Sketch dump Sunday.

A few weeks ago I was invited aboard the good ship "Moon Crisis" To participate in an upcoming Sailor Moon gallery show.
Excited? Ya darn tootin!

The very first thing I thought I wanted to do was something with all of Usagi's (that's right I'm using the original Japanese name. No-weeaboo bro! I called it.) Transformation brooches. Something that would use the brooches as a border frame.  I knew she had a few, but no clue what was hers vs. her daughters. Nore exactly how many.
After all, I only made it through two seasons and was left so far behind I gave up on trying to catch re-runs. Fast forward to the early-2000's. Sailor moon pops up on Netflix. Did I catch up then?...No.
Quick to "SAILOR MOON WIKI"
...
What the hellaciuosly convoluted story line saga?! Seriously, trying to read up on SM is like reading a modern day Greek or Roman (take your pic) mythology. Mysterious happenings and objects have the same amount of reasoning explaining them. Vaguely little to none. Things just happen and you're enjoying it.
Anyone want to lend me their entire collected box set? I could go for a series gorge.
Not only are there several dozen brooches but all manner of things that steadily get upgrades into new things that make new transformations.

It took three nights. Three brain-throbbing nights to get all this algebra-esque mess straight.
Here's the first rough idea. Some flap jacking was done between the one on the left and the one on the right. Again the one on the right would have been set in the same ribbon / brooch frame.
The idea for righty was for a suggestion that maybe Serenity was having sexy time. Maybe. I don't know, really. It's simply because there are several other projects going on, all with varying number X's in their rating. So it can be considered a kick at the moment.

Before moving on, credit has to be given where it's due. Both my husband and a dear artist friend of mine, Diana, were a huge help in trying to settle on something to do for this show. The duo will often act as independent art managers during a project. And for no pay. The lovely tools they are.

Once they echoed the sediments that the ribbon frame thing was too middle-road. It was out of the running. Though the general idea could come into use one day. For something completely different. One never knows. It was also easily decided to drop the "O-face" idea.
Sketching continued.

 

 

Believe me, all these pages are only half of the thumbs and pose sketches done just trying to get a feasible idea. The four above solidified the second concept. This time centering on Nehelenia's story arc. Took ages just to read her name. Not a good name if you're dyslexic, let me tell you.
With so much progress made I may try to finish this one anyway. Maybe sell it at cons if I ever hit the circuit again..

This one was the final idea for a couple weeks. There's actually a good bit of work done on it. But it just didn't sit right. Didn't seem strong enough. It's good if it's being made for a fan poster. But that's all it is... another middle of the road fan art. And sure, this is a tribute show, which could be considered as a fan art show. But in the end, it's probably best to make something that doesn't need the source material to hold it's hand.
Enter concept number three. A huge step backwards. Now this is fan art if I ever saw it

 Time trudges on...And I begin to dry heave in my sketchbook.

Oh wait, this one's kinda interesting. The initial idea attempted didn't work but the composition is jiving.

A few tweaks, some duck tape and there. If you know the characters and where they fall in the saga then great. If not... It doesn't matter. This is the final working piece.