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How Do You See Bionicle Characters?


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How do you see Bionicle Characters in your minds? Like the movies? Like the sets? As armored humans? Anything in between?How do you like to design your own Bionicle characters, also? This is related to the first question because it's a matter of how you think of them. I personally see them as the living sets, like in that Mahri Mini Movie. Glowing eyes are a must. :PI normally design my characters as Set-style Titans, but the scale can be way off. Titans allow for more detail and overall coolness, and so I make drawings in that form. For example, one character I dreamed up and drew, Dervian, has more pieces (probably) than the Axalara T9, yet is average Toa height if put in-story.

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I picture them like they're portrayed in the movies, for the most part. LoMN specifically, I love the Toa Metru.And I acutally just got a graphics tablet of my own, so I'll probably be working on designing the characters in my own way sooner or later, which I'm looking forwards to. I've been lurking in the GA forums again, and the artistic styles that I like the most are definitely Taka Nuvia's (Demon Jester, as of now, I believe), Lady K, Uncle K(Empire?) and there are also a few other pieces I've seen that I like, but can't remember the artists at the moment. While I've seen extremely accurate and detailed pieces that look like the sets, I just think that the movie and aforementioned ways of portraying the characters works better in my mind.

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If a character appeared in the movies, I usually imagine them that way, unless they came out really weird. Other than that, I imagine them in a movie-like fashion, with some set details.

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Wow. Lots of varying interpretations here. I even found a few that agree with mine.I do admit that the movie style is cool, but it looks..I don't know, malleable. Just can't explain it. Vorex, what situations make you see them as humans? That's quite a jarring thought to me. Every time I see a humanized Bionicle, it makes me irritated, just like flipping a switch. (No offense, just want to know.)

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A bit between toys and movie mode. They look a lot like the toys but their masks can cove with their expressions and have proper fingers. They still have gear functions and stuffI also love how the movie made the Hordika look. I didnt think they were ugly. They looked quite cute actually. You want ugly, get ignika.

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Movie-esque would probably be the best way to put it; still mostly mechanical and set-like, but with additional range of expression and a general filling out of the body with connective tissue and the like underneath the armor.

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Toa mainly like they appear in the MoL game. I just like the look of them. Otherwise it's movies, or living sets depending on what fits. For instance, Visorak would look like the movies because they look cool, but Sidorak would be more like the set (Bionicle Heroes, mostly).Or my own style if I ever drew a character I like in my style.Kalhiki

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I see them as something like how the original Bionicle trilogy portrayed them as. And sometimes what I do is for everything post-OT is I'll imagine something similar to that. Like the 2008 Makuta, I imagined them having rusted armor like Teridax, yet having some qualities of a Toa but without any kind of biological tissue (they are less biomechanical than a Toa). It makes sense in my head.If there's any consolation, I've drawn a human version of one of my fan-made Bionicle characters, sort of combining elements of what I'd make "movie-esque" and making her look human as well.

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I see them as something like how the original Bionicle trilogy portrayed them as. And sometimes what I do is for everything post-OT is I'll imagine something similar to that. Like the 2008 Makuta, I imagined them having rusted armor like Teridax, yet having some qualities of a Toa but without any kind of biological tissue (they are less biomechanical than a Toa). It makes sense in my head.If there's any consolation, I've drawn a human version of one of my fan-made Bionicle characters, sort of combining elements of what I'd make "movie-esque" and making her look human as well.
Consolation? I dislike human-like Bionicle! I think it ruins the concept entirely.Though I realize that some disagree. Still, I started the topic, and you didn't address anyone in particular.Sounds interesting to see one time though...could you post that drawing?

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More of as movie-style, organic-ish on the inside mostly yet still looking mechanical and not to human-ish. Or when I draw them it's a more set-form with slightly more organic parts. That's kinda how try to think of them. Otherwise, half the time I think of them in set-form, but animated like in MNOG.

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Well, for me it varies from case to case, but for the most part, I envision them as a weird mix between the sets and the movie characters. Their bodies are generally more like the sets, but the more detailed features (faces, hands, etc.) I envision as more malleable and human-like, like the movies.-Void

 
 
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Well, if you really wish to see the drawing... Before I do, here's a few things to note. My character (her name is Elitha) has gone through a lot of changes over the past, so the drawing is going to reflect how I originally made her in MOC form, with the exception of the eyes. The current version has different armor, but she actually has the same color of eyes as the drawing.The drawing itself, note that I draw in a sort of chibi-style, so in this from Elitha will look cartoonish. Also note the drawing is old and I have started to get better since then and I do plan on possibly making a new one to reflect her new design.First off, here's the current version.http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/texaskid92/Creations/Elitha/dscf4955.jpgHere's the old Elitha to compare. This version, I know she looks horrible, but I did go back and fix her.http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/texaskid92/Creations/Elitha/dscf4285.jpgNow here's the drawing of the old Elitha in "human form"http://www.majhost.com/gallery/texaskid92/Drawings/dscf4954.jpgLike I said, I do draw in a kind of chibi form, so before you say she looks cartoonish or simple... That's the point. Also, I blotted out part of my name as well. But yeah. She has some of the armor from the MOC Mk I form like the chest and shoulder armor. The mask is takes the shape of a tiara, and main reason I did that was I wanted to show her "true face," so to say, which in this case is that of a young woman. You can also tell that I did want her to have green eyes instead of the red her Mk I version wears. At least with the Mk III.5, she does have that aspect to her.

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@TemporphilicNeglecting the organics? Just about everything from 2005-2008 showed the organics prominently. (I mean, it was present in the rest, but mainly those.) Oh well. Got a drawing of a humanoid character? Your Screamer (Epic as it is) doesn't really show your take on it, since there was no Screamer set to go by.@ShadowBionicsActually, I preferred the second link.I can see the chibi-ness in the first. It's a clean, smooth drawing, but I really dislike humanizing Bionicle. After all, BS01 states they're 85% mech, 15% organic--and what is organic wasn't said to be human. But, this topic isn't about my preference, it's about yours, so that's an interesting take on it.

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Personally, I have nothing against human BIONICLE. It requires several parts of the story to be re-imagined, but it's an interesting way to put a unique spin on the characters. Most of my older BIONICLE art involves human BIONICLE, though my more recent stuff (still fairly long ago by any measure) tends to be designed with a more mechanical or biomechanical design.I'm surprised there is so much objection to human BIONICLE since one criticism I've often seen of BIONICLE's later years is how much more important the sci-fi elements became when people felt the story was at its heart a fantasy adventure story. Most recently I've seen this argument used in defense of the orchestral music from the BIONICLE music and against the music that had more rock or electronic influences. If the sci-fi elements weren't essential, then why such a huge objection to an interpretation that minimizes those?With that said, I don't tend to picture BIONICLE characters as humans. Personally I imagine Matoran Universe characters as biomechanical, but without the biological portions exposed. My way of visualizing them is inspired both by the BIONICLE movies and by the sets, and I also re-imagine the characters somewhat to reconcile set designs that should look similar and accentuate the characteristics that unify them.For instance, I imagine all Matoran with 2004-2007 Matoran proportions, V-shaped torsos, and human-like hands inspired by their movie depictions. Here's a drawing of Macku that I'm particularly proud of.Turaga in my mind are about the same size as Matoran, just as they were in 2003 and 2004 sets, but with less V-shaped torsos and sometimes (but not always) with slightly more hunched postures. Here's a drawing of Turaga Vakama where I tried to reconcile his 2001 Turaga set design with his 2004 Toa Metru incarnation.Toa proportions are perhaps the most variable in my mind, since they are the most variable in BIONICLE sets, but I imagine all generations of Toa with the same typical height (i.e. Toa Mata, besides those with unusual posture like Pohatu and Onua, are the same height as Toa Inika), somewhat Y-shaped torsos (with about a 135-degree angle between the branches of the Y), and legs that are a bit different than human legs proportionally. Here is a drawing I made of Tahu, which I'm mostly happy with besides the possibly too-long legs and scrunched-up mask.And finally, Here's a drawing showing how Toa proportions compare to Matoran proportions in my mind.I have various ways of imagining Glatorian. In terms of MOCs, I obviously keep them looking mostly mechanical, as I want the designs consistent with Glatorian sets, but at the same time I try to use solid-looking armor without too many pistons. From a story-based perspective, I imagine them as mostly organic with semi-mechanical armor which includes some pistons and other mechanical parts embedded in the body. I also try to unify some of the designs stylistically. Here are several Glatorian sketches of mine.My ways of interpreting characters as humans are even more esoteric than any of what I've mentioned so far, so I won't go into too much detail, but you can see some examples of my human BIONICLE drawings here, here, and here. Suffice it to say that all of the designs are inspired by the sets, with the Toa and Glatorian designs the most human-like and the Glatorian the least sci-fi like.

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I think I'd have to agree about human bionicle, it just always bugs me, no offense to those who prefer it. It just doesn't seem Bionicle-like.Anyways, one way I picture them similar to the movie style, but with setlike/slightly stylized armor, and muscle-like organic tissue that looks similar to wire bundles. The head is only stylized enough to add a mouth, with slightly altered masks. I've been considering posting some art, but every time I start to draw, I get sidetracked. :PThe other way I like to draw when I'm feeling courageous is extremely detailed and slightly stylized set version.Some drawings do get a little more human-like, similar to the first version, with muscles, but also very stylized armor that is only vaguely recognizable as the pieces used. One example I actually did post was this Muaka Jaga (I think I called it). I just really need to get some art up.

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I see them as a mix between MNOG and the Moives (The Legend Reborn style). I see them being a bit more bulkier and solid, and there armor more like exo-skeletons and so you can't see any organic material, as well as keeping the same physical aspects from MNOG.I also like to think the charachters act like the way they do in MNOG as opposed to the movies: In MNOG they were like normal villagers, whilst in the movies they were more like children.

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@TemporphilicNeglecting the organics? Just about everything from 2005-2008 showed the organics prominently. (I mean, it was present in the rest, but mainly those.)Oh well. Got a drawing of a humanoid character? Your Screamer (Epic as it is) doesn't really show your take on it, since there was no Screamer set to go by.@ShadowBionicsActually, I preferred the second link.I can see the chibi-ness in the first.It's a clean, smooth drawing, but I really dislike humanizing Bionicle. After all, BS01 states they're 85% mech, 15% organic--and what is organic wasn't said to be human. But, this topic isn't about my preference, it's about yours, so that's an interesting take on it.
I know, and I agree. This was a one time thing I did for a character I made up, either way. Although there are times when it can be sort of interesting to see what a person thinks a character might look like if they weren't biomechanical, and I have seen other artists' takes on other characters from the story, like the Toa Metru.I do prefer like how the original trilogy portrayed them more since it really brings the characters to life and it keeps the whole aspect of the original set in mind.
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I think it's like.... okay, like the bionicles are undetailed, so I do this. lets say I have lewa's axe, then, take off the handle shape, then wrap cloth around the end, add some stains to it, use a toa mata hand, edit to look like a robot hand then add chips in all of it, small ones, now add some vine like moss in it. lewa's axe.

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