Yet Another (probably Too Blurry) Departure From Our Regular Programming As I Was Bored And Am Procrastinating

Yet another (probably too blurry) departure from our regular programming as I was bored and am procrastinating on arranging my WIP document. At least, I think I'm starting to get a clearer design out for Rafal, but the other angles I've tried drawing him from haven't turned out that well.

What's your current read and how is it so far?

I've just finished Ray Bradbury's short story, "The Pedestrian." It was scenic, to say the least. I probably shouldn't spoil it. While I liked the ending's impact, and would compare it to "The Slows" by Gail Hareven, I still liked "The Slows" better for its outsider narrator. Otherwise, I have a tbr stack of mostly YA novels, among other things, I've been putting off, and have read a few bits of The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales by Bruno Bettelheim. (I could elaborate more, if anyone wants me to.)

Best parts of your day?

Reading and/or writing, usually. They keep me sane. /hj

Your artstyle reminds me a bit of tim burton—not sure how, but I think it's because of the Corspe Bride movie.

Now I also wonder how. I've never watched that film, so my style inspiration comes from other artists. Though, I looked up Tim Burton's style, and I would guess what you're getting at could be the similar facial proportions I've been giving Rafal or the sharpness and the cold dead look? I'm just speculating though. (You don't have to respond if you don't want to, Anon.)

Here are some of my sketches (and attempts at drawing Rafal from other angles) from continually trying to clarify/improve his design, which is mostly just based on simplifying/imitating the duology covers—I haven't taken his design that far in truth. And I hadn't been sure if I'd had that consistent of a style yet, so thanks.

I scribble him on stray notepads a lot:

The center sketch of the above digital ones is probably vaguely the closest to how I want him to pose for an certain idea I have, for a potential painting that may involve a lot of swarming, greenish moths, a letter opener in his grip, and a wounded eye. Not sure yet if anything will become of that mental image.

And here are the Rafal bits of misc. gesture drawings:

Tw: Blood

So, there’s a story behind this sketch. I don’t know why, but when I try to draw something with a plan in mind, it doesn’t turn out how I want it to, and this started as just a simple, dramatic little sketch in the corner of the canvas, hence the bad resolution again. It’s actually minuscule. And—I ended up adding more details to the sketch since I was starting to like it. Then I thought: hmm, what could make this better? BLOOD. Definitely blood. And that’s it.

Have one more minimalistic version without all the text also:

Rafal's flight required blood magic to work, and it's never been confirmed if that spell requires the user's own blood or another's.

WHAT IF RHIAN'S FIRST USE OF BLOOD MAGIC AFTER HE STOLE RAFAL'S FACE CAME FROM HIS BROTHER'S BLOOD?

Maybe there was some pragmatism to stabbing Rafal (aside from it being a quick, easy-to-execute death), consequently drawing his blood when the Pen was removed after a delay...