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I originally drew this concept of a Helryx back in 2015. With the conclusion of the MOC portion of the Helryx contest, I’ve concluded that my old mask concept did not suit the new Helryx so I looked to design a new Mask of Psychometry.
As stated in the linked caption, the initial inspiration for my first iteration came from Helryx’s background as the leader of the Order of Mata Nui so I looked to Axonn’s and Brutaka;s masks as well as pre-Colombian headdresses for inspiration.
For the first round of iterations, I approached several different visual motifs to help define the silhouette. I looked at Khing’s and Galva’s take on the Mask of Psychometry as their masks were prominently used in the MOC portion as well as re-using the headdress shape from my original. Also played more with the idea of the mask with a “satellite” affixed to the front. Some members of the community also expressed interest in a more hammerhead-shape mask. I also looked to Voriki’s and Makooti’s masks in a hope to bring their mask to canon.
Initial Mask Concepts - Round One
With input from several Discord groups, I narrowed it down to three to continue using as bases for more iterations.
Inital Mask Concepts - Round Two, Three
The conclusion of Round Two was that people liked the Voriki-inspired mask and the original iteration. With deliberation, I declined to continue with Voriki with apprehension that it would be too nostalgia-baity. At this point, a week has passed and I would need to move on if I hoped to create an illustration in time for the contest
A spur-of-the-moment decision had me look back to Helryx’s description and tackle the inspiration from there. If Helryx was so frail, what could she have don to alleviate that perceived weakness? Looking back to my original concept, I begin thinking about the Vahi. What if her mask was incomplete, what if there’s a second half? Two quick sketches and I was willing to continue with this idea.
Illustration Process
Helryx (2015) | Helryx (2020)
