say about Horus anyway
And it was my pleasure to leave the past comment. Forgive me for this new will-like comment anyway
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I actually do that blank-space thing with a lot of non-graphical characters until I actually decide to sit down and draw 'em, they're just vague impressions. It's interesting that most people like Horus here better though I spent far less time on him!
You are more than forgiven, ahah! It's very encouraging, rather. I should get to more arts sometime, hmm.
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Hello! Your work has been featured here [link] Please, 
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I loved this piece with Horus and Set so much that I used it for my Intercultural Communications presentation on Egyptology today. And I thoroughly enjoy the rivaling glances. Horus is all "You better not try to rape me again." and Set is all "The thought never even crossed my mind. 
Seriously, ever read the story between these two, it's really very strange. The ancient Egyptians must have had a dormant sense of humor.
One thing I'd like to mention though, it was Horus's LEFT eye that got gouged out by Set, not his right. 
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Glad it was useful for your presentation! Heh, yes, this was drawn fully aware of the crazy backstory, actually 'tis the scene before they "make holiday", Horus is already plotting, durrhurr.
Though you have got me there--actually, I think I flipped the drawing and forgot that the eyes wouldn't make sense. Whoops. Good catch 8D
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I really love the way you have portrayed these two. I was searching through DA for Horus pictures and this one definitely stands out. Love the style and how you've drawn Horus's eyes as well. Very comendable!
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Thanks a lot, really appreciate that--glad y'like! :]
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I AM SO OBSESSED WITH THIS SHIP YOU HAVE NO IDEA.
Man, this is making me nerd out so much >_< I love what you did with set's whole face, it's a really good interpretation of set's iconographic depictions. People on DA generally just make him look like a rat thing. (And yeah, Set's basically Irish. Or that's my theory, anyway.)
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n-no I had no idea, thanks for giving me a hint of one though ;D
'twas drawn for people like you! I'm really glad you like Set's face design, that was my favorite part of working on it too, though most commenters seem to favor Horus, heh. Mm, Irish-Egyptians.
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It's cannon, actually. Set sleeps with Horus to try to prove his dominance over him (and thus his right to rule egypt), but Horus (I am not making this up) catches the semen and throws it into the river, then masturbates into some lettuce that Set then eats, so when Set tries to prove to the rest of the gods that he is dominant, when Horus 'calls his semen' it answers from in Set. I'M NOT EVEN KIDDING. It's on wikipedia, it must be true! (It's under the heading 'Conquerer of Set.' NOT KIDDING. FACT-CHECK ME.)
The Egyptians were nuts. Their flood myth was a flood of beer.
(I know, TMI out the roof, but I love that story. Hey, you know how Set ripped out Horus's eye? Guess what Horus ripped out. Hint: Set likes lettuce because the Egyptians considered it a phallic vegetable. NOT EVEN KIDDING.)
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...of the ship I did have an idea, of your obsession with it I didn't, was what I meant!
And yes, you have pretty much hit the nail on the proverbial head for the context of this painting, heheh. Congratulations! It was actually published with a snippet of an excerpt from an original translation, which the scene was intended to portray, and occurs right before your summary there:
Then Seth told Horus: "Come, let's make holiday in my house."
Horus told him: "I'll do so, surely, I'll do so, I'll do so."
-- The Contendings of Seth and Horus
Chester Beatty papyrus I
William Kelly Simpson (ed.), The Literature of Ancient Egypt, 1972
I thought Set and Horus were pretty wack, too. I mean, transforming into hippopotami and challenging other to a duel of the breath-holding? Riiight.
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*gasp* someone whose knowledge of random-ass Egyptian mythology exceeds mine! LETS BE FRIENDS FOEVAH.
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Friends... foe? Vah? xD
Internet-trawling can turn up some fascinating things, indeed.
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I LOVE the expression on Horus's face! (His good eye, at least. 
What is Set thinking of right here?? Since they've obviously already battled...
(I put such beings in the Fantasy category, myself.)
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Heh, I leave it to the kind viewer to decide which section of the mass of mythos they'd like to attribute to this scene's inspiration!
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The correct categories would be either Religious or Fantasy. Anyhoo, this is breathtaking!
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Probably! Hm, they've modified the categories a bit since this piece, I think. It did seem a bit cheapening to put mythology under fantasy, but I guess that's now it goes, eh?
Thanks, also!
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You know, Ancient Egypt was a weird place--for instance, Set is not necessarily the bad guy, and though he is dangerous, some myths hint at Horus and him being allies of sorts.
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Yep! Mythology has all sorts of crazy variations, the poor characters have a plethora of personalities and backgrounds, ey. But it's fun to read!
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PLETHORA!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, I like that word XD
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It is a good word (and reminds me of pleiosaurs). I approve!
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That's brilliant!!!!!!!!! I love how you did this, and I love how you portrayed them completely differently than how they're usually shown. How did you color this? I noticed that Horus is missing his eye. That's perfect!!!!!
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Ey, thanks a lot! Did try to give a bit o' my own interpretation. I just used one brush--a textured round brush with opacity and flow jitter set to pen pressure, in Photoshop. Made a little palette (you can see this in the process picture) and the rest was colorpicking and painting over to blend!
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I didn't know you could do that on Photshop! Sorry, just ignore my last reply, 'cause I forgot that I already asked you how you colored it!
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Eheh no problem xD You can actually do quite a lot with Photoshop with some customization and digging into little tips and tricks!
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Alas, it is indeed rather pricey >:
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Aw. Hmm...well, maybe I could get it for my birthday.
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Nice. You know, Set is not always evil, and in some cases actualy worked with Horis, like in the joining of the northern and southern kingdoms of Egypt.
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Aye, there are so many variations and tales spun of mythological characters over the years they'd have severe cases of MPD (with added physiological transformations, half the time) were they real individuals!
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Beautiful. And a great portrayal of these mythological characters.
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