# Xenobiotic's descent into the Maw of Madness



## xenobiotic

*Welcome to my descent into Madness.*

My parents have told me that I've drawn since I've been able to hold a pen with my own hand. I've always been encouraged to draw (be it on furnitures or paper). In fact when I went to pre-school my teachers tried to forbid me to draw since I used so much paper, however my grandpa didn't take that news very well and supplied my preschool with paper just so I could draw as much as I wanted to (great man my grandpa, may he rest in peace).

As time have flown by my style of drawing has evolved, from stick figures to more complicated pictures depicting my "inner workings". It dawned on me in my teens that my artistic expression was an important outlet for me, a way to work out my inner and outer conflicts (to get peace of mind). Perhaps it's because of this my art has always been focused around "monsters" and "angst", slowly twisting itself around that subject.

My "career" started out with crayons, passed over to pencil and then/now pen. These days I'm trying to combine pen/ink with watercolours as I find it gives me an effect I've been searching for (perhaps mostly since it adds more colours to the midst). Challenges have also become a more welcome addition to my creativity as I feel the need to evolve further and surpass my roadblocks (of which there still are many).

You might wonder what this has to do with Warhammer Fantasy/Warhammer 40k/Miniature Wargaming? Truth be told - not very much. I've tried to keep my artistic outlet on paper/canvas separate from my 40k interest, mostly since I feel I need to be able to do "what I want" sometimes and not adjust all that much to the fluff or the confinement of how "something should look because it says so in [...]". But that might be about to change(?)

Here are some examples of what I've done before in ink:

























Here are some examples of what I've done before in ink+watercolours:

























"So this has nothing to do with Wahammer, wth dude? Why are you starting this thread?"

I'd like to do more drawing then I'm currently able to. Perhaps take my small sketch book with me at all times and use tiny breaks for this purpose. But I'm not all that full of angst at the moment (my life is working pretty well) and I'd also like some challenges (drawing things I'd otherwise wouldn't) - so what I'm looking for is suggestions and ideas and input from you guys!

Is there something you'd like to see made into a sketch (anything, not specifically related to Warhammer unless you want to), type it down here and I'll see what I can come up with. I won't be making them into full blown A4 masterpieces, but I'll give every concept an honest try with a twist from my own mind!


----------



## Varakir

I love your art style, you're a very talented fellow.

The thorn figures are wonderful, they remind me a little of Charles vess' fantasy stuff.

As for something i'd like you to draw, the only thing that comes into my mind is a picture of *A sneaky moon.*

It's a little joke i have with my son, and i'd love to see what you do with such a vague concept


----------



## xenobiotic

Thank you, kind sir, much appreciated.

So I did a quick (quick but thoughtful) sketch of your concept, let's see if you think it fits:









Next up is a finished commission piece I've finally finished.
Hopefully I'll have some sketches that I'm doing for ImmortalReaper up soon as well!
In other words - more to come!


----------



## xenobiotic

So here's a long-drawn commission piece. Got the specific details for it almost a year ago and it has been on my desk since then (bugging the hell out of me). For some reason it was hard to finish it, to decide on the level of detail and background in particular. I have one more of these long-drawn commission pieces on my desk, hoping to finish the other one before a year has passed.

When I do commissions for others (that just want a picture made by me) I try to get them to adhere to a simple line of thought, I ask them for a word (with an actual definition/meaning), a colour and a song. This is the source of inspiration for the picture (yes, it helps if I actually find the song to be pleasant to listen to).

This commission - Word: Chaos - Colour: Green - Song: Lifehouse - Broken
And the result I came up with:


----------



## Midge913

You are very talented. Thanks for sharing your work with us it is also nice to see creative art that is outside the realms of Warhammer. 

I love what you did with the 'sneaky moon' concept, and it too is a great concept piece, would love to see it fleshed out the rest of the way.

I noticed that you have done plenty of monsters and the like so what about: angels and daemons as a concept piece. Eternal struggle between good and evil. I know it is corny but I love to see different peoples take on this sort of iconic imagery.


----------



## xenobiotic

Here's an update with artwork not specified to this thread, I'll be doing your sketch shortly Midge (have a few started that didn't come out as I wanted).

I did manage to finish of the other commission just before one year had passed. Was a fun ride on the twisted side, hoping to do more of these more morbid artworks in the future - might not be to everyone's taste but art seldom is.

Inspiration for this piece - Word: Polygamy - Colour: Blood Red - Song: Oingo Boingo - Insanity.


----------



## Varakir

xenobiotic said:


> Thank you, kind sir, much appreciated.
> 
> So I did a quick (quick but thoughtful) sketch of your concept, let's see if you think it fits:



Oops, seems i lost track of this thread! Thanks for sketching it up, i really like the concept you've come up with. It's not at all what i was thinking of, but that was the idea of course 

Loving the last 2 pieces as well. The Chaos/Green one especially.

Will you be sketching anything up for the Heretic magazine that Ploss is putting together? I'd like to see what you can do with 40k related stuff.


----------



## xenobiotic

I'm considering it, thought he preferred pieces in colour which makes it harder for me to complete it in time. I've got almost no experience drawing anything warhammer related either so I'd have to start in a more "safe-zone" with demons and maybe heretical/renegade guardsmen, inquisitors and such. It would be an awesome opportunity to get something in there, maybe even make the first page sometime.

The hard thing for me is that I'm usually better at keeping at it when I have a good idea of where I'm going. Just drawing "something 40k" is to vague for me (since my head has so many associations to it). I'd prefer to get at least a vague description of specifics, like "a renegade slaanesh sergeant with gasmask on and a plasma pistol" or similar...

Hm, maybe I should make that pic...


----------



## Varakir

xenobiotic said:


> I'd prefer to get at least a vague description of specifics, like "a renegade slaanesh sergeant with gasmask on and a plasma pistol" or similar...
> 
> Hm, maybe I should make that pic...


Sounds good to me :victory:

It's supposed to be a monthly thing, so there's no real problems if you can't make the first deadline


----------



## Midge913

xenobiotic said:


> "a renegade slaanesh sergeant with gasmask on and a plasma pistol" or similar...
> 
> Hm, maybe I should make that pic...


I would love to see what you do with that.....


----------



## bishop5

Wow, that last pic is freakin' awesome - totally Giger but not, if you see what i'm getting at?


----------



## xenobiotic

Varakir said:


> Sounds good to me :victory:
> 
> It's supposed to be a monthly thing, so there's no real problems if you can't make the first deadline


I guess you're right, gives me time to practice...



Midge913 said:


> I would love to see what you do with that...


Don't expect to much 



bishop5 said:


> Wow, that last pic is freakin' awesome - totally Giger but not, if you see what i'm getting at?


I think I know what you're saying, thanks!

----

I did a quick sketch today at school. I'm not entirely satisfied with it. I find it's lacking the 40k feeling. My main concerns is that the plasma pistol looks to thin (not 40k-bulky enough), I also messed up the sword handle a bit and I think I need to reconsider the mask setup. A part from that it's just general "chaosifying" that's lacking. It would probably look good with some kind of background, a couple of more troopers showing their bodyparts. It would be entirely possible to fill in a pencil sketch with ink and then colour it in photoshop once I've scanned it.

What do you guys think?


----------



## sanguinius noob

amazing work man! how about try sanguinius?

but your take, i dont want another helmetless guy witha wolf head on his shoulder, i saw a good one once with redy/gold armour, wings obvs, sword, sm helmet but with wings on the side like hermes, but high and angled. looked veery good.


but thats just a suggestion not a request! i just wanna see how you'd tackle it!


----------



## Otep

no wonder your blood angel successors are so amazing! your an insane genius! 

i am very curious as to see your version of deadpool vs zombies O_O

just an idea thats been running through my head recently but i cant draw zombies for shit >_<


----------



## Midge913

I think the guardsman is off to a good start! I think the only thing that is a little off is the hilt of the sword as you have already pointed out. I think the plasma pistol is aesthetically pleasing. The thinner sleeker profile fits with the Slaaneshi theme very well and looks proportional to the other equipment he has. I don't really think that it is the gas mask that needs repositioned as much as he needs some sort of head gear. Whether that is a helmet, which I don't really think would fit, or a leather hood with large stitching I will leave up to you. It may be really interesting to have that leather hood with the leather being made out of screaming faces.... Very Slaanesh. 

Keep up the good work on that guardsman as I really think he is turning out great:good:


----------



## piemaster

Ooh, a gasmask made of face. I like your work whatever you do. Its just so different from what I see normally.


----------



## Grins1878

Quality work that man


----------



## xenobiotic

I just remembered I had forgotten to post some sketches I've done, nothing really special but still fits in this thread.

First is three drawings that are concepts for Immortal Reaper, I'm going to make some armoured concepts (based on these) later as well as a coloured piece of armoured ones once my schedule loosens up a bit:

























I was also doodling a few trial runs based on the angels vs demons concept, which proved to be a bit harder than I had figured (the image I had in my mind didn't want to come out). Couldn't really get the demonic shapes right, so I took some artistic freedom and went with the concept angels vs demons and took it to a more representative state (Good vs Evil, the concept of creation and rebirth - chaos and order and so on). This is what I came up with:









Till next time :santa:


----------



## Midge913

xenobiotic said:


> I was also doodling a few trial runs based on the angels vs demons concept, which proved to be a bit harder than I had figured (the image I had in my mind didn't want to come out). Couldn't really get the demonic shapes right, so I took some artistic freedom and went with the concept angels vs demons and took it to a more representative state (Good vs Evil, the concept of creation and rebirth - chaos and order and so on). This is what I came up with:


This Is really cool! I like what you have done with the concept! The fact that the phoenix is born of the dragon's fire is totally wicked. Keep up the good work!


----------



## xenobiotic

I've returned to my root interest for a quick fix. Doing random sketches in emotional states proves helpful in many ways even if the results are somewhat erratic. I find that the boundaries of the ink pen combined with the freedom and acceptance of non-norm portrait of anatomy makes for a needed excursion from my own "normality" - Or fighting my own demons, as some might have put it.

About 3 hours into the process:









And before the eventual question about my mental stability arises I'll just leave you with this tidbit from a scientific paper I recently read:
_"Psychiatric illness is common among artist and Post (1994) found that depression was more common than expected among writers, wheras 'severe personality deviations' were more frequent among visual artists. Depressions was more common in our patients with ability although the relationship between the depression, disinhibition and compulsions and the emergence of creativity is unknown."_

I had plans of doing some 40k related art (specifically a series about a squad of Sisters of Battle), we'll see if I ever get around to do that...


----------



## Hammer49

Great work!


----------



## vipertaja

I recognised that style of yours immediately, Tetani, having had you on "watch" on deviantart for a long while now. Very impressive it is. 

I always thought some of it had an appropriate chaosy vibe to it, but didn't know you were in the 40k community.


----------



## traitor_dice

Your work is amazing! I love the unusual and abstract quality of it, something I can never seem to find in my own work (its always very firmly anchored to a realistic/concrete idea)
and I envy your understanding of and skill with figure.


----------



## johnbriner

Let me commend you first for pursuing your passion for art. You have a lot of impressive concepts, and I notice that you have a thing for extraterrestrial. Anyway, keep up the good work and I'm looking forward to see how your sketchbook will progress.


----------



## xenobiotic

Hammer49 said:


> Great work!


:grin:



vipertaja said:


> I recognised that style of yours immediately, Tetani, having had you on "watch" on deviantart for a long while now. Very impressive it is.
> 
> I always thought some of it had an appropriate chaosy vibe to it, but didn't know you were in the 40k community.


I'm humbled to see someone who has been following me on deviant. I never appeared to have appealed to the particular user base on there. I guess it doesn't help that I'm a slow producer with a somewhat repetitive expression in my art. 

I've been into warhammer for many years now, it's my big brothers fault from the beginning. I've just never done any particular warhammer related artwork (even if I'd like to I just can't draw a god damned power armour ). I'm thinking about expanding though, looking at good source materials to use as a foundation for my own concepts.



traitor_dice said:


> Your work is amazing! I love the unusual and abstract quality of it, something I can never seem to find in my own work (its always very firmly anchored to a realistic/concrete idea)
> and I envy your understanding of and skill with figure.


I had a realistic approach (almost photo-realistic) which inspired me tremendously in my youth. Yet I was never truly able to tame myself into producing artwork in that calibre. I've always leaned more towards expressionism and almost all my drawings (in particular) are fuelled by intense inner turmoil. Somehow it's a blessing and a curse in disguise at the same time. It pushes me into a realm of "my own" yet at the same time cuts me of from reaching the skill and "perfection" that many other artists acquire and are admired for.



johnbriner said:


> Let me commend you first for pursuing your passion for art. You have a lot of impressive concepts, and I notice that you have a thing for extraterrestrial. Anyway, keep up the good work and I'm looking forward to see how your sketchbook will progress.


Thank you. It's a interested anchored deep within me and probably the last one I'll surrender (before I die), as long as I can see or feel I will create some kind of art.

I have a thing for "inhumanity" as it could be summed up. I like portraying human anatomy in ever shifting constellations and morphs, questioning what we are and how we are shaped - combining the perception of our body and how it melts when we are challenged by our own thoughts, feelings and ethics. The monster of the mind given form. 

----

So I've finally finished of that sketch. There's been a lot of turmoil in my life right now so it was important for me to relieve some of that anguish just to keep my head up and move forward. Hope you like it:









Hope you like it. I won't comment it that much for now.


----------



## Midge913

Very interesting piece buddy. I like the similarity of the feet to tree roots, some evocative symbolism there. 

I hope things even out for you, keep your head up.


----------

