Welcome to my Art Gallery!
Here, you can see concept art for my characters, retired book covers that are no longer viewable on Amazon, my random artistic whims, greeting cards, and fan art created by readers like yourself.
If you want to see my Undertale fan art, it has its own gallery here.
You can also see my ongoing Undertale webcomic, Just Cause, here.
If you want me to create a specific type of art for you, please take a minute to check out my commission page!
And if you want to get my art on your clothing, coffee mugs, household decorations and more, you can see my print-sized patterns here, and click here to visit my print-on-demand store at Society6 or RedBubble.
The Birth of Sarovak
Before the creation of the Mortal Realm...
50,000 years before the story begins...
Beings of pure magic and energy danced together, not knowing that the parts of them that mingled would blend into something new, something separate... something dangerous.
This was the birth of Sarovak.
Check out this blog post to learn more.
50,000 years before the story begins...
Beings of pure magic and energy danced together, not knowing that the parts of them that mingled would blend into something new, something separate... something dangerous.
This was the birth of Sarovak.
Check out this blog post to learn more.
Raina's Concept Art
I'm working on the design for Raina: the Mother of All and Mother of None, First Semigoddess of the Mortal Realm. You can learn more about her here.
Quenzin's Character profile
Meet Quenzin: the mysterious survivor who was found aboard a crashed shuttle he wasn't supposed to be on. You can learn a bit more about him and his strange situation here.
Chielle's Character profile
This is Chielle Havello Sai: a human scientist in a universe where Spinosauruses, spaceships, and immortal semideities can all be found on the same planet.
If you want to learn more about her and her backstory, check out the blog post I wrote about her. And if you're curious about the naming convention in her culture, you can learn more about that here.
If you want to learn more about her and her backstory, check out the blog post I wrote about her. And if you're curious about the naming convention in her culture, you can learn more about that here.
The Fae Within
A fae casts a glamour to take the form of a normal child... or a child's mind soars into a world where she's a creature of power and magic. Which one is it? I'll leave it to you to decide.
You can see the high-resolution version, as well as the earlier drawing stages, by supporting me on Patreon.
You can see the high-resolution version, as well as the earlier drawing stages, by supporting me on Patreon.
Character Design Reveal: Kivara the Charishi Kitten!
She's here! That horrible, adorable little fur monster I've been posting about finally has a face to go with the shenanigans.
Guys, gals, and nonbinary pals, I'd like you to meet Kivara, the Charishi kitten from my short story and upcoming novel, Upholding the Covenant.
If you want to learn more about Kivara and her species, check out the blog post I wrote about them.
Guys, gals, and nonbinary pals, I'd like you to meet Kivara, the Charishi kitten from my short story and upcoming novel, Upholding the Covenant.
If you want to learn more about Kivara and her species, check out the blog post I wrote about them.
Ondolemar Sketch: There Are So Few Pleasures in Life...
After all these years of drawing a kid in baggy clothes for Just Cause, I was starting to miss drawing muscles, and it's been too long since I let myself just sketch without smoothing every line and adding shading and coloring.
In fact, it had gotten to the point where I was letting the time commitment intimidate me out of drawing pictures I wanted to draw, so I decided to just go for it and remind myself that I could.
Ondolemar from Skyrim has been on my brain for a while, in case you couldn't tell by the fanfic, and I've recently been enjoying the idea of him meeting a cat.
Given how fast he gets attached to the Dragonborn if they help him, I think he'd be the type to get adopted by a kitten, even if he initially objected.
And so, this picture was born.
Ondolemar: "Absolutely no time to deal with wild animals these days. Go away."
*Kitten jumps onto his lap*
"Hmph. Fine."
*Kitten starts to rub against him*
"You're awfully affectionate, aren't you? I like that."
*Kitten moves in with him, cries at his door when he's in the bath, and greets him when he comes out*
"There are so few pleasures in life as fine as your cuddles."
In fact, it had gotten to the point where I was letting the time commitment intimidate me out of drawing pictures I wanted to draw, so I decided to just go for it and remind myself that I could.
Ondolemar from Skyrim has been on my brain for a while, in case you couldn't tell by the fanfic, and I've recently been enjoying the idea of him meeting a cat.
Given how fast he gets attached to the Dragonborn if they help him, I think he'd be the type to get adopted by a kitten, even if he initially objected.
And so, this picture was born.
Ondolemar: "Absolutely no time to deal with wild animals these days. Go away."
*Kitten jumps onto his lap*
"Hmph. Fine."
*Kitten starts to rub against him*
"You're awfully affectionate, aren't you? I like that."
*Kitten moves in with him, cries at his door when he's in the bath, and greets him when he comes out*
"There are so few pleasures in life as fine as your cuddles."
#wingman Cover Art
For several months, I've been working with Andrea Fluhman to bring her very first book, #wingman, to publication.
This book is based on her experiences in positions of leadership and her observations of other leaders, and it aims to help others to give and receive the support they need, whether as a leader or as a leader's wingman.
I provided advice when this book was still just a rough first draft, and grammatical editing after that. Once it was written and edited, we also collaborated to create the synopsis and cover art.
The butterflies were originally sketched by her cousin, but because they were hand-drawn on paper, I needed to trace them so I'd be able to put them on her chosen background and adjust their coloring.
My initial concept art for the cover had a sky background, and a variety of options for the butterfly colors and text font.
This book is based on her experiences in positions of leadership and her observations of other leaders, and it aims to help others to give and receive the support they need, whether as a leader or as a leader's wingman.
I provided advice when this book was still just a rough first draft, and grammatical editing after that. Once it was written and edited, we also collaborated to create the synopsis and cover art.
The butterflies were originally sketched by her cousin, but because they were hand-drawn on paper, I needed to trace them so I'd be able to put them on her chosen background and adjust their coloring.
My initial concept art for the cover had a sky background, and a variety of options for the butterfly colors and text font.

After reviewing that, she decided she preferred a black background with the rainbow butterflies, leading to the final version of the cover above.
Now, her book is finally out there for all the world to see, and I'm so happy for her. :D
I encourage you to check out her book, and get a copy if it seems like something you would find helpful.
Now, her book is finally out there for all the world to see, and I'm so happy for her. :D
I encourage you to check out her book, and get a copy if it seems like something you would find helpful.
Sapphire Web
This is a quick demo I drew for my grandmother. It's too small for a print-on-demand piece, but it's pretty enough that I still wanted to share it. :)
Fly With Pride, Raven Series: Open Collab Version
This is the lineart-only, open collaboration version of Fly With Pride, Raven Series.
You're welcome to take this picture, add your own colors to it, and post it online, as long as you include a link to this blog post in the description, don't remove or hide my signature, and do credit me for the lineart.
If you participate in this open collab, please feel free to post a link to your work in the comments of the blog post I linked above; I'd love to see what you made!
My supporters on Patreon can access the full-sized (9,900 x 3,118 px.) version here.
If you want to get a pride flag version of this raven on your clothing, accessories, home decor or other physical items, you can see some of the available items here.
You're welcome to take this picture, add your own colors to it, and post it online, as long as you include a link to this blog post in the description, don't remove or hide my signature, and do credit me for the lineart.
If you participate in this open collab, please feel free to post a link to your work in the comments of the blog post I linked above; I'd love to see what you made!
My supporters on Patreon can access the full-sized (9,900 x 3,118 px.) version here.
If you want to get a pride flag version of this raven on your clothing, accessories, home decor or other physical items, you can see some of the available items here.
Woven Ruby and Amethyst Blades
I drew these two during a visit to my grandparents, as demonstrations of how to use small, restrained movements to create coherent snowflake patterns. Unlike most of my snowflake patterns, I won't be able to sell full-sized versions of these in RedBubble or Society6 unless I redraw them, as they were created at far too small a size for that.
Rainbow Storm
While I was visiting my grandparents' house, Grandpa asked me to try to replicate a photo he keeps in his bedroom. The sky in that picture had a strange split effect; outside the rainbow, it was dark, but inside it was several shades lighter.
The photo didn't have the lightning or snowfall; those were added afterward upon my grandparents' request.
This picture was drawn freehand with a mouse, and I didn't really touch it up afterward, so there are a couple messy patches, but I like the way it turned out overall.
The photo didn't have the lightning or snowfall; those were added afterward upon my grandparents' request.
This picture was drawn freehand with a mouse, and I didn't really touch it up afterward, so there are a couple messy patches, but I like the way it turned out overall.
Open Collab: Butterfly
Need to take a few minutes to relax and make something beautiful? Feel free to join my open collab and color in this butterfly!
You can use the link below to download the picture.
You can use the link below to download the picture.

butterfly_outline_only.png | |
File Size: | 121 kb |
File Type: | png |
You're welcome to share your colored version online, as long as you credit me for the lineart and include a link to this blog post in the post or your image's description.
I look forward to seeing what you create!
I look forward to seeing what you create!
Touchpad Doodle Dump: Visit to the Grandparents Edition
While I was visiting my paternal grandparents, I showed them some of my symmetrical print-on-demand patterns, and they started making art requests.
Grandpa asked me to draw a deer, which I attempted here - the key word being "attempted", given the lack of references in their internet-free house and the fact that I was doodling quickly with a touchpad. The result is anatomically terrible, but still oddly pretty. It's red because that's the color Grandma requested.
The second picture started with Grandpa asking what I'd draw if I was making the decal for a vehicle's door, and then it snowballed from there. It began with lightning on a purple gradient, and then my grandparents asked for mountains, clouds, and a cabin with the lights on.
Grandpa also implied, but did not confirm, that he wanted me to strike the cabin with lightning.
The third picture is Grandma's second-ever attempt at digital art. The touchpad gave her some trouble - she's never owned a TV, computer, or smartphone of any kind - but I encouraged her to keep trying and showed her three different ways to make the touchpad draw, then I took a break to go to the washroom.
While I was in there, the world outside the washroom turned into an audio comedy routine of delight, confusion and alarm. "Oh, it's doing it! Eeee! Oh, no, what did it do? Honey, where did it go? What did you do? Do that thing you did again."
By the time I left the bathroom, my grandparents had managed to accidentally zoom in to 9,000% magnification, they'd inadvertently opened a program I didn't even remember having on my computer, and Grandma had signed her name.
I am proud of her for continuing to try after her confusing and discouraging initial attempts to use the touchpad. Next time I visit, I'll try to remember to bring the mouse - maybe that will be easier for her.
Who knows - if I get her into digital art, they might even disprove my theory that they were going to go to their graves without ever owning a screen-bearing machine more complex than a phone with call display. :P It's never too late!
Grandpa asked me to draw a deer, which I attempted here - the key word being "attempted", given the lack of references in their internet-free house and the fact that I was doodling quickly with a touchpad. The result is anatomically terrible, but still oddly pretty. It's red because that's the color Grandma requested.
The second picture started with Grandpa asking what I'd draw if I was making the decal for a vehicle's door, and then it snowballed from there. It began with lightning on a purple gradient, and then my grandparents asked for mountains, clouds, and a cabin with the lights on.
Grandpa also implied, but did not confirm, that he wanted me to strike the cabin with lightning.
The third picture is Grandma's second-ever attempt at digital art. The touchpad gave her some trouble - she's never owned a TV, computer, or smartphone of any kind - but I encouraged her to keep trying and showed her three different ways to make the touchpad draw, then I took a break to go to the washroom.
While I was in there, the world outside the washroom turned into an audio comedy routine of delight, confusion and alarm. "Oh, it's doing it! Eeee! Oh, no, what did it do? Honey, where did it go? What did you do? Do that thing you did again."
By the time I left the bathroom, my grandparents had managed to accidentally zoom in to 9,000% magnification, they'd inadvertently opened a program I didn't even remember having on my computer, and Grandma had signed her name.
I am proud of her for continuing to try after her confusing and discouraging initial attempts to use the touchpad. Next time I visit, I'll try to remember to bring the mouse - maybe that will be easier for her.
Who knows - if I get her into digital art, they might even disprove my theory that they were going to go to their graves without ever owning a screen-bearing machine more complex than a phone with call display. :P It's never too late!
Symmetric Pattern: Woven Flower
I've been following a fellow artist, CatSpaceDesign, on DeviantArt for a while, and was inspired by her beautiful and intricate designs.
She published a basic symmetric pattern tutorial a while back, and I finally got around to using it to make a design of my own.
It's a lot simpler than most of her designs, and a bit rough in a couple places, but I'm fairly happy with how it turned out. I think I'll be making more of these in the future, on the days when I feel like drawing something other than Just Cause.
WHEN in the future, I'm not sure; I've learned to be cautious about making commitments to side projects, haha. But it was nice to draw something a bit less mentally demanding than a webcomic, and to just draw whatever looks nice and let it evolve as I went.
She published a basic symmetric pattern tutorial a while back, and I finally got around to using it to make a design of my own.
It's a lot simpler than most of her designs, and a bit rough in a couple places, but I'm fairly happy with how it turned out. I think I'll be making more of these in the future, on the days when I feel like drawing something other than Just Cause.
WHEN in the future, I'm not sure; I've learned to be cautious about making commitments to side projects, haha. But it was nice to draw something a bit less mentally demanding than a webcomic, and to just draw whatever looks nice and let it evolve as I went.
Head Bases For You To Play With
Sometimes I like to doodle heads at 3/4 angles and play with different head shapes. I decided if I was going to do that, I might as well do it in a way that some people might find fun and useful, so I made a set of head bases for you to play with.
Feel free to add facial features, hair, bodies, clothes, or accessories, or to use them as inspiration for your own character designs if you feel like it. I just ask that you put a link to this page in the description and credit me for the bases.
If you prefer a layered .psd file, click the file below to download it.
Feel free to add facial features, hair, bodies, clothes, or accessories, or to use them as inspiration for your own character designs if you feel like it. I just ask that you put a link to this page in the description and credit me for the bases.
If you prefer a layered .psd file, click the file below to download it.

head_bases.psd | |
File Size: | 388 kb |
File Type: | psd |
Customizable Valentine's Day Card
Infinity War Fan Art: Cloakie's Had Enough of Your Crap
After watching Dr. Strange and Infinity War, and becoming aware of the existence of this meme, I couldn't help but love the idea of the Cloak of Levitation getting sick of Ebony Maw's crap and going for his throat.
Don't mess with the Mom Cloak or its favorite sorcerer.
...Or try to convince me to draw ALLLL the little details on the cloak or Maw's outfit, because at this point I could almost swear that the Marvel costume designers are deliberately trolling their fan artists. :P
Don't mess with the Mom Cloak or its favorite sorcerer.
...Or try to convince me to draw ALLLL the little details on the cloak or Maw's outfit, because at this point I could almost swear that the Marvel costume designers are deliberately trolling their fan artists. :P
Inktober 2018, Day 19: Scorched
Today’s Inktober is based on a true story. The first time I survived long enough to get a fire hound in Don’t Starve, it was killed by a spider off-screen, so I didn’t see it turn into flame. I had NO IDEA why the world was suddenly burning down around me.
Inktober 2018, Day 16: Angular
Today's Inktober is brought to you by dramatic lighting, probably the best outline I've ever drawn for one of the Last Corridor's pillars, and another attempt to do gradient shading without using a soft brush. It looks kind of like the shadows are melting down the pillar - not the effect I originally intended, but one I like all the same.
I thought about adding the tile pattern to the floor, but I drew this late on Monday night and will have very little time for drawing on Tuesday, and I just didn't feel like it. Besides, in this context, I kind of like the clean, stark look of the unpatterned floor.
I think the rest of Inktober will be done on a "when I want to and have time" basis. Some of the days, it's been a great impetus for me to draw things I've wanted to draw for a while and hadn't gotten around to, but there have also been days when it's felt more like a very time-consuming obligation, and it's been holding me back from working on the stories that are dear to my heart.
So, as my (ridiculously wise for her years) younger sister would say, it's time for me to "murder 'should'", and go with what feels right instead of "shoulding all over myself" with completely unnecessary obligations, haha.
I thought about adding the tile pattern to the floor, but I drew this late on Monday night and will have very little time for drawing on Tuesday, and I just didn't feel like it. Besides, in this context, I kind of like the clean, stark look of the unpatterned floor.
I think the rest of Inktober will be done on a "when I want to and have time" basis. Some of the days, it's been a great impetus for me to draw things I've wanted to draw for a while and hadn't gotten around to, but there have also been days when it's felt more like a very time-consuming obligation, and it's been holding me back from working on the stories that are dear to my heart.
So, as my (ridiculously wise for her years) younger sister would say, it's time for me to "murder 'should'", and go with what feels right instead of "shoulding all over myself" with completely unnecessary obligations, haha.
Inktober 2018, Day 15: Weak
Today's Inktober is a quickly-drawn ode to my weak time management, the lack of an "undo" button on markers, the fact that I have a steadier hand while drawing digitally than traditionally, and my apparent capacity to forget the presence of collarbones and thus put the neck tendons in the wrong place when I'm distracted by my minor cheekbone disaster. :P
On the upside, drawing traditionally DOES force me to tone down on the nitpicking, adapt to my mistakes instead of simply undoing them (the striped shirt hides the fact that one shoulder's line was in the wrong place), and finish the picture in a more reasonable amount of time than I would if I had an undo button to enable the perfectionism I'm working to overcome.
It also gives me this chance to internally chuckle at the fact that the panel with the difficult perspective turned out better than the one in an easy pose, haha. Granted, I did the latter without a sketch, because I was deliberately trying to get this one done quickly so I'd have time to work on Just Cause.
On the upside, drawing traditionally DOES force me to tone down on the nitpicking, adapt to my mistakes instead of simply undoing them (the striped shirt hides the fact that one shoulder's line was in the wrong place), and finish the picture in a more reasonable amount of time than I would if I had an undo button to enable the perfectionism I'm working to overcome.
It also gives me this chance to internally chuckle at the fact that the panel with the difficult perspective turned out better than the one in an easy pose, haha. Granted, I did the latter without a sketch, because I was deliberately trying to get this one done quickly so I'd have time to work on Just Cause.
Inktober 2018, Day 14: Clock
The clock keeps turning backward, and Sans just wants it to stop. But the power to stop it will always be in someone else's hands.
Inktober 2018, Day 13: Guarded
I was planning to draw something dramatic, complex and touching for today's Inktober theme, but then I got let down twice in just a few hours, so here's this silly piece of TMI-ish vent art instead.
I'll draw my other idea another day, when I have time to do it justice instead of having to rush out the door like I did after drawing this.
I'll draw my other idea another day, when I have time to do it justice instead of having to rush out the door like I did after drawing this.
Inktober 2018, Day 12: Whale
Given that today's Inktober prompt is "whale", it seemed irresistibly appropriate to use a technique I learned from the member of a whale watch crew.
Inktober 2018, Day 10: Flowing
Today's Inktober drawing was inspired by the Willow Maid in this gorgeous song, and is brought to you by the HUGE FREAKING KUDOS I give to people who can draw in marker and not end up with a bunch of unwanted lines and colors overlapping in the wrong places.
Sadly, I didn't have time to add a background before I had to run out the door - the whole thing was kind of a rush job - but when/if the mood strikes me, I might make a better version of this, probably digitally.
Sadly, I didn't have time to add a background before I had to run out the door - the whole thing was kind of a rush job - but when/if the mood strikes me, I might make a better version of this, probably digitally.
Inktober 2018, Day 9: Precious
Today's Inktober theme was "Precious", and what's more precious than a baby Asriel holding a plushie of one of his parents' oldest friends?
I decided to do this drawing in marker, with a pencil sketch beneath. In retrospect, I should also have put a piece of cardboard beneath, haha; there was so much ink on the table. >_<
I need to practice clothing folds more; these ones look all wrong to me. It is now my artistic duty to stare intently at wrinkled clothes! But hey, at least I know where I need to improve.
I decided to do this drawing in marker, with a pencil sketch beneath. In retrospect, I should also have put a piece of cardboard beneath, haha; there was so much ink on the table. >_<
I need to practice clothing folds more; these ones look all wrong to me. It is now my artistic duty to stare intently at wrinkled clothes! But hey, at least I know where I need to improve.
Inktober 2018, Day 8: Star
Today's Inktober is a stranded starfish trying to make its way home. As with day 7, it was drawn in pen while I was traveling.
It was inspired partly by the ongoing analogy in My Fugitive, whose protagonist based her mindset and values heavily on the story of a man who, upon finding thousands of starfish stranded on the beach, started throwing them into the sea.
Another man saw him doing this and commented, "You know, it doesn't matter how many you throw; you'll never be able to save them all."
The first man smiled at him, picked up another starfish, and tossed it into the ocean. "It mattered to that one."
It was inspired partly by the ongoing analogy in My Fugitive, whose protagonist based her mindset and values heavily on the story of a man who, upon finding thousands of starfish stranded on the beach, started throwing them into the sea.
Another man saw him doing this and commented, "You know, it doesn't matter how many you throw; you'll never be able to save them all."
The first man smiled at him, picked up another starfish, and tossed it into the ocean. "It mattered to that one."
Inktober 2018, Day 7: Exhausted
I had a family reunion today, so I ended up drawing today's and tomorrow's Inktober entries in pen, with no references and an unclear memory of what Wigfrid's sleeves look like, on the road to and from the gathering. Don't worry, I wasn't the driver. :P
Today's entry is based on the BS I get up to when I'm playing as the uncompromisingly carnivorous Wigfrid in Don't Starve.
My playstyle tends to fluctuate between meticulous, calculating caution and reckless bullheadedness, depending partly on how many resurrection methods I have prepared. (If you die with no resurrection methods in place, it's game over.)
I was recently in the Ruins, which is the most dangerous area in the game, and I was mapping a biome with no food sources. I ran out of food, and instead of retreating to resupply, I continued running around until the area was fully mapped, I was actively losing health due to starvation, and I was reduced to using my healing supplies to counteract the health drain.
Oh, and I was also being chased by a group of 6-8 Nightmarebeaks and Terrorbeaks, all of which move fast, hit hard, and can take a lot of punishment. I was so badly and constantly outnumbered that all I could do was keep running, heal whenever I got a bit of a lead, and try to get enough of a reprieve to get some food, climb the rope out of the cave, or SOMETHING.
That resulted in me imagining the conversation Wigfrid would have with a campmate if she came limping home in that condition, still starving, half dead, and reduced to eating disinfectant to survive (because video game logic).
If you want to be the first to see my completed art, and to get exclusive access to works in progress, please consider supporting me on Patreon.
Commissions
Physical merch
Today's entry is based on the BS I get up to when I'm playing as the uncompromisingly carnivorous Wigfrid in Don't Starve.
My playstyle tends to fluctuate between meticulous, calculating caution and reckless bullheadedness, depending partly on how many resurrection methods I have prepared. (If you die with no resurrection methods in place, it's game over.)
I was recently in the Ruins, which is the most dangerous area in the game, and I was mapping a biome with no food sources. I ran out of food, and instead of retreating to resupply, I continued running around until the area was fully mapped, I was actively losing health due to starvation, and I was reduced to using my healing supplies to counteract the health drain.
Oh, and I was also being chased by a group of 6-8 Nightmarebeaks and Terrorbeaks, all of which move fast, hit hard, and can take a lot of punishment. I was so badly and constantly outnumbered that all I could do was keep running, heal whenever I got a bit of a lead, and try to get enough of a reprieve to get some food, climb the rope out of the cave, or SOMETHING.
That resulted in me imagining the conversation Wigfrid would have with a campmate if she came limping home in that condition, still starving, half dead, and reduced to eating disinfectant to survive (because video game logic).
If you want to be the first to see my completed art, and to get exclusive access to works in progress, please consider supporting me on Patreon.
Commissions
Physical merch
Inktober 2018, Day 6: Drooling
The monster towers over her, ready to impale her on its icy claws... and Wigfrid is already drooling over the small butcher's shop worth of meat she's about to carve out of this thing.
This piece was very experimental in several ways:
1. Drawing in white on a black background.
2. Using the same color for both the outlines and the highlights, and trying not to give Wigfrid a mustache and beard in the process.
3. Using a 1 pixel brush for most of the picture, as opposed to my usual 2 or 3 pixels. Photoshop doesn't have very good anti-aliasing (the thing that stops lines from looking jagged) for 1 pixel brushes, so the lines were rougher than usual as a result.
4. Foregoing some of my usual artistic crutches, such as the Zoom In tool and the Pen tool. Once again, this resulted in rougher lines, but it was also more fun and hands-on, and it forced me to give myself some leeway not to make all the lines perfectly smooth. I think I'm going to do this more often in my side projects, though I'll stick with smooth lines for Just Cause.
5. Using widely-spaced lines for weaker shading as opposed to low-opacity brushes. This is an area where I definitely have room for improvement, since I have next to no experience with it, but it was interesting to stretch myself that way for this picture.
This piece was very experimental in several ways:
1. Drawing in white on a black background.
2. Using the same color for both the outlines and the highlights, and trying not to give Wigfrid a mustache and beard in the process.
3. Using a 1 pixel brush for most of the picture, as opposed to my usual 2 or 3 pixels. Photoshop doesn't have very good anti-aliasing (the thing that stops lines from looking jagged) for 1 pixel brushes, so the lines were rougher than usual as a result.
4. Foregoing some of my usual artistic crutches, such as the Zoom In tool and the Pen tool. Once again, this resulted in rougher lines, but it was also more fun and hands-on, and it forced me to give myself some leeway not to make all the lines perfectly smooth. I think I'm going to do this more often in my side projects, though I'll stick with smooth lines for Just Cause.
5. Using widely-spaced lines for weaker shading as opposed to low-opacity brushes. This is an area where I definitely have room for improvement, since I have next to no experience with it, but it was interesting to stretch myself that way for this picture.
Inktober 2018, Day 5: Chicken
C'mon, Woodie, don't be a chicken! Wigfrid just wants to spar with you.
Seriously though, Don't Starve Together (the multiplayer version of Don't Starve) has some awesome quotes, especially when you read them in conjunction with each other.
Wigfrid, examining a back scratcher: "Finally, a safe weapon with which to spar with my new allies!"
Woodie, examining said back scratcher: "Wigfrid keeps using it to 'spar' with me and Lucy. We're afraid."
I mean, let that sink in. Wigfrid is an actress who thinks she's a Valkyrie. She just wants to spar safely. And she's wielding a freaking back scratcher.
And yet, the burly lumberjack AND HIS TALKING AX are afraid of her.
Seriously though, Don't Starve Together (the multiplayer version of Don't Starve) has some awesome quotes, especially when you read them in conjunction with each other.
Wigfrid, examining a back scratcher: "Finally, a safe weapon with which to spar with my new allies!"
Woodie, examining said back scratcher: "Wigfrid keeps using it to 'spar' with me and Lucy. We're afraid."
I mean, let that sink in. Wigfrid is an actress who thinks she's a Valkyrie. She just wants to spar safely. And she's wielding a freaking back scratcher.
And yet, the burly lumberjack AND HIS TALKING AX are afraid of her.
Inktober 2018, Day 4: Spell
Inktober's kind of been holding up the production of the next page of Just Cause, so I decided it was time to kill two birds with one stone and use today's entry to do the lineart for one of the panels.
Undyne's magic energy spears count as a spell, right?
Undyne's magic energy spears count as a spell, right?
Inktober 2018, Day 3: Roasted
Thanks to a plethora of prior commitments both inside and outside the house, I didn't have time to draw something with my graphic tablet before I had to get out the door. Once I had a few minutes to draw, I also lacked a pencil with which to make a sketch.
As a result, my third Inktober entry was an adventure in quickly drawing with a pen while waiting in an apartment lobby, with no option to erase lines that didn't end up where I wanted them, and then taking a picture of it with my webcam.
As with the first entry, this picture features Nyla, the titular character of Catgirl Roommate. When she isn't drinking mint mouthwash, she sometimes manages to set her own tail on fire.
As a result, my third Inktober entry was an adventure in quickly drawing with a pen while waiting in an apartment lobby, with no option to erase lines that didn't end up where I wanted them, and then taking a picture of it with my webcam.
As with the first entry, this picture features Nyla, the titular character of Catgirl Roommate. When she isn't drinking mint mouthwash, she sometimes manages to set her own tail on fire.
Inktober 2018, Day 2: Tranquil
The characters in my second Inktober entry are Maxwell and the Ancient Guardian from Don't Starve. Spoilers ahead...
Once you unlock Maxwell as a playable character, some of his lines indicate that he and the Guardian were once friends, but the Guardian has since been corrupted and driven mad by overexposure to nightmare fuel.
Before they were permanently separated, I imagine those two took a great deal of comfort in each other's company. Maxwell was probably the first form of intelligent life the Guardian had encountered since his civilization was destroyed by the overuse of nightmare fuel, and the Guardian was probably the first for Maxwell since the day he lost Charlie.
When examining an ancient obelisk, Maxwell comments that "I can't believe I've forgotten how to read this." I suspect the Guardian was the one who taught him how to read it, which makes the loss of that ability all the sadder, since it would mean his knowledge of that language was one of the few pieces he'd had left of his fallen friend.
It's the tragic tale of a boy and his pompom rhinoceros, doomed to be separated.
In this picture, a much younger Maxwell is enjoying some tranquil time with the Guardian, who is teaching him how to read the ancient stone mural in front of him.
Once you unlock Maxwell as a playable character, some of his lines indicate that he and the Guardian were once friends, but the Guardian has since been corrupted and driven mad by overexposure to nightmare fuel.
Before they were permanently separated, I imagine those two took a great deal of comfort in each other's company. Maxwell was probably the first form of intelligent life the Guardian had encountered since his civilization was destroyed by the overuse of nightmare fuel, and the Guardian was probably the first for Maxwell since the day he lost Charlie.
When examining an ancient obelisk, Maxwell comments that "I can't believe I've forgotten how to read this." I suspect the Guardian was the one who taught him how to read it, which makes the loss of that ability all the sadder, since it would mean his knowledge of that language was one of the few pieces he'd had left of his fallen friend.
It's the tragic tale of a boy and his pompom rhinoceros, doomed to be separated.
In this picture, a much younger Maxwell is enjoying some tranquil time with the Guardian, who is teaching him how to read the ancient stone mural in front of him.
Inktober 2018, Day 1: Poisonous
My first entry for Inktober 2018 is a scene from my novel, Catgirl Roommate. Nyla the catgirl was not allowed to steal Sam's mint because she'd already had hers, so she decided to take her mint-acquiring needs into her own hands... by chewing the lid off of Sam's mouthwash.
It did not end well.
It did not end well.
Sometimes it's fun to just doodle faces without worrying about making the lines perfectly smooth or trying to match the look of a specific character. To just put the lines on the screen, and adapt each new part of the face to complement what's already there.
I recently saw a picture in which the artist was trying to use glow effects, but ran into a problem because the shining soul that was casting the light was darker than the shirt it was casting that light on.
I gave them a couple tips, and decided to share those tips here, too.
1. When a dark-colored light source is casting light on a non-black object, especially one with a lighter shade than the light source, make the color of the glow slightly lighter than the color of its source.
When the light source's color is darker than the object on which it's casting light (like the soul compared to the shirt), it makes it look like the soul is casting pure color or even darkness on the object it's glowing on.
2. Add a lighter shade of the base color to the center of the soul, so it looks more like a light source.
Here's a quick demo of what the abovementioned glow effects look like in total darkness and on clothing the color of the shirt they drew, so you can see the difference.
I gave them a couple tips, and decided to share those tips here, too.
1. When a dark-colored light source is casting light on a non-black object, especially one with a lighter shade than the light source, make the color of the glow slightly lighter than the color of its source.
When the light source's color is darker than the object on which it's casting light (like the soul compared to the shirt), it makes it look like the soul is casting pure color or even darkness on the object it's glowing on.
2. Add a lighter shade of the base color to the center of the soul, so it looks more like a light source.
Here's a quick demo of what the abovementioned glow effects look like in total darkness and on clothing the color of the shirt they drew, so you can see the difference.
The two souls on the top are both casting light the same shade as their base color, albeit not at full opacity. Notice how the shirt seems darkened.
The souls on the bottom are glowing their base color in the dark, but on the shirt, the glow is lighter than the base color, so they aren't darkening the shirt.
I hope that quick art tip helps!
The souls on the bottom are glowing their base color in the dark, but on the shirt, the glow is lighter than the base color, so they aren't darkening the shirt.
I hope that quick art tip helps!
As you could probably guess, there's a story behind this one.
A few days ago, my dear friend, Mica Kole, sent me two pieces of great news:
One was that her short story had won second place in the Sapiens Plurum contest.
The other was that her boyfriend had proposed to her, and she'd enthusiastically said "yes" - by throwing him in the lake and then jumping in after him.
As the icing on the cake, all this happened just in time for her birthday. And what better way to celebrate her birthday, her engagement, and her literary victory than with a piece of fan art that includes an in-joke from her proposal story?
To my delight, she enjoyed the picture, and gave me permission to share her birthday gift and her great news with my readers.
Here's a version without the dialogue, in case you prefer that:
A few days ago, my dear friend, Mica Kole, sent me two pieces of great news:
One was that her short story had won second place in the Sapiens Plurum contest.
The other was that her boyfriend had proposed to her, and she'd enthusiastically said "yes" - by throwing him in the lake and then jumping in after him.
As the icing on the cake, all this happened just in time for her birthday. And what better way to celebrate her birthday, her engagement, and her literary victory than with a piece of fan art that includes an in-joke from her proposal story?
To my delight, she enjoyed the picture, and gave me permission to share her birthday gift and her great news with my readers.
Here's a version without the dialogue, in case you prefer that:
If you want to get the context behind this picture, you can read the 3,000-word short story for free here: http://sapiensplurum.org/2018-2nd-place-winner.html
It's about a man whose inability to make basic day-to-day decisions wreaks havoc on his personal life, until he buys a flying robot named Tempest to make those decisions for him. The robot's good at her job, but even she can't do everything for him. Eventually, he's going to face choices that he has to make on his own.
How much of this picture is based on the story and how much is based on the proposal, I won't say right now, because SPOILERS. Just go read the story. Go do it. Shoo.
And if you want to get early access to stories like that, as well as useful writing tips, don't forget to support Mica on Patreon!
It's about a man whose inability to make basic day-to-day decisions wreaks havoc on his personal life, until he buys a flying robot named Tempest to make those decisions for him. The robot's good at her job, but even she can't do everything for him. Eventually, he's going to face choices that he has to make on his own.
How much of this picture is based on the story and how much is based on the proposal, I won't say right now, because SPOILERS. Just go read the story. Go do it. Shoo.
And if you want to get early access to stories like that, as well as useful writing tips, don't forget to support Mica on Patreon!
Here's an Easter day card you can copy, paste into your favorite image editor, add text to, and then save and send to your family and friends.
Here's a Valentine's day card you can copy, paste into your favorite image editor, add text to, and then save and send to someone special in your life.
There's a slightly bigger version on my DeviantArt account, if you want to see it.
In the process of working on this for a week, I discovered that realistic plate armor is far more complex than I'd ever realized. SO MANY joints, seams, and fortune cookie-like elbow guards that I never knew existed.
Also, the excuse some costume designers use for dressing their female characters in basically lingerie (she needs to be able to move freely!) is apparently BS; well-crafted armor has a better range of motion than its wearer.
Furthermore, boobplate ('breastplates' that cup the wearer's boobs and accentuate their shape) is asking to get stabbed by your own armor. Hence the lack of noticeable boobs on these ladies.
Speaking of stuff I learned while creating these outfits: I sought inspiration for the dresses by looking up the cultural meanings of different types of flowers, and choosing ones that fit the image of their personalities and backstories that I have in my mind.
The lady on the left is a disgraced princess who was discarded by the royal family while their country was at war. Despite being rejected by her family, she continues to care about her people, and is determined to protect them, even if it means putting herself on the front lines.
Her flowers and their meanings are:
Coriander: Hidden worth.
Black-eyed Susan: Justice.
Anemone: Forsaken.
The acrobatic warrioress on the right is the beloved daughter of a protective family, and was told to stay away from the battle despite her outstanding skill, strength and agility. But when she saw soldiers limping home from the conflict, and heard of the devastation that her kingdom's villages had endured, she couldn't bear to sit in safety while they suffered.
Her flowers and their meanings are:
Wallflower: Faithfulness in adversity.
Heliotrope: Eternal love.
Dog rose: Pleasure, pain, healing, secret love.
And so, the two princesses met on the battlefield. Neither knew who the other was, or how much bravery and love for their people they shared, or what they would come to mean to each other as they fought each other to a draw over and over again.
Neither of them expected that the more they learned about each other, the less they would feel like enemies, and the more they'd realize they were kindred souls.
By the way, in case you're wondering why they're not wearing helmets, there are two very good reasons for that.
One is because this is Undyne's fantasy, and she's the type to whip off her helmet right before a battle.
And the other is so you can recognize their faces when they kiss in the next panel. Because Undyne fantasizes about forbidden romance, too.
In the process of working on this for a week, I discovered that realistic plate armor is far more complex than I'd ever realized. SO MANY joints, seams, and fortune cookie-like elbow guards that I never knew existed.
Also, the excuse some costume designers use for dressing their female characters in basically lingerie (she needs to be able to move freely!) is apparently BS; well-crafted armor has a better range of motion than its wearer.
Furthermore, boobplate ('breastplates' that cup the wearer's boobs and accentuate their shape) is asking to get stabbed by your own armor. Hence the lack of noticeable boobs on these ladies.
Speaking of stuff I learned while creating these outfits: I sought inspiration for the dresses by looking up the cultural meanings of different types of flowers, and choosing ones that fit the image of their personalities and backstories that I have in my mind.
The lady on the left is a disgraced princess who was discarded by the royal family while their country was at war. Despite being rejected by her family, she continues to care about her people, and is determined to protect them, even if it means putting herself on the front lines.
Her flowers and their meanings are:
Coriander: Hidden worth.
Black-eyed Susan: Justice.
Anemone: Forsaken.
The acrobatic warrioress on the right is the beloved daughter of a protective family, and was told to stay away from the battle despite her outstanding skill, strength and agility. But when she saw soldiers limping home from the conflict, and heard of the devastation that her kingdom's villages had endured, she couldn't bear to sit in safety while they suffered.
Her flowers and their meanings are:
Wallflower: Faithfulness in adversity.
Heliotrope: Eternal love.
Dog rose: Pleasure, pain, healing, secret love.
And so, the two princesses met on the battlefield. Neither knew who the other was, or how much bravery and love for their people they shared, or what they would come to mean to each other as they fought each other to a draw over and over again.
Neither of them expected that the more they learned about each other, the less they would feel like enemies, and the more they'd realize they were kindred souls.
By the way, in case you're wondering why they're not wearing helmets, there are two very good reasons for that.
One is because this is Undyne's fantasy, and she's the type to whip off her helmet right before a battle.
And the other is so you can recognize their faces when they kiss in the next panel. Because Undyne fantasizes about forbidden romance, too.
What happens when an artist's computer crashes, leaving her without her Photoshop? Pencil art!
I thought about adding the hood and shoulders, but decided that I liked the picture better with the hood just framing her face instead of competing with it.
I thought about adding the hood and shoulders, but decided that I liked the picture better with the hood just framing her face instead of competing with it.

I was feeling an itch to draw something beautiful and graceful, like a flower, a butterfly, a waterfall, or a dancer.
I ended up choosing the dancer, with the goal of making this big, beautiful ballerina as lovely and graceful as my artistic skills could manage.
I love the way it turned out, with the possible exception of her hands.
You can see a better quality version of the image here.

When I started to write the first draft of Heroic Lies, I actually got stuck for a while because I had no idea what the antagonist, Zorei, looked like.
I knew all about his backstory and personality, but I wasn't sure how to describe his physical appearance.
So before I even started to write, I took some time to draw him, so I could get his appearance clear in my mind.

This gorgeous landscape was drawn by Amanda Wuest, and it is my first fan art. I like how it depicts the beauty and loneliness of the Beachwalker's worldview, and her relationship with the human 'starfish' she protects.
It has an almost nostalgic feel, as if it captures the memory of the tales she heard as a child.
"My mother told me a story once. A story about a man who found a thousand starfish stranded on the shore, and started by saving one..."
It has an almost nostalgic feel, as if it captures the memory of the tales she heard as a child.
"My mother told me a story once. A story about a man who found a thousand starfish stranded on the shore, and started by saving one..."
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