Painting For My Muse: Fantasy

Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

The Witcher Geralt of Rivia

In November of 2019 I purchased the Xbox One video game called The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. I never played the prior two games, however, I fell in love with the setting, story, and especially the characters. I discovered that the game was based on a bestselling book series by author Andrzej Sapkowski and that Netflix had just adapted the series into a tv show.

I binge watched the first season and started reading the first novel, The Last Wish. I really love the main character, the witcher known as Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf and Butcher of Blaviken. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Henry Cavill, the actor who plays Geralt on the Netflix show, is also in love with the witcher. He played the games, read the books, and advocated for the role. His dedication to the role and brilliant performance inspired me to create this painting.

Medium: Oil on Crescent cold press illustration board
Dated: 2020
Original size: 12"x 9"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Force of Nature (First Draft)

This illustration depicts a druid while casting a spell to summon forth the power of the wind and nature. It was a challenge to get the gust of his hair, robe, and leaves just right, but the end result made it worth the effort.

I was not happy this large scale version, so I am currently repainting this in a 14"x 11" size.

Medium: Oil on masonite panel
Dated: 2019
Original size: 24"x 18"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Friday, June 22, 2018

Force of Nature - Sketch

This was a lot of fun designing. I knew that I wanted to depict a druid while casting a spell and I thought what better way to illustrate it than to show one while summoning forth the power of the wind. It was a challenge to get the gust of his hair and robe just right, but the end result is that the composition flows well with the movement of the leaves.

I am currently painting this in oil.

Medium: Graphite on bristol paper
Dated: 2015
Original size: 9"x 7"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Merman of the Red Sea

I love the ocean and have always liked the idea of merfolk. This illustration is part of a diptych set. I love dichotomy and thought it would be interesting to create a set of merfolk, one who lives in the Black Sea and one who lives in the Red Sea. This is my illustration for the Red Sea. The Black Sea can be found here.

Medium: Prismacolor and pastel on Artagain paper
Dated: 2018
Original size: 12"x 9"

Friday, June 1, 2018

Fire Sprite

This illustration was lots of fun to do. As a young kid, I loved watching Fantasia when it came to the movie theater. One of my favorite segments is the Nutcracker Suite which featured both fantasy and elemental creatures in it.

I knew I wanted to create a fire elemental type of fey, so I thought to why not a sprite? It was a fun to design the flames as her hair and along the wings in order to give her the look that said she was in command of fire. The background I did was to help convey the idea that she was perhaps on the rim of a volcano. This fire sprite turned out to be a fun exercise in analogous color.

Medium: Prismacolor on sketch paper
Dated: 1995
Original size: 8"x 6"

Monday, May 21, 2018

Mermaid of the Black Sea

I love the ocean and have always liked the idea of merfolk. I started this back in 2006 with the intention of it being part of a diptych set. I love dichotomy and thought it would be interesting to create a set of merfolk, one who lives in the Black Sea and one who lives in the Red Sea. This is my illustration for the Black Sea. The Red Sea will feature a merman.

Medium: Prismacolor and pastel on Artagain paper
Dated: 2018
Original size: 8"x 6"

Friday, March 30, 2018

Deep Waters

I originally started this mermaid illustration back in 1999 and finished it in 2002. It proved to be a great exercise in using colored pencils and I enjoyed working on the "blue" card stock paper that forms the background. This piece also gave me a chance to study ocean life in preparation for some other "merfolk" paintings that I have plans to do.

Medium: Prismacolor on Artagain paper
Dated: 2002
Original size: 12"x 9"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Friday, March 2, 2018

Autumn of the Asrai

This illustration captures a beautiful fairy and her dragonfly friend basking in the afternoon sunshine amid the cattails. . I had always wanted to illustrate a fairy, and this was my first attempt to do so.

What is unique about this piece is that it was my second attempt to paint solely in watercolor. The background didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it too, so I ended up coloring over it with color pencil.

Medium: Watercolor and Prismacolor on Crescent cold press board
Dated: 1997
Original size: 18"x 14"

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Feline Woman

This illustration was a experimental design for a woman with feline features of a bobcat and leopard. Looking back on it, I would add more feline bone structure to her face and would take out some of the stripes on her front and give her more solid fur. It was fun and I learned quite a bit from it.

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1994
Original size: 12"x 9"

Friday, December 1, 2017

Winter Fairy

This illustration was an assignment I had in the Design class I took in the Fall of 2011. I had to demonstrate emphasis using value and movement within the composition, the difference between texture/pattern and background/foreground, it had to include a texture illusion or "Trompe L'Oeil", and it needed to be mono-chromatic. For the texture illusion, I used a silver mesh fabric for part of her wings.

I love this piece and I am very happy with how it turned out.

Medium: Acrylic, Watercolor, and Prismacolor on Crescent Cold Press board
Dated: 2011
Original size: 30"x 20"

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

The Fall of Camelot - Sketch

Since I was a young girl I have been fascinated with the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. While Sir Mallory established the mythology of King Arthur, there have been many interpretations of the story in books, plays, and on film which have given some new light and creativity on Camelot's mythos.

The element I decided to focus on in my painting will be the fall and decline of King Arthur's court, when Sir Lancelot arrives on the scene and steals Guinevere's heart. It is the time when Mordred, the bastard son of Arthur, makes his claim to the throne and goes to war with his father. In the heart of it all is the mysterious druid, Merlin. What follows are my sketches and layouts for a 20" x 30" painting.

Here are my previous designs:

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1999
Original size: 30"x 20"

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Female Knight

This sketch was my first design and concept for a female medieval knight. This idea came about while I was working on my Fall of Camelot drawings.

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1999
Original size: 16"x 12"

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Merfolk Couple

This sketch was my first design and concept for a merfolk couple. I included elements which I think would exist such as gills in the throat and webbed hands to aid in swimming. For the male I went with a defensive fish and for the female a more elegant one. Next time I will try reversing these and see how it turns out.

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1999
Original size: 18"x 24"

Friday, June 2, 2017

Poseidon's Pride - Sketch

It is said that the striped body of the lion fish warns predators that it is dangerous and may be impaled by one of many poisonous spines. Much like his smaller cousins this son of Poseidon is not to be trifled with and perhaps the reason he is the guardian of his father's underwater realm.

This illustration will be painted in oil on masonite panel.

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 2001
Original size: 18"x 24"
Original Art: N/A

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Monday, May 1, 2017

Poseidon's Pride - Concept Drawing

This illustration was my first design/concept for a merman based on a lionfish. I love the look and beauty of the lionfish so I incorporated some of its elements into the design.

I redid this and it is currently in my works in progress.

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1995
Original size: 9"x 12"
Original Art: NFS

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Merlin

This illustration was my second concept and pencil study for Merlin in my Fall of Camelot painting.

Here is my first concept drawing for Merlin:

My first concept of Merlin

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1999
Original size: 11"x 14"
Original Art: NFS

Friday, December 2, 2016

Morgan Le Fay

This illustration was my first concept and color study for Morgan le Fay in my Fall of Camelot painting.

Medium: Watercolor and prismacolor on Crescent board
Dated: 1999
Original size: 6"x 8"
Original Art: NFS

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Mordred

This illustration was my first concept and color study for Mordred in my Fall of Camelot painting.

Medium: Watercolor and prismacolor on Crescent board
Dated: 1999
Original size: 6"x 8"
Original Art: NFS

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Unicorn's Frolic

This illustration was a private commission from a client who wanted a unicorn painting. What I loved most about this piece was that I got to illustrate both a mythological creature and a forest scene, which I had never done before. I also loved doing the research for this one.

Medium: Watercolor on Crescent cold press board
Dated: 1998
Original size: 18"x 14"
Original Art: In the collection of Ally Karpf

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Lu Dragon

This interior illustration was commissioned by Vajra Enterprises for their RPG, Tibet: The Role Playing Game.

Medium: Graphite on Bristol paper
Dated: 2004
Original size: 8"x 10"
Original Art: NFS