Concept Art Collection 2024

My recent project is a personal collection of art inspired by the book "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and wanted to bring the characters to life based on Yarros' descriptions. This project allowed me to delve into character, creature, and prop design, which are areas I particularly enjoy. Additionally, I experimented with potential ideas not included in the book, letting my imagination run wild.

To provide concept to this piece: Violet Sorrengail attends the elite Basgiath War College, where only the strongest endure. Despite her frail health and petite size, Violet must survive a brutal regime of intense training and fierce competition. As she navigates this perilous world, she discovers hidden strengths, forges unexpected alliances, and uncovers secrets that could change everything. 

I wanted to explore various costume options for Violet, inspired by Yarros' descriptions of the character. I researched medieval clothing, which seemed fitting for the genre. Given the importance of Violet's vest/corset, I began by looking into different types of armor and what would be worn underneath. This led to a secondary design resembling traditional knight's armor, with a gambeson and breastplate. However, I felt this didn't quite capture the essence of a dragon rider. The clothing needed to be lighter and more practical, so I favored the first design, which features predominantly leather. This design could easily incorporate the dragon-scale vest given to Violet by her sister before she entered the war college.

Tairneanach

Tairneanach, or Tairn, is Violet's dragon, a massive Black Morningstartail and one of the largest dragons in service. Violet can barely reach his ankle, and his underbelly is covered in hard scales. While Tairn is predominantly black, I aimed to make him more visually striking by incorporating analogous colors like blue and purple. This gives the impression of a glowing, significant character, adding depth and vibrancy to his imposing presence. 

I started by sketching silhouettes to understand Tairn's stationary and flight positions. Then, I created front and side views to refine his color and proportions. This process helped me achieve a final, striking image of him amidst rubble and smoke, capturing his imposing presence and dynamic form.

I wasn't entirely satisfied with this particular piece to begin with.  I entered in the Adobe Creator Awards last year and this was one of my early projects during my transition from Graphic Design to Concept and Illustration. It's clear that I had a lot to learn at that stage, but I wanted to showcase my process and progress over the past year. Analysing this piece has provided valuable insights and lessons.

The concept behind the enchanted library was to create a source of fantasy, a place where all stories are born and come to life—the origin of our imagination. This piece was one of my more whimsical ideas, featuring stories housed within trees in a magical environment. I liked the idea that these stories were protected and could be passed on to each generation, adding to the enchantment and continuity of the fantasy world.

Independent pieces

Here are some more recent independent pieces I've done. In the first, I explored animal and creature design. The second piece focuses on a fantasy landscape environment. I hope you enjoy them!