Pursuit

A brave nomadic huntress armed with arcane magicks pursues an immense beast. Who is the hunter and who is the prey?

 Horseback archery is both a graceful and powerful visual element that inspired me greatly for this piece. The combination of a strong sense of speed combined with the precision of archery creates a very interesting visual juxtaposition. However, cool poses and movements are much easier to appreciate as an artist than they are to draw! Beyond the overall shape of the subject, there are additional nuances such as how much weight the rider is putting on the saddle versus the stirrups, how tense the pose is, and so on. It was difficult to achieve the right balance with all these factors, and this is often the moment where you think to yourself - I really needed more practice on this! Beyond the technical execution of the pose, I also wanted to design a good set of visuals for the character. I wanted a character that felt believable and real, while at the same time feeling like someone out of fantasy. To do so, I borrowed many design elements from nomadic cultural dress, while allowing myself some leeway to experiment. Lastly, I wanted to give the character a more direct sense of purpose that the viewers can also see, which is why the flying beast was added!