Miras

Miras Exterior 1
Black ink and colour pencil on photocopy paper.
(from post-Newanda period)

This is a drawing from my "tracing phase". This does not refer to my practice of tracing earlier drafts of drawings to do later drafts, but to actually tracing pictures from books or magazines. In the image above, the three human figures are traced from a magazine (except for the head of the standing figure and the right foot of the seated figure). The "tracing phase" did not last long because it was a bad idea.

Miras (the structure in the background) is an idea I have been working on for a long time, but I don't have any really early images of it as seen from the outside. The object in the foreground containing the three figures is a small spaceship. The image above probably dates from the late 1990s or early 2000s.

Miras is a galaxy scale artificial structure. It is not known exactly who made it or why, but it dates from a very early phase of the universe. It is said to have been made by a race of "giants" who are no longer in evidence. The story goes that it was created by a race of gods who were very powerful but who went to war amongst themselves and went the way of the dinosaurs, so that now, Miras is one of the very few traces of their existence.

The structure is heavily populated in regions, and virtually unpopulated in others. The many races inhabiting the structure are at various stages of evolutionary development. Some primitive, some highly advanced. But none with abilities comparable to those who originally created the structure. The structure is as much a mystery to those who inhabit it, as it is to anyone else.

Because of the size of the structure, those races who dwell within the interior of it have never seen open space where there is nothing but stars and galaxies in a void. They have no concept of a universe devoid of architecture or of a distinction between nature and technology. There are large open spaces inside the structure, some containing stars and perhaps planets, but each is in a chamber surrounded by architecture.

A question that is often raised is what prevents Miras collapsing under the weight of its own gravity. If you look at the image Miras 1 (on the New Stuff page), you will see it appears to be pushing away the nearby galaxy. It is thought that whatever repulsive force is causing this, is also responsible for supporting Miras itself.

The idea behind Miras is that of a place where anything can happen. There is nothing that would seem impossible there.



Miras Exterior 2
Pencil on photocopy paper.

A lot of different designs were tried for Miras, although the basic idea remained constant. In this image, Miras is being viewed from the surface of a relatively nearby planet.



Miras Exterior 3
Pencil on photocopy paper.

More abandoned Miras designs.



Miras Exterior 4
Pencil on photocopy paper.

More abandoned Miras designs.



Miras Exterior 5
Pencil on photocopy paper.

More abandoned Miras designs.



Miras Exterior 6
Pencil on photocopy paper.

Another abandoned Miras design.



Miras Exterior 7
Pencil on photocopy paper.

More abandoned Miras designs.



Miras sketch
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Miras Exterior 8
Pencil on photocopy paper.

This is getting close to the final design (see Miras 1 on the New Stuff page).



Miras Interior 0
An early Miras interior.
Photocopy of what was probably ball-point pen in a ruled notebook.



Miras Interior 1
Ball-point pen on ruled paper.

A very early (pre-Morgan period) representation of the interior of Miras (at that time I called it "Eurimene") in the vicinity of Newgrove. The creature skeleton would develop into the idea of Traselew (see Obastel). The river originating in the skeleton is related to the idea of the fructifying influence of the dying giant (see Ymir in Wikipedia).



Miras interior 2
Ball-point pen on paper.



Miras interior 3
Ball-point pen on ruled notepad.



Miras interior 4
Ball-point pen and colour pencil on paper.



Miras Interior 5
Probably ball-point pen on paper.
Photocopy of a page from an early (1980s) notebook/sketchbook.

The image at top-right was a precursor to Newgrove. The four images at left are part of the "Miras zoom" (see below).



Miras Zoom 1a (pencil)
Pencil on photocopy paper.

The image above is one of my first portrayals of part of the Miras zoom sequence.



Miras Zoom 1a
Photocopy of pencil drawing glued to illustration board.
Painted by Barney and Alej. Gouache and perhaps acrylic.



Miras Zoom 1b
Pencil and probably gouache on illustration board.



Miras Zoom 1c
Pencil on illustration board. Ink and gouache by Barney.



Miras Zoom 1d
Pencil and I think acrylic on illustration board.



Miras Zoom 1e
Black ink and probably acrylic on illustration board.



Miras Zoom 1f
Black ink and probably acrylic and some gouache on illustration board.



Miras Zoom 1g
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Miras Zoom 1h
Black ink and probably acrylic and some gouache on illustration board.

See Provetan.



Miras Zoom 2a1
Pencil on paper.



Miras Zoom 2a2
Ink and maybe acrylic or gouache on illustration board.

I decided to extend and reorganise the Miras Zoom sequence. The sequence has changed again somewhat since Miras Zoom 1x and Miras Zoom 2x were drawn.



Miras Zoom 2b
Ink and probably acrylic or gouache on illustration board.



Miras Zoom 2c
Probably gouache on illustration board.



Miras Zoom 2d
Ink, colour pencil and probably gouache on illustration board.



Miras Zoom 2e
Probably gouache on illustration board.



Miras Zoom 2f1
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Miras Zoom 2f2
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Miras Zoom 2g
Pencils by Alej. Colour by Barney.



Miras Zoom 2h
Pencils by Alej. Colour by Barney.

See uncompleted section at middle-right of Miras Zoom 2g above.



Miras Zoom 2i
Probably gouache on illustration board.

This image has accumulated some significant wear and tear over the years.



Forest
Pencil on photocopy paper.

I suspect the origin of Miras may have been taking my toys into the bush as a kid.



Rain
Colour pencil on A3 photocopy paper.

As a kid in primary school, when it rained I would quickly carve a twig into a streamlined boat and send it down the rapids.



Miras Interior 6
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Chunky 1
Pencil on photocopy paper.

Using some design elements from Provetan 6a (see Provetan). The two men on the couch belong to the wealthy woman staring out the window. This may be a precursor to the Kholleasis idea.



Chunky 2
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Chunky 3
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Stellar Furnace
Pencil on paper.

Setting a piece of wood alight with our old wood-burning stove, and pretending it is a spaceship on fire. Another early Miras conception.



Miras Interior 7
Pencil on photocopy paper.

A planet and a star amid architecture.



Crouching in Orange
A later (post Newanda period) Miras interior.
Black ink and colour pencil on photocopy paper.



Spaceship 1
Pencil on photocopy paper.

One of the two spaceships visible in the background of Crouching in Orange above. Flown by a human.



Spaceship 2
Pencil on photocopy paper.

The other of the two spaceships visible in the background of Crouching in Orange above. Flown by Domanicha.



Spaceship 3
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Spaceship 4
Black ink and colour pencil on photocopy paper.



Spaceship 5
Black ink and pencil on photocopy paper.

This spaceship is flying near to the surface of a sun.



Spaceship 6
Pencil on ruled notepad.



New Stuff Prep.


Miras Exterior - Final Design
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Miras 1 (final pencil)
Pencil on paper.

See Miras 1 on New Stuff to see the finished image.



Miras 1 (detail)
Photoshop.



Miras 2a (final pencil)
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Miras 2b (final pencil)
Pencil on photocopy paper.

See Miras 2 on New Stuff to see the finished image.



Miras 2 (detail)
Photoshop.



Miras 3 (final pencil)
Pencil on paper.



Miras 3 (detail)
Photoshop (PCD).



Miras 4a (final pencil)
Pencil on paper.



Miras 4b (final pencil)
Pencil on paper.



Miras 5a (final pencil)
Pencil on paper.



Miras 5b (final pencil)
Pencil on paper.



Miras 6 (final pencil)
Pencil on paper.



Miras 7 (final pencil)
Pencil on A2 cartridge paper.



Miras 9
Pencil on A2 cartridge paper.

Note that we are missing an image between Miras 7 and Miras 9. This is an updated draft of Miras Zoom 1a, but not the final pencil.



Miras 14a
Pencil on photocopy paper.



Miras Zoom 1a to Miras Zoom 1d (see above) won't change much, but the view inside from Miras Zoom 1e will change. Inside will be a dark chamber. The inside of a box. Inside this chamber will be a sprinkling of stars. Protruding into the chamber from an opening will be a tongue-like structure, of seeming dark metal. A few stars are near the surface of the tongue, and in places, structures seem to reach out from the surface toward them. In other places, a star is partially embedded in the surface.



Miras 14b
Pencil on photocopy paper.

We fly over the surface of a star that is embedded in the surface. Among the structures beyond, the zoom continues with Miras Zoom 2a1, Miras Zoom 2a2, etc (see above).



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