Gamer | Naturalist | Tea Drinker | Elf-Blood

Just a fantasy kin obsessed environmental scientist slash gamer who loves cartoons, comic super heroes, and tea. I reblog anything I find interesting from memes to cool sciencey/historical posts.  This is my personal blog, but check me out @dragonhalffreelance for my artwork.  

[geeky-elf]

[geeky-elf]

[geeky-elf]

[geeky-elf]

[geeky-elf]

[geeky-elf]

[geeky-elf]

[factual-fantasy]

[danidarkarts]

@factual-fantasy

[fynori]

i'd like to add that the shadow color isnt necessarily dictated entirely by the primary light source, but the bounce light! so for the example of a sunny environment, the reason the shadows are blue are because of the light from the blue sky reflects across the environment; but, if the character were to be under tree cover, the bounce light would be coming from the leaves and thus the shadow would look greener.

[danidarkarts]

Yee yee!!! You got it right on the nose!

Bounce light is something I didn't cover but I adore it!

Gotta work on my bounce light 💪

[labrador-entity]

My good friends this is called using a

Gamut Mask

(image via )

James Gurney is an absolute master and gives really good clarity on colour techniques. Yes, it is traditional paint focused, but the principles are the same. Yes it is informed by the environmental colour but as a painting technique it is achieved this way!

I would also suggest that in digital processing, rather than apply a regular colour layer at a mid opacity, try out the different types of layers, Eg. Screen or Multiply. This can give you at least a starting point to help direct your colour palette.

[technecat-scratchings]

Layer Blend Modes are so so so important to working in digital art. There's a ton of math that goes into figuring out how the layers should blend together, which is why some of the modes you can pick are literally called Multiply, Add, Divide, and Difference (that's subtraction). The graphics software takes the color values of your base and blend layers and runs a calculation to get your resulting layer appearance. The ones that don't have specifically mathematical sounding names are still doing calculations, but they're more complicated (think linear Algebra and higher). Some of them, like dodge and burn, are named for actual photo editing techniques.

While it's not super important to know about the mathematical side of blend modes, I think it's worth knowing at least enough about how each of the categories of blend modes works and why they do what they do; if for no other reason than having a starting point when you start experimenting with them in your work.

An overview of the basic blend modes and how they work from Genevieve's Design Studio: Accessible with minimal color knowledge; practical and illustration focused. https://youtu.be/kMc87hQrJd0?si=TWCB365pKSfWS8p0. (16 minutes) This creator also has a ton of free resources you can download, including a Blend Modes cheatsheet, but fair warning: you have to create an account to get them!

Want to learn even more about the math-y stuff? It has great film visuals! A video from FilmmakerIQ: You need some basic knowledge of RGB color models, understanding of values/luma, and at least a tenuous understanding of Algebraic formulas. (26 minutes) https://youtu.be/F7_kaTP7_W4?si=x0urqXZ8f51nQVKl

[geeky-elf]

[rajinedgeofdarkness]

Rajin Edge of Darkness is a high fantasy, sci-fi 10-part graphic novel series that focuses on a young woman named Skyfyre who finds herself stuck between worlds after a mysterious object crash-lands into the forest nearby. Think D&D in space—as Skyfyre’s life collides with that of a group of uniquely interesting and quirky aliens including a bird-man hybrid sky pirate and a goblin like creature who hailed from a swamp planet. Together they must overcome their individual traumas and pasts while traveling to the ends of the Universe to stop a growing force of dark magic that is threatening all life and the balance of ancient magic.

This series has been a long time coming since as far back as high school when I wanted to do a comic series about a dragon rider. Lots of brainstorming over several years on my way to and from class led to me taking a pencil to paper in 2016 which has led to the next chapter that I’m about to walk into. That being page/panel illustration!! I’m really nervous as the perfectionist in my head still wants to procrastinate, but I’m running out of excuses. The Book 1 script is almost edited out and I am practicing and about to teach myself Clip Art Studio so in the next month I’m doing it!! Still a year out until anyone sees anything posted online though I’m sure but with the world going where its going, I want to bring something that brings hope and escapism to my friends and family and strangers alike while getting to see at least some if not all my dream come true.

[rajinedgeofdarkness]

UPDATE!!!!! 5/14/2026: I’m about to teach myself clip art studio and finish these script edits. In the next month I’m starting page illustrating finally!!!

[hauntology]

[feathery-dreamer]

you come back here and say this to the entire class

[that-house]

I said conjoined twins giving birth to the bone hydra

[analog-television]

i learned about a stupid looking bird today and i cant stop laughing

its called a crested satinbird (cnemophilus macgregorii)

[bace-jeleren]

[batterbees]

[bob-artist]

You can't just nerf him without admitting that he was too powerful in his original form

[rajinedgeofdarkness]

An update reminding the world and my followers I’m not dead and neither is this project. I put too much effort into this whole thing like nearly 20 years worth of brainstorming, experimenting, storyboarding, free writing,…..etc. After all those years of worldbuilding, character development, and more lore than I can fit in one post — Rajin: Edge of Darkness is finally moving toward the illustration phase. Script rewrites are underway. Art classes are booked. A crew of misfit space travelers, a baby dragon who steals kebabs, and a story about found family across ten worlds is almost ready to come to life on the page. It’s been a long time coming. Q3 of this year page illustration will be underway!!! Here’s some concept art I did recently too!!!

[rajinedgeofdarkness]

Also for some reason I never posted my new finalized book cover for the first installment…….Here it is!!!!

[geeky-elf]

[geeky-elf]