Ancient

A knight clad in dark, burnished armor ascends the long steps to the grand keep, followed by her fearsome hounds.

 Gothic style plate armor pieces are artworks in their own right, and it is of no surprise that their beauty and design shine through regardless of time. What makes it even more remarkable is how intricate the design is when you study it closely. The repeating motifs add a sense of texture and flow in a way that fits perfectly with the functional form of the armor. In a way, this artwork is more so a homage to the blacksmiths and craftsmen of old medieval Europe than anything else! But rather than allowing the piece to be purely descriptive, I wanted to add a little bit of my own touch as well. Although I could not exceed the beauty of the original armor, I added my style in other areas of the character design, such as the long overskirt, as well as the face veil and glowing earring. The ascension of the character up the stairs, while a simple and mundane movement in real life, holds quite a bit more weight in the fantasy world where the world has been scaled up. I want the viewer to think about where the character is headed, and why she is going there. With the help of some clues like the archways and gate in the background, it gives the scene a physical structure and clear concept, while leaving the character’s intent to your imagination.