THE ARCHIVE

ORIGINAL ARTWORKS · 1999 – 2003

Original CetaNauts artwork — created between 1999 and 2003, roughly two decades before generative AI existed. Everything here is the work of Al “Tursiops” Duduk — the CetaOne sculpture (hand-built, 1999), the digital art and the early 3D — except the hand-drawn concept art, illustrated by Chuck Farrell, commissioned for the project. All of it has been public on the CetaNauts Facebook page since the early 2000s. This is where the world began.

Concept art — Chuck Farrell. The hand-drawn CetaNauts concept work was illustrated by Chuck Farrell, a Washington, D.C. illustrator and lifelong devotee of comics, fantasy and science fiction — a devout martial artist and stage / stand-up performer besides — commissioned for the project in the early 2000s. Historical sites: chuck-fu.com · combattitude.com

Featured

CetaOne — the original sculpture

Hand-sculpted clay, 1999. The piece that started the whole CetaSapien concept.

CetaOne — dramatic light

The 1999 clay sculpture, lit and photographed.

Dolphins Dream — the winged dolphin

3D render, c. 2002. The image the whole saga is named after.

CetaOne — hero figure

Digital ink & tone, c. 2002.

Isurus

Digital character design, c. 2002.

CetaOne in the kelp

Digital composite, c. 2002.

Taurus Cristatus

Commissioned concept art, pencil, c. 2002 — the marine-iguana × cattle hybrid, two decades before the canon write-up.

Physical Sculpture

CetaOne — the original sculpture

Hand-sculpted clay, 1999. The piece that started the whole CetaSapien concept.

CetaOne — dramatic light

The 1999 clay sculpture, lit and photographed.

CetaOne — studio light

Front view of the 1999 sculpture.

Sculpting CetaOne

At the bench, 1999 — dog and all.

CetaOne in progress

Tools and clay, 1999.

Painted & 3D

Dolphins Dream — the winged dolphin

3D render, c. 2002. The image the whole saga is named after.

Dolphins Dream — title

3D chrome title treatment, c. 2002.

Digital & 2D Art

CetaOne — hero figure

Digital ink & tone, c. 2002.

Isurus

Digital character design, c. 2002.

CetaOne in the kelp

Digital composite, c. 2002.

The crew

Character designs, c. 2001.

Hand Drawings

Taurus Cristatus

Commissioned concept art, pencil, c. 2002 — the marine-iguana × cattle hybrid, two decades before the canon write-up.

CetaOne — the early years

Commissioned concept art, c. 2002 — infant CetaOne, “The Early Years.”

CetaOne — heroic study

Commissioned concept art, signed pencil, c. 2001.

CetaOne — body plan

Commissioned concept art, pencil, c. 2001.

CetaOne — dynamic pose

Commissioned concept art, pencil, c. 2001.

The birth of CetaOne

Commissioned concept art, pencil, c. 2002 — the newborn in the medical bay.

Isurus at the shipwreck

Commissioned concept art, pencil, c. 2002.

Aquanaut — design page

Commissioned concept art with production margin notes, c. 2002.

Aquanaut — descent

Commissioned concept art, pencil, c. 2002.

Crew character study

Commissioned character design, pencil, c. 2002.

Figure Studies

Figure & anatomy studies — fine-art character design from the early sketchbooks.

Lady Volitans, winged

Commissioned concept art, pencil & ink, c. 2002 — the winged lionfish-form that seeded the 'Dreamer' / flying imagery.

Lady Volitans

Commissioned concept art, pencil, c. 2002 — the lionfish-mermaid that seeded the Platax Volitans hybrid canon.

Dolphin-hybrid study

Commissioned concept art, pencil, 2000.