#barlowesque

[siryl]

“Radially Symmetrical Alien” by Mette Aumala.

[aeltri]

Gary Smith's creepy AI generated art says it all, very Barlowesque. It looks like it's made using NightCafe. Bonus points if you can recognize who those public figures are. I decided to experiment with the same neural network and holy moley 😬...

Cunter, Gambles, the Birkins and Ben. Ben looks dualistic, partly submerged and those electronic implant looking things are in very specific areas:

[marlutterianae]

REDESIGNING HAVIK, THE CLERIC OF CHAOS (Mortal Kombat)

So I heard some rumors about the character Havik joining Mortal Kombat 11 in the form of DLC. And while it’s not very likely to happen, from my perspective (although, you never know with NetherRealm) I kept fantasizing on this possibility, and now I can’t stop thinking about how Havik would look under the new aesthetics of Mortal Kombat. So I wrote an entire analysis on this personal re-imagining of the character, honoring his lore as an Agent of Chaos and honoring his shocking combat style that involves breaking and twisting his body in grisly and horrific ways. 

So Havik...

He debuted in MK Deception and supposedly died in Armageddon, yet he was a main antagonist in the comics, however, he was brutally killed in those, making his death canon IN THAT TIMELINE. But we know from the trailers of 11 that there will be time traveling shenanigans (for better or worse) which are now bringing back old comers to the bloody feud. So characters like Baraka, Shao Khan and even Good Guy Raiden are making a return in this game. So why not Havik? How would he look? 

His story is pretty cool. In a nutshell, he was a warrior from a realm that succumb to Chaos, and that realm became Chaos Realm. All warriors from Chaos Realm gain power from chaos, and become agents of Chaos themselves, causing it in other realms. This chaotic nature is reflected in Havik's fighting style. By breaking his limbs and contorting in grotesque ways when attacking, like crawling in the floor, spinning his entire torso, breaking his neck, etc. 

Now comes my pitch for how I would make him look...

My understanding of MK lore paints all from Chaos Realm as grotesque zombie people. While that is cool on it's own, it isn't that visually interesting. And Havik's basic appeal is his lack of facial skin. I started playing around with how to represent new agents of Chaos Realm, and thought... Let's make him absolutely deformed and abominable. Imagine something like this...

Source: https://www.deviantart.com/francesco-biagini/art/Marquis-Gamygin-Wayne-Barlowe-tribute-464548668 

Go full Barlowesque on the deformity and body horror, truly representative of Chaos as a whole. An abomination. Chaos incarnated. Like, this is what would happen to Havik after decades or centuries serving and spreading Chaos.

A skeletical face but one where the mouth stretches all the way to one side, with more than one row of teeth and jaws, having lots of crater like wounds in his face, various sockets without eyes, eyes with no pupils but just white, with a misty effect.

An armor that used to be metal but it's now fused to his skin. And of course, when fighting being capable of moving his body in shocking and impossible ways.

Basically, my perspective on how those who dwell in Chaos Real is very inspired by Wayne Barlowe's Inferno. 

One of his hands has more fingers than the other. One of his feet has two big hoof fingers (like Hellboy), spikes and little twisted horns on some sides, folded skin as his scarf, etc. His helmet is fused to his skull, bearing the symbol of his realm.

And one of his fighting carriers would have his iconic Morning Star weapon, but instead of just being a plain morning star, it's a spiky mace with the spikes varying on length. Chaotic looking, representing chaos spreading without any order.

Like the Bloodletter from Bloodborne in it's full glory. Imagine torso-spinning something like this like some crazed abomination (obviously shorter, one handed). 

So there it is. It might be too complex or overly detailed and grotesque for everyone’s liking, but I feel it would fit right at home in the world of Mortal Kombat, and it will give him an unique, freakish look to make him stand out from the rest of the cast. As a Cleric of Chaos, I feel this would fit more his role. 

[steveharrignton]

it appears that again no one will fulfill my dream of an old western/saloon harlot/kissin kate barlowesque met gala look

[siryl]

“Ringwalker” by Luxudus.

[siryl]

An alien concept by Melissa Frankford.

[siryl]

“Great Blushing Sandskipper” by Negoxe357.