#faebruaryartchallenge2026

[rachelillustrates]

Faebruary day thirteen, + @ockissweek day five!!

Lantern Fae + Heated + Thank Gnome it's Friday!!

@tockthegnome context: Hedley Sparklingroot, clergy of the Gnomish goddess Carwen (previously seen here and featured in the same bonus story as Florence, from yesterday, here) AND a Jack-o-Lantern faerie!!

Specifically, Stingy Jacks, of the disorganized fae of the realm. They are trickster spirits, under a wandering "punishment" of their own creation after having fallen out of resonance with the Heart of Faerie. They are ALL called Jack, by the by, and know how to differentiate between each other by energy signature instead of names (all disorganized fae would be able to recognize them this way).

Here, unknowingly, Hedley has drawn their hand against this Jack's lantern, earning a surprise and semi-manifested healing kiss.

(And that makes Faebruary!! Thanks so much to Brett Manning for the prompts, and hope you all look forward to the last two OCK's 💗)

✨🧚 OC Kiss Week prompts here✨💋

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Bonus art and stories ~ Prints, comics and more!

[rachelillustrates]

Faebruary day twelve, + @ockissweek day four!!

"Being of Light" + "Wedding" 💐

@tockthegnome context: Future vision - side character Florence Cogslittle of Browngarden, off to wed her true love, and being visited by an unexpected ancestor, one former royal Eara Sprungsbottle, who Emerged with her Mycellioom spouse and has come back through the veil to bless her great-great-grand-niece on this joyous day (seeing as "beings of light" in this realm refers to anyone who has moved on in such a way, basically any fae who now live in realms closer to the Heart of Faerie).

More on Florence and her soon-to-be-Wife Devaney in a bonus story included in issue 5! Available in print here, digitally here, or included digitally for all patrons 💗

And yes, this post is about a queer person marrying another queer person and being blessed by their queer ancestor. We exist, and shall continue to exist 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

✨🧚 Faebruary prompt list from Brett Manning : OC Kiss Week prompts here✨💋

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Bonus art and stories ~ Prints, comics and more!

[rachelillustrates]

Faebruary day eleven, + @ockissweek day three!!

"Moss Imp" + "Heartbreak" 💔

@tockthegnome context: About halfway through the events of Tock's quest (aka the comic proper), Agertha Girdbinding - a Surface Gnome very attuned to orchard work and the latent magic of the natural world around them - has been approached and befriended by a Moss Imp who lives nearby (or nearby-enough-ish). Having been allowed to choose what to call her, they name her Sporrie, and this connection begins to open their already burgeoning ability to perceive what of Faerie-nature Gnomes have thus far been magically blocked from.

As mentioned recently, the Gnomish use of coal (prolific use) is beginning to impact the environment, but despite the other organized peoples' decision to let things lie and hope the Gnomes wake up from their trauma state and come back to Faerie-spiritual resonance, some of the disorganized fae (including Mycelliooms, Centaurs, and specific-space-oriented solitary fae like Moss Imps) have been using their magic as best they can to push back against the damage. Basically, casting healing over and over and over again to slow the impact, while they hope and wait for that Gnomish reawareness.

Eventually in this friendship, Sporrie takes Agertha to see her home - the mossy grove she sustains - only to find that erosion and mineral pollution has finally wormed its way into the small stream that runs through it, tainting the sacred space and poisoning all who live there. As she is so connected to it, especially the moss there, opening the door to poison of her own being as well.

So here, she reacts, and though Agertha doesn't know what to do (or how responsible to feel, considering the Surface Gnomes contribute to coal use less than the City Gnomes do) she tries to offer her friend what comfort she can. Sometimes, it just helps to be held, even while screaming.

This angst feeling very heavy and appropriate right now. National Park Service: DO BETTER 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

✨🧚 Faebruary prompt list from Brett Manning : OC Kiss Week prompts here✨💋

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Bonus art and stories ~ Prints, comics and more!

[nelriott]

Member of the Gentry — Faebruary 2026 🍃✨

In fae folklore, the Gentry refers not to human nobility, but to the high-ranking folk of the Otherworld — beings of status, power, and old authority rooted in nature itself.

For this illustration, I chose to portray a female fae of quiet elegance. Her presence is refined, but not human. Her gown is formed from vivid leaves, shaped with care and intention, while her jewels are made of branches touched with a soft patina of gold.

She does not rule through crowns or stone halls, but through lineage tied to forest, season, and land.

This is a nobility of the wild — dignified, ancient, and bound to nature rather than thrones.

I think my fairy looks like Keyleth from Vox Machina☺️

Host: @brettmanningart

[rachelillustrates]

Faebruary day ten, + @ockissweek two!!

"Member of the Gentry" + "Playful"

@tockthegnome context: Featuring Aster, daughter of Elven former-High-Bearer Amarum and Merfolk former-crown-heir Ursaety, thusly counting for the Gentry - the highest of high-born fae - in this realm (even though her parents rejected their roles at the end of their Chance in order to live a peaceful life).

Here she is re-embracing her watery roots, despite one parent's fears in that regard, and making friends of three Nixies! Siblings, named Clara, Cliri and Cloro. As first pictured here, with her mother.

(And you can read more about that entire section of backstory here.)

✨🧚 Faebruary prompt list from Brett Manning : OC Kiss Week prompts here✨💋

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Bonus art and stories ~ Prints, comics and more!

[nelriott]

Willow Tree Spirit — Faebruary 2026 🌿

Tree spirits appear across folklore as guardians of memory, place, and time. They are not creatures of movement, but of endurance — rooted in grief, protection, and quiet observation.

The willow, in particular, has long been associated with sorrow, water, and remembrance. In this illustration, a willow tree spirit takes the form of a woman fused with the tree itself. Branches fall from her head like heavy strands of hair, while her lower body dissolves into trunk and roots. Her posture is bowed, hands held together, carrying a deep sense of nostalgia.

She does not mourn loudly. Like the willow, she bends, survives, and remembers all that has passed beneath her shade.

Host: @brettmanningart

[nelriott]

Kelpie — Faebruary 2026 🌊

The Kelpie is a water spirit from Scottish folklore, most often appearing as a horse that dwells in lochs and rivers. Beautiful and calm at first glance, it lures the unwary toward the water, where its true nature is revealed.

In this illustration, the kelpie emerges only partially — its head rising above the surface, watching in silence. Intense greens and cyan tones blend with the water, while a soft yellow background suggests deceptive calm.

Like the creature itself, the scene feels still, inviting… and wrong.

Kelpie tales warn against trusting what waits at the water’s edge. In the old stories, danger does not always rush — sometimes it simply waits.

Host: @brettmanningart

[rachelillustrates]

Faebruary day eight!! Kelpie 🌊

@tockthegnome context: As usual, murder murder water horse that likes to drowwwwwwn people.

They appear sometimes in the Elven lands and the shores they share with the Merfolk, in particular, their malevolent nature being unwelcome in the Brogh lands (though some have appeared there for brief periods from time to time). Are currently unable to push further into Orc territory or Gnomish territory due to the even worse condition of magic there, which makes existence unpleasant, and unrewarding, while the Dwarves also live too far in-land (even though they have access to water, perhaps the prevalence of stone overwhelms the water energy necessary for a Kelpie's manifestation).

They are tricksy and respect a good turnabout, so they can be pressed into service or friendship in this way. Though tales of this kind are, understandably, rare.

It should also be said that - with this realm being more Seelie than Unseelie, at original nature - as magic has waned and darkness has grown within most hearts more Kelpie have been attempting to manifest here in recent years than in any previous time. However, the damaging of the realm's magic has made it more difficult for them to keep an extended stay in general, only lasting a few months at very most - usually only a few weeks - before they move on to more comfortable hunting grounds.

Prompt list from Brett Manning 🧚✨

(.....btw, OC Kiss Week tomorrow!! Get ready for some faerie smooches! 💋)

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Bonus art and stories ~ Prints, comics and more!