Growing with The Underground

So I've been working on designing this 'bug artillery piece'. And it's really interesting how a simple idea can not only progress into a much more complex concept, but also open your eyes to the long road behind you! While doing some plans for 'The Underground #2: Bad Seeds', Chris and I came up with the idea to develop a large cannon type weapon, which utilizes the explosive capabilities of the Bombardier Beetle. I want this design to appear as though it works (I'm not a weapon designer, or an engineer, bear with me I draw bugs!), and also represent the ramshackle nature of construction that I feel the insects would use. In order to make this invention as consistent and believable as possible, I knew I'd have to build it in layers. With that said, I'll be posting each of the steps here in the bugs blog so you can see how the idea comes together.

But before gettting to the first image, I'd like to explain what I found as I was designing this contraption. In the earlier days of the Underground, as much research as I was doing, the world was not 'insect' enough. I was still thinking in very humanoid terms and forms. The biggest tell-tale sign was in the anatomy of the creatures, particularly any beasts of burden. The Bombardier Beetle is one such beast, and the old problem was once again glaring me in the face. I put alot of time into breaking down the design of this insect, before even beginning on the cannon apparatus itself. When the Bombardier Beetle was drawn, I sat back, and could immediately see the difference. I'm not sure if the vast majority of readers will notice, but I do. And moving forward, as we add more and more new creatures into the story, I am more confident than ever that we are definitely getting better at what we do. And THAT should really mean something. Whether you notice how insect-like the creatures look, or how accurate the scaling has become, or not; one thing's for certain, you're sure to be drawn deeper into this world of mine. The question now becomes....can you find your way out again?