Background:

I decided to draw some of the main characters from the “Butlerian Jihad” series by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. The Butlerian Jihad is one of the prequel series’ to the original Dune series by Frank Herbert, and covers the war between humans and the sentient machines. There were really a LOT more characters but I put the most important ones in here, or so I think. So from left to right:

(1) First I drew Xavier Harkonnen, the Harkonnens were originally heroes and friends with the Atreides.

(2) Then I have Vorien Atredies, my mom thought he was a woman with a masculine body, but no, he’s a man. Due to a life extension treatment he can live for about 500 or so years, so he doesn’t start aging until he’s probably about 200. And the books say he has long hair, so… Being the zealot for correct portrayals that I am I drew him in accordance with the description.

(3) Top center I drew Serena Butler, the woman who began the Jihad. Her son was killed by the evil robot Erasmus, and if that wasn’t enough he also removed her uterus. So she just hates the sentient machines. At any rate, she was portrayed as being a saint, even though her kid was outside of wedlock, and so I tried to make her look saintly. To do so I incorporated costume design elements that renaissance artists used to depict the virgin Mary. Unfortunately I gave her big baggy robes which made her look fat. I was so zealous and focused that I forgot that renaissance men liked fat women, at least in Europe. So I messed up, I’m sorry Serena. I’ll do better next time, if there is a next time.

(4) Top right is Iblis Ginjo, the sleezy politician who starts the Corrino Dynasty. He uses rhetoric and subtle telepathy to make himself the main dictator. Right now he’s quoting an ancient prophecy from a tablet of which the bottom is conveniently broken off, so as it is it could apply to the situation, and in fact it does because he says so and everyone is optimistic.

(5) Finally in the bottom right is Erasmus the evil robot talking with the watcheyes of the Omnius a.k.a. the computer evermind. They are on Corrin, which has a red sun and the spire of Omnius is visible in the distance. Omnius-Erasmus dialogues go about like this:

Omnius: Why do the humans hate us so much Erasmus?

Erasmus: I don’t know Lord Omnius, but I dissect many of them every day to find out why.

Omnius: Let me know when you achieve those results.


Artistic Commentary:

As usual the scanner horrifically washed out and mutilated my colors….

Stupid scanner, I hate it but I’m too poor to get a new one.

Aside from the lousy scanner I’m pretty pleased. I think I botched the reflectivity on Erasmus, the black should have ended near the top of his head, and the horizon should have ended around his hips or pelvis with the ground being reflected from their down. But o well, maybe I’ll draw him again later.

Done with colored pencil and ink.


My favorite authors project:

JRR Tolkien: [link]
CS Lewis: [link]
Isaac Asimov: [link]
Frank Herbert: [link]
Brian Herbert: [link]
Frank Peretti:
Edger Rice Burroughs: