HELL SIDE

"HELL SIDE"
Key illustration

This will provide a 2-page chapter cover spread for the second section of Volume Two.
This piece, like HEAVEN SIDE, was a challenge for many reasons. One, of course, is the more up-front subject, but also the semi-realistic style, the pencil lineart, softer shades, and most importantly, the wings. The blood cry was also interesting to do, and I think I kinda mucked it up a bit in regards to the stream running along her cheek...
I completed the traditional portion of this art quite some time ago, however due to the subject matter, taking it to scan at a public facility was a bit nerve racking.
The background base admittedly uses a couple stock photos that I heavily manipulated and retooled because I had an earlier attempt at doing a fire effect in an illustration prior and the final look wasn't up to par for something this size, as well as to feel similar to HEAVEN SIDE's approach.

February 2, 2019
Colored pencils, Prismacolor Markers, and POSCA paint pens
on 14x17" smooth bristol stock.
Background digitally created and added via Photoshop Elements 7

Fated Sword Dual Balance ©Studio OZKai

HEAVEN SIDE

"HEAVEN SIDE"
Key illustration

This will provide a 2-page chapter cover spread for the first section of Volume Two.
This piece was a challenge for many reasons. One, of course, is the more up-front subject, but also the semi-realistic style, the pencil lineart, softer shades, and most importantly, the wings, which I used several real-life references to make look as believably real as possible while not standing out too much from the stylized nature of mine.
I completed the traditional portion of this art quite some time ago, however due to the subject matter, taking it to scan at a public facility was a bit nerve racking.
The background base admittedly uses a stock photo that I heavily manipulated and retooled because I had no confidence doing such dense cloud coloring on an already complicated piece.

February 1, 2019
Colored pencils, Prismacolor Markers, and POSCA paint pens
on 14x17" smooth bristol stock.
Background digitally created and added via Photoshop Elements 7

Fated Sword Dual Balance ©Studio OZKai

Fate

"Fate"
(Original Characters)

A redo to my very first illustration for my story (originally done back in 2004), this was also the only digital illustration I did in the year of 2009. I'm still very, very proud of this piece, however it also represents WHY I went back to traditional methods. A lot of it is just too clean for the kind of style I was going for, plus the time I spent cleaning up little details simply because I could, made this a catalyst for my return to hand-made pictures on paper. This one will, likely, be redone, again. But not yet.

May 15, 2009
Ink pens and PainterClassic (Lens flare from Photoshop 7.0)
2086x2500 pixels

Anima of Hell

"Anima of Hell"
(Original Character)

Part two of the intended cover illustration for an artbook I never completed.
This one didn't turn out quite as well as its counterpart picture, but am still fond of some of the effects. Once again, though, the edging was still a mistake, but even more-so with this piece, since the black shows up a lot more of the paler colors. Oh well. If I ever redo these, I'll be sure to add a bit of a bleed.

August ‎14, ‎2007
Pencil, PainterClassic and Photoshop 7.0
2410x3000 pixels

Anima of Heaven

"Anima of Heaven"
(Original Character)

Part one of an intended cover illustration for an artbook I was going to compile, however got scrapped when I was no longer able to do the rest of the illustrations for it due to my computer crapping out. :P
I still really like how this piece turned out, though, in retrospect, I shouldn't have done the "painted edging", since -when cropped- cuts too far in on the face, in particular...

August ‎04, ‎2007
Pencil, PainterClassic and Photoshop 7.0
2410x3000 pixels.

Cetracal Balance

"Cetracal Balance"
(Sephiroth and Aerith Gainsborough from Final Fantasy VII)

Originally designed to be a back tattoo piece, I love images that compliment itself with its own contrasting elements. Light and dark, male and female, top and bottom. A lot about asymmetry can actually work to create a balance, which is what I aimed for in the execution of this piece.
There's a lot I would change about this, now, however, since my understanding of human anatomy has improved greatly in the last 7 years...

August 12, 2005
Ink pens and PainterClassic
1005x1500 pixels