The Child and the Spectator

Kumiko's picture


And as the writer picked up the pen,
She made a single stroke.
With each swift swipe of her hand,
The image was born,
But then she realized,
She should have used words.


I cannot draw worth a shit. I am more of a writer but even my writing is pathetic most of the time. Regardless, there have been probably hundreds of concepts and ideas I have had pop into my head since Cypher's creation inspired for a wide variety of music. Though due to my clearly lacking skill of drawing, they will never happen.

However, after Cypher and Quill's roleplay, I could not resist doing a quick picture. I made it small enough to be a signature because then I could get away with lack of details. (Cue a smile and thumbs up.)

I pretty much hate the way everything about Cypher came out. I have no sense of anatomy and spent the pass two days researching "how to draw" tutorials. The image above is like the sixth or seventh attempt before I just accepted that it was never going to be satisfying. I really hate how is legs look, the face, neck, body... Yeah, pretty much everything. Though I'm surprised by the vest. I was expecting to do worse on it but I dislike the appearance of the white shirt he's suppose to be wearing under it; I didn't even bother to attempt drawing the chain for his pocket watch either. (I can't draw clothing if my life depended on it.) I also could not even come close to capturing the cynical expression he seems to always have. Oh well, at least his fedora looks alright...

As for Quill, I'm happy with her. That is more or less the style I wanted - something simple yet defines the character. I just wish I could draw the effect of her tail wagging. I just think that would make it a bit more adorable. (And to think, Cypher was suppose to be a hated character.)

Anyway, while I was working on this all afternoon, Cypher was out and about hidin' and spyin'. I didn't take any pictures but here's a brief rundown of the stuff that happened. Maybe you were there. Maybe he was watching you and you didn't even know it!

- Saw triples in the golden pelt dancing
- Spotted one of the giant condors at the Playground
- Watched Big Bunny walk on water
- Saw Quad running around a bit
- Saw either Fangorn or Sorog or someone who looked like him near Big Bunny
- Pretty much spied on anyone who went near the pond in his frog disguise
- Met another bird who he mistaken for an aswang and freaked out...
- ... Then got turned into a bunny
- Observed two stags fighting
- Possibly traumatized two fawns when they found him hiding in a tree


I'm sure he saw quite a few people, but I cannot recall names. If you post a picture of yourself if you were on today, I can tell you if Cypher caught sight of you or not.
Flyleaf's picture

I relly find your drawing

I relly find your drawing very beautiful !!
I was one of the golden pelt dancers ! This was so much fun !
At one time we were even 5 Lol !!
Avatar @ Sluggs Siggy @ Amazegenalo
Bouncing Fly by Mary13
Shiori's picture

Aww don't get yourself down

Aww don't get yourself down luv! You certainly sound like you're on the right track to getting better! Most of my improvement had been thanks to drawing books and online tutorials and tracing and just...repetitiveness. You shouldn't give up! Even I have felt that way though...having an image of what you want in your head and not being able to translate it on paper as an image? Frustrating as hell >:c I'm sure we all have ha. I think this cute little image came out really well ^^ I like the poem too! Not sure if it's yours but it's amusing :3

I wish I could draw for you...I wont lie, Cypher has inspired me to want to get his look down in an image as well XD Everything I attempt lately is crap though..WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS? HALP ME >8C
Kumiko's picture

Oh god where to begin... I

Oh god where to begin... I guess I'll try to decide them the best I can and post a link to the songs I heard that inspired that image. If you need detailed information on how his outfit looks like, I can pull up the links I posted in his biography. (Though after writing my thoughts about the picture, I realized that his pocket watch is always in his right pocket. So it wouldn't even be on this side of him.)

Kick Back - Tantric

This song has inspired two images. One deer and one human. I think you prefer drawing deer so it's just a front image of him standing on his hind legs, with his front legs somewhat kicking in the air. I guess in a somewhat "half jump/about to leap" pose. His head is turned a bit as he overlooks his shoulder with a smirk similar to this with dark brown (almost black) hair upon his head, bang hanging just above his forehead from beneath his fedora with short hair like this. (I don't think the deer version of him will have mutton chops or not.)

(For those interested in a human version, it's just the upper part of him with his vest off, shirt partly untucked and top two buttons unbottoned and his tie dangling from around his neck. He's then wiping off some blood from a busted lip because God only knows what caused him to get hit in the face this time.)

Shadows of the Damned theme - Akira Yamaoka

I really like this song and I think it really fits him. (RANDOM FACT OF THE DAY: I normally imaging him and Quill doing a duet.) Now for this, it's just a detailed portrait of him from about shoulder up. I always pick a huge emphasis on his smirk with a sense of imprisoned longing and desire deep within his eyes. He's suppose to be a troubled individual who's only known a pretty f*cked up life but somewhere deep within him is a bit of humanity that's being tortured by whatever else occupies his mind.

(Another human one - It's just him from about knee up in a half sprint with his arms stretched downward with his revolver in his hands. Probably going after werewolves or something.)
ocean's picture

FFFF. This is adorable and so

FFFF. This is adorable and so unexpected! ;;
I like the details on Cypher, especially the hat and vest. His eye too!
As for Quill, I just want to squeeze her. ;~; She's so freaking adorable. I especially like her face & markings. Also, you got her color exactly right. o3o
Shiori's picture

Hmmmmmm -twirls mustache- I

Hmmmmmm -twirls mustache- I can visualize this...I think XD Eeeekhe'ssocool. Wish I could figure out a way to interact with him ._. Anyways, as SOON as my drawing powers come back I definitely want to take a stab at one of these...maybe one of the human ones too. I need to practice those.. Oh hey, I think you've answered this for me before but just to be sure, do your deer have deer faces or human ones? Or hybrid?
Kumiko's picture

Ocean: Thanks and yes, Quill

Ocean: Thanks and yes, Quill came out really cute. I think I put too much of a belly on her though... As for the color, I used your reference in her bio because I wanted to make sure I used the right shade of red.

Shi: You trying to figure out how to interact with him is like me trying to figure out how to freaking play him. He was suppose to be a simple character. The type of character who just kinda roams around and makes sarcastic observations while just being an enemy to everyone, but then he met Quill and it through everything into a whirlpool of confusion. He's suppose to be a jackass and is kind of a jackass but yet has some heart hidden somewhere in him as he longs for companionship... Yet doesn't long for companionship... He's still has some viciously evil traits in him and is still mentally insane, yet he has some sense to him. He is suppose to be this mysterious character with a threatening aurora around him yet still have it be possible to sense some normality. Almost like the real him is trapped. He circles and watches groups but avoids confrontation but then when deer do approach him, he has no idea what the hell to do.

Like with the fawns earlier, they creeped up on him in the tree. He freaked. They freaked. Everyone ran an opposite direction.

It's amusing but it has become complexed yet in a way I don't mind. I'm having a lot of fun writing his archives though the whole point behind those writings is to somewhat help me define his character. I can visually see his progression from being a guy with a messed up life to his current state as he develops over time.

As for the deer question, it kinda depends on the character. Kumiko I see as having a humanoid face beneath her mask. Paavo has always been a real deer. As for Cypher... I'm not really sure. I think he'd look better with a real deer face but I don't know if his expression can be captured properly with one. And that expression makes up who he is.
ocean's picture

Pff. It's perfect. <3 She

Pff. It's perfect. <3 She isn't entirely skinny, haha! I put it on her bio. Thank you again!
Kumiko's picture

Dawww thanks!

Dawww thanks!
Shiori's picture

LATE REPLY IS LATE! Lol! Yeah

LATE REPLY IS LATE!
Lol! Yeah I kind of got the feeling you were getting a bit lost :3 Hey don't sweat it I think it happens to the best of us - especially for the 'rough around the edges' types. We always intend for them to be big grumps and then some sweet thang comes along...ooooh yeah ;D Hehe. But the forest does kind of approach your typical villain types a bit differently that way, too. Personally, while I understand he was meant to be a standoffish type, you do seem to be developing him...more than you first anticipated? So maybe graduating him to being a bit more social isn't necessarily a bad thing? I get that it's probably happening a lot sooner than you would have liked but...I don't see that it is too contradictory to his nature. He's being exposed to a lot of new things here...for a character with his background TEF could seem like a dream world – easy to forget yourself in.

I KNOW! CYPHER AND DARCY, GROUP THERAPY NOW -snicker- Crazies, unite!

I always prefer drawing human faces...for the obvious reasons XD But whichever you like! Do you have any face claims for these guys or basic descriptions maybe?
Kumiko's picture

Shi: Tis a shame that

Shi: Tis a shame that Cypher's sweet thing doesn't swing his direction. So it's probably good that he's pretty oblivious to normal emotions. Haha but yeah, the more and more I've been writing his character, the more and more he's been changing. Roleplaying with ocean has really helped out actually because it's allowed me to somewhat set a boundary in his mind. He sees everything in TEF completely differently than everyone else. To him, magic can easily exist but there's some reason why it's there. He cannot accept the claim of "this is just how it is" which is helping to alienate him in a way that I think is going to work for his personality.

And if you want to do a human face, that's fine. I never really tried thinking about it on his deer body, but I don't have any picture references either. Basically he has kind of a long, narrow face with a pointed chin. His nose is fairly long and narrow too with round, distrusting eyes.