Javelins and squires.

I've been vacillating about whether to put this up. It seems a little like admitting that the previous linearts aren't getting coloured any time soon. But, if I'm not then they're not so I might as well keep going with what is getting done.

I'm hoping that I just need something inspirational to jump back on the colour-horse again. In the meantime though it's linearts.

I was really happy with javelineer pose, but the more I look at it the more limp and noodly it looks. Still, it's at least an attempt at something a bit more dynamic - I really don't want to fall into a rut with posing.

I like the heads; hair continues to be a difficulty but it went ok here. Torsos took ages to detail in a way I was happy with. The funny angle and a lack of space really limited what I could do without it looking cluttered and messy.

The legs are... bothersome. Those crotch-crescent thighs aren't working right, but I can't seem to fix it. I'm calling it done and moving on rather than obsessing though - for all the bits I don't like, overall I'm going to call the javelineers "adequate". They're characterful enough to me that I can let myself overlook the dodgy bits.

Speaking of characterful, I'm very happy with the pose of the squires. Not exactly dynamic like the javelineers, but different and with a sense of motion. Stumbling forward with someone else's weapon and armour.

I like the pose so much I wanted to give them more variation - perhaps a sheathed sword rather than a lance - but I couldn't come up with a third option and this way they're all themed and can go alongside the heralds.

It occured to me that the pose was perfect for soemthing I tried to do when I was paying more attention to the mad surgeon theme - an assistant stumbling forward with a comically large syringe in his arms. Now that I have an idea of the knid of lines that pose needs I could try and do a different version for it, but I also wonder whether I oculd get away with a novelty reskin.

I want new models in preference to reskins, but it seems like an interesting way to do "rare" characters: reskins that completely change the character of the model. It could be kind of cool, or it could be kind of lame. It would add more variety than just an on-theme reskin, and would be an easy way to get a new character without having to make a complete new model. But easy is often a trap. The big thing turning me off the idea is what if the "rare" variant appears alongside a regular? It'll probably look obvious and cheap.

In the works: masked jungle natives and small nippy dinosaurs. Will they make it past sketch? Who can tell!