Random Gamers Guild: Jetch'Kekki

Finishing up some more work for Matt Hargenrader, and the Random Gamers Guild, "Dwellers in the Dark Places". This post will include a race of Bird-men, with close approximations to the Azetec/Mayan empires. 

Without further ado....the Jetch'Kekki.

Copyright 2015 Del Teigeler. Licensed to Matt Hargenrader 2015.

This first group is comprised of their elite warrior class (left), their shaman class (middle), and their low class fighter (right). I wanted to give each of them a distinct look. 

Starting with the elite warrior class I made them very bulky, heavy armor adorned their shoulders, and I armed him with both a pole-arm, and a sword. The armored upper leg protection rounded out the bulk look. 

For the shaman class I wanted him to be a presence in the drawing, but he could not be bigger than the elite fighter. I raised his arms up and had him chanting something arcane. He also has a bit of armor on his chest, though I went for a more ceremonial bone and bead type armor, akin to that of the American Indians. He also got a unique head-dress with jewels and bling.

The lower class warrior had to be smaller, and I wanted to set him apart from the other two, while keeping him in the same illustration. Turning him to the viewers right accomplished that nicely. I also spaced him just a bit from the shaman,almost as if he is shunned by the other classes. Outfitted with a stone spear gave him a very rustic look. 

I am quite proud of the feather details that came about on these critters. A bit more advanced than say the Terror Bird illustration I did for AS&SH. I can see myself improving slightly. 

Here is the next set.

Copyright 2015 Del Teigeler. Licensed to Matt Hargenrader 2015.

The final two classes are the artisan (left) and the Cult of the Feathered Snake Monk class (right).

There are many artisans within the tribes of the Jetch'Kekki however, I chose to illustrate the artist....hmmm, wonder why. The unique thing about the Artisans is that they are all female. Now the challenge here was to make a terrifying bird person look like a female. 

I accomplished this by giving her a more laid back expression of body. and her head was smallish, with curved features including long eye lashes, cheek bones, bigger, bolder eyes and a slightly smiling face. The look was completed by placing a jeweled tiara on her brow and distinctly placing the feathers around her head in more of a flowing hair-like fashion. I also added decoration to her dress at the shoulders and hem, as well as giving her arm feathers a bit more flair. 

No artist is complete without a paintbrush and pallet so those got thrown on as well. Overall quite pleased with her. 

For the Monk, I needed to have a foreboding, powerful feel, sort of that cross between Yoda and the Emperor from Star Wars. I put him in a beak down position with him looking directly at the viewer, put a ruffled brow over his eyes, holding the hood back, and had him grasping an ornate snake feather god cane. The robes I filled out with priestly like vestments and the snake feather god token feathers upon his shoulders. 

I finished both pieces off with a motif featuring bird like masks in a rectangle stone work carving. 

I am quite pleased with both illustrations, hope you are too. 

Thanks for looking, comments always welcome.