What would your Chalklings look like?

[Orion2001]

I probaly would draw mainly knights (fitchs kind) but I would first draw less detailed chalkings first to hold off my enemy while I draw my main force

[Arrae]

I'd think animals: birds, cats, wolves, foxes, maybe humans. Stylize them enough and you can get away with not having proper anatomy.

[Yolomcsweger233]

Anything related to sc2 or sc!

                               

[Stormgate]

My chalklings would be pathetic recreations of anything resembling something real.

[Eagle of the Forest Path]

Koopas and Goombas!

Possibly those giant snappy flower things.

[Ookla the Absent]

Chalkling inquisitors to steal the others powers.

[Alfa]

Actually, that's an idea. If you manage to draw a Shardblade (mentally convincing yourself, that it's a shardblade), would it work just as Shardblades do?

[Stormgate]

Chalkling acid. Would dissolve other chalklings. 

 

I have no idea about shardblades. Maybe if it's a good enough drawing. 

[Kestrel]

I would draw artist chalklings to draw other artist chalklings to draw chalklings for me.

Beat the system.

[Mashadar Mistborn]

Rorschach outlines. I cannot draw.

[Datan Nomlibash]

my chalklings would look like shapeless blots, because I'm terrible at drawing.

 

But, assuming I could draw, I would draw themm as a futuristic soldier with powered armor, particle accelerator rifle, and jetpacks.

 

What? Why everybody is limited to medioeval fighters?

 

Yeah, I doubt it would work as well as that equipment would work for real. I wonder if chalklings can even shoot, if drawn with ranged weapons?

Maybe if you layered alot of chalk in a sort of energytank so that it would have something to make the lasers out of it might work.

[The Dragon Reborn]

I'm wondering if you could draw god, then convince yourself it is god, would it have godly powers such as the ability to automatically summon more chalklings/kill enemy chalklings? If so, I would draw an army of Gods.

[Straw]

Sticks, lots and lots of sticks. Here are my reasons a. I can't draw well and b. Sticks beat unicorns

[sheep]

As a semi-skilled artist with no chalk drawing background, I thought I'd give this a go since people are probably wondering how someone who can draw would fare with this sort of exercise.

Here's what I drew.  I spent 15 minutes on this, approximately 5 mins, 3 mins, 7 mins. 

1. Shardbearer, with Adolin's Plate and Blade

2. Ram (I like sheep)

3. Winged demon

 

In a battle, I'd draw the Shardbearer to defend and buy time, the sheep to attack and break up groups, and the demon to mop up and win.

 

This was a harder exercise than I'd expected I'd admit.  And I realised when doing this that it's not just being able to draw that matters, but being imaginative.  When you are drawing chalklings, you have to do it quickly, neatly, and you have to draw within a defined purpose.  The chalkling must be able to fight or defend, so it rules out a lot of shapes - sorry to all those artists in training who were forced to draw fruit bowls or study colour theory - that's all useless now!  The chalkling must fit inside a circle - that's harder than it looks.  For more complicated drawings, such as of humans/bipeds, to fit inside a circle but still manage to capture detail, you have to draw them either very small or hunched over.  Now that I went back to the Coppermind wiki page on chalklings, that's exactly what the Rithmatist in-text artist had to do.   Animal shapes are easier to fit inside a circle, and most large mammals have a similar structure that can be quickly drawn (lion, wolf, horse, bear) but I think they are less versatile than human shaped chalklings who can easily be purposed for fighting and defending. 

 

I was a bit disappointed at how slow I was.  In-universe I'd probably lose against a younger kid who churns simpler chalklings much faster.  My problem is that I'm unused to the limitations, like drawing with chalk.  That means perfect precision the first time with no erasing or smudging.  I think that drawing the same creatures over and over would help to figure out the most efficient way to draw, with the best posing and least amount of lines to still depict the same thing.   But for my first time drawing chalklings, I have my crutches:  I have to use sketched guidelines at first, to figure out proportions and pose to fit the circle.

 

 

I expect any serious artist would keep sketchbooks full of their evolving experimental designs that they wouldn't share with anyone, and there'd be reference books full of standard designs and counters and step-by-steps of how to draw them.  People would make their own annotated reference books that would be lovingly passed down to family members. 

 

I'd probably do much better if I had a Joel to draw the straight lines and memorise the tactical details, so I could concentrate on the creative bits. 

[Darkness Ascendant]

Heck. This gives me a mad idea.

How about everyone here picks a defence circle/oval.

Then they draw it accurately. Add Lines of Wardin where they wish.

Add their defensive "chalklings" to the Binding points.

And add their attack "chalklings" around the defence.

Then they explain what the chalkinglings are and why you picked them for their role.

 

Whoever does this will get................upvotes, many, many upvotes

I know I'm definitely doing this

[sheep]

Whoever does this will get................upvotes, many, many upvotes

I know I'm definitely doing this

 

 

I pick the Sumsion Defense.

 

 

It's been ages since I read Rithmatist, but here are my Chalklings:

 

Attack: Mistborn

Reason - Fast moving, pretty hard hitting and good at dodging punches.  Anyone trying to whack her would just get a fistful of Mistcloak.

 

Defense:  Anubis, Dinosaur

Reason - Slow but sturdy and strong when enraged.   Anubis looks like an attack Chalkling, but he is guardian of Underworld and that's why I made him a defender.

 

Backup for any position:  Undead Eldritch Abomination, Billy Goat

Reason - In case attack or defense need help or a distraction.  Both are medium speed.  Undead Abomination moves erratically and is hard to hit.  The Goat can kick and headbutt and can lure enemies close to the warding lines and is good at dodging and jumping.

Edited February 27, 2016 by sheep

[Darkness Ascendant]

No way you just did that!

[Alfa]

My idea. Very defensive

Edit: cant attach File

Edit2: Attached file

1) Primary defense lines (of forbiddannce).Protects against frontal attacks. Note the window on their rigth end.

2) Line for defense and bouncing. Window between 1 and 2 is relatively big, and protected by defensive chalkings.

3) Defensive Line, mainly to protect the main Chalking area. (5)

4) Here we draw most lines of Vigor. Line 2 is good for bouncing. We have some heavy-armored chalkings here.

5) Main chalking area. The window between 1 and 3 allows mysnake chalkings to leave prety easy, while most enemies' chalkings, even if they pass the window, will be torn apart between knights and turtles.

6) Here I draw my last resort. dismissing some lines of forbiddance i hacve four snakes and a "dragon" ready.

7) Backside, obviously protected less than the front side. In this area I can draw some chalkings, tha i could use for a flank attack. One never has "enough" chalkings.

The pink arrows indicate obvious weak points. Usually a turtle or a line of forbiddance can fix this problem to some point.

The circle inside the main circle is another anchoring point. Could be probably painted outside to fix the weakness of this part, but also makes the whole structure less stable.

Edit 3: I would appreciate a method to counter this "Alfa-defence"

Edited February 28, 2016 by Alfa

[Master Elodin]

Draw a bunch of lines of forbiddance around my enemy and then take like 4 hours to draw the biggest and awesomest army of Shardbearers and Mistborn that I can.

[The Point Man]

I'd go for a stick-man, but that might end up looking even worse than it should.

[theuntaintedchild]

I learned from playing Scribblenauts the answer to everything is Cthulhu so that would be my Chalkling. (I've only read the first chapter of Rithmatist just wanted to add my two cents. XD)

Edited April 6, 2016 by theuntaintedchild

[Blackhoof]

On the subject of archer chalklings- I would assume ranged chalklings are impossible, as they would have been mentioned/seen if they were possible. I'd suggest that since you'd need to draw a whole quiver of arrows, complete ones, and the archer would be limited by the amount of arrows you drawn, it might not be worth it. It'd run out after 6 or so shots.

Edited July 11, 2016 by Blackhoof

[Master Elodin]

Actually, I revoke my previous choice. I would draw Nebrask.

[A Secret Corner]

I would have Knights, some archers, some Mongolian Archer-Riders

[Turbonator]

I would try experimenting by incorporating a Line of Revocation into the design, perhaps by making an army of stickmen holding Revocation spears.