So, I wanted to write a little bit more about my Skejla. And since my last journal was a hurried Q&A simply as filler, put up oh about a week after I joined I'm sure, I thought this would be a good start for getting information out there without having to resort to a million of my 'info' pictures.

So, the first question I get about Skejla is of course 'what the hell are they?' to which I reply, they're made up! But since that doesn't satisfy much here's a little more explanation.

Basically I was really fed up with just being a cat, however being feline is so much a part of me that I just couldn't let it go. So in a fever induced drawing fit I decided to throw out any notion of being a hybrid and simply create my own creature. The face, ears and mannerisms' of the Skejla are very feline. And I was really happy with that. However the lower body well, I guess the closest species it resembles is not in fact a kangaroo but instead think more like a velociraptor.

Once I had the basic idea of what they looked like it seemed natural to give them a basis for existence, and when I looked at them they seemed primitive but not uncultured. So I decided from a historical standpoint in evolution they're right on par with the humans of 35,000 - 12,000 years ago. They live in caves, though more for comfort than necessity, they have harnessed the use of fire for cooking and light, use weapons, carve jewelery, statues and worship their own deities and speak in a fairly complex language.

Once I decided that it made sense not to create an entirely different world but instead to imagine them taking the place of humans on earth on that same evolutionary path. So the continents, climates, flora and fauna are the same. My particular tribe is living in north America, in what is now the province of Ontario. (because Canada rocks and it's where I live, heh.)

They have a wolf-pack like hierarchy, with one Alpha leading a tribe and unless that Alpha is challenged he will stay in power until his death, whereupon a new leader is chosen by the shaman of the tribe. As I wrote in my 'info' pic they are not monogamous, each can choose more than one mate at a time. However love, loyalty and affection run deep and the choice of mate is not one to be made arbitrarily. Youth is short lived with a Skejla considered an adult at around age 12. An average life span is about 45 years, one being considered 'old' at around age 30. Living past ones 40's is not unheard of but it's rather unusual.

Sexual behavior would be considered promiscuous by today's standards, being given and received freely without any stigma or shame. Usually the only reason to refuse is because of social standing, a high ranking female would normally not mate with a low ranking male and vice versa, but even then exceptions are made. Sometimes if a high ranking female is already mated with a high ranking male, taking on a low ranking lover is perfectly fine, not particularly affecting her standings in the tribe as a whole.

Female Skejla can only conceive every four months and gestation is about 6 months. Thus allowing females to mate freely without becoming pregnant too often.

So I guess that's a pretty rough overview and not in any real order as I tend to ramble but I hope at least it makes some sense. I'll be putting all the info together in a more cohesive manner on my website sometime in the near future.

There's been a few questions about my art, so I'll get ahead of myself and answer some of them here.

Q: How come your art has no backgrounds?

A: Because right now I'm devoting time to anatomy and style, when I feel more accomplished with that, I'll likely go back and do some backgrounds.

Q: How do you color your art?

A: I use a tablet, photoshop CS2 and a lot of layers. Someday I might do a tutorial, but I really don't think there would be much need. My coloring is still so-so.

Q: Are you really female?

A: Uh not really relating to my art but, yes. I might upload an actual photograph...but...then again, maybe not.


I think that should cover it for now. Ta!

- Ever