Bluejay

Posted Nov 14, 2017, 1:28:40 AM UTC

Jay Snowflower, an avian elf with bluejay-style plumage.

The avian elves are a pet project meant to take winged humanoids--an idea many people seem to be infatuated with--and make them actually work. Humanoid bodies are not build for flight at all, and the wingspan you'd need to lift one off the ground would have to be tremendous. Thus, the workaround for avian elves is that their feathers hold a latent enchantment that projects a sort of magical force field all around them in the shape of a large bird, when they fly, allowing for aerodynamic flight and enough lift to actually get off the ground.

Jay's pronouns are they/them/theirs

Comments

MaskedLin
Nov 21, 2017, 4:33:15 AM UTC
This is a neat concept, I like how the projection is the actual thing flying, it does solve a lot of the issues with an actual humanoid in flight while taking a new approach to it.

I like how the feathers are on a large part of her. A lot of people just stick wings on a human and call it a day, but I love it when people blend the aspects together more, like here.
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- Indigo-Dusk
  Nov 24, 2017, 8:31:28 PM UTC
  Thank you! And yeah, each flight feather on the wings directly controls the position of one of the spectral "feathers" of the projection, so the projection is what's actually keeping the avian elf aloft, though they are basically "steering" with their wings and leg-tailfeathers
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  MaskedLin
  Nov 27, 2017, 5:38:18 AM UTC
  Nice, it attaches the projection to the elf so it doesn't feel like a ship or some detached thing, but like an actual part of her.
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  Indigo-Dusk
  Dec 27, 2017, 6:57:32 AM UTC
  Yup! And it's them, actually, not her. Jay is nonbinary. ^^
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  MaskedLin
  Jan 19, 2018, 7:50:50 AM UTC
  Ah, my bad, thanks for correcting me
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  Indigo-Dusk
  Jan 25, 2018, 4:25:49 AM UTC
  Thank *you* for being cool about using the right pronouns when corrected. ^^
  
  I am nonbinary myself, and use they/them pronouns, so expect to see a lot of my characters being the same, even if they have more feminine bodies.
  
  In fact pretty much all the characters I like to draw are either female or nonbinary. Serious lack of masculinity in my art XD.
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  MaskedLin
  Jan 30, 2018, 7:59:32 AM UTC
  No problem at all
  
  That's good to know, I probably would have misgendered you if I had not been told! I'm relaxed about pronouns myself, they're just words to me~ I'll try to remember that for the future, though bear with me, I have bad memory heh. I can relate to a lot of female characters, most characters I make are women too, I was seriously caught off guard when I realized that in my main story there are more guys than gals! Very different for me.
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  Indigo-Dusk
  Feb 5, 2018, 4:43:39 AM UTC
  That'd really throw me too!
  
  And yeah, I have this habit of watching shows and thinking, about a male character, "this character is cool, but would be even better if they were a girl" XD
  
  I mean I don't hate guys or anything, but media in general is so over-saturated with them. (and admittedly as a lesbian I find female/feminine characters much easier on the eyes << >> )
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  MaskedLin
  Feb 5, 2018, 8:43:40 AM UTC
  Yeah, there's a lot of roles where directors and story writers immediately decide it's a guy role, and women end up in specific sub-classes of said role to interest the male-centric audience (busty badass who has a skimpy/skin-tight outfit, sweet dorky tech lady, babe with special powers who can't seem to ise them to defend herself in any normal situation, blah blah blah) I appreciate it when shows have roles where they happen to be women.
  
  And that makes sense, an attraction to women could have that effect I haven't been with any women myself, but I'm starting to think I might prefer them (I'm panromantic).
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duck113
Nov 21, 2017, 1:28:34 AM UTC
nice concept & I like the viewpoint you chose- I recognized the bluejay inspiration before I read your description
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- Indigo-Dusk
  Nov 24, 2017, 8:28:15 PM UTC
  Thank you! I'm glad the plumage style was apparent without the description. ^^
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Firiel
Nov 17, 2017, 7:01:21 AM UTC
That's a cool idea, having the projection involved. And I appreciate the detail you put into the feathered textures, and enjoy the look of the dark-to-light colorshade going towards the coastline. They seem like a neat OC. ^_^

...Oh dear, I just realized something that might need clarifying. <.< Coincidentally I have a friend named Jay who has flying daydreams, and I've sometimes drawn him with jay-wings because I found it amusing? So if I ever post a jay-winged Jay around here *I promise I'm not trying to rip you off*! Totally different from your elf-enby. >.<
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- Indigo-Dusk
  Nov 24, 2017, 8:27:08 PM UTC
  Oh, no need to worry, heh, I believe you. Funny thing, I came up with Jay's name before I decided on their plumage colors, and then went "hey, wait a minute..."
  
  And thank you!I'm glad you like Jay, and the drawing. ^^
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  Firiel
  Jan 9, 2018, 10:46:43 PM UTC
  [laughs] That's awesome. Accidental pun!
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