For some reason, I never managed to develop the same love for Hard N' Heavy as I had for Giana. Maybe it was because I found HNH too hard to play after Giana (I used to be able to beat the whole game without dying while still getting most of the diamonds and items and killing almost every killable critter) or I just couldn't find as nicely flowing run patterns through the levels as in Giana. Or maybe it was the music... I don't know, never finished HNH, maybe I should replay it some time.
I really like those Giana drawings of yours and the way you made everything look so cute. Also for breathing life into it, I'm starting to feel that the most effective way to do that is to have character interaction in a drawing (like you did with Giana patting the little eyeball and the eyeball riding that gun-droid).
Meanwhile I've finished
the other monsters (even tried the 'lion'

) from Giana and I'm having quite a few ideas for some interaction drawings(1). But currently I'm still
struggling with constructing (
reference used) a Giana version which does not look too cute/cartoony but also not too sexy/realistic as I want her to look innocent and love-able and not like a porn doll (Giana has never been a sex symbol to me, which is why I also never liked the original cover art very much which is trying too hard be sexually appealing imho but I'm rambling..)
rough ideas(1)- giana huggleing and snuggling/squeezing a surprised owl almost to death while she herself smiles very innocently and satisfied rubbing her cheek against the owls cheek
- giana throwing a ball at the eye, eye closing in pain, ball bouncing off to the side
- giana glowing in mid air / hair growing out, ribbon exploding off, arms in a strong "I'm the one! (kind of Manowar-ish) pose"
- power jump through stone block, spikey hair turning stone into dust, pieces of crumbled stone flying off in all directions
- giana sweating, trying(partly failing) to carry as many diamonds as possible in a really awkward pose with an embarrassed smile on her face (supposed to be a funny remark on how it would actually be impossible for her to grab and keep all those diamonds)
- giana elegantly jumping up, focusing power in air, forcefully trampling down on the crab (we see the crab with those cartoony crossed out eyes, legs up in the air, tonge hanging and jumping off
- a full featured hardcore lesbian scene between giana and maria and maybe a couple of eyes and worms involved (heh, just kidding...plus someone probably already did that)
Before I can do those though, I need to work more on building a bridge over the huge gap that spans between what I have as blurry images/rough ideas in my head and what I'm currently capable of rendering on paper (need a lot more construction practice and to develop a feeling for what looks right).