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solipherus — Azuri cast poolside

Published: 2007-07-11 21:38:39 +0000 UTC; Views: 15740; Favourites: 278; Downloads: 229
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Description It's about time I did a full color illustration of the entire Sea Princess Azuri cast!

This started as just this little thing for myself 'cause I've always wanted to put a bunch of them in a pool for no reason. X3 Then I showed my editor randomly and he thought it would look great on the back cover. So I colored that sucker up and turned it in and boy I tell you, it was haaaaaaard trying to figure out all their colors!

Thalo especially was difficult, I musta changed his color scheme fifty bajillion times, with a hundred slight variants on each one. But this one came out on top as my favorite, this sort of blueish-purpley indigo blue... It looks blue to me, I know some people define that as purple. XD And since his name is Thalo (I pronounce it "Thay-low") which is derived from phthalo (yes I spelled it right) which is short for phthalocyanine which is a blue and sometimes green pigment.... I think it suits him.

It was interesting 'cause I'd always meant for Orcan skin to be dark, you know black and white like a real killer whale, but with the way I drew their faces that just would NOT have worked in print. I had to compromise and tone average Orcan skin at 30% gray, which made them look plenty dark on a black and white page yet light enough so you could still see their facial expressions. But then an interesting thing came up...

When I tried to give them outfits that had different colors, anything in a mid-range tone just blended right into their skin. And if I gave their outfits dark tones then suddenly they were wearing things that were blacker than black.... wait what? XD So I guess it's probably better that now they're more colorful and lighter than pure black. Now they have a small range of blues and purples and grays so they still look like one race (except Azuri of course, the Pale Princess. I gotta color her pale dad sometime....)

Scample.... Okay I know I colored her as blue and yellow somewhere in my gallery. I think the pink suits her, I'd always kind of thought of her as pink until Matt one day said that's the color of COOKED shrimp, ack! XD But even so... I still think the pink still suits her best. Her tail which you can't really see is a dark brass/bronze like on her chestplate there.

Wow these are long comments.


Oh, and as for the logo... Ha, I was just playing around with it, they made the logo in-house so I don't have a digital copy of it to slap on there. That's not what it'll look like on the books!

They're putting the cover together this week. I can't wait to see it when it's done!
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Comments: 73

Doodlebotbop [2007-07-12 02:57:28 +0000 UTC]

Yay! Seeing their colors is fun!

... can the Prince even breath in the air?

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SylentNyte In reply to ??? [2007-07-12 02:24:14 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
Girl when will you stop amazing me? The designs and the colors are amazing.

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PrincessPowerful In reply to ??? [2007-07-12 02:04:20 +0000 UTC]

I love Sea Princess Azuri! I haven't read it yet but I want to soooo badly!

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angelfish1021 [2007-07-12 01:57:44 +0000 UTC]

This is super fun!

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crazynina [2007-07-12 01:28:25 +0000 UTC]

That's awesome. I kinda wondered what their color schemes were. Your right on how pink suits Scample.

heheh Whale Tan

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Beertree [2007-07-12 00:50:08 +0000 UTC]

So shiny, pretty colorful. I can hardly wait for Azuri 2 to hit the stands.

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Kodachiku [2007-07-12 00:29:58 +0000 UTC]

I love this! I really really like your designs and your characters, and I'm very excited about the next book!

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Acaciathorn [2007-07-12 00:13:57 +0000 UTC]

Love Mica's color! Very nice!

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Neostarfire55 [2007-07-12 00:03:19 +0000 UTC]

OMG Scample. Could she BE any more cuter?

I love this. Awesome job~

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ChristianKitsune [2007-07-11 23:46:40 +0000 UTC]

D: wooooooooooooow So shiney and purty!! ^_^

I love the expressions all the characters kyaa I love thsi series! I love scample she is soo cute! :3

Ahh you work is so amazing! *droolfoamatthemouth*

was it very hard to get into Tokyopop?

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Ninja-G33k [2007-07-11 23:42:05 +0000 UTC]

:: falls off chair, pretends to die, pops up and growls at would-be looters ::

This is an *absolutely beautiful* piece, Erica! It would be great to print it up as a poster or wall scroll, 'cause I'd be among the first in line to buy one.

I'm really looking forward to the next "Azuri" volume: your Plucky Pale Princess is a truly endearing character who inhabits a truly facinating world.

Someday soon (when you have time and I have money to throw at you) I'd like for you to work your magic on the Plucky Young Heroine in the book I'm writing.

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Blush-Art [2007-07-11 23:20:02 +0000 UTC]

Aw how fun to see everyone in color! this really came out so sweet! I think the colors all work well again~ I cant wait for book 2. Your work is really the only quality "American manga" book TP is doing right now~ you have a good story and great style Keep up the good work!!

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Chael [2007-07-11 23:04:19 +0000 UTC]

I really like this one, especially the queen on the lounge-float with the Whale tan. Be sure to give Cruz some of that stuff.

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solipherus In reply to Chael [2007-07-13 21:52:41 +0000 UTC]

Heh thanks. Don't worry, there's plenty of that to go around. I guess next to be colored is a poor orca with a sunburn.... ouch

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Uftaki [2007-07-11 23:01:09 +0000 UTC]

Heh... very cute! The final colours look wonderful.

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jimsupreme [2007-07-11 22:48:28 +0000 UTC]

hope to see book 2 soon

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KoH4711 [2007-07-11 22:26:23 +0000 UTC]

This is just SUCH a great pic. Can hardly wait to see the new volume!

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vanglat [2007-07-11 22:26:17 +0000 UTC]

I love the color combos ^^ I finally get to see what colors the characters truly are! ^^
Having them at a land-pool... would they dry out before they reach the ocean again?!
I dunno ^^ I jut know I'm loving the rainbow of color that's flowing!

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solipherus In reply to vanglat [2007-07-11 22:41:33 +0000 UTC]

Lol they might, this pic makes no sense at all. x)

Thank you! I'm glad it didn't turn into a monotonous chorus of blue. @_@

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vanglat In reply to solipherus [2007-07-13 03:00:32 +0000 UTC]

It can make sense if you imagine properly: they're in an above water-clear water dome, where they've created their own sand and cement flooring, and planted a tree, so that they can relax and watch the waves like we do every once and a while ^-^

I think that if it came out as all blue-ish-ness it would be plain. the rainbow colors make it seem more fun.

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daPatches [2007-07-11 22:16:58 +0000 UTC]

VERy awesome. I can't wait to pick it up!!!

I love how to vary the body types of your characters. So many mangaka don't nowadays because it's easier or more attractive they think, but I love variation!!!!

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Joshinu-Panther In reply to ??? [2007-07-11 22:05:23 +0000 UTC]

OMG I love this! OMG I love you! OMG I think i'm going to do fan art for yeh! may I do some fan art of Sea Princess Azuri?

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