Meditating Shamman - Study based on a screenshot featuring Peter Mensah as Oenomaus from the TV series Spartacus: Blood and Sand.
The Summoner Approaches
The Most Precious Gift Of All - Winning entry - October 2010 ImagineFX monthly art challenge
Dr. Hawkin's Last Dive
About a decade ago, a marine biologist named Dr. Thomas Hawkin discovered a new species of eels while exploring the depths of the Pacific ocean. He initially believed that there were actually several different species until he observed how the said creatures could change their coloration similar to cephalopods. Aptly named the Hawkin's Cutlass, the newly discovered eel has many filaments extending from its dorsal fin. They are actually laced with tiny razor-sharp projections. Combined with the cutlass' agility, these filaments make handling or capture extremely difficult. Its teeth were the longest compared to any other species of eels. Of the specimens he examined, none grew longer than 4 meters.
Two months prior to this writing, there have been reports of sightings of unusually larger specimens. Dr. Hawkin decided to pursue this even though he was very skeptical at first. In what would be his final exploration, the marine biologist was able to confirm the existence of giant cutlasses. What he thought were unusual-looking seaweeds was actually the dorsal fin of a cutlass large enough to swallow him whole. It was his flashlight that saved his life. With it, he was able to distract the creature and move away just in time. Tremendously traumatized by the experience, Dr. Hawkins told the press during one interview that he would never go scuba diving ever again.
Two months prior to this writing, there have been reports of sightings of unusually larger specimens. Dr. Hawkin decided to pursue this even though he was very skeptical at first. In what would be his final exploration, the marine biologist was able to confirm the existence of giant cutlasses. What he thought were unusual-looking seaweeds was actually the dorsal fin of a cutlass large enough to swallow him whole. It was his flashlight that saved his life. With it, he was able to distract the creature and move away just in time. Tremendously traumatized by the experience, Dr. Hawkins told the press during one interview that he would never go scuba diving ever again.
*****
Winning entry - ImagineFX weekly art challenge - "Something fishy this way comes"
Pilgrimage to the Last Beacon
Kampilan ni Makabo - Fan artwork based on the tikbalang named Makabo from Skyworld by Ian Sta. Maria and Mervin Ignacio
Glossary:
Tikbalang - a supernatural creature from Philippine folklore commonly depicted as having the head of a horse and the body of a man.
Kampilan - a popular single-edged sword widely-used in the precolonial Philippine Archipelago.
If you look closely at the kampilan Makabo wields in this image, you'd notice that it's decorated with okir-based patterns and three alibata characters namely, "ma", "ka", and "bo".
Kampilan - a popular single-edged sword widely-used in the precolonial Philippine Archipelago.
If you look closely at the kampilan Makabo wields in this image, you'd notice that it's decorated with okir-based patterns and three alibata characters namely, "ma", "ka", and "bo".
Lapu-Lapu from Tepai Pasqual's Maktan 1521 - fan artwork showing a rendition of a comic book character based on a real person of the same name.
Brief info about Lapu-Lapu:
He was a Datu who ruled the island of Mactan hundreds of years ago. He is the first native of the Philippine archipelago to have resisted the Spanish colonization.
He was a Datu who ruled the island of Mactan hundreds of years ago. He is the first native of the Philippine archipelago to have resisted the Spanish colonization.
