Digital + Papercraft Artist. For rights and art commissions, please contact my agent, Angharad Kowal Stannus at [email protected]. Shops, Socials and Info: https://rosiethorns.com/links
Dropping the latest Sketch-a-Wish voted on by my lovely Patreon members for January (yes, I'm drastically behind, but feverishly catching up!)
Featuring Jude and Cardan from The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black! Another scene requested where I took a slight detour to showcase what we didn't see on page (when Jude was unconscious) but was hinted at in the aftermath (Cardan's bloody jacket).
Does anyone else's cat shed fur when they're startled or agitated? Mine leaves behind clumps, which for a Devon Rex is dire. I channeled that energy with Cardan's agitated whipping tail and shedding leaves.
Pomegranate have been my go-to fruit to add to my morning oats for over a year now, so it was a fun time to sprinkle them all over this.
"That Was The Moment"
Last year I mentioned how Scarlet x Wolf reunion from The Lunar Chronicles (by Marissa Meye) was one of my favorite literary reunions I've read (alongside AFTG). I've had this sketch in the works since then, only I offered two different versions to my Patreon members to vote on. But I loved both poses so much that I ended up finishing both. Oops!
This is now the third illustration in an accumulating quartet - Winter and Jacin has to be next of course! And my favorite scene of Winter and Jacin is probably not one that you'd first expect?
This print is available in my shops, and it's unique because the Standard Mini Print edition has both poses front and back! Link in Bio!
Dropping the latest Sketch-a-Wish, voted on by my lovely Patreon members for December! Featuring Katniss and Peeta from Catching Fire when they take a day off on the roof of the Capitol training center.
It's been a while since I've seen the Hunger Games movies, and working on this whetted my appetite, so I jumped straight from Catching Fire. It was sad that they skipped this scene though, I could tell the exact moment it was cut. Y'all know how I like symbolism, and I wanted to think that Peeta was a bit more optimistic finding an opportunity to spend some downtime with Katniss (hence, why he's cast in the sunset light), where as I feel like Katniss was just taking solace in the afternoon bubble they carved out for themselves, resting in the shade.
"Familiar Ground"
Dropping the latest Sketch-a-Wish voted on by my lovely Patreon members for November! Featuring Iris and Roman from Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross! (whom I just recently met while she was touring with Isabel Ibañez!)
This has been a long-requested scene, and a twisty way to sneak in the 'there was only one bed' trope, hah!
I had the weirdest nostalgia rendering the duffle bags, because I remember from my childhood my dad having one when he was in the military. It was just a giant 4 x 1 ft denim tube sock with a string closure at the top, and I thought it would have been the worst digging out whatever was at the bottom.
I'm delighted to drop this new artwork, commissioned by the wonderful team at Del Rey Books to celebrate the upcoming release of AGNES AUBERT’S MYSTICAL CAT SHELTER by Heather Fawcett!
I was grateful to read an early copy from Del Rey Books to deep-dive into Heather's crafted new world, and I'm not exaggerating when I say this was my TOP read at the end of last year. This was the first time I've wanted a stand-alone to not be a stand-alone, as Agnes and Havelock and all of the shelter kitties are my new obsession.
In the book, Agnes Aubert is on the search for a new space after her cat shelter was collaterally damaged by a spontaneous magician's street duel. She ends up unwittingly leasing a new space from Havelock Renard, the First Dark Mage who infamously almost caused the apocalypse -- a worst case scenario for Agnes when magic is outlawed. Agnes is adamant on keeping her cats safe and her charity sensible, but soon her no-nonsense policies clash with Havelock's stubborn personality and his precarious dealings in magic, bringing the attention of the authorities and other unexpected magical dangers to her doorstep.
Please sit down and enjoy this cozy fantasy set in 1920's Montréal, packed with bejeweled magicians, magical pastries, and the ultimate cat distribution system!
AGNES AUBERT’S MYSTICAL CAT SHELTER is available everywhere books are sold on February 17!
Dropping the first papercraft of the year, and the first full papercraft I've personally done in 4 years (if you exclude commissions and standees). I was grateful to catch one of the limited theatrical screenings of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (2025) at the end of last year and I think we can all agree this scene was the stand-out moment in the film. But there were also several themes that hit me with such a powerful resonation, I felt like my soul was sucked into the film and split between the mind of Victor and the heart of the Creature.
Firstly, how could I have not captured this scene in papercraft? Assembling the Creature from scraps of paper, moments before he's meant to become scraps himself. It allowed me to step into Victor's shoes, and relive the obsessive pursuit he describes in the film, only to suddenly meet his goal and aimlessly fumble with what he's created, chaining it in the dungeon, out of sight and mind. I find myself, after tireless nights of dedicated crafting, throwing my completed papercrafts into my closet, documented, abandoned, eager to start the next one.
My Cake Tier Patreon members can download a digital papercraft kit of this when I drop the files later tonight!
Read on further if interested in how this papercraft marks a personal health milestone for me. Otherwise, have a wonderful day!
Why this papercraft marks a personal health milestone for me.
March 2023 is when my health suddenly took a left turn (see Facedown Fate and Night-Glimmer posts). Out of nowhere, I began to have what I call 'low heart rate sessions', where my heart rate for any activity was running 10-15 points lower than normal. I felt like I was walking underwater, my chest felt heavy, I felt cold, and would have to breathe heavy to keep up with the activity I was doing (whether that be walking, or even sitting). Then after several hours, it would suddenly disappear. My HR would rise to normal levels, my breathing would ease, my temperature would rise. No explanation or trigger.
I went to the ER 7 times over the next two months, and with the onset of my second now-chronic symptom, what I refer to as a PVC, I checked into the hospital for evaluation. People who have PVCs describe them as heart flutters, but mine are heart 'kicks'. Like a miniaturized version of the wind being knocked out of you. It's a scary, uncomfortable heart rate hiccup, invoking a short cough, and there's a feeling of dread lasting moments after it happens.
Over the next two years, I went to gastrologists, pulmonary specialists, allergists, 3 different cardiologists, tested so many medications, had multiple CT scans, MRIs, Echos, holter monitors, stress tests, all coming back with 'you're healthy as a horse, it's just stress'. In the end, the only solution my cardiologists could offer were anti-depressants for the stress or beta-blockers for the PVCs (which, hah, lower the heart rate….hello???), which I declined both. I felt if it was stress causing these mystery symptoms, medications interfering with my productivity would just make me more stressed.
During the height of my symptoms I would experience a PVC every 20 minutes, invoked by sudden HR changes (even something like eating shaved ice, which triggers a hypothermic response through your tongue) or random stress events. Eventually, I cut out unnecessary stress in my life (like the news) and I saw my PVCs start to recede to a handful of times per day, months later.
Now, almost three years later, I'm only experiencing them a couple of times a week, if at all, after significant lifestyle changes and rigorous stress deterrents that I invoked at the start of 2025.
I sat through the Frankenstein film marveling at how bosom buddies I was with Victor's ambitions, only to realize I was experiencing my second self through the Creature. A being who was confused in his body, and clashing with his creator, desperate for answers on how to continue living as he is.
Him holding onto the dynamite stick was a taunted retribution toward Victor, but there's a moment of desperate hope in his eyes that this could be the way to unmake himself, perhaps into something Victor would realize he has to accept.
Last year I had to unmake myself to put everything back together with where I'm at now. With those tools in my pocket, I have a better outlook for 2026 and beyond. Rather than the closet, I've hung this frame in my hallway to remind me of this milestone, my Creature, everyday.
I'm curious, when you color, do you use overlay layers for the lighting or a different method? I find your style very cool in how it looks like you somehow picked the most perfect colors for the scene, even though they might not match the "palette" of a character, and I was wondering how you did that? I find when I use overlay/other types of lighting layers it makes everything look somewhat flat 🤷♀️
Depending on the scene, I use a combination of adjustment layers for different steps in my process:
Shading: Multiply (50-60% opacity) with a deep saturated purple (pinks for skin)
Lighting: Levels. Adjusting the red and green levels can give you a bright yellow/gold lighting for most daytime scenes. You can also use levels for bounce light or night scenes at a lower opacity. Just throw a black mask on the Levels layer and paint in the light with white.
Overall: Levels again (adjusting towards reds mostly) or just a simple Photo Filter adjustment layer with a warm tone
Hello, I've looked down your profile, and I tohught you looked familiar. Were you on neopets before as cardquestmanager, and jellyneo? Sorry if this is weird and out of nowhere.
Dropping the latest Sketch-a-Wish, voted on by my lovely Patreon members for October! This time featuring Ione and Elm from Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig!
Rachel created a really compelling theme between the two female leads in the second book, I noticed. One trapped in her mind, the other trapped in her body, both clawing to escape.
Dropping the latest Sketch-a-Wish inspired by Rose in Chains by Julie Soto, voted by my lovely Patreon members for the month of September!
I listened to this book prompted by the SAW poll and didn't know what kind of scene to look out for since I was given a blank prompt. But even after finishing this book, this scene stood out as my favorite. I love the type of trope where the main character is misrepresenting the actions of their 'enemy' love-interest. (this happens a lot in The Folk of the Air, if you recall).
I knew exactly what was happening here, even only a few chapters in, and even with Briony gaslighting herself. I was sitting on my hands for that green dress to make its flashback debut. PEAK. 🤌✨
Dropping this artwork of Emily and Wendell from Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by @heather_fawcett, voted on by my lovely Patreon members for September!
Looking back, I had originally thought this scene took place in the middle of night, but forgot that it was right at sunrise. This immediately changed the color scheme of the piece (some mentioned it looked refreshing!). Coming on the heels of the recent 'Pledge Our Troth' piece I did of Jude and Cardan, how is it that a simple pledge and quick peck is so much more monumental than a multi-month lead up to a wedding?
This piece has been officially licensed and is available in both shops! (Link in bio) Steely-eyed Shopify customers may be able to snag some early Black Friday discounts!
Dropping this super fun papercraft that was commissioned by Brandon Sanderson and the team over at Dragonsteel for use on their upcoming paperback Sanderson Starter Pack (to be soon available on their TikTok shop!)
If you dig down into the depths of my Instagram feed, you'll find that Mistborn was one of my very first papercraft inspirations, and it was lovely to have a chance to revisit it with this new rendition. But then to find out that they commissioned three different papercraft artists for this starter pack? 😱 How cool to be part of a little papercraft tribe for this project! 🙌 They're all so wonderful!
You can check out the full announcement on Brandon Sanderson's Youtube channel (posted last week!)
After many years, the Jude In Wonderland illustration set is complete with this third and final crossover! The "White Rabbit", who has been cameoing in the previous illustration is finally revealed as Oak! Munching away on some tarts while Jude confronts the King of Spades, Madoc! We also have some other fun cameos with Oriana as his queen, Taryn as the duchess (and her piglet baby) with the Bomb (scheming mutiny?)
This was such a fun project and I very much appreciate your patience over the years journeying through these illustrations! This and the recent "Pledge our Troth" illustration (Jude and Cardan's wedding) are now licensed and available in my shop for those who want to finally complete their collection! (link in bio!)
Don't forget that you get free shipping on orders with four or more items with coupon code OTPSHIP!
Dropping the first BONUS Sketch-a-Wish this year, frequently requested by my lovely Patreon members! Featuring Inez and Whit from WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS by Isabel Ibañez!
Absolutely adore these two and the abrupt twists and turns in their relationship while they were unraveling the mysteries of Egypt. As a fun Easter Egg, I took the passage from this scene, used a phonetic translator, and drew it as hieroglyphics in the back. Starting from 'Do you always kiss your friends like this?' to when the candle goes out.
Dropping the latest Sketch-a-Wish, voted on by my lovely Patreon members for July, featuring Sybil, Rory and the gargoyle from THE KNIGHT AND THE MOTH by Rachel Gillig!
This one is a symbolic interpretation of one of the scenes in the book where Sybil divines for Rory. The gargoyle dragging Sybil down, yet clinging to her desperately because he wishes to escape with her. Rory is gently pulling them both up, away from their old ties to the church, yet not forcing it.
This art has been officially licensed and prints are available in both shops. (link in bio!)
