I did not have anything in mind when this painting got started, simply a sketch of the main character that I liked. Everything else evolved and changed quite a bit around him.


At the time there was a Ballistic Publishing submission deadline for one of the books a few weeks away. I decided to give myself the challenge of meeting that deadline.

Techhnically speaking, I work with a Wacom tablet on a G5. It was my first Photoshop (CS) painting where I intended from the beginning to do a fully rendered black and white underpainting, and color over that. It was a technicque I had learned about only a few weeks before, and my early dabbles with it prooved promissing.

I only used reference for the background, and some leaves photographs for ground texture.

When the deadline came around, I was not entirely happy with the image, and rushed to do some motion blur to hopefully add some dynamism to the image.

Months later I revisited the painting. First I took most of the generic blur off, and re colored the forest. Originally the forest was WAY too green.

I had thought it added to the fantasy feel, but it didn't help give the forest a moon-lit feel.

I made quick progress after that change, but felt it wasn't together yet. For weeks I'd thought of adding the campfire, but I don't know why I waited so long to add it. As soon as I did, everything clicked. And this is the resulting image.

While I still like the image, I wonder if the mix of stylization and realism works. Sometimes it feels a bit cluttered, but I think that works in favor of the stress of the situation.

All feedback is welcome.