sketchyspy

[sketchyspy]

I went back to this Hollow Knight OC I created back in December 2021 and updated his design. His name is Dmitri Snalov. He is a peacock spider, specifically the Maratus Volans.

He's a travelling tailor by trade, using his own silk to craft clothing and sell them to any bug he comes across, though sometimes he'll give them away free of charge.

He carries a silk yarn on his back that he uses to sheath two swords (based on knitting needles). He has an unorthodox fighting style that makes use of his 4 legs and tail fan. He can grab weapons with his feet like Raiden from MGR or 2003 General Grievous, and he uses his tail fan in combat to distract foes, obscure his movements, and trip his opponents. Aside from that, he also uses his tail fan as an umbrella and a glider. If he were in the game, and you sit in the same bench as him, he'll let you use his tail fan as a blanket while you rest.

He's inspired by Lord Shen, mainly in terms of clothing choice, and fighting style, and the fact that they're both former aristocrats (Snalov was a Count). In terms of personality, they couldn't be any more different. Snalov is a more down-to-earth character - He doesn't have any grand ambition like take over an entire country. He just wants to do what he loves for a living, which is making clothes and travelling, and he has enough empathy for others to never even think of committing a massacre. He's maybe a little prideful of his ability to make clothes, but he knows he's not the best, and that there's more room to grow. He's kind enough to let a tired stranger use his tail fan as a blanket.

One more thing about Snalov: He has a weakness for strong ladies who can fight.

(Old art below)

[sketchyspy]

[sketchyspy]

Reblog this post to ask mutuals to tell you their weirdest theory about u

EDIT: Fair warning this post is cursed and predictions are 7/10 times correct, play at own risk

[sketchyspy]

I went back to this Hollow Knight OC I created back in December 2021 and updated his design. His name is Dmitri Snalov. He is a peacock spider, specifically the Maratus Volans.

He's a travelling tailor by trade, using his own silk to craft clothing and sell them to any bug he comes across, though sometimes he'll give them away free of charge.

He carries a silk yarn on his back that he uses to sheath two swords (based on knitting needles). He has an unorthodox fighting style that makes use of his 4 legs and tail fan. He can grab weapons with his feet like Raiden from MGR or 2003 General Grievous, and he uses his tail fan in combat to distract foes, obscure his movements, and trip his opponents. Aside from that, he also uses his tail fan as an umbrella and a glider. If he were in the game, and you sit in the same bench as him, he'll let you use his tail fan as a blanket while you rest.

He's inspired by Lord Shen, mainly in terms of clothing choice, and fighting style, and the fact that they're both former aristocrats (Snalov was a Count). In terms of personality, they couldn't be any more different. Snalov is a more down-to-earth character - He doesn't have any grand ambition like take over an entire country. He just wants to do what he loves for a living, which is making clothes and travelling, and he has enough empathy for others to never even think of committing a massacre. He's maybe a little prideful of his ability to make clothes, but he knows he's not the best, and that there's more room to grow. He's kind enough to let a tired stranger use his tail fan as a blanket.

One more thing about Snalov: He has a weakness for strong ladies who can fight.

(Old art below)

[sketchyspy]

Araposting

[sketchyspy]

Random Replika headcanons because replikas are cute

Aras spend a lot of time crawling in vents, so their upper body strength is next level. They're also really good climbers. Also, when they do climb, they use overly smooth movements, like walking without bobbing up and down, mostly so they don't jarringly drop a tool on a belt, but this freaks others out. Some Aras find the smell of exhaust comforting, but not in the vents. It's like hearing bugs and animals in the forest: Comforting and safe-feeling in the forest, but a deer cry in the city is disconcerting. They also have excellent night vision, even though they carry flashlights. Kolibris are almost entirely immune to caffeine. Lots of sweet tea, so they're hyper which helps a heck-ton with keeping up with Storches and other taller fellas. Aras either love or hate hanging with them depending on the Ara or Kolibri, since on one hand Kolibris can get past their stoic demeanor and on the other Aras can't really keep to themselves. Uncannily good at close quarters combat, despite small stature. Goes for the crotch hard and often. They mainly use bioresonance for non-combat means, as overuse causes headaches and nosebleeds. If a kolibiri does try to kill with bioresonance, it is extremely painful for both parties, ending with ears, eyes, and nose bleeding, and sometimes so painful victims attempt ending themselves partly through. This usually only happens on accident, when a Kolibri is extremely unstable, Storches favorite drink is unironically water. I love water too so no hate. They like watching Aras climb since it reminds them of a spider, which they find cute, especially when Aras carry wire with them. In every cadre at least one (1) Starling has snorted gunpowder at one point. Both Starlings and Storches have built in ear protection for gunshots.

Elsters are also stoic and when given the chance hang out with Aras, sometimes only talking about mechanics. Because Eules are friendly, patient, and can read Aras faces, they eventually get close and an Ara may give access to vents or plants. This is the equivalent of a platonic (or not) wedding ring.

If an Ara decides you're unkind and shares this info with the cadre, it's not just a silent treatment. If you're mean enough, floors will come loose, doors will randomly malfunction, your service requests will remain unanswered just until Adler is about to file a performance complaint, and lights will randomly turn off. If anyone tries to bully a Mynah in any way will face consequences, severe ones. The culprit behind this could be literally anyone except Mynah, and consequences vary depending on the culprit, from ostracizing to being 'accidentally' locked in a room, to being straight up beaten up, and sometimes if the bullying is bad enough high ranking units will opt for decomissioning for 'disrupting workflow' and 'assault on a worker'. Once Storches get past their sadistic tendencies they're actually really fun to hang around and converse with, especially on literature on mythology and warfare. Odd fascination on Sisyphus but it's debated between Storches on wether he's happy or not. Adlers write and they write well. Handwriting on point, but they rarely write in cursive. Because they're sticklers for the rules not all Replikas like them too much, but as long as you comply with regulations they're relaxed guys who enjoy talking about writing and pens. Never insult a favorite pen. They will despise you. Debating pens in a general sense is admissible and often enjoyable. Insulting their Falke can and will have them legitimately attempt to murder you with whatever is on hand, always stating that a 'crime against the nation was committed'. Adlers can forgive protocol mistakes but never forgive such a sin. So long as performance is not hindered protocol breakages are permitted. Adlers are chill with replikas and even Gestalts having relationships with each other, and sometimes covers for them. If performance drops this can change. Each one writes fictional stories about an OC that they will never talk about but Kolibris and Falkes know about anyway. Often immune to propoganda but genuinely don't care, they legitimately love the nation enough that they're okay with whatever the nation is doing. Eules will go out of their way to be nice. If you out-nice them they can and will think of it as a challenge. They sometimes place freshmade food near the kitchen vents to let the Aras know it's time to eat. Eules will use ribbon to tie bows on each others hair and arms. Falkes quickly grow extremely protective of their workers, sometimes extending this fondness to gestalts, though they always let them work most grievances out on their own. If Aras grow similarly fond of their Falke they'll report back to her like Odin's ravens.

[sketchyspy]

"A Voice from Gaza… A Cry for Help"

Hello, I’m Saja from Gaza 🇵🇸💔 I’m writing to you today during one of the hardest moments of my life… For months, we’ve been living under the fire of war 💣. The bombing never stops, and death follows us everywhere 🕊️. Destruction has become a daily scene in our lives 🏚️.

But war is not our only enemy… Prices have skyrocketed 💸🔥, and everything has become unaffordable. A loaf of bread 🍞, a box of milk 🥛, a bottle of water ���… have all become distant dreams. Even the most basic needs are no longer within reach. We survive on so little, trying to hold on despite the pain 😔.

My home is no longer the same 🏠❌, our lives have changed, and safety has vanished. My children no longer know peaceful sleep or full meals 🛏️🍽️. Every day brings a new danger, and every night we pray just to survive one more day 🙏.

This is a picture of my home after the bombing… Our dreams turned to rubble. 🧱💔

Today, I am asking you for a helping hand 🤝, a message of support 📣, a kind word 💬, or any contribution, no matter how small 💖. Any support — big or small — makes a real difference in our lives 🌟.

If you’re unable to donate, please help by sharing or reblogging this post 🔁. My voice may not reach far, but with your help, it can reach those who can make a difference 🌍✨.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who reads and cares ❤️. Your presence gives hope in a time where we’ve lost almost everything 🌹.

[sketchyspy]

This is not just a photo it’s our daily reality in Gaza.

I am a father of five, living under the harshest conditions imaginable. My children go to bed hungry most nights, and I feel helpless watching them suffer. There is no food, no clean water, and no safety.

I myself am injured from Israeli airstrikes, and my health is deteriorating. I’m in pain, physically and emotionally. I want to provide for my children, to see them smile again, to give them a warm meal — even just one.

What’s happening here is not a natural disaster. It is forced starvation. It is the slow death of innocent people, especially children, because they are being denied food and aid.

Your donation can change everything for us. Even a small amount can feed my family for a day. It can help me get medicine, water, and the bare essentials to survive.

Please, if you have anything to give, I ask you to open your heart.

Please Donate now:👇👇 👇

💔 Don’t look away. Help us survive.

[sketchyspy]

My Journey to Escape the War in Gaza

My name is Abdelmajed. I never imagined I’d be sharing my story like this, but life in Gaza has become unbearable. I am a survivor of the war here, and in the blink of an eye, everything I once knew—my home, my safety, my community—was ripped away from me.

The war has transformed Gaza into a graveyard of broken dreams. The buildings that once stood as symbols of life and resilience are now piles of rubble. Every corner is filled with the echoes of explosions. Every moment is shrouded in uncertainty. There is no security. There is no stability. There is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Basic needs have become luxuries. Food is scarce. Clean water is even scarcer. Hospitals are overwhelmed and under-resourced, and there is almost no medical care to be found. Every night, families go to bed hungry, praying they’ll wake up to see another day. The cost of basic necessities has skyrocketed, and it’s become a daily battle just to survive.

I’ve seen things I never thought possible—standing in long lines for a piece of bread, rationing every drop of water, and watching my people suffer in silence. I have lost everything—my home, my safety, my dignity.

Escape from Gaza is my only hope, but it’s almost impossible without financial help. The cost of evacuation is far beyond my means, and without support, I’m trapped in a warzone with no way out.

I’m reaching out to you now, in the hopes that someone, anyone, can help. I am not asking for luxury. I am asking for a chance—just a chance—to live. A chance to escape this never-ending cycle of fear, destruction, and loss. A chance to rebuild my life somewhere safe, where I can begin again, where I can find hope once more.

Any amount you can give will help me get closer to safety. Even the smallest donation will make a difference—it could be the lifeline I need to survive. If you are unable to donate, please share my story. The more people who hear it, the better the chance that I can find the support I desperately need.

Your kindness and support mean the world to me. You’re not just helping me escape a war; you’re giving me a chance to live, to rebuild, to breathe again.

Thank you for listening. Thank you for caring.

Vetted by @gazavetters

[sketchyspy]

URGENT HELP SAVE THE LIFE OF MY CHILD.

Dear humanity,

Please Help Me – My Son May Die at Any Moment.

I'm Amal, a mother of three children, living under the weight of the genocide taking place in Gaza. 🍉

Here’s my story, and I’m reaching out with a hopeful heart 💔✨, hoping someone will feel what my family and I are going through.

My son is suffering from a severe and life-threatening injury after being shot by Israeli drones. He urgently needs medical treatment outside Gaza.

Time is running out, and we are facing a critical situation. I am asking for your generosity to help us save him either through a donation or by sharing this urgent plea with others

I beg you, i kiss your feet, to help my son. My son may die at any moment.

I lost most of my family. I'm afraid to lose my son too 🥺

Mohammed deserves to live a happy and healthy life, just like every other child on this earth.

So I humbly ask you to donate even a little or at least reblog this appeal.

Please Donate now:👇

https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-us-in-our-struggle-save-our-family-from-war-in-gaza

.

[sketchyspy]

A Crusader Quar encounters a Sniffer (SIGNALIS x Quar crossover art). Someone on Twitter commented that the sniffer looks like the Quar, which is how I heard about them in the first place. I want to credit and thank that Twitter user, but I cannot find the post that they've commented on (it's a post of a sniffer plush being photographed at a pridefest from what I recall).

I wrote a summary of what I believe to be the basic premise of the Quar. These whimsical-looking creatures have quite a complex lore.

"This Quar's War" is a tabletop wargame about the Quar, a race of vibrantly-coloured anteater-like humanoids waging war against each other using WW1-esque weapons and tactics.

As the dominant species inhabiting Alwyd, a rugged, mountainous, storm-wracked world, the Quar seem to have always been at war among themselves, with conflicts, whether large or small, occurring with great frequency within 700 years that they have all been lumped together into what is called the Long War. Throughout the Long war, there have been a countless number of warlords and generals. The memories of some have lasted longer than others, but no matter how grand, eventually all Quar turn to dust, and their names and deeds blow away. Perhaps the lone exception to this rule is Ehn’k’du the Lawgiver, an ancient warrior revered and remembered till the present day, who wrote the Laws of War (essentially the Quar equivalent of the Geneva Convention) which all Quar are to follow. The Royalist ruling clans (collectively called the First Families) claim to be related to him.

The two main factions are the Royalist-affiliated Coftyrans and the Crusaders. Steeped in rich martial tradition and dedicated to preserve traditional Quar society, the Crymuster, the military force of the Royal Kingdom of Coftyr stands against the Crusaders, who seek to overthrow the First Families in order to end the Long War, which they believe is caused and sustained by the Laws of War and the class-based culture of Quar society, both of which generally favour the ruling clans.

Crusader miniatures

Coftyran miniatures

(Some illustrations from Western Iron in the rulebooks section)

This took a while to type.

I kind of want a Battlefield-style FPS where you play as these guys.

[sketchyspy]

IT'S THE WOMAN THE GORLLLLLL

@basil-does-arttt's FEAR 'Geier' oc! Fun woman with excellent armor. She's a HAZMAT specialist and you should go check her lore and art out!

plus a fun background study i wanted to do

[sketchyspy]

Admittedly as time went on, and because I grew a better understanding of designing replikas, I came to dislike and even feel ashamed of creating my Kasuar as I now consider him to be ill-designed. He looks very unfitting in the world of SIGNALIS to me, I don't really have a clear sense of purpose/direction for him unlike Maulwurf and PAUR, and I have lost interest in developing/improving him. Ultimately, I decided to put him to rest.

Consider this my resignation from the Cassowary Club. Still, I'm glad you and Gallus found this dumb OC of mine interesting enough to draw art of him, I'm genuinely appreciate them.

(Felt like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders writing this and making this image.)

Also, @hummingjay, please erase KUSR from your list of Kasuars, thank you.

Jay your girls live so rent free on my mind that I dreamt about a multiverse party/potluck between all the Kasuar replikas others have created

SOSAAAAAAAAAA YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THISS

THERE ALREADY IS A CROSSOVER! TWO OF EM!!!

This one on reddit, by u/hotsaucechicken!

and this one's mine! (very old art so its not great)

Plus a coupla sketches of 'em all I did.

Please please please check out the top one. It's really really good and I don't wanna show it since I didn't get explicit permission (Another buddy did and i got permission to share past pieces if I credited but I'd rather be careful.) but OP does them so much justice.

It's been a bit so there's so many other Kasuars to mix together especially on tumblr (i was only on reddit back then) Something really funny i noticed are common on tumblr are ponytails! Cassowaries are aggressive and quite dangerous so I understand why kasuar replikas tend to be soldiers. What's independent of that but still kinda common are ponytails! Other than my kassie i've seen at least two with 'em! I just think it's funny.

[sketchyspy]

Storch ASMR to help you sleep.

Original image is this:

[sketchyspy]

Reblogged this for reference. Thank you for making this.

SIGNALIS character height chart

notes: couldn't find a blueprint image for storch, so I mixed falke's with star's basing on a poster of storch. all heights are copied from the wiki and i trusted them, fingers crossed there's no mistakes

[sketchyspy]

What's your inspiration for creating SKUR? And does she have a corrupted form? Also I never heard of the great skua bird before until I saw SKUR, so thank you for expanding my bird knowledge a little.

SPY HELLO! Okay so she was based off a theme before anything else. Physical inspiration came after. What's the perfect soldier? I don't mean what's the best you get, I mean perfect. What's the ultimate soldier that every power wants? Well, we're kinda stuck because humans are not and never shall be the perfect soldier. We have these built-in things called moral compasses and personal ambitions. We have needs. We have flesh that takes time to heal and tires out even when we have energy to spare. We can't fight forever.

Well, take away the limitations of your humanity. That's Skua. She's obedient, she's tough, she's willing to die for any order, she doesn't need to eat for months at a time, she can source her food with ease, she feels no fatigue (given enough fuel), she doesn't tire, and she's terrifying. She obeys every order and is utterly indifferent to violence. She's the perfect soldier.

Well, I wanted to lean into the theme of perfection, and that meant leaning into the theme of inhumanity but still human. She's a replika, a psuedo-human if you will, but she's been stripped of her humanity, not just in flesh but in mind. So there's that.

But I like contrast. So I worked with Skuas being gentle, kind souls who love and adore and are fascinated by the world around them. Their favorite hobby is to just observe things and see what they do. They won't cause harm without command and will avoid others for their benefit. They like flowers and speak softly. They listen to Eules sing. I later decided that the gestalt template (may need to work on her later) was a gunner in an aircraft crew who was very loyal, very strong-willed, and very good with machine guns. They were also really kind. There's a monstrosity of a creature and all she wants to do is see others happy and play in fields. But instead she's stuck in a perpetual life of violence and blood. Does she know this is wrong? does she know she's only a tool?

I think it's a fun theme and I tried to embody that. A few other inspirations was that skulls are cool (I saw one art piece featuring a skull-like head for a robot too) and helldivers. I really really liked the machine guns and heavy armor combo and thought of juggernauts. A kill me. try. You have one shot and you can't make it count. kinda vibe. So she's big (not tall. Starlings/storches/falkes have elongated legs. Skuas are BIG) and uses HMGs (heavy, (non-man-portable) machine guns). Everything about her is defiance of humanity's limits. Her guns cannot be carried normally by a gestalt, she runs on corpses half the time, and her armor (which would normally be too heavy to use) is impervious to most firearms.

And yeah. that's it (sowwy for ranting). Barbaric defiance of creation and humanity, contrasting softness, and juggernautism (not a word btw).

(A few other references include the juggernaut from those old strike force heroes flash games)

(I actually have the original idea in my notes. It reads "heavy skinless replika oc". The Idea was that her skinlessness signified her lost humanity)

I wish I could give you a corrupted form but alas I'm still working on it, letting concepts work their way through.

Oh! I chose Great Skuas because they're kinda large and aggressive. Turns out it was a great choice because they hunt other birds and also have a harsh, objectively ugly call. It goes well with SKUR units so I'm happy.

[sketchyspy]

Might as well post it here. Here's my Replicop OC, PAUR. He's named after the Peacock.

They do normal police stuff basically - arrest criminals, patrol the streets, regulate traffic, investigate crimes, spy on suspicious gestalts, and also train dogs to be K9 units.

The type of vest worn by the Pfaus is essentially a high visibility vest, that can also emit blinding flashes to incapacitate enemies, thought this has a side effect of being rather draining on the Pfau's internal power supply, so it should be used sparingly. Each LED (in the form of a black dot) is surrounded by red paint to trick people into looking at them, making them resemble the eyespots seen on this replika's namesake bird, and coincidentally, The Red Eye. There are 12 eyespots in total. 6 on the front, 6 on the back.

"Let there be light."

Ariane ash baby art by Mleko on X: "it's probably how Ari felt (yes, it's the ash baby meme) https://t.co/EirmKlx5Gn" / X

I don't know if they have a tumblr account or not. I couldn't find it.

A rather amusing side effect of the eyespots is that people tend to look at the Pfaus in their eyespots rather than their actual eyes when conversing with them. "Hey, my real eyes are up here".

Known issues:

Pfaus are mild-mannered and generally behave professionally but are prone to uttering witty remarks and retorts that can endear them to some replikas, but also get on the nerves of more serious-minded ones. They are also perfectionists in work. A perceived failure, no matter how small, easily depresses them. Giving them knitting supplies and books on detective fiction will help stabilise their personas. These units have a fondness for animals, such as the dogs they may be assigned to train to become K9 units. Animal abuse is a surefire way to instantly anger the usually even-tempered Pfaus.

It is recommended to allow Officers to possess knives, preferably ones that resemble the Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife as Fetish objects as they bring a feeling of safety to them. Pfau Officers typically holster their knives on the forearm (like Thatcher from Rainbow 6 Siege), and conceal them with white traffic police sleeves like these ones on the picture below.

Giving them knitting supplies and books on detective fiction will help stabilise their personas. These units have a fondness for animals, such as the dogs they may be assigned to train to become K9 units. Animal abuse is a surefire way to instantly anger the usually even-tempered Pfaus.

Pfaus' relationships with other replikas are mostly neutral and professional, though they seem to get along with Eules and Stars due to their commonalities. Pfaus tend to (quietly) sing to themselves when on guard duty/patrol, like how Eules like to sing. And they keep knives as fetish objects, like how Stars keep guns.

PAUR's gestalt was a disillusioned Eusan Empire policeman who joined the revolutionary movement that would lead to the founding of the Eusan Nation. He contributed to the movement by acting as a spy/informant, and "erasing problematic figures".