merimask | Shiny new designs!

Oh...I'm in love with my newest mask design. Ouroboros.

This is the first one I did. I wanted it to be snakelike only in color, so I initially chose to pattern it like a diamondback rattlesnake. The design, though, is a bit less snake-like and a tad more dragon-like. Also I added the fins to give the whole design a triskele shape (traditional Celtic symbol). I was happy...but I had to keep playing...

...so I did this one, with the pattern of a Southern Copperhead (which is funny since

rumdiculous was just saying how pretty those snakes are!). I just loved the pale neutral browns against that black mask, but I wanted to keep playing so I did this...

...which I just finished today. It's a false water viper...I have NO idea where they're from but they sure do have pretty patterns. The monochromatic blue-grays really grabbed me. This was a whim but now I really like it...it's growing on me.

The Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon swallowing its own tail and forming a circle. It has been used to represent many things over the ages, but it most generally symbolizes ideas of cyclicality and primordial unity. I have more related ideas...one which has the serpent coiled into the symbol for "infinity" (which isn't technically an Ouroboros anymore but it'd still be pretty neat)...but that one's still in the works.

Okay...back to work!

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Have you seen the Neverending Story? (I'm sure you have.) The Auryn is two snakes twisted very prettily...sort of a multiple infiniity symbol...biting tails.

Oh, look at that...handy internet! http://www.ketzer.com/prop_replica/auryn.html Anyway, those masks really are spectacular. The contrast of the patterns and scales is very dramatic, placed against the smooth blackness of the rest of the mask. And I love the shape.

Thank you. :-) That contrast of pattern against smooth black was exactly what I was going for. Initially I thought it'd work best if the snake pattern was all earth-toned and neutral, but it works well with monochromatic grays too. There's so much more I want to do with this theme.

You're right! I'd forgotten about The Neverending Story but that's exactly what the Auryn is; intertwined Ouroboros! Neat!

That symbol pops up everywhere. It's an old alchemic symbol, so it's not surprising that it shows up in Fullmetal Alchemist (as tattoos on the Homunculi). Agent Scully got an Ouroboros tattoo on her shoulder in an episode of the X-Files, and I think it was used in the opening title sequence of that "Millennium" tv show. Hmm!

As much as I hate snakes (soooo much) those masks really are startlingly attractive, so they got me thinking a little and I think that mask would be even more startling if it was one of the super-high-intensity coloured snakes, like a North American King. http://digilander.libero.it/peribsen/snakes/king-NAmericanbis.jpg Or possibly one of those brilliant green ones. Um, let's see, can I find one?

Look at that, I can. Yay internet. An Emerald Tree Boa: http://www.flickr.com/photos/91562291@N00/96777827/

Uh oh. I found a whole bunch MORE very brightly coloured snakes! Just ignore me if you've seen all these before (and I assume you probably have since you likely looked through pictures before doing your masks.)

-Malayan Blue Coralsnake http://frogweb.org/Support/Controls/Thumbnail.aspx?imageurl=/Images/Species/Snakes/Calliophis_bivirgatus_04.jpg&width=400&height=270
-Albino Ball Python: http://www.for-goodness-snakes.com/images/ball_albino.jpg
-Caramel Albino Ball Python (this one is neutral but too interesting not to include with the brown and green together): http://www.for-goodness-snakes.com/images/ball_caramel2.jpg

Actually, know what? There are so many amazing snakes at that site that I'll just post the link for the whole site, like a smart person would. http://www.for-goodness-snakes.com/pricelist.html

And another site...I'll post the link for the list...you just have to click on the name of a snake and it has a picture and they all seem to be brilliant ones (all 'corn' snakes I think): http://www.moreptiles.com/cornsnake%20gallery.htm

Don't miss this one since it's PURPLE! Hehe: http://www.moreptiles.com/lavender.htm

THIS snake has one of the weirdest patterns I've ever seen: http://www.northernreptiles.co.uk/images/brazilian%20in%20water%20bowl.jpg

Okay, I'll go away now. I know, you've probably seen all those. :)

That's a good link for references, thanks! :-) I think the picture link I used was specifically for North American snakes but the patterns of those pythons are awfully interesting too.

I saw the corn snakes before...considering it because the colors are SO pretty. Coral snakes are beautiful too. Ouroboros is a Greek word meaning tail eater...I wonder what snakes are indigenous to Greece? Hmm...

I was a little surprised that there were purple snakes. The albino python was cool with all that yellow...and that really strange brazillian snake in the water pot had the weirdest pattern I'd ever seen, with the white belly and the dark top and the empty circles and all that.

I'm a little uncontrollable when it comes to pelting people with image links :)

Isn't a snake eating itself also a symbol of cannibalism? I was thinking I heard that somewhere...hm...kinda gross.

Shiny new designs!

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