Inspired by the often tragic myths and fairy tales of a mortal’s love for a water nymph. Digital Painting.
“He would take her for his bride,
Beautiful like the mist and sparkling water,
But he could not take the river in his arms.
Naiad”
The final line work for my latest fairytale inspired piece “Naiad”. I have a few more like this I am very excited to do! 
I’ve had some health problems lately and I decided to draw mermaids to cheer myself up #mermay
I wanted to create some decorative ornament like designs.
Copic Multiliners on A4 illustration board
“She has come for me,
Moonlight is her face
Ravens, her cloak
Through the cold mist
On the now silent battlefield.
VALKYRIE”
I had this idea and sketched out a tiny scribbley thumbnail about a year ago. I started collecting reference images and refined the sketch. I would work on it when I got a chance but it wouldn’t look right. So I would leave it. I would restart again with the thumbnail. More reference. Restarting it again. And again. And again.
And then something clicked and I restarted and finished the painting in about a week. What clicked? Her wings couldn’t be majestically outspread, to be descending they would be pulled back and smaller. And the composition fell into place.
Grumpy Kratos in the morning 😡
I only played a bit of God of War (1) years ago. I thought his Blades of Chaos and attack animations were cool.
Copic Mulitliner on bristol paper 9×12″
The Opal Knight -Raven hair woven with pearls, armour shimmering like mother of pearl in the sun, armed with a sword that’s blade swirls with opal fire. Do not be dazzled by her. Do not be fooled by delicacy and grace. She is harder than stone and swifter than lightning.
Finished ink drawing with some photoshop edits. Inspired by traditional Armenian costume and pattern.
Sweet Violet Fairy loved to paint the forest floor with her vibrant flowers spreading their sweet aroma.
The second of my fairy illustrations done in Copic Multiliner pens and white colored pencil.
Common plants, edible, medicinal or merely weeds are still beautiful.
Fairy of the Dandelions, playful and small, likes to see her wishing seeds dancing in the air.
Copic Multiliner pens and white colored pencil on brown paper.
From concept and reference to finished inks this piece took about 3 hours.
#inktober2017 Week 4 Wrap Up:
And another #inktober comes to an end. Although rough and a few times very rushed I managed to illustrate one fairytale everyday for a month! Like every year its is a mixture of relief, pride and saddness that its finished.
Day 22: Peter Pan
Day 23: The Blacksmith and the Devil
Day 24: Alice in Wonderland
Day 25: The Goose Girl
Day 26: East of the Sun West of the Moon
Day 27: Pinnochio
Day 28: The Elves and the Shoemaker
Day 29: Bluebeard
Day 30: The Tinderbox
Day 31: The Singing Bone
Thank you all for following along and for all your support! ♥
This idea started out as a concept for a new web banner combining symbols from classic fairytales. As I work on it more it developed into its own story of a fairy thief and a magic glowing jewel.
I slowly worked on inking this image a bit at a time in a quiet moment or two as a way to relax amongst all of the events of the last few months.
I still need to make a new web banner but I enjoyed the journey this piece took.