Art Drop (Post 1) - New Character, New Lore, New Animatic (Patreon)

Sept-October have been nothing but travel and depression, but I finally have art to share. I'm really glad I got to pull away from Nick and Judy this year and focus on other characters. I'll share some new art, new lore and a new random animatic for you all today. I appreciate everyone's patience this season and this year.

Cotton

You'll find her in other pieces further down, but this is a Cotton-only piece. Unlike Judy, her first visit to the city was not fully of Disney whimsy and excitement, which, ironically, sets her further apart from her idol Judy. She was given the raincoat as a precaution, a "just in case" item from her parents to prepare her though she finds she's wildly unprepared for her trip.

It's not your fault, Cotton.

At this point, she is scared and wildly lost and takes refuge in a construction site within industrial piping, her attempt at bravery in finding Judy on her own short-lived. And now that her dad's phone is ruined, she truly is on her own. The phrase "what would Judy do?" that she liked to replay in her mind only highlighted how unlike her she was - she'd tried to be brave like her, she'd tried to be clever. But she failed because she's not Judy Hopps. She's just Cotton.

This is the sequence in the "episode" chapter with the most breathing time before things pick right back up again. I feel like I've finally figured out who this character is and now I love her to death.

Below: Refs of the construction site and possibly visual metaphors of the two characters in this setting that recognize that they're a work in progress.

Below: Cotton in the pipes (sans shading)

[New] Meet Piper!

Piper is an energetic and kind youngster that lives in Zootopia not too far from Judy's neighborhood. Bright, confident, friendly, trusting and fun-loving, Piper can see the good in almost anything and everybody though she harbors a healthy dash of street smarts. She comes from a small family of five consisting of her parents and two older siblings and can be seen outside playing with various kids around the neighborhood, a group Cotton calls "the Outside Kids".

There's a little more to her than that, but I'll refrain until I actually do something with this story (or release a deep-lore version of the pitch bible for those interested).

Piper is a bright red, almost pinkish red-orange fox which represents her character well. I go back and forth over her eye colour admittedly, unsure whether to keep them brown or make them blue.

Spoiler alert lol but Cotton becomes friends with the affable Piper, who often shares new things with her and invites her to play. Cotton, who has issues with low self-esteem, values her opinion highly as she is most likely the first friend Cotton has ever made. The above is just me doodling, but Pipes is eating a baked [Japanese] sweet potato (yakiimo) whilst Cotton is eating candied sweet potato (daigaku imo) which she's trying for the first time. I wonder if the Hopps Family grows sweet potatoes.

Piper represents a well-adjusted child character who's emotional needs are fully met, contrasting with Cotton who has a tendency to bottle up her emotions. As a people-pleaser and Judy's habit-tracker, she struggles to express her own emotions so she'll run the full gamut of emotions a [frustrated] 6 year old would feel as she reaches her own arc. Though Cotton is technically an only child, she carries her own brand of Middle Child Syndrome within the very large Hopps family.

That said, Piper is there to assist the best way many empathetic 6 year olds can - with hugs <3

Molly Hopps

Though she doesn't stick around long, Molly does show up in this story. If “live fast, die young” were a 4 year old bunny, it’d be Molly. She be more than a little rambunctious, but she loves her big sister Judy and readily makes friends with literally anyone.

Alba

Those of you who know Alba already know - she's a baddie. Though her obvious strat is to literally get away with her crimes, she's well-versed in melee combat and will use it if need be. She works exclusively for organized crime boss and socialite Sloane Van der Berg (Sleet) except in cases when Sleet contracts her underlings out to her other associates. Because she is one of Sleet's favourite workers she's often kept quite busy, though her "stipend" does allow her to enjoy some of the finer things in life. Her rap sheet mostly consists of blue-collar crimes, though she has been requested on a white-collar mission or two in the past.  Though she's fought before she's never been directly instructed to kill. She is in her late 20s.

This is both the most straightforward and most troubled character I've created and I wish I could tell you why, but I suppose I just need to just make the damn thing lol.

I threw Madge (Honey) in there too. So let's breifly touch on..

Dr. Madge Honey Badger

After her larger sentences during the Nighthowler trials were dropped to accessory charges, she narrowly avoided lengthy prison time like Lionheart (though he's probably golfing at his prison camp). Honey’s really trying not to find herself in the hot seat again and would reeeeally rather not be on the other side of the law ah-gain. Good luck, Madge-Badge!

Lex Dennison

I felt like re-drawing this character again. Lex's relationship to the other foxes is admittedly still in limbo. Those who might remember would know she was a character from Nick's childhood, but she might be better suited into a different role so I won't speak further on that. That said, her base characteristics are still the same - she's a laidback and courteous fox in her early 30s.

Cotton's approach to new people VS. Piper's lol. Cotton's used to staring at her from the window... she didn't anticipate ever meeting her irl.

Misc. Characters and Info

Below is a character that works at a small coffee shop Nick frequents. My coworker's favourite character for reasons. He's a nice guy overall, but might get pissy if you don't finish a coffee he's brewed for you lol.

Pronk's in the background being annoyed that you came into the shop at all. I'd been playing with the idea that he or Bucky worked various odd jobs. Same with Sam the otter, though if I'm being honest I don't like that she's basically Mrs. Otterton with an Australian voice actress. I digress.

Some of you remember Mrs. Wallaburton from Christmas Needs More Cilantro (didn't read it? well here ya go!), and while nothing has changed I will say that she MIGHT be changed to a male character since I have many ladies in my line-up already.

I did say not to count anything in Cilantro as canon lol.

Okay so that's all for now, BUT I do have one more thing to share...

New Animatic!

See the next post I'll post a few seconds after this one for another animatic!