Stef Tastan

Costa Rican in Canada. Art Director, illustrator, gamer, hopeless nerd.

[steftastan]

I'm a little late on sharing Gemini, for Gemini season because work's been busy and also I've been recovering from a minor surgery. Luckily I'm feeling good enough to be active and doing things again.

Gemini's Zodiac Warrior is inspired by the Doppelsöldner, 16th century German Landsknecht (basically mercenaries) whose whole thing was to take on dangerous jobs for double the pay. They famously wielded Zweihänder among other weapons. Don't believe the sword propaganda machine, in medieval warfare pikes and halberds reigned supreme.

I chose them for Gemini for their flashy, colorful clothing (ironically colors are absent in my drawing but that's a different conversation), the clothes were a statement, I'd assume they were flamboyant and kind of insufferable, as Gemini are wont to be. It's ok, as a Gemini myself, I'm allowed to say that.

[steftastan]

so happy to see you.

mermaids in may, a classic.

the train ride to toronto was perfect for all that filling in with black

[steftastan]

My first blender sketch after many many years of trying and failing, and after a few weeks of doing tutorials, as well as attending a webinar by Iris Muddy on the joys of using Blender to achieve painterly effects!

I hope to keep practicing and to supplement my 2D art with this in the future, it's super exciting!

The clash finished at 5pm and I chipped away at this scene while watching Elden ring Bingo Brawlers, lmao.

[steftastan]

i started a new fanart instead of working on existing pieces today :_) what can i sayyyyyyy.

I'm really enjoying drawing moments that happened outside of the events of Elden Ring. This time, it's Rykard giving himself to the serpent to be eaten and become one with it, as you see him all chomped up during the game intro. I'd like to think he had some sort of send-off at the volcano manor, with Lady Tanith bidding goodbye to his human form.

It's kinda crunchy but this is very far from being finished art, but it's fun to share the process. I recorded big chunks of it too. :3

"One day, my love, we will devour the gods, together".

[steftastan]

Final Fantasy VIII: The Beach Episode

The cast of FF8 in comfy Beach wear! I stand behind all of the insane decisions I made:

I fully subscribe to the belief that Squall would have bedazzled crocs. Despite what his original, highly impractical, multi-belt design would lead you to believe, I do think he prioritizes comfort.

I'm obsessed with Rinoa's macrame kimono. And I snuck the stupid finger thing she always does in there, but I swear it was not on purpose.

I'd like to think Zell just grabbed whatever things he found in his mess of drawers and threw it on, quite possibly his mom dressed him, or at the very least gave him the visor and Oakleys. In my universe, he gets to eat Hot Dogs.

It was kinda hard to design a realistic bathing suit for Quistis without going full Surf wetsuit x Bayonetta, I'm not exactly happy with the legs.

Selphie and Irvine look like the poly couple who look at you across the bar and tell you "You look like someone who's fun! Can we buy you a drink?" then actually leave without you and leave you stuck with the bill. No but Irvine is a huge slut in FF8 so why wouldn't he be one here too?

Selphie's outfit is a bit referenced off of Rikku's in FFX-2, they just both have that vibe.

Laguna, Kiros and Ward are here too, Laguna is very much ready. He wasn't invited but he showed up and brought the entire gang anyways, I'm sure the gang not calling him was just an accident.

[steftastan]

WARRIORS: TAURUS

Happy Taurus season! Throwback to a set of characters drawn inspired by the zodiac signs, and warriors/soldiers recorded throughout history around the world. Taurus is inspired by medieval warriors of the areas of North India, Tibet and Nepal. She wields a Khadga (also known as Ram Dao). Kali, the Hindu Goddess of destruction can be seen wielding a Khadga dripping with blood in some depictions!

I love art, esotericisms, and history, and this series of 12 drawings is the perfect intersection for all those.

[steftastan]

Crunchy sketch incoming, another hypothetical scene in a Fromsoftware game.

I really like the Frenzied Flame ending of Elden Ring, almost as much as Ranni's ending. Melina swearing to hunt you down until you're dead is so compelling, so I'm trying to picture this moment, where herself, and perhaps anyone who is still alive in the Lands Between to watch them all burn, band together to take down their former ally.

The Chad tarnished is completely naked and powerstancing the giant crusher and Giant Club (might change it to Bloodfiend's arm), yes.

Like with the previews Bloodborne illustration, I'll share a process video, and I've been itching to stream while sketching too, I might do that too, but I have no schedule planned at all. We'll see!

[steftastan]

procreate sketch!

[steftastan]

Eternal Reprieve

What would happen if we just decide to chill with Lady Maria, instead of fighting her? Miyazaki pls let me have this.

I made a video of the process to go along with this. Seeing the effect AI art is having on the internet and people's consumption habits has had me feeling all kinds of things, but the feeling that I'm hanging on to the most is the desire to remind myself how important the actual process is: how important it is to feel the learning pains, and to produce art that is made by human hands.

[steftastan]

Lil WIP/teaser. I have been painting (lumen)flowers for... days. :) Part of a bigger Bloodborne fanart that's in the works. I will never get over this game, I think.

[steftastan]

I had to do ittttttt

[steftastan]

when dogs cross their front paws over like so, they look so regal and dignified i cantttt

[steftastan]

I’ve only had Jinshi for about 14 episodes of Apothecary Diaries, but if anything happened to him, I would kill everybody in the room and then myself

a secret third version with dramatic lighting pass

[steftastan]

should i post really rough, crunchy sketches? i spent way too long yesrerday seeing the giant piles of abandoned drawings at early stages in my ipad and… theyre not bad? i have a tendency to abandon a lot of art bc i think it sucks but i come back to it months later and i realize it was the self-deprecation talking. anyways heres a fanart of dan da dan i made while rotting on my couch. momo should have been front next to okarun but i can’t help that seiko is my favoriiiiite.

[steftastan]

not my typical art post, but this year i finally got into makeup after years of avoiding it/being afraid of it. it's pretty time consuming so i only do a look once every week or two. looking forward to keeping on learning and getting better at it 🥹

[steftastan]

queen of mouthbreathing while i creepily draw people who have no idea i'm staring into their soul

[steftastan]

Is an OC an OC if I've only drawn her once? I drew Opal many years ago and I've really liked her since, I'm quite happy with the old drawing, but Opal are a lot more iridescent and carry the entire color spectrum, so I wanted to something a bit closer to them. Now comparatively she might be a bit too colorful, but it was fun to sit down and paint nonetheless.