Far Summers is the title of my exploration of an alien planet, its habitats, species, and cultures, from the point of view of one of those inhabitants. Think Herodotus wandering the Classical Greek era Mediterranean. The images comprise part of the research and planning images I created (and continue to create) during the course of completing my MFA in Illustration at SCAD. Look for frequent updates. The designs for the life forms are as realistic as I can get, with the caveat that ‘realism’ in art is highly subjective. I’m aiming for plausible, at the end of the day. The work so far includes the first part of the book, representing the narrator’s travels through Hul Peion, the lands of the Kolam and Jul-sim tribes, the Kingdom of Ka, and over the ocean with the sailing fleets of the Vouss.
Osong-Prekana is the narrator, an senior member of the parliament of Hul Peion, the Parsephan nation of the mountainous western edge of the southern continent of Lodo’ash. After years of invasion and war coming to his people, he decided they needed to know more about the world. Far Summers is his journal.
The Fuso’olon culture lives on the northern edge of the northeast continent on Tnesider, primarily on the vast Norama Savannah, a wide expanse of mosslands and river floodplains.
Tai is the home of the Tairo people, who live in the mountains of the Lohpassa and Caffah Ranges, with rocky steep mountains cut by deep river valleys and covered by mossy jungles. Tai lies at the southern tip of the Tnediser continent.
The Kolam are a nomadic tribe living on Lodo’ash’s flat grasslands and scrub lands. Their domains border the Parsephan lands.
The Kingdom of Ka is an expansionist culture to the east of Hul Peion, on the other side of the grasslands. They have warred against several cultures, including the Parsephans of Hul Peion. Their domains include subject peoples like the Vouss, Ingoh, and Osah.
The Vouss are an off-shoot of a larger ocean-going culture, found all over the world. Their city Lumu lies on the northern coast of Lodo’ash.
Creature images created with graphite pencil and Photoshop.
All images ©2010 Sean Twiddy
