#arghdesign

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

finally finished this 🌟 radiantsona?? i just thought it would be fun to do, and also play with colors other than the "official" ones 💜

some closeups

when i was picking eye shape i actually picked this shape because of. eyebrows. lmao. so they probably don't widen much.

also my chronic resting bitch face.

blurple

i considered teal, because i like turquoise as well (also pink but, that's taken), but i decided a neon purple would fit best with stealth powers.

stealthy... cloaking... honestly this power set is basically just "big time spider-man but radiant" lol

long and narrow... i have proportionally broad shoulders, so, you know. also a flat ass.

colors is proving a pain but like

It's meant to be definitely blurple, not purple, but it looks really blue on my computer and really purple on my phone so I'm like ???? idk.

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

happy april fool's day, this took me one (1) hour to draw

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

playing around with Kaine's costume (and Aracely's a little) as I muse over timelines and things that happen.

okay i edited some stuff/made some minor improvements lol

wrt Kaine's costume here, mostly I was just like, I really like this older design I did and never gonna use the Agonized version, so I thought I'd revisit it with some modifications, like the split and torn cape to emulate wings, and also the mask and glove pattern from his other costume.

Aracely is basically unmodified from my previous design except for an added lower face mask for full coverage, since Kaine is pretty high risk so it makes sense that Aracely would probably also be masking more to prevent spreading any illness to him.

For reference, my design for Aracely's costume in-universe:

still working on making his bod look right also.

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

made a joke about Kaine wearing a new costume with a spiked collar while chatting with @big1ron — which of course turned into me actually designing a costume, shocking no one.

discord convo(s) which catalyzed this doodle:

(full disclosure: this screenshot was edited to remove extraneous parts of the convo/to simplify the context lol)

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

dumb joke secondary to actual prop design/worldbuilding/whatever

(Nina is TJ's dead mom lol)

notes:

referencing this obv

i considered his family doing an empty niche in a mausoleum but the locker room linoleum floor aesthetics are so bad and TJ is a rambunctious very active outside kind of guy so small empty grave instead. when he does eventually die he'll be cremated (unlike his mom) and they'll just bury the urn in front of the existing headstone.

TBH I considered multiple things to put on TJ's headstone and I'm still not sold on "loving son & grandson" because it feels a little generic but, no more generic than "beloved daughter" etc. lol — maybe if i come up w/ something better in the future i'll change it.

also i just copy-pasted the cyrillic for TJ's mom's name so if it's like... wrong... I don't THINK it's wrong but if it is lmk.

(Yanina Anatoliivna Stasiuk ~> TJ's mom's side is Ukrainian)

Also, no, TJ does not actually die at age 31 lol — but there is a point where he is disappeared and his family is told he's dead. His dad doesn't necessarily believe it but what else can you do 🤷

as far as all the crosses go, fwiw TJ is extremely lapsed but he was baptized as a baby and went to sunday school for a little bit as a kid and they do occasional xmas and easter stuff. dad is also kind of lapsed but btwn dad and baba (and aunt and paternal grandparents' influence) some crosses make sense and his empty grave is probably in a catholic cemetery, so they might require a religious symbol anyway...

TJ was raised in the latin tradition but mom's side is mostly eastern catholics (tho mom herself kind of assimilated) so eastern cross is partly just about his heritage in this case rather than him being raised in an eastern catholic tradition... though i'm sure there are things he does at home with baba (like easter) that are more influenced by eastern catholicism

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

decided to try actually drawing the visor on top of the janky model i made in november

mostly made the model so i have a reference for drawings but adding the visor on top is definitely also useful. i think this is the final visor shape, instead of the original rounder version or the "leaved"/flame version (which is thematic but looks a little silly to me)

the grille is a little off-looking but that's fine

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

these characters don't really have anything to do with each other, I just happened to be thinking about both so I put them on the same sheet.

the dilemma of latino dude with a pompadour and Waardenburg syndrome— not actually a ripoff of Robbie Reyes tho. Partly inspired by a guy I knew in high school, plus various shark vibes for the hair and so on...

anyway costume material is a sharkskin-style thing, smooth in one direction, rough in the other, probably not made of teeth though. some kind of fancy textile Ray invented himself. as a... geography student... You know what, maybe he got in contact with Sonam. Or some official tailors.

fun to do a very monochromatic suit without any real color tho.... It's like... almost countershaded lol

long-ass flippers too, but he has booties for walking around.

Bad eyesight on dry land is from powers, deafness is not. He has WS and also shark powers, separately, lol

and also trims his eyebrows lol

As far as Dr. Augustine, I have much less on the drawing since... no costume...

Psychic vampire... and professional psychiatrist (ethically dubious!) Probably a villain/antagonist... considering whether or not TJ tries to go to therapy and accidentally gets seduced and drained of emotion (temporarily)

It's not a permanent thing, more like........ anemia of the soul.... lmao

anyway that's it

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

finally decided to update the costumes for these two to give them a more consistent shared aesthetic and to make them look more professional

two versions, i just had this image in my mind of a pink jumpsuit that i really wanted to draw. maybe the jumpsuit is for winter and the pantsless one is for summer or something lol

bonus logo for the company running things — tried to evoke some of the vibes of 2000s telecom company logos.

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

in-universe equivalent of hooters but it's also a sonic style roller skating waitresses situation and has a lot of seafood.

all this so i can give TJ hot pants...

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

Finally got around to this... Redesign for Veritas—original was based on some color theming that's not relevant anymore and also I wanted to make something a little stealthier and sleeker.

no pockets anymore, but alas. catsuit sacrifices.

edit: removed most seams, some pics of seamed version are retained under read more

edit 2: fixed her height, Kala is 6 feet tall now/again

doing some bullshit lenses. no hi-vis reflective materials, 'cause again, stealth, but mirrored? sure! chromed up in bright light, turns clear in darkness so she can see better, and people still can't see her eyes. instant-like, probably.

like so... sort of.

obv some wetsuit inspiration in this construction. idk what it's really made of, probably something scientific and more stab-proof than neoprene.

kitty...

hidden blades along the ulna(?), for stabbing.... assassin's creed style... (sort of)

before ditching the bulletproof vest I had a small push dagger sheathed on her chest but with the final version there's really nowhere practical to put one so, not included i suppose.

anyway that's it

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

was working on making some outfit and shirt refs so I have something easy to work from (or copy-paste from...) and got very sidetracked drawing what's in TJ's pockets.

In retrospect, while TJ is a bit of a stoner, he probably doesn't walk around with loose edibles in his pockets, but, you know,

wallet's from here (but no longer available for sale)

full-res cigarettes below w/ a few extra notes:

i also tried to draw my own take on a dinosaur wallet, but i didn't really like how it turned out...

it's still cute, just not the right vibe... interior is probably something like that though.

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

I know I'm never gonna finish this even though all that it needs is to finish the flame outline and colors to be actually done in the svg itself, so I'm just posting it as-is lol

second pic is a mockup png edit, so no vectors or anything...

my original sketch:

i just don't want to deal with adding the flame or blocking out the background lmao — i'm not a graphic designer, and i don't generally work with vectors or inkscape except in this one instance

if you're curious, the S there, while also being part of the flame itself, is meant to reflect the shape of the flame on the chest of Seth's costume

ideally final version would look something like this—

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

some supporting chars for TJ

*edited to change some minor details about Kent that have been bugging me lol

they work at a dungeon/bdsm club called Category 9

bonus:

slightly nsfw talk below

There is a nude version of this pic, which i'll post at the end. i'm pretty sure it's allowed per site rules since it's just nudity without arousal etc. but idk if the kink involved changes things...

Anyway

TJ doesn't work at CAT9 but he likes to help out w/ setting up equipment because he's a nice boy.

Madame Maypole has the most equipment (toys, machines, etc.) so he has a good rapport with her.

He is friendly with Kent but doesn't know him super well, but Kent also ends up being TJ's first time alone with a man (he's been in threesomes before though).

Sir, idk if TJ knows well or at all, since he mostly does stuff for the ladies, though he is willing to work with men occasionally.

TJ has def played with Madame Maypole and been plowed by Kent, though, at least once.

Bits:

I included naked Sir but really he doesn't ever take his clothes off at the club so... it's not necessarily relevant

Kent is hung yes

fortunately, TJ is kind of a size queen

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

big boy (or girl?) armor — Decided to design TJ an advanced costume, much more heavily armored and probably way less maneuverable than his normal costume. Influences include disco ball lamps, Bioshock, Destiny 2, Prey, Deus Ex, military tactical gear, Ben 10, Radiant Red, and so on and so forth.

update as of April 2025:

here's a JJ (aka girl) version for the upgraded REfactor armor. Almost exactly the same tbh but, you know, slightly wider hips and she wears a bra under all that now lol

consolidated it w/ the gloves and underwear too so it's all in one place, tho as you can see the back brace is on top of a base layer in the right.

helmet:

aim for this is to provide a very, very padded helmet with very small pieces of bulletproof glass thus increasing durability of lenses compared to a larger visor of the same thickness, good for a guy who can make explosions. speakers and/or filters/etc. just below. some kind of thin film interference? idk i just thought it looked cool.

should have night vision, and likely is dark enough inside, even not being reflective, you can't see TJ thru the lenses.

it doesn't rotate or swivel at all of course. TJ looks around inside of the helmet, thus all the lenses. you never know if REfactor is looking at you...

a little cap underneath, various little accessories so he can speak and hear. my idea for this armor is it's actually not developed by the military but rather is some blackmarket stuff.

tootsies. i spent a bit too long trying to figure out the legs and feet, ultimately went for the long narrow cigar hoof look and decided to ignore the reality of "feet" and "fitting feet into boots" etc. because I didn't like the looks it would have required. my handwave is tiptoes but... eh...

chest. same logo as normal etc. thick quilted fabric. initially my sketch had a kind of michelin man look for the arms but this is better. prob not great range of motion though lol

he's in there

next to his regular costume ^^

always hi-vis for TJ lol

but can't decide if the yellow (except gloves) should also be reflective or not. in my original post for TJ's costume it's only the white that reflects but I feel like it wold be neat if the yellow did as well

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

Get yourself a man who looks silly as hell.

Posting the censored AF version just because then I don't have to deal with labeling this post lol — I'm just gonna post his underwear as a separate pic

edited a little

anyway some closeups below:

Decided to give him a mirrored (probably aluminized) chrome-look visor on his helmet — TJ is himself generally fireproof but I figured he still doesn't want his clothes to like... melt... so most of his costume is theoretically fire-rated to some extent.

TJ is also explosion-proof but not bulletproof (or stab proof) so his costume heavily features ballistic armor even though his main "foe" is an illusionist with the power of sensory manipulation lol — I mean I guess Lilith could just grab a gun but that's not really her style. But. You know. Cops?

Anyway, helmet filters and respirator are mostly for irritants like fiberglass or similar materials, not for actual chemicals. TJ is immune to carbon monoxide poisoning or chlorine gas or whatever, so I opted not to give him gas filters, though I considered integrating a P100 multi-gas respirator into his costume initially.

It's probably hard to talk to people effectively with his helmet on so he probably uses a contact mic (not pictured) or something hidden under that neck brace.

Elbow pads... neck brace is for whiplash... ballistic vest... etc.

The logo on his chest is, btw, based loosely on (as pictured) the structure of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane, even further simplified.

seamless kevlar knit opera gloves with grippy nitrile rubber palms and armored knuckles 👍 Protects him from abrasion and other things, though he is hypothetically immune to most elemental toxins but I guess he may still need chemical protection... just in case.

The white part on his gloves is the only white on his costume that isn't reflective lol it's just white nitrile

steel-toed boots (or I guess some composite), like the rest of his costume, serve to protect his feet from punctures, abrasion, and other stuff. And stabilize his ankles I guess. They've got some kind of laces or zippers hidden behind the tongue probably. Don't want laces to catch on debris, after all.

Tried to edit this to make him less trim btw. The brace probably flattens his physique a bit but maybe not that much. More accurate idea of his build is in the doodles of his back brace and under-shirt/leotard, as well as the tattoo ref I drew. He's not super chubby necessarily but he is pretty solidly built and not skinny.

[hoardlikegoldenirises]

musing on some possible things regarding putting a boy thru various horrors

something something, kidnapped by the military to be experimented on and exploited. bonus muzzle because he bites.

mittens so he doesn't try to gouge open his surgical incisions (he would try, yes) but also so he can't remove the electronarcosis patch or collar, etc. Kind of a non-standard jumpsuit, but I figure he is a unique subject and they may choose to dress him in a uniquely identifying way (reflective stripe). Nylon hobbles vs. metal cuffs and waist chain just a matter of situation.

Modified DBS device to suppress powers via hyperpolarization of specific neurons in the anterior insular cortices, bilateral. Pulses can be used to cause temporary depolarization and trigger involuntary power activation.

epidural electrode grid over meta-motor cortex (fictional auxiliary part of the primary motor cortex) is normally off but can also be used to trigger powers in concert with insular pulses, or to overload his brain and create a massive burst of energy.

Military is also experimenting with ways to induce euphoria via ecstatic aura but so far that mostly just triggers a cascade of depolarization across both insulas, aka, an ecstatic seizure. like Dostoevsky. Oops! They're working on a way to prevent the transition from aura to seizure.

Anyway, TJ escapes, probably. Maybe destroys the entire facility. Probably kills a bunch of people either indirectly or directly.

goes all out on the weirdo front in his 30s, new tattoos, new piercings, DIY hair dye... probably a couple years after escape though. Interim is presumably mostly him being depressed and paranoid since he's like... a wanted fugitive...

Grows out his hair partly to cover up the lumps on his forehead and hide his surgical scars but also partly to "hide in plain sight" by looking pretty different to the average civilian.

Also because he's mildly nervous at the barber now.

also adopts a baby ferret and names her Zephyr. She's a silver panda color with Waardenburg syndrome, thus deaf. She's also a rescue and is very aggressive to other ferrets to TJ keeps her solo and she gets to free roam his bedroom (their bedroom) and sleeps on a pillow next to his head. TJ adores her and she's spoiled rotten. She makes him feel calm. He lets her ride in his hood when he vacuums.

Same wing tattoos as normal timeline but with different context of in part being used to cover up some of his scars and in part just to like, reclaim his personal and bodily autonomy.

EEG I decided even if he destroys the facility there's a non-zero chance he ends up with some copies of some of his tests including brain scans, so I decided he could get that on the back of his neck. X tattoo behind ear also reclamation of the body (location of electronarcosis sticker)

Cracked skull on shoulder because he's Edgy (I just thought it would look nice)

Unlike Lilith, does not keep his dye job touched up. Speaking of Lilith, not sure what their relationship status is at this point. TJ is a little bit antisocial, so. idk.