While working on the Glyan over the past year, I ended up digging through a lot of my old drawings from when I was younger. For some odd reason I felt compelled to review a particular series of scribbles from when I was in 7th grade that I called Skate Wars (shown above). Yeah, the name brings to mind some dudes battling on their skateboards, or maybe even a deadly hockey story. Neither of those things factored into Skate Wars. Apparently I just liked the word "skate" and used it. No deeper meaning, I was just a nerdy little guy (and still am).Outside of the totally screwy name, Skate Wars had some fairly intense thought put into it for the product of a 7th grade mind. I was still obsessed with all the little details about each character, from height and weight to the type of rank each soldier could achieve.
Skate Wars was a futuristic Special Operations Forces Tactical Assault Team or SOFTAT (what the hell?). The designs were inspired by all the Japanese animation bootlegs that I was watching as well as my exposure to tons of Time/Life WW II books. This series of Skate Wars drawings always stuck with me, even after all these years. Being a spaz about hanging onto all my artwork since I was 6 works out pretty good for when I want to look at old junk I made. As I checked out the sketches, an interesting connection between the old me and the current me developed as I studied each paper. I felt like I was getting an assist from 7th grade me as I developed the Glyan figure.
In honor of my utterly bizarre younger mind, I thought it would be fun to dust off some of the older characters and worlds that eventually brought me to the Glyos System and draw them once again, keeping faithful to the original designs. If you think that Skate Wars is weird, wait until you see Bonker.
Posts
I'm glad the tiny hands didn't follow you into your later years. The goofy skull is my favorite bit (that and the 9'12" :)). They do add that japanese bootleg feel to it you were talking about.
ReplyDeleteKeep up these archives, man. This is awesomely good stuff.
Your Skull soldiers look like Halo Spartans...you are really ahead of the times
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see more of your ideas
The 9' 12" is maybe my favorite part! Ha! Not much has changed, I'm still a fool- only bigger!!
ReplyDeleteThese are great. Thanks for sharing them with us. Definitely would love to see more.
ReplyDeleteThese are rad! Skull Cyborg looks a little like Sarvos...
ReplyDeleteLove the stances! Reminds me on my drawings with my mind being raped from watching Winspector, having only little pics from toys in advertisement prospects - I wish istill had those!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny cuz you said you were a nerdy little guy. You must have easily been 6' in the seventh grade :)
ReplyDeleteI love the little halftrack vehicle, I'd love to see a lower torso for the Rig which was a halftrack, that would be sweeeeet.
ReplyDeleteGreat to look at these early drawings!
What gets me is the telltale signs that these were drawn by a kid: the repetition of a logo or insignia that clashes with the rest of the art style (the eyes, man!) and the random heights picked jus' 'cause they sound cool. Who wasn't guilty of this sort of thing? Still, if ever you're hurting for custom ideas with the Glyans...
ReplyDeleteSo, what's this "Bonker," then?
Awesome! Dude, we totally would've hung out together were we in the same Jr. High. :)
ReplyDeleteHe hasn't used it (comma) Yet!! Classic! And that height range of 5'11" to 9' 12" is classic and perfect! What a mind you have in there!
ReplyDeleteOh look, a Glyarmor helmet!
ReplyDelete