I feel inspired!

Hello, Hivers! Today, I come with great joy. My latest artwork has been doing exceptionally well, and that has me feeling incredibly motivated. Of course, my first instinct was to sit down and draw. I noticed that Noxic's post has received fantastic feedback, with numerous comments and reblogs.

However, this time, I'm not creating another piece for Holozing. Instead, I'm fulfilling my self-promise to create weekly art for Splinterlands. Last week, I only managed to participate in the social media challenge, but now I'm excited to share my entry for the weekly art contest. Allow me to introduce Nerisaa Tridawn, one of the most muscular warriors in all of Splinterlands. She can defeat you either with her enchanted trident or a direct blow to the jaw—your choice. Either way, you'll end up unconscious.

Tools:

Gaomon S620
Photoshop
Brushes courtesy of Imad Awan: Download here

🔰Process🔰

_Reference

-Step 1:

I've focused on two essential aspects of my art: starting with the sketch (the usual) and establishing a dynamic pose for the character (the essential). I already had in mind that there would be plenty of water in the composition, but Nerissa is the true focal point.

-Step 2:

I've continued using the formula that has served me well so far: painting the background and then deriving the character's color palette from it. I used the pen tool to fill in the shapes, separating them into different layers. This time, I opted for less vibrant colors to demonstrate how I divided everything into a few layers: skin, hair, clothing, and metallic elements like Nerissa's trident and minimal armor.

-Step 3:

Nerissa's lore clearly states that she was "born and raised by the ocean," so her skin should be deeply bronzed. I chose a caramel color for her skin and used it to emphasize her well-defined muscles. Honestly, I felt a bit envious—I sometimes take reference photos of myself, but my muscles aren't quite as impressive as Nerissa's!

-Step 4:

Creating realistic, foamy water proved challenging. To convey movement effectively, I turned to my favorite tool: motion blur. It's undoubtedly the most effective technique for adding dynamism to scenes like this. Additionally, I used the "Vivid Light" blending mode to make Nerissa's trident shine. Not every magical effect requires color dodge, overlay, or hard light—I experiment with different blending modes to achieve the desired results.

-Step 5:

As I neared the end of the painting, I encountered a stumbling block—a misfit arm. The arm holding the trident didn't align well with the character; it looked too thin and poorly positioned. So, I widened Nerissa's back slightly and sketched an alternative arm position that worked better. The catch was that the correct pose was partially hidden by her hair. Rather than undoing the well-executed hair, I took a risk and left the arm somewhat obscured. But fear not—I compensated with magic! I added a beautiful glow to the trident, ensuring it would capture the viewer's attention.