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Manalodia's Gallery of Arte

Figured I'd jump into this wonderful thread of artists~ I will be honest and say I did not expect the level of artwork that is present here, but am happily surprised. Lots of beautiful character design and landscapes to be found! Here are my own works and if feeling so bold and honest, eventually my older works to see how far I've come and the change in influences.

Here are the main characters of Lost Children, the story I'm currently focusing on in my Eternity...um, saga? Since I'm currently working on my shadowing and lighting skills, my recent works are in greyscale or sepia. It also helps create an atmosphere, so works all-around for me. If you were wondering, there is anime influence in there, but it has become very realistic over the years to the point it would be considered seinen.

Dusk Merloci
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Born to a Surlvhalian aristocrat and his maidservant, Ira immediately fled in his mother's arms days after he was born; a father he had never known sending mercenaries to kill them for political reasons and war between Surlvhal and Resila. Dinah was unable to take back Mat'teniah, her oldest son, before fleeing back to her tribe of Adjura.

By the age of five, Ira and Dinah were forced to flee again when the war made its way to them. They were forced to separate from her family when the mercenaries came for them amongst the Surlvhalian troops. Fleeing west into Keldrian territory for the next four years, they sought refuge in Isalme and end their journey when Dinah contracted Breahs. A kindly well-to-do farmer took them in, but sheltered them in the barnhouse because of the contagious disease.

Ira befriended Mila Mulkivitch, the farmer's adopted daughter and she began to teach him their language. Scarcely a year had passed when their assassins found them out and set fire to the Mulvitich home, killing the farmer and his sons. Mila took shelter ira and Dinah, but that too was set ablaze. Bedridden, Dinah gave Ira a desperate choice in order to save his life, the boy not wanting to leave her. In the end, Ira and Mila fled before a band of Isalmian soldiers led by Transient Knight Rema Merloci rescued them.

The next chapter in Ira's life was as her adopted son by the name of Dusk Merloci. Grateful to her for what she had done, he kept his emotions distant, Mila being the closest to them. Taking time to adjust to the strangely assorted family, his sense of loyalty led him to train under Rema and do the same for others that had been done for him. Joining Isalme military to fulfill this oath did little to qualm the shadows forming within.
Before being accepted into Ematus Sercia's order, Dusk trained in the cursed forest of A Piedi del Morto, where he encountered the Daemon Wolf, Heraphent. Unable to overcome it nor withhold the enmity it sought to exploit, Dusk was possessed, found hours later by Rema and Miriam.

Dusk never revealed what happened, but Miriam's own past experience and ability to sense the abyss led her to conclude what took place. It would not be until Ez'eliazar Catacombs where he faced Asad of the Hasheek Tabalket that Alastor/Heraphent made himself known to Dusk. Before confronting the rest of the Transients at Ematus Sercia HQ for their involvment with Surlvhal's plot against the king, Dusk took the glyph meant for him, the Eye of Abaron; it's uncertain if this was of his own will or influence of Alastor.

Despite his struggle against the demon and aiding Rema in uncovering a dark plot, Dusk continues to fall into disenchantment with the world with the evil he sees, edged on by the evil spirit. Before he is consumed, will he face what he considers his greatest sin that he could never forgive himself for as a boy?

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Mila was rescued alongside Dusk after her home was attacked by mercenaries searching for hiim and his mother, the children losing both their families. Her story before this is mysterious, a Penumbra infant left at the doorstep of a migrant farmer in Isalme. Raised alongside his three sons as if her siblings, the only thing she had of her past was the name written upon a remnant of cloth.

Adopted by Miriam Gavrielle, Rema's blood companion, Mila and Dusk were able to stay together within this new, sorted family. Although adapting to her circumstances faster than Dusk, she loves both Rema and Miriam deeply as missing maternal figures, a confidant for Dusk as only she knows the secret that keeps him withdrawn emotionally, and eventually becoming a big sister and caretaker for Lauro.

Despite all this, Mila has desired to know who her real parents are or were. As if her wish had been granted, a mysterious woman named Sorrow comes to her with the chance to meet her mother. With Dusk, Rema and Lauro gone on what could be a perilous journey, the splitting of the family pushes her to join Sorrow, while uncovering the secret connecting this stranger and herself to the Arcturus bloodline.
 
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Eldest daughter of House Arcturus, Vetrise Rodica Arcturus Cardinal. A high sorceress and priestess within Bal Hora. Vetrise left her home behind to study under Sir Vladmir Blair outside Kolonia because of her high intellect and gift for the magik artes. It was also a chance to escape the circumstance surrounding her brother's death that she was unable to resolve.

Naturally withdrawn, Ovara is known to be a shrewd and cold woman, only invested in her research to regain and restore the Penumbra to their former place in the world. the only sentiments she has ever seen to express had been through taking in a disfigured Penumbra child from a refugee squalor. Sorrow became her protegee, but it was a strange connection which led her to the decision.

During the Penumbra Hunts of 165 SE, Ovara rescued Cachusa from the brink of death from an attack, the two reconnecting somewhat as the Penumbra Underground was supported by the Moon Sect of Bal Hora. While Cachusa stunted her sister's growing apathy, Ovara was able to understand the unobservable nature of Cachusa regaining her Penumbra form.

Not much else is known about Ovara aside from rumors; others suggest she and Vladmir had a short-lived relationship while others suggested more, that a child had been bore between them.

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Sorrow began her life in the servitude of a poor woodman's family, having made it past her infancy on the compassion the wife had for her at the time. What remained of it was the fact that they did not kill her knowing she was a Penumbra. Instead, they saw other uses for her and allowed her to live chained in the woodman's wood shed. To whatever she thought of her situation was masked by knowing no different, although the outside world from the window offered temptation and curiosity.

When she was six years old, the nameless child was on punishment, not being fed for three days. In her pangs of desperation, her natural strength overtook her and broke the chain that held her. Not being the brightest either, she tried to fix it before the woodman's came back only to have him find her free. Unable to explain since they never taught her to speak aside from the words she picked up, the girl fled her beating and was some miles away before she realized she was far from "home".

Despite the comforts of the familiar, the girl continued moving forward in exploration of the vast outdoors, learning she was fast enough to catch small creatures, but not the foresight of knowing to cook them. Not many days past before fortune had it that a band of Penumbra refugees escaping persecution came across the child. Thinking the disfigured child had escaped some terrible fate of her own, they took her with them to the Underworld network in Regalia, capital of Rayne.

It was here the girl's fate changed when Bal Hora's Moon sect was searching for potential recruits, employment impossible for Penumbra besides the most demeaning and laboursome. It was the high priestess in fact that selected the girl, sensing potential and something kindred in her. Because of her condition, Ovara Marie named her Sorrow and her tutelage under her continued throughout her years.

As a young woman, Sorrow became masterful at "wild magik", or conjuring spells from instinct alone since reading and education in general did not come easy for her. This was to Ovara's dismay, and her strict rearing continued. Always a strict disciplinarian on her, Sorrow was never allowed to call or refer to her as mother, at least not until Ovara's sister was brought to live with them and recover from grievous injuries.

Daily attending to her, eventually Cachusa was able to move and speak, not long sensing the same Ovara did in her. Upon learning what little there was to know about Sorrow from them both, Cachusa was moved by something beyond curiosity to learn more. Sorrow led the sister's back to that forest where Cachusa was able to confirm whom she beleived Sorrow was; the baby that Miriam had thrown from the cliffs long ago.

Sorrow could never press her to reveal more, so she decided a personal trade. Havng shadowing a certain child and family for many years at Ovara's personal, furtive request, Sorrow surmised it was in fact her daughter. If she could bring the girl back with her, such a favour would grant her closure, even if for worse. Her disobedience lead her closer to the truth and irony of fate in that the one raising the girl was name Miriam, like Cachusa' daughter.

She also stumbled upon part of the reason Mila was kept away but observed. For the most part, it was to keep her from Moon sect's bishop, Vladmir Blair. Never having loyalty to anyone but Ovara, Sorrow continued her personal mission to mend the web that had been created so long ago and discover the reason for her abandonment. This began Sorrow and Mila's journey together...
 
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Shiva is an elusive character that reveals himself to Rema and Dusk at the beginning of their treck with Lauro to Nuefraust. How he even knew about the incident at Ematus Sercia base is unknown, but he assures them Surlvhal has eyes and ears high and low, and not everyone wanted to see King Volpe dead. He does aid them, but much about him leaves little to trust if that is not also his intention.

Another example of such ambiguous character is when he confesses to be Dusk's long-lost brother, Mat`teniah. Rema knows this to be a lie, but she is aware Shiva might be a "Hasheek Tabalket", a specially trained group of agents of Surlvhal that expertee in espionage and psychological warfare. His aims are carefully hidden, but it is obvious he either is playing a game in assisting them or planting seeds to divide them. Maybe both.

These next ones are more conceptual work rather than portraits with bios.

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Count Reqa Ambrose conceptual work. I've yet to master drawing the wavy hair effectively, at least in how I want his to look. Also need to work on having the hair appear to have body and volume instead of flat in places.

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Concepts for Grey. I really should have made room for his outfit since I like it better than ideas before, but still needs refining from the full-body I drew.

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Innocenza concept work (will be sepia coloured) for Magnolia DiBesto, Rema's mother. A simple woman as they are a poor middle-class fending of poverty, but I'll draw more of her so her gypsy heritage is more evident. Most of my attempts of her are too old to show or ended terribly, so I'm very happy with this one. Her skirt folds to the right are terrible, though....

My next uploads will be in colour~
 
Oh no! Shiva didn't show up! Let me try that again...

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Okay. Aside from that, here is a coloured work as promised.

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Scene depiiction from my story. Miriam awaits her mother's return atop the abbey ruins they've taken shelter in, a band of knights happen upon the cursed forest in search of thieves making of with the King of Rayne's gifts from the Duke.
This is about as good as I could do with trying at a night scene, much less a full scene coming of somewhat how I imagined.
 
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*These are older portraits/busts that I haven't had a chance to revamp, so I'll just refer to them as "busts" to separate.

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*Not exactly Rema's bio, but some background information about her. I'll save that for the revamp.

Dropping her father's surname was a way to remove any attachment to him, and took up her mother's maiden name, in part hoping her grandfather had left some mark in Isalme military it would remember. The blood pact she made with Miriam enhanced her natural abilities, in turn making her an Umbra. With this and the training she received from her, Galla and Bredine of the Cleave-hand Mercenaries, Rema was able to pass General Megiddo's test and enter Isalme military.

She had fought hard to prove she could be what he failed and was also fueled with resentment towards Miriam for deciding they should part ways without reason. The sexism she encountered was expected within all male ranks, but it made it more difficult when a young soldier name Gulio befriended her, eventually wanting more.

Rema had never decided on a sexual preference before Miriam, but her father's abuse made her wary of men, Megiddo doing little to change that opinion. Because of she and Miriam's bond, she would accept no other. Isolated further, she disciplined her emotions as much as possible and presented masculine even though it earned her more resentment. Magnolia had a hard time accepting this, but Rema always held fast that she was a woman that could exist in a man's world.

As an Umbra, Rema has the ability to sense Penumbra as they do through wavelengths created by the abyss or magik and her physical senses. It is especially strong with Miriam as her blood companion, able to sense her from a mile. Besides the physical attributes, Rema has an increased lifespan and is more adapt at magik artes, even on the level of experienced sorcerers within Isalme Army, but she prefers a sword.

Because a Huema or any race given a Penumbra's blood changes over time, Rema experiences gorging and fasting swings, eating nothing for nearly a week without hunger or having such cravings she can eat 3x times the norm. Not just this, but fainting spells occur rarely with the growing assimilation, and increased sex drive proved the most difficult in her time alone.

When she and Miriam do reunite right before she is asked to join the Transients, it seems she does a 180 to a degree. Shafting her hardened military persona was not necessarily abandoning part of herself, but rather accommodating Miriam by assuming the effeminate role in their relationship, as she always had despite being the obvious tomboy. It made less confusion for Miriam's duality (hermaphroditism), but she was the one person she could share her inner thoughts.

When raising Dusk and Mila, Rema took on her stricter side when it came to Dusk deciding to join Isalme's military like herself, but never could give up her strong maternal instincts when it came to them, especially Lauro. Even after confirming that Lauro was indeed the Prince of Nuefraust, a selfish, clingy part of her decided to continue to raise him against Miriam's advice.

As for her fellowship with her fellow Transients, she respected Megiddo for a time. It was Nar and Leien that made her feel a sense of belonging as a knight and soldier. Her loyalty to them was unwavering and discovering their plot with Megiddo made her question her ideals. She never quite forgave herself for failing to convince them to abandon their chosen path.

Another regret was training Dusk to fight. This surfaced before discovering the Alphyn letter when a skilled band of Surlvhalian soldiers attacked them during their reconnesciance of Ez'eliazar Catacombs. She discovered later that one of the soldiers was Dusk's brother, Mat`teniah, the son of the powerful Surlvhalian Chief, Apshul; the man she had discovered to be the one responsible for hiring the mercenaries to kill Dusk and Dinah.

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I spent a lot of time creating her story as I don't even recall she had much of one in the beginning besides being a vampyre. I still kept that aspect, except that the vampiric traits of Penumbra are more along Stoker's imagining, but removed form being undead cursed by God, and needing blood.

I'll avoid ranting on that for now, but Miriam's story became very important wit how the Arcturus bloodline is a central part of the first books of Eternity. As for Miriam herself, I kept her overall look as there was nothing I wanted to change about it. Cachusa had to be kept close to resembling her mother and I tried to keep in mind some semblance with the rest of the Arcturus, even if minimal or more in personality traits. Manalodia (who I have yet to draw) will be a male version of Miriam in how closely they resemble on another.
 
Great work done Manalodia. Specially the touch of medieval clothing is awesome.

Thank you, Dipti13 :) I spent a good amount of time researching and drawing clothing from the 16th to 18th centuries, trying to find what worked best. Eventually the story will advance into a steam punk era, but still retain an antiquity theme.
 
Some concept work for Innocenza, which I have a bit of. I'm working my way into landscape artwork
so don't expect perfect symmetry and wondrous paintings like other artists here do, haha! They'll mostly
be sketchwork since I'm more concerned about building the world.
For now, here are two of Miriam/Viktoria-

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I have my periods where I'll try a more realistic approach rather than stylized. There's not so
much accented in this, especially the eyes. At times I think I'm getting as close as my drawing
ability allows to what they might look like and then focus on style as a way of building off of.

Miriam is still young, around 11 or 12 for this concept, so her dress will be formal for a girl her age. However, this is preferred by her since her clothes are made by her mother and always a mini version of Cachusa :) A more in-depth
reasoning in a reserved look is Miriam's insecurity about her body; less attention is good attention. There is still an
elegant design present for some character, when mostly attire for this time period and off and on til her 20s is
spent in something more plain. Fashion loses its place when trying to go unnoticed and living in the wilds.

*A near pointless side-note: For an idea of the time period relative to our own, notice her shoes have no heels. I believe it was up to the 15th-16th century before high heels started to appear.

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The difference between the two is pretty obvious, right? As of this point, Viktoria/Miriam is 15 years old,
still a period where they are living as Huema. Though Viktoria expresses a sexual side where Miriam does not (there are two types of how an alternate personality can turn out from sexual abuse, just like people: either completely asexual, or highly sexualized). It just depends on the "original" personality. A girl her age would not have her bust revealed yet, so this is about as scandalous as she can get for the time. Also, she makes her own outfits as
opposed to Miriam.

Mostly wearing masculine coats rather than a bodice at this point, it is an aspect of the male sex Miriam hides and Viktoria embraces. She does have male clothing, but I have yet to draw that. Pretty much depending on her mood Viktoria goes between male and female, if not mixing the two.
Her petticoat and skirt are very plain compared to her upper half with some meaning store-wise, while more reflecting her own sense of fashion. As I draw more of her and her attire, it will become more obvious what I did in a corny way XP
 
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A scene illustration from a now later chapter as Cachusa and Miriam enter the cursed Taglieas Wood. I did my best
with the brush I thought worked best for fog on SAI, but think it could be much better. I've looked up how to do so
with Photoshop for the next attempt.
 
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I'll probably do another concept (should have made room on the above) where I make more modifications, and you can already see where I changed his pauldron and rerebrace.

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Drew this one on OpenStudio which was interesting getting used to. The pen tool is not as smooth and controlled as with SAI, but I did my best.

How I go about things is likely backwards, but I tend to draw a rough concept of a character first before going back and refining or making alterations. Not sure why other than getting the idea out and then seeing what I have to work with. They never really turn out well, but I don't expect them to the first time for me.

Patrick Grey Magus II is a main character in Lost Children, a knight of Nuefraust sent
on a mission from King Belnier to find any trace of the missing prince.
 
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Not one of the illustrations for the story, but a conceptual work for Innocenza. I've never considered placement and finding balance in planning a drawing as I have found in watching tutorials. As always I see what I could have done better (and likely redo later on), primarily showing more of Miriam than her head :p I did make some progress in my buildings/architecture for this.
 
Two illustrations I planned on having for the first two chapters of Innocenza. I'm rethinking adding artwork as some readers enjoy their own perception of the characters they create than a fixed idea. If I don't use them, then I'll create an artbook for the story and those to follow.

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Innocenza Chpt. I "Beginning of Sighs" Illustration (might have to crop the blank space)

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Innocenza Chpt. II "Blood of Arcturus" Illustration
 

Dipti13

Dreamer
Thank you, Dipti13 :) I spent a good amount of time researching and drawing clothing from the 16th to 18th centuries, trying to find what worked best. Eventually the story will advance into a steam punk era, but still retain an antiquity theme.

Keep up the good work going. You are really talented:)
 
Keep up the good work going. You are really talented:)

Your kind words are taken to heart, Dipti13~ One of the many things I enjoy about drawing is when you
can see yourself progress. There is still a ways to go but, I've been enjoying every moment since...well,
5 ^_^
 
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I call this...Little Princess Knight. My first drawing of Rema as a young girl, wearing an outfit
made for her by Miriam (gave her the rapier too) so she can feel like a true hero from her favourite
storybook tales.
 
"Between Sodom and Gomorrah"
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Viktoria during the years she was a courtesan in Nuefrost. This was the longest period Viktoria was in control, triggered by them losing Cachusa to an ambush by Penumbra Hunters, that certain band led by Artenius Sanctum. Even though Viktoria had her revenge by destroying the hunter's village, she was unable to move on.

Having parted ways with Rema and Magnolia long before, Viktoria was on her own in a world where open persecution ended, but malice was ever present against her kind; the only professions a Penumbra woman could find was in the underworlds of the Huema cities, as a servant or prostitute.

It was not until she met the Count of Eldren, Reqa Ambrose, that her self-abandon began to wane. Not leaving the occupation immediately, Viktoria became a madame of her own brothel, garnering enough earnings to release the girls and women she had been with over the years.

The little dragonite in the picture is a pet she used to have named Dragomir. It was killed trying to protect her hovel while she was away, her panderer and his henchman come to repay her for breaking the rules for the other girls.
 
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This one was more for fun than anything :) I called it "Warrior Mama" even though she is
the least enthusiastic about the situation~ Not a factual piece, rather one of Rema's random
daydreams.

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A more recent drawing that I FINALLY found the textures on SAI. It really helped with a visual
difference rather than trying by hand (and at times failing).
 
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Jabrosky

Banned
I think your convention of making your characters' eyes the only colors in those gray-scale portraits helps bring their vividness out. And I really want to know how you managed to make them glow like that? Did you add the glowing quality on a layer above the art with a special "blending mode"? If you're using Photoshop, I'd love to use that method for my own stuff sometime soon.
 
I think your convention of making your characters' eyes the only colors in those gray-scale portraits helps bring their vividness out. And I really want to know how you managed to make them glow like that? Did you add the glowing quality on a layer above the art with a special "blending mode"? If you're using Photoshop, I'd love to use that method for my own stuff sometime soon.

I actually use SAI and am working my way toward Photoshop for adding effects and backgrounds rather than drawing. I'm more a line artist than painter when it comes to characters. How I did the glow colour is really simple compared to what most people do; ironically, I just think like a painter only working with a brush.

It's only one layer and set to overlay. That brightens the eye colour and then I use Airbrush to add the lighting where it needs to be. That's all~ There may be better techniques for a more vivid glow effect, but I found this works for me.
 
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