So... I was going to post this after I caught up with some other backlogs, but eventually the need to express yourself triumphs and we'll get around to the other ones later anyhow! So, let's do this! Massive Taz yap below, as might be expected. :V

For some context, since hellooooo I am still growing accustomed to the FA crowd!: I'm something of a newcomer to the idea of "exemplifying yourself" with a character. My gateway into collecting and eventually designing OCs was D&D, and so my background comes from the usage of roleplaying with them, expressing some other part of yourself or the character usually, eh! So, while I had Faen'drath designed as a purely personal character that could double as a TTRPG character, he is still majorly inspired by myself, and what I value the most of myself, and then lastly what I wish I could be in some respects [reptile, scaled, aquatic, extremely smart, very dignified and composed, dare I say more-]! And then some other flavors tossed in, because I do enjoy some good character flaws and archetypes. Suffice to say, he was designed as a character first and foremost, and not a sona - although the unique nature of his design is very conducive for self-expression nonetheless.

Sapphi's redesign of him [can see it here!] was not only something that made me feel a lot more comfortable with him, but also brought with it a great sum of Sapphi Doodles™ showing him doing the actions and saying the things that I was doing, and that was a bit mind-blowing! Interacting with her was a crucial part in making me feel comfortable as such, along with her work. <3 even though there was a deep-rooted bit of disconnect just because of the originations and personality differences, the idea that so much present in his design was a reflection of me in even just physical features was equal parts delightful and reassuring. It's why he's my main sona still! Gotta be one of my favorite character designs ever [biased].

So, with some time past and experiences had and perspectives collected and indeed, other attempts done with different characters- I decided, I wanted to go about it in a different-but-same way. As one can see, there are many features here that are a part of Faen, because well obviously, same person to an extent! In this case however - there is not intended to be any special lore, although that's just fun to write. All that is here, is me. Yup! And after working with Sapphi, there was no one else in my mind who could have achieved what I wanted but her. I'm so glad to even have met her, much less be able to enjoy chatting with her and seeing her works, much LESS see her work with my characters aaahh!
Alright, and for some thoughts about the character and process itself...

There is a very definite reason why the character I will use to be "myself" is a different species entirely. Very obvious difference to start with, not scaled! Even though that is a beloved characteristic of mine and perhaps one I will play around with in the future as I grow more accustomed to design work, there's something innately comfortable about furred dragons, at least to me - something that I feel fits with my entire demeanor more than a scaled beastie. Scales are cool, elegant, and refined. Something a bit alien, and a bit removed from familiarity as a result. Furred on the other hand, that's a lot closer to home isn't it! Fur is warm, familiar, and oh so comfortable. In continuing this very-niche-perspective, it feels a bit like an antithesis to scales just on a fundamental level. Or so I like to tell myself! As for me, I think I conduct myself a bit more 'comfortably' than I care to do so in a 'dignified' manner, and although both are valuable to me - ehh, let's be a bit comfortable, shall we!

Different species, but many resemblances. After trying to personify myself with a different character (who will be posted later-) complete with a different color palette and some other features departing from my beloved sleek contours, I resolved to stick with what was comfortable. That being, an iridescent blend of blue and green for a variety of aquatic environments. Pair that with a striking yellow glowy pattern accenting those anatomical contours that are so beloved to me, that also veer off into their own sharp points and edges? Yes, please! Speaking of anatomy as well, something very important to me in this iteration was the idea of "sturdiness". I will always be a slender-twig appreciator over the meaty-slab physique, but I wanted a style closer to my own and a bit less obviously-alien. Plus, the idea of being "sturdy" extends further into that sentiment of providing comfort, much like how fur can provide warmth and comfort of its own. Not to mention, it's a bit more fitting for an environment requiring as much physical strength as the oceanic one! Faen gets to cheat by having supernatural abilities, but that'd be a bit too easy for me HAH! And for a last thing, that wild wild mane and emotive ears... so much comes together for me in this design, and I am so honored to bear it.

 thanshuhai was a great inspiration for this in his artworks of his own sona and species, they managed to capture that level of comfort and expressiveness that I really envisioned myself having! Being a subtle and composed dragon is amazing already, but a furred shark-dragon hybrid with just as large as a tail and just as many fangs flashing a grin or frequently bared in all sorts of faces? A furred shark-dragon hybrid known for having different sorts of features based on the given individual as well? Just, so much freedom in design! Not to mention those facial shapes, or the contours of the physique. Highly recommend looking over at his works, many of them have elements that I'm hoping to emulate in my own way in the future!

Sapphi was nothing short of incredible all throughout this. I cannot stress enough just how many features I wanted to see in just-such-a-way or with just-such-a-twist, and she didn't just agree to them agreeably. She smoothly incorporated them into the entire design, caused it all to flow to my wishes, and then just like that- comes right back with a quick "alright, anything else?" So much work, so much effort and attention to what I wanted! It was my honor to cooperatively work out ideas with her, or just sit back and watch in awe of her handiwork and creative ideas in action. Just as when we designed Faen and worked together for the first time, she went above and beyond to make sure the vision was captured and accurate, and doodled up a storm alongside it all too. I'll add them into the post-script!

---

Artwork by  sapphi, and drazerk species by  thanshuhai
Find the Original Submission here!
For this piece, there is an additional thread on Bluesky! showcasing the saga of Sapphi Doodles™ created throughout this commission, should that be of interest. Buckle up, it's a long one-
Thank you for working with me here, Sapphi, so much 💚