Well... This one took several days, if not a week. I don't even know why it was so hard to draw this art — it's just heads and flowers. Honestly, I almost had a breakdown once and nearly gave up, because there were so many things I didn't like: brushstrokes in the wrong places, the coloring looking too dull, and the concept itself feeling boring — just heads. But I finished it. Phew.
In the background, you can see several periods that our characters went through, and the flowers aren't there just for decoration either.
At the very top, you can see the first spark of mutual sympathy between Viktor and Jayce, with the glow of Hextech dreams behind them. The flowers behind them — camellia and an apple blossom branch — carry deep meaning:
>> [Camellia went to Jayce, as it's a flower of infatuation without commitment. It was a gesture of admiration without asking for anything in return. Jayce was clearly captivated by Viktor's determination to help make his dream come true.]
>> [Viktor got the apple blossom — in Chinese tradition, it symbolizes youth, spring, life, and the first hope for happiness. It's also about the bright surprise of a new feeling. And that new feeling came because of Jayce — or rather, his work on magic, right?]
Next comes the next fragment of their story — Jayce and Viktor are still standing shoulder to shoulder, but their gazes are fixed on completely different paths: Viktor's obsession with trying to heal himself using the Hexcore, and Jayce's continued work on Hextech.
>> [The carnation, although one of the most underrated flowers in love symbolism, fit their new period perfectly — it's not a bold confession, very modest to the point of being unnoticeable. I thought it suited Viktor, as if he too is very reserved, modest in his feelings.]
>> [For Jayce, I chose a dahlia. In the language of flowers, it speaks of accepting a person as they are, and that feelings don't need to be announced. It's a flower for a long, stable connection where each person knows the other's thoughts from half a word.]
And finally, the last stage of this piece is linked to tragic flowers, reflecting their "fading" feelings for each other. You can see shadows falling across their faces, but at the same time, the light illuminating the backs of their heads. As if they're still connected and haven't actually lost their feelings for each other?
>> [On Viktor's side, you can see a withering amaryllis — because his connection with Jayce was rapidly breaking down after what seemed like a new mind emerged. This flower carries pride, loneliness, but at the same time love that asks for nothing — just accepts. It would rather die than show it needs someone.]
>> [For Jayce, I chose a lily of the valley — as you can see, it's completely fresh, just like his feelings for Viktor, even though he once had to do something irreversible. This flower gives all its love to the last drop, unable to feel sorry for itself. Doesn't that fit Jayce? He'd sooner poison himself than stop loving.]
I had planned a fourth stage... But I was completely out of energy, I barely finished the third. Maybe in the future (distant or near) I'll draw it.
I'm not great at beautiful descriptions, but I really wanted to convey the meaning behind this work.
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
theartofmadeline
origamiaround
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