Solunos

Art is love and life

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Sketchbook - Cat’s Theatre

Found @damon_dailyyy on Instagram, and couldn’t resist their cat photography. Here’re some of the kitties that I have painted in my sketchbook based on their photos. Check them out @damon_dailyyy on insta for more cat goodness.

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I’m an avid watcher of Spilled Ink. They’re the ones who single-handedly reignited my interest in traditional art (as seen by my sketchbook series). So have a gouache redraw of their merch photo (their poses are right on point).

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Lamp

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Dawn

…Hi. I got a new Apple Pencil?

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Sketchbook: Yokai

Daiyokai Yae Miko when?

I love yokai (anything supernatural and mythological really). So to say Yae Miko is a favorite character of mine is an understatement. She’s my reliable Electro DPS, and I wanna see her dressed up to the nines; elaborately patterned kimono with many layers, a fox mask that moves according to her expression, all her tails out and about, the whole shebang.

Like, she’s still Ei’s familiar and a shrine maiden, but she’ll also show up at yokai festivals and parades as this powerful ayakashi.

Her kimono is done by layering individually painted pieces, and I’m particularly proud of the gold-and-black-striped shawl.

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Sketchbook: Name Engraver

Just a very quick drawing of Xilonen. Literally, the mood was ‘throw whatever you want at it and see what sticks’, the ‘ruin your drawing with confidence’ approach. I took the brush-tip pen and just let it run loose.

It’s not very clear, but she’s holding an Ancient Name in her left hand and engraving on it with her right. Tried to make the cool Nightsoul effect with traditional paint, and I think it only worked halfway.

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Sketchbook: Wrath of the Rock/Flame!

I just find it hilarious that Zhongli has a legitimate punishment he titled ‘The Wrath of the Rock’, and that Yanfei stumbled onto it when reading a very old book on law and decided to add it to her attacks. Plus, Yanfei was one of my first main DPS. Drawing her kinda made me wanna play as her again.

I think I kinda found the medium I prefer when using my pens, which is essentially monochrome using copics (as long as I am careful, I can avoid the whole bleed situation), then adding a wash of colour or pops of colour on top. Still needs some refinement, but getting there.

I’m especially proud of the way I did Yanfei’s sigils, which are done traditionally (I say this because the blocks of text on black background were done digitally). A wash of red first, with the symbols in white acrylic on top, followed by red fineliner to outline and define, and finished with a slight wash of red here and there.

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Sketchbook: Swan Lake

Am I the only one who thought Furina (the human and the divine) suit the Snow Winged Goose and Darkwing Goose perfectly?

Furina used to be Focalors, both the human and the divine in one, as an Oceanid that was given human form by Egeria. After Egeria’s death, Focalors separated herself into two, the human and the divine. She named the human ‘Furina’, but they are still one and the same. Furina just doesn’t have the memories Focalors has.

The duality of this one person being two, the fact that Furina has to fool everyone that she is a god to save them, it reminds me a lot of the white and black swan from Swan Lake. That’s the main inspiration behind Furina being the black swan (pretending to be the white swan, that is the divine part of herself). I added elements of the in-game versions of the two swans in their outfits and colours, though I did debate on giving them just the actual ballerina outfits from Swan Lake.

Plus, Furina can switch between Pneuma and Ousia, and with how her outfit changes from white to black respectively, it reminds me of how the role of Odile and Odette are now played by one dancer, switching between the two.

Also, here’s some sketches that I made in preparation for the final outcome. The pose is actually from the dance at the conclusion of the archon quest, with her hands posed that way briefly. I didn’t choose the final bow because it would not be very easy to show that mirroring effect.

Final tip: if you want to draw something mirroring like this without using tracing paper or digital means, you measure the length and width of certain key points (like where the shoulders, the waist and the knees are, how wide the torso is, where the hands are placed). It doesn’t have to be perfect (because mine sure isn’t); it’s just the bigger picture and focal points that have to look reasonably similar.

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Sketchbook: Trip to Fontaine

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Sketchbook: Kazuha

I did this drawing twice, and I honestly am glad that the second try turned out decently, since usually for me, the first one is always better than the second.

It is Kazuha parrying the Raiden Shogun’s Musou no Hitotachi, with his friend supporting him from behind! Love how the pose and expression came out. I’m still trying to figure out what medium is best to go together with my pen linework.

Even though this is pretty nice, it still isn’t quite what I want, but that’s what experimenting is about, as you can probably see from my other pen stuff.

Secret peek of how the first drawing went.

I think it could have worked…but there is a time when you just need to stop and start anew, and maybe come back to this much later in life.

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Bookmarks! Bird bookmarks! Did these two as a birthday gift for a friend overseas.

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Sketchbook: Clorinde

I had plans to draw Clorinde’s Game Master skin from her story quest, only to end up scrapping it (see the one page being extra white because I covered it with watercolor paper) and doing this instead. I’m still learning about drawing anime (or anime-adjacent in appearance) characters, so hopefully, I can be skilled enough to bring my ideas to physical form. One step at a time.

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Sketchbook: Morning Routine

Original pen and ink drawing under cut.

Trying out colouring digitally my traditional drawings. Like, just giving it a pop of colour here and there, and adjusting some proportions. I also did this for my Kinich drawing, and I think I’ll need more practice and confidence before adding even more colour.

Baizhu just chilling out, watering his plants, sipping his warm tea, and Changsheng still sleeping the morning away. I drew this before even reading his Good Morning voice line, so imagine my pleasant surprise when I found out that he does drink tea before breakfast. I don’t know if he canonically has plants he takes care of, but he does give me that vibe.

Anyways, I’m off exploring Natlan’s new locations! I’mma hunt down the new local legends and speed run getting that name card.

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Sketchbook: Iridescent Rain

The title’s a reference to one of Xingqiu’s many identities. And the redesign is inspired by the animation “The Divine Inquiry”. I was having a hard time thinking of what to draw for Xingqiu, only to remember wuxia and xianxia novels, so bam! Travelling cultivator Xingqiu.

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Sketchbook: Thoma’s Hobby

Inspired by two of his voice-overs; one where he’s interested in seeing a tanuki, and how he likes reading stories about shapeshifting Yōkai. A kasa-obake isn’t exactly a shapeshifting Yōkai, but it is also referencing the event sword weapon from the yokai event, so yeah.

In relation to Yōkai, my favourite anime of all time is Natsume Yuujinchou, so I hope this evokes the same feel for you guys. Thoma’s voice lines about Yōkai particularly reminds me of Taki’s grandfather’s own passion, and that’s what really drove me to create this drawing.

Also, as a challenge, while this is done with pencil sketching, the inking is all done with a brush pen. That’s why the window frames are a bit hit-or-miss, hehe.

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Sketchbook: Bennett’s Companion

There is one big reason why Yumkasaur.

It is (currently, other than a Qucusaur) that can save Bennett out of most situations should he go exploring in Natlan.

Because cliffs. Sheer cliffs. Before Xilonen, I have had many falls… so many deaths to falling with no stamina and not enough reaction time for a plunge attack.

So, in case Benny accidentally walked off a cliff or something, his Yumkasaur buddy will grapple him to safety.

Or, like in my drawing, cushioning him safely should he fall.

Also, if Yumkasaur is like Yoshi, that would make Bennett Mario. Do with that as you will.

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Sketchbook: Teatime

Arlecchino and her (daughter) Lynette having tea.

Ps, the tea’s from Wriothesley as an apology gift after…ya know.

Also, copic markers are not my wheelhouse. I am wincing at every blotchy area I can see… my sketchbook paper didn’t pass the bleed test either. It was a good thing nothing important was behind this page in particular.