#virusap

[bigidiotenergytm]

CHAT. CHAT. CHAT. CHAT.

CHARYBDIS BY @virusap ❗❗❗❗❗❗❗ OH FELLAS WE ARENT NORMAL ABOUT ANY OF THIS ❗❗❗❗❗❗❗❗

[slaystrawberry12]

[sadagios]

i need to stop listening to epic the musical while i draw, scar and grian are starting to look like odysseus

[millimononym]

Scylla is genuinely such an awesome song its crazy. Epic may not be on the level of real musical productions, but some of its songs are soooo fucking good its crazy. It goes so hard

Scylla's hauntingly beautiful voice constrasted with the horrific nature of the song and lyrics, the dread of knowing whats about to happen, the build-up, the sound effects oh my godddd the fact you can hear each time a sailor gets eaten. THE FUCKING SCYLLA AND ODYSSEUS HARMONIZING AS THEY ARE COMPARED TO EACH OTHER im. maladaptive daydreaming off the charts .

[epicpals]

Hehehehehe

Art credits: gigi, virusap, and neal illustrator

[dontmixpaintinyourcoffee]

A glimpse into my twisted mind

Head under the cut for close-ups and notes for this whole process because hoo boy this musical sure has eaten my brain

So first things first, I'm gonna write out the notes I have at the top down here because they're pretty foundational for all my designs going forward.

Historical accuracy is not a priority here. The story is primarily a fantasy based on the aesthetics of Mycenaean and Hellenic Greece. If the time period is more nebulous the anachronisms are less distracting.

This is more personal preference than anything. I love a good historically accurate piece, but I think I would find it more frustrating than satisfying in this case. If literally everything was accurate to the best of our knowledge except for the dialogue... it would drive me nuts. Plus, it's a reinterpretation and a fantasy story. When I look at it I don't want to think "Oh that's The Odyssey", I want to think "Oh that's THIS version of The Odyssey"

Also, to be frank, I'm being lazy here. I want to draw about this musical for fun, and I want any research I do to be for fun too.

From what I understand, we get most of our modern-day "common knowledge" of Greek mythology based on stories from the Hellenic/Hellenistic (still not sure which one is right) period, especially from Roman influences. However, The Odyssey takes place in The Bronze Age, around 1200 B.C.E. The Mycenaean period is something like 1600-1100 B.C.E. There's a solid 500 year distance MINIMUM between the two time periods. Hopefully I can take references from both, put my own spin on it, and make something that clearly calls back to "Ancient Greece" while still obviously existing in a world far outside our reality.

Now for God's Favorite Punching Bag!

This is a weird process, because there isn't a "canon" look for any of the characters, but I still wanted there to be a somewhat instinctual knowledge from the EPIC audience that the guy I was drawing was probably Odysseus. So I started with some of my favorite interpretations that I've seen. These Odys are brought to you by:

@gigizetz

Neal Illustrator on YouTube

@wolfythewitch

VirusAP on YouTube

They feature some crucial differences in build, shape, and style, but there are some interesting similarities across all of them. All of them share a heavy brow, some kind of facial hair, a prominent nose, and a crooked smile (not pictured in these doodles but it's there trust me.)

After that was figuring out the outfit(s). I took a LOT of inspiration from the Hades games, because I think they embody the kind of look I'm going for. Clearly based in history, but not beholden to it. So I took the designs of some of the important mortals that show up (Odysseus, Achilles, Patroclus, and Theseus) and laid them out next to designs of Odysseus and Eurylochus by Neal Illustrator and Gigi. Then for fun I added in one of the few pieces of pottery art I could find that didn't have Odysseus bare-ass naked.

I really like having some kind of cloak or wrap around his shoulders and neck, and I like the leather arm guards that pop up in quite a few of these designs, so that's probably going to be fairly consistent. I also really like the circlet shown in the Neal Illustrator and Hades II designs, it's a nice reminder that he is actually a king. With all that established, we finally move to my actual designs.

The man himself! Mid-Polyphemus encounter. I think this is the point in the story where he's the most put together. He just did the most heinous thing he's ever done*, but he's finally finished. He has 600 men to set an example for, and they're finally going home. He's trying to project confidence. He's well-groomed, he's got his circlet, he's got his comrades, he's not feeling good, but no one else needs to know that.

*up until that point anyways...

This guy is somewhere just before the Poseidon Incident. His beard is fuller and a bit scraggly, his hair is a bit longer and kinda tangled (the wind does not help), and those eye bags are a touch deeper. Losing those 12-ish people to Polyphemus hit him hard, and losing Polites especially took a toll.

Three guesses of when this takes place and the first two don't count. Those 7 years on Ogygia... They're rough. Physically he's the safest he's been since he left Ithaca, but just having to sit with all the horrors he's done and seen, alone with someone who is impossible to really talk to, achingly close to home... Yeah it's bad. I always pictured this scene happening in the middle of a roiling storm, when he realizes what he's considering doing and he calls out for the last person he knows can still hear him. (Also a little bit of lightning in the back to show Zeus being the one to trap both Odysseus and Calypso here)

IMPORTANT NOTE:

My interpretation of this Calypso is that she's very much manipulative and overbearing, but she won't remove his autonomy. She will provide him with food, but won't make him eat it. This is crucial to this version of the story, because EPIC wants you to sympathize with Calypso at least a little bit. If she was more like her original counterpart I trust that it would have been called out explicitly by the text, so I'm operating under the impression that while she's not a good person, she is at least not so malicious or selfish that she would take away Odysseus' choice in anything. More on her when I get to designing her. Just wanted to make my thoughts extremely clear.

Flashback! Baby Odysseus! Basic setup, circlet, chiton, youthful determination, you know the deal. He's probably about 12 here, which is about the age I picture him doing the boar trial. It was fun trying to hint at the shapes he would grow into in his adulthood. And of course a little bit of Athena influence in the back there. I don't know if a barn owl makes sense geographically, but honestly I just wanted to draw a barn owl. They're cute.

*Insert electric guitar riff*

Maybe my favorite Ody to draw??? He still wears those 7 years on him, but he's trimmed his beard and gotten himself some new clothes, and he's feeling murderously vengeful. Good for him. This is specifically his beggar disguise. I gave him a traveling cloak and some extra cloth to really wrap himself up with. The more he can hide himself, the better. He wants to be invisible, and if someone was to see him he doesn't want them to see any body language. This is just after he shoots Antinous though so... Jig's up :)

[omnicviolence]

Arlebina Matching Icons. ♪

f2u w/credit & art credit.

AC: 1 (alfaidopasta on twt), 2 (VirusAP on twt), 3 (osteichthyens on tumblr)

[bilobae]

Another drawing I made for art class. Too bored and untalented with color, so I just used a red lipstick, lol. I'm just gonna add a lil description on my thought process while drawing this cuz I can

Odysseus: Rugged, bloody, scarred, just how I pictured an image of a monster-like man who has been through it all. For some reason, I headcannon that before, during, and after his fight with Poseidon, he was nude bc Poseidon was going full-on Megatron with currents and waves on this mortal that his clothes went bye bye. I also think the windbag was stronger than the first one given to him by Aelous when his crew was alive (hence Hermes' quote "we've been through so much to get this"). Again, a headcannon. I haven't read the Odyssey again since 10th grade, but I will if I have more time.

TW// another detail, the handprints were from Calypso.

Penelope: Complete opposite of Ody. More elegant and composed, yet never hiding her anguish from waiting for 20 years and her disgust that 108 freeloading men in the palace deluded themselves into thinking that they deserve her hand and the throne. Like Ody, she aged and is extremely exhausted with the way she, her son, and her servants are constantly disrespected in their own home. I love the idea that Penelope has some calluses for the constant weaving and having the strength to carry and string the bow that it made the suitors think that the challenge was easy peasy. (Based on Anniflamma and VirusAp's MUST WATCH animatics).

2. I am with the headcannon that the Odysseus, Penelope, and Telescope are buff baddasses (Ody being the shortest by two heads but the biggest size)

3. I personally enjoyed sketching Penelope more than Odysseus, tho I loved outlining Odysseus more lol. A give and take.

[calypso-apologist]

The fandom talks a lot about their favorite god designs, but what about Scylla designs? Just look at VirusAP's animatic! Look at Scylla! I love the design so much!!

[chbflametinker]

I would get in the water for them. Scylla by VirusAP and Odysseus by Ximena Natzel

[minor-dot-inconvenience]

My Favorite Versions of (some) Epic The Musical Characters

(Includes links and credits to all artists)

Odysseus- VirusAP

-I love how they make him look more scruffy with fluffier hair

-Like he LOOKS like he’s been at sea for over a decade and he LOOKS like he’s seen some shit

-Plus I like how they draw the chitons really flowy in general

Hermes- Lauralobat0

-This ones a little more underrated

-Its such a creative take on Hermes that im lowkey feeling

-Its giving sturdy farmboy

-I also like how he’s more top heavy(? If thats the correct word for it)

-Idk what kinda open toed boots this mf got on but im diggin’ it

Poseidon- Anniflamma

-An amazing job at making him look intimidating and as scary as the sea

-LOOK AT IT.

-If I saw this mf let alone that scary ass horse I think i’d just lay down and cry

-Prolly has been said before but he looks like Moist Cr1t1kal and im feeling it

Telemachus- SincerelyMaxx

-I LOVE how they drew his head and his hair

-I like how they made him young looking but also not too much like he’s a teenager

-Obviously no hate to any artists who prefer to draw Twinkmachus but it’s refreshing to see him be drawn more bulky (idk if that’s the correct word for it)

Hera- Neal Illustrator and Gigi

-You expect me to pick between two bad bitches?

-They’re opposite takes on Hera and im eating them both up

-Neal’s Hera is more flashy and dramatic with some of her movements (though they’re both kinda flashy

-Their Hera is a little more subtle with the peacock features, not outwardly showing feathers but representing them with the hands

-I like how Gigi’s leans more into the peacock thing and how she looks older, giving Cruella DeVille vibes

-Gigi’s looks like she would own funky rugs, sell ancient crystals and hold a quellazaire

Eurylochus- Kazmir29

-A hard choice to make cuz I love Eurylochus but I think this ones my favorite

-Just shows really well how beaten down Eurylochus is by the Thunder Saga

-When I picture Eurylochus theirs is what I think of

-He just looks tired, defeated and desperate

-I think they captured the emotions really well

I tried not to compare so much cuz I love all epic animators and all their interpretations of the characters. If I had a nickle for everytime ive glazed epic animators for their creativity I could buy Ithica.

anywayz just wanted to yap gbyeeee‼️😛

[rozesmiana]

I basically did fanart of VirusAP’s amazing animatic, the composition of this is just the thumbnail but it compelled me so much

[slaystrawberry12]

[cosmicourple]

This has been a long time coming but here is which designs I picture EPIC! characters as & therefore depict as in my posts (most of the time ig) :D

(All the ones w/ to designs lean more heavily on one of the two + all these designs will probably have some tweaks to them in my head to make it more confusing lol) (edited)

Canon Mortals:

Odysseus — a mix of Neal illustrator’s & Ximena Natzel’s designs

Eurylochus — a mix Neal Illustrator’s & Anniflamma’s designs

Polites — smoolio’s design

Telemachus — a mix of Neal Illustrator’s, Ximena Natzel’s & pyndr0p’s designs

Penelope — Neal Illustrator’s design

Tiresias — Ximena Natzel’s design

Antinous — a mix of australet789’s & messymoonmad’s designs

Anticlea — wolfythewitch’s design

Perimedes — baboomster’s design

Eurymachus — messymoonmad design

Amphinomus — messymoonmad design

Melanthius — a mix of messymoonmad’s & Duvetbox’s designs

None-canon Mortals:

Elpenor — a mix of Pibi’s & baboomster’s designs

Ctimene — a mix of notsolonedesert’s & firinnie’s designs

Melantho — a mix of messymoonmad’s & solvanei’s designs

Laertes — wolfythewitch’s design

there r more none-canon characters i could list designs 4 but then we’d be listing the Iliad 😭

Canon Deities:

Athena — a mix of Neal Illustrator & wolfythewitch’s designs

Hermes — Ximena Natzel’s design

Poseidon — Neal Illustrator’s design

Circe — a mix of gigi’s & PimPichc’s designs

Aeolus — a mix of gigi’s & jugganautism’s designs

Zeus — Neal Illustrator’s design

Apollo — a mix of Neal Illustrator’s & Anniflamma’s designs

Hephaestus — Neal Illustrator’s design

Aphrodite — a mix of Neal Illustrator & coquexari’s designs

Ares — Neal Illustrator’s design

Hera — Neal Illustrator’s design

Calypso — a mix of gigi, irunaki & Ximena Natzel’s designs

None-canon Deities (not doing all of them bc then we’d be here 4ever 😭) :

Hades — Neal Illustrator’s design

Amphitrite — pahatarcarabosses’s design

Persephone — jugganautism’s design u probably won’t find it unless you scroll thru one of their art dumps on TikTok but yeah 😭

Hestia — nilo05’s design

Dionysus — a mix of gigi’s & Neal Illustrator’s designs

Demeter — a mix of im-an-apollogist’s & nothing-impt’s designs

Artemis — jugganautism’s design

Helios — simoondraws’s design

Canon monsters & creatures:

Winions — gigi’s design

Lotus Eaters — a mix of mircsy’s & foopsie-dasiy’s designs

Polyphemus — mircsy’s design

Scylla — Ani Tigerfly’s design

Sirens — a mix of ShiftingStorms’s & Ximena Natzel’s designs + myth-accurate bird look

Charybdis — a mix of gigi’s & VirusAP’s designs

idk if there’s anyone else I wanna add but ye, this is this :3

[lukaka-arte]

“Captain, something approaches...

Hello...”

In the land of Beast-Yeast, even the most tereible of the Beasts cowars in fear when approaching the Pink Serene Lake,a lake known for its depth and its waters that never move, as well as its unusually pink coloration, even by Earthbread's standards.

All but one Beast...

In reality, these abnormalities are responsible for a single being, a monstrosity that lives in the depths of the lake that, in addition to being extremely salty (to the point that if a cookie touches it, its dough will dry out immediately) but also because it is covered in Strawberry Jam.

YEP, This is my take for the "sidekick" of Silent Salt Cookie!

Meet: Deadly Lake Cookie!

They have VARIOUS references, so I will list them down below:

- The Dead Sea/Hillier Lake, the infamous Pink Lake (basically any Salt Lake known)

- Nimue/Lady od the Lake (Arthurian Mithology)

- Scylla (Greek Mithology/EPIC The Musical)

↑ This one, more specifically the versions made by both: Gigi and VirusAP on YouTube)

- The Loch Ness Monster + Leechs (for actual body)

CURIOSITIES:

- Cosmic Horror inspiration? Why yes!

- Deadly Lake Cookie "real name" is "Creature of the Pink Salt Lake"... since they don't like It (and It's huge as Hell) Silent Salt named them Deadly Lake "Cookie" for shorts when talking only about the "tongue part", when talking about the Creature as a whole, Silent Salt calls them Deadly Lake Creature.

- Even though the cookie body is "fake", Deadly Lake Cookie is able to communicate and interact normally with his tongue. He can even feed themself with normal cookies foods! Although, you have to give them a LOT to satisfy it.

- Deadly Lake Creature tongue is REALLY huge (like a chameleon or an anteater) and they can move It so well It makes It looks like Deadly Lake Cookie is walking/floating on the water! They also don't fell anything with theyr mouth open mostly all the type (like a venus flytrap).

- Would PROBABLY be only an NPC as it would be REALLY dificult to code them in Kingdom.

↑ If possible, I think the only way for It was to "detachable" the Cookie from the Creature somehow, wich IS honestly something with WAY MORE HEAVY IMPLICATION THAN I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON—

- The size difference between the mouth and the Cookie is so huge it feels like Deadly Lake Cookie actually summons a freakin CAVE in the middle of the lake to anyone not attentive enough.

[epicpals]

Scylla appreciation time! ☆(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*

Art by gigi, virusap, and smoolio.art