varrossa

[varrossa]

.𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗: 𝙾𝚙𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙽𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚒𝚍.

In my second year of college, we studied the language of silhouettes and what they can tell us about a character—aka show, don't tell.

Taking that lesson to heart, I strived to illustrate a classic villainous character but ignored any embellishments completely. I wanted to translate who this character is based solely on their silhouette and nothing more, which, for me, tends to be a little laboursome. Regardless, I gathered my references and went to work.

Taking a look at the quick drafts on the left it is very obvious that some big inspirations for this design were iconic childhood villains like Hades from Hercules, Maleficent, and most prominent of all Eris from Sinbad. While all six drafts look appealing I felt that there were a lot of overlapping elements to the original points of inspiration that were used. Diverting from those original characters was quite hard since their designs work so well for the role they embody. Every attempt I made to try and divert my design from those felt like overdesigning.

At the end of the day, if it ain't broke why fix it?

My solution to this problem was to stick to one element that I liked and build the character up from that initial point. Out of all their iconic characteristic I couldn't move on from Eris' mist-like animation. The way her hair was animated had such an attractive weightlessness that was just captivating.

So with my main element decided I started editing to the point where a final design was conceptualised. I had my final design which I adored and while yes this was a personal study I could present it with notes if I wanted to in class. which never happened, who do you think I am?

I had my study done and finished but even so, it felt like something was missing. After all this is all this was, a study. Still...

.

This snowballed to a whole new original character cause I have no self control so here, have some lore dumping (ᵕ—ᴗ—)

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I've been writing for a few years now and have this book that I hope to finish. It takes place in a multicultural fantasy setting drawing inspiration from different cultures around the world. And while I have my characters sorted out the essence of the main big bad villain was evading me, until now.

Firstly, let's start with our villainess name. Ophis (όφις) means snake in ancient Greek. While yes, she currently doesn't have any visible snake-like elements due to her role in the story her connection with reptiles is important. Additionally, the movement of smoke or mist is reminiscent of a snake's slither. Slow and fluent, almost anticipating.

With that sorted we can move on to her goal. Ophis is the emissary of Ouroboros, an ancient deity rumored to be slumbering deep in the waters of the land where this story takes place. Ouroboros is a dracaena of gargantuan size. Her awakening marks the end of an era and the start of a new one.

I believe most of us are familiar with who Ouroboros is in ancient Greek and Egyptian mythos. A snake depicted devouring itself and being reborn from itself. A continuous cycle of self-distraction and rebirth that seems almost inevitable.

Lastly let's talk about Ophis' title, the Nereid. Nereids or Nereides were sea nymphs and daughters of the 'Old man of the Sea'. What is important is that they had a very strong connection to water. And I also suspect that Nereides is where the word (νεράιδες) derives from—aka fairies but make it Greek.

Now why is there such a prominent connection between these references and the sea? Well, the world which my writing describes is very devoted to one goddess, Selene ruler of the moon. (Ah, yet another Greek reference!) And as we all know the moon's gravitational pull controls the tides, the ocean. So, when I was first trying to figure out certain details regarding the different religions of this universe this connection fitted perfectly.

A serpent sea deity that once awakened marks the end of humanity and a moon goddess trying to prevent the inevitable.

But I'm letting on more than I should.

[varrossa]

.𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗: 𝙰𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚑𝚊, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚢.

I've been writing a book for quite some time now. I am not sure if I'm ever going to publish it, but it has been a really helpful outlet for my creative flow. I started writing that story when I was 15 and have been adding more details to it ever since.

One of the first ever characters I thought of visualizing for that book, aside from the protagonist, was the main villain. Who'd they be, what their backstory was, and what would be their goal?

Based on my previous post, Ophis has now solidified her role as that villain. The primary catalyst to the heroes' end so to speak. But before Ophis the antihero of my book what a completely different look and origin.

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Get ready for a lore dump.

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The original idea was to create a character as the ruler of a fictional world influenced by ancient China and Chinese religion.

In the beginning, this godly figure was supposed to represent fertility and motherhood. She was a deity worshipped across all lands as a protector of mothers and infants. But as times changed her influence lessened and the people who worshipped her forgot about her importance condemning her in an isolated void. After centuries of solitude, she reemerged from the shadows and unleashed hell on earth to regain her worshippers. Not as a protector but a war-mother.

The first name I thought for her was Mǔ shī (母獅) meaning lioness in traditional Chinese. She was heavily tied to the statues of Chinese lions due to their symbolism, which is protection, whether it's material or spiritual.

But as I continued writing and expanding this fictional world it felt weird to have one nation based on Asian culture and that nation's god be the main villain of my book. It almost felt like I was misrepresenting this history and folklore to serve my story and ngl the vibes were off.

So I rewrote and redesigned this whole character concept ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ)

This new deity is more loosely based on specifically Chinese folklore and borrows elements from a variety of cultures. I wanted this new version of the character to be the very picture of patience, someone powerful enough that time has no meaning to them. They could wait an eternity for their plans to come to fruition whether sinister or not.

At first, I was considering a correlation to owls, they were viewed as wise and all-knowing in Greek mythology, and it seemed like the perfect fit. But I believe that wise characters being adorned with owl imagery has been overdone enough.

So, I started researching, which led me down a rabbit hole of different animals and beings relating to higher powers some benevolent while others malevolent. And finally I found it. The main element that this redesign will revolve around...

...Spiders!

To begin with, spiders in Chinese culture spiders are related to happiness and good luck. The way that spiders hang on their web is seen as this creature's descent from the heavens. In comparison, spiders in Latin culture, such as Mexico, were associated with demons that adopted a feminine form and attacked men during the dark hours of the night. Additionally, spiders are seen as the symbol of patience and persistence due to the way they ensnare prey. Slowly and methodically.

With that being said, I enjoy some older, traditional, Chinese dressing styles such as the hanfus of the Han dynasty. The flowy fabrics and the wonderful layering compose such a rich silhouette. So, at least for the outfit of the character I stuck with my original points of reference.

Lastly, since Greek mythology is my area of expertise I wanted to sprinkle some of those elements in this character as well. They do fit like a glove for our new spider themed deity.

The three Fates, Clotho (Κλωθώ), Lachesis (Λάχεσις), and Atropos (Άτροπος), were divinities in Greek mythology who presided over human life. Together, they represented the inescapable destiny of humanity. Birth, life and inevitable death. Specifically Clotho was the spinner of life and the one I focused on the most, lore-wise, for the creation of this character.

Finally, with my references gathered let's take a look at this redesign.

Aranha, meaning spider in Spanish (we're sprinkling in some more cultural variety), is the weaver of destiny. An ancient goddess overlooking humanity beyond the centuries of her worship. She's witnessed life as she has witnessed death.

Upon her opulent throne, made of honey and gold she spins her loom weaving the beginning of a new cycle. Her fingers are soft against the delicate strings of life as she whispers another name in the air. Quiet, taken by the breeze, intertwining itself between the threads in her hands. Glowing, brighter than the sun, burning through the beautifully woven yarn lying before her eyes. She lifts a finger adorned with a sharpened metal and cuts the string free, its light fading fast. And the cycle starts anew.

[varrossa]

.𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗: 𝚆𝚛𝚎𝚗 𝙰𝚜𝚑𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎.

After I started working on Ophis I've been on a writing spree. That first rumble-post reignited the adoration I had for my book and its lore. Which led down a rabbit hole of redesigning or updating a lot of characters and their backstory.

Wren has been through a lot of changes, both visually and writing-wise. While she is the main protagonist she was the hardest to figure out.

I wanted to avoid the broody main lead with a dark past, the lone wolf so to speak and additionally I didn't want Wren to appear exclusively feminine or masculine. The goal was to avoid most cliche tropes of fantasy fiction (for both female and male leads) and build up a character from there.

The aesthetics of the region Wren originates from are very generic so to speak. Most of the references were derived from classic fantasy media, such as Lord of the Rings or Dungeons and Dragons, which have drawn inspiration from German and English medieval motifs.

Which in turn makes Wren appear simple and uninspired in comparison to other characters that later appear in her journey. Although, that's precisely the point I wanted to deliver with this version of her design.

Wren's journey is vast and traverses a lot key moments that develop her character and personality significantly.

So let's dive a bit into our leads backstory.

Before the period Wren's story begins there was only one throne overruling the empire, said to be appointed by the worshipped goddess of that era, Selene. The distribution of power was uneven resulting in the lesser profitable regions the empire had consumed to suffer.

Pain and hunger drove the people to an uproar resulting in financial losses that affected the crown directly. A decorated knight of the royal guard, Sylvis Ashmanne, led the desperate anger of the nation directly to its oppressors which gave way to the start of a revolution.

Because of his leadership the seven regions gained newfound autonomy and with the throne empty there was a new ruling system implemented called The Court of the Seven. Ruled by all.

Wren knows her grandfather's achievements by heart. Even after his time in this world had come to an end he kept inspiring people, or at least he kept motivating her to strive for more. He was the reason Wren joined the guard aspiring to be as great as Sylvis was in his youth.

That decision was the start of Wren's own tale. After overhearing a heated discussion during one of the Court's meetings she recognized the corruption that had spread between the appointed members resulting in her removal from the guard. Now, unable to let that poison seep any further she seeks out new allies to bring the authority back to heel and make her mark in history.

[varrossa]

☆Come get it while it's ℍ𝕆𝕋☆

I've been getting some asks here and there about commissions and I'm finally committing to this!

If you need any clarification I highly encourage you to drop an ask on my ko-fi so I can help you out however I can ♥︎

[varrossa]

A quiet morning..˚☕︎

This is my entry for the BitterSweet Art Week thingymabob, it is done!

I had to re-listen to the entire audio drama to find some inspiration 'cause I love these characters so much and wanted to do them justice. I think my favorite moments from the whole series are the "quiet" ones aka hanging out with Al and Seth or in general spending quality time with them. Is it obvious my favorite trope is domestic fluff?

This whole scene is just a casual morning, all three slowly waking up to seize the day. Nothing chapter specific just the trio's everyday life.

I wanted to include Sugarboo as well but I didn't want to draw just a grey silhouette because it would be kinda hard to fit in the scene and my version of Sugarboo is just my sona so...a green werebat aka a green blob so like...in my head Sugarboo is just sleeping in the background ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و

[varrossa]

˚ʚ˚𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞˚ɞ˚

I don't play Genshin anymore but I've been keeping up with a lot of the updates and news regarding recent content.

I'm aware of Natlan's failed conceptualization specifically when it comes to character design. The argument that I personally support is that the concepts are pretty and interesting but not for the context of the region we're exploring. Natlan was supposed to be nation of war and yet here we are traversing the terrain with roller-skates and motorcycles.

Anyways, it's a long discussion topic that has been argued a million times over. I'd like to disclaim that I have no idea what is happening with the new Archon Quests (main quests) past Mavuika and Capitano's fight. So my judgement on characters is purely based on design and aesthetics.

So Varesa to me is so fucking cute!

Ngl, I wasn't expecting this company to release anything that doesn't align with their base models but guess I was wrong. I mean this still, in my eyes, isn't considered plus-size, but she's got some chub on her!

Btw, I've seen her kit and..hmm...Love her little butt slam (adorable) but the running...like...what did Sonic do to you to disrespect him like that Hoyo? What is this? Is this who we are? Is this what we stand for?

[varrossa]

.𝐒𝐨, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐭!.

I've been waiting for this g̸̛͈̮̉o̴̡̢̐d̴̜̺̈́̓f̷̪̔o̴͇͊r̴̻̍s̸̹̈a̵̦͘k̵͈̜͒e̵͕̒̾n̸̯̰̽ book to be available since its reveal!

I can't wait to get my little grabby hands on it! (´ཀ`�� ∠)

To celebrate its release I decided to sketch up one of the OG Tumblr Sexymen, the man, the myth himself, Bill Cipher.

.(𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩, 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯).

This is reawakening my Gravity Falls hyper-fixation.

[varrossa]

.𝐄𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐩.𝟐 :𝔼𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕣𝕚𝕔 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕘𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕠.

Finally, I can upload the colored still image from the comic! I'm, really proud of how everything came out and hopefully, I've done Eret the justice he deserves.

I think our mans here has a very well-built physic, I mean hell even the movie agrees. (I relate to Ruffnut on a whole new level, that girl knows how to pick 'em).

When discussing muscular structure a lot of times I tend to default to a triangular, leaner silhouette and with Eret I wanted to avoid that completely. I wanted to try to draw a "sturdier" body for him since we've witnessed the heavy lifting he does.

Additionally, he dealt with wild dragons constantly in his dragon trapper days so excessive scarring is something that movie Eret lacks, in my opinion.

[varrossa]

.𝐄𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐲?.

Some OC x Canon for, mostly me to be honest.

I've been crushing on this man since I first watched HTTYD 2! Literally, my entire teenage life! It is criminal how little content exists for Eret in this fandom.

On another note, the character design I used for the "OC" is of my self-insert, and I just- there was so much detail. Originally, I wanted for her to be holding the baby gronckle but there was no chance I'd sit my ass down to illustrate all of that. Turns out kneeling positions are a great way to hide complex designs~

Lastly, this was originally meant to be colored…I even have screenshots of the color palettes I used for the flats. But, of course, something had to go wrong. I em- hmm… I forgot to press save after I was done laying them out… BUT! but, I will upload the colored stills on a different post.

(I need more of the hunk pls).

[varrossa]

༺.𝕻𝖆𝖙𝖍 𝖔𝖋 𝕬𝖑𝖋𝖍𝖊𝖎𝖒: 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖁 𝖔𝖚𝖙𝖋𝖎𝖙 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖕𝖙.༻

..Path of Alfheim: Chapter V outfit concept..

I wanted to illustrate how I imagined the FMC dressed during the feast in chapter 5.

I'm a sucker for loose tunics and leather corsets and a lot of my original characters tend to include these items in their wardrobe.

With that being said, this version of the reader is a bit more female-presenting in comparison to the assassin version I've designed. While the fan-fiction does tag the protagonist as female I understand if someone may not, explicitly, like to show off their more feminine features. It's something that I, personally, experience from time to time.

While these character/outfit illustartions are created to my own liking and preferences I want to keep up with the more androgynous concepts since some readers relate to my designs. (Which I appreciate so much!) (シ_ _)シ

I feel like this ambiguous, grey blob (as ms. @𝖍3𝖑𝖋𝖆𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊 herself, so kindly put it) is the perfect base to use for representing the FMC and it makes it easier for others to reference. But I will, definitely, be posting more doodles/drabbles with my rendition of the protag (scars and all).

[varrossa]

༺.𝕱𝖔𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖚𝖕 𝖔𝖓 @𝖍𝖊𝖑𝖋𝖆𝖎𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖕𝖔𝖑𝖑.༻

..𝔏𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔥𝔢𝔩𝔭 𝔪𝔢 ℑ'𝔪 𝔣𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔪𝔶 𝔬𝔴𝔫 𝔞𝔰𝔰..

To be honest, the design I originally posted on my blog is how I view the FMC. An androgynous figure, heavily obscured by multiple layers of protective gear and a dark color palette.

But, as it happens with most 'x reader' fan-fictions, I imagine myself taking the protagonistic role.

On that note, lately, I've been in love with drawing scars and exposed muscle structure (don't sass me, it helps with understanding anatomy) so I added some 𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓱𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼.

Lastly, I, absolutely, adore the personality of the FMC and I hope I've channeled some of that energy into this little doodle.

(Again I cannot praise your writing enough).

[varrossa]

..𝔏𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔥𝔢𝔩𝔭 𝔪𝔢 ℑ'𝔪 𝔣𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔪𝔶 𝔬𝔴𝔫 𝔞𝔰𝔰..

To be honest, the design I originally posted on my blog is how I view the FMC. An androgynous figure, heavily obscured by multiple layers of protective gear and a dark color palette.

But, as it happens with most 'x reader' fan-fictions, I imagine myself taking the protagonistic role.

On that note, lately, I've been in love with drawing scars and exposed muscle structure (don't sass me, it helps with understanding anatomy) so I added some embellishments.

Lastly, I, absolutely, adore the personality of the FMC and I hope I've channeled some of that energy into this little doodle.

(Again I cannot praise your writing enough).

Let's yap a little <3

I've been having fun with polls lately, so I'm just gonna post another one since you guys seem to like them too. This question is FMC/Reader related.

When you read PoA, specifically in Reader POV, do you imagine yourself as you are within the Universe, do you imagine an OC, or is it more of a faceless entity. Or maybe all of the above? Or something else entirely. Do tell <3

If you feel comfortable, please do share what features you envision for the FMC when you read (i.e. complexion, eye colour, hair colour, built, such and such)

For example, if I looked at PoA as a reader, I usually see black hair, pale skin, muscular build, and my rendition of the 'molten eyes' is this burnt-gold colour I read about in an SJM Book; I'm obsessed with it.

I think it'd be really interesting to see what you guys imagine if you'd like to share. And while we're at it - if you feel like making artwork for PoA, feel free to add your own features to the FMC if you'd like to. I've had some incredibly talented artists like @eefkakis @westwindy1 and @toothless101 bless this community with some gorgeous artwork of the reader where she remains faceless, which is also amazing because it gives an opportunity for more people to envision their personal rendition of the FMC in their work.

What I'm saying is, I endorse all and any versions of the FMC: faceless, personalized, something in-between, something bat-shit crazy.

If you'd like to share, go for it 🗡️

[varrossa]

Made a comic based on Chapter 4 of @h3lfaerie’s Path of Alfheim HTTYD fic. If anyone hasn’t read it I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. Also the reader’s outfit is based off the design by the extremely talented @eefkakis, their art is incredible.

[varrossa]

༺.𝕳𝕿𝕿𝖄𝕯 𝕺𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖕𝖙𝖘.༻

..HTTYD Original Character Concepts..

I sat down and rewatched all three httyd movies with my best friend, and now I'm buzzing with energy~

I haven't slept at all because I've been working on both of our self-inserts all night...

We both have very different aesthetics, but I think the theming ties these designs together. Additionally, there are some details shared between these characters, like the red ribbon that both of them have or the white fur tussles.

Obviously, if we were transported into this fantastical universe, our lifestyles would be very different. My friend imagined themselves as a fearless dragon rider, while I'd prefer to be close to the ground surrounded by cute hobgobblers x

[varrossa]

༺.𝔓𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔬𝔣 𝔄𝔩𝔣𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔪: 𝔉𝔐ℭ 𝔇𝔶𝔫𝔞𝔪𝔦𝔠 𝔓𝔬𝔰𝔦𝔫𝔤.༻

..Path of Alfheim: FMC Dynamic Posing..

@𝔥3𝔩𝔣𝔞𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔢 Mother! Mother I desire m̸̦̝̙̮̫̓̒̚͝͝ǫ̷͉͖͉̱̈́̎̑̉͝r̶͙͙͚͈̆̎̿̽͠ͅe̷̢͍̮͈̬̿͊̓̊͝ content!

FMC's silhouette is really cool and I didn't want to miss an opportunity to draw them in a cool dynamic pose. Plus, it's a great way to study anatomy and cloth physics!

I want to post more of these, some maybe less dynamic (?). I had a lot of fun figuring out how every piece of her gear would fit in this position or which detail would be visible and which would not.

[varrossa]

༺.𝔓𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔬𝔣 𝔄𝔩𝔣𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔪: 𝔉𝔐ℭ ℭ𝔬𝔫𝔠𝔢𝔭𝔱 𝔄𝔯𝔱.༻

..Path of Alfheim: FMC Concept Art..

Recently I've been awe-struck by the beautiful narration and world-building of a certain fic, "Path of Alfheim" by @𝔥3𝔩𝔣𝔞𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔢. So much so that I just had to visualize the FMC of this story.

Although, I do have to say that my art is not gospel. While I adore this story, the concept art that I've created is based purely on how I think the reader appears throughout the fic and would be considered as fanart and nothing more. (Unless anything gets green-lit by the writer).

The writer, themselves, has a sideblog for this specific fan-fiction and will be posting art, moodboards, etc., that better correlate to their story.

𝔒𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔧𝔲𝔦𝔠𝔶 𝔡𝔢𝔱𝔞𝔦𝔩𝔰~

I think it's no secret that Assassin's Creed was a huge point of reference while conjuring up this concept. From the gear/weapons to the heavy cloak, to the hood, this design has AC written all over it!

Another prominent inspiration was Lord of the Rings (LotR). The weapons especially have a more elvish design to them in comparison to period-accurate weaponry.

With that being said, HTTYD has a very unique art style and while, yes, it does reference clothing and gearing that's accurate to the era it's supposed to take place in (well, minus some of the Viking helmets), it tends to get repetitive.

My art leans towards realism while keeping some "cartoonish" elements such as visible lineart and cel shading. So, with all my references taken into account, this is my final design for PoA's FMC.