Open-Minded

"I'm not opposed to exploring more of this... Newfound dynamic between us, if you're willing."

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It's been a while since I decided to create something fully rendered. Had spent a lot of my time on this one trying some techniques and restructuring my process. Though I found myself back on the same pitfalls I had when I struggled to break my glass ceiling, they don't frustrate me as much. Rather, I'm a lot happier simply because I finished something.

I've been on-and-off with this project, frankly; things have just grown terribly busy on my end with my work having become regular. Well, that, and me popping in and out of the mountains on a regular basis on the weekends to either go camping or paddleboarding. Hah.

Anyway. More of my Nameless Scion. As I've mentioned in a previous sketchdump, she died in her old world and was reborn in this new body, while still retaining her old memories. That said, because of these experiences, she has a wealth more patience than most of her peers, though that doesn't stop her from quietly roasting anyone in the back of her mind, especially during the events of A Realm Reborn. Her experiences have also allowed her to have a generally more open mind about trying everything and anything... Including the exploration of her own sexuality.

As this hovered over my head these last several weeks, I found myself just projecting into her. Like with my other OCs, a lot of her development has been mostly tied to my current frame of mind—workaholism, general indifference, love for the outdoors, an interest in multiple hobbies, to name a few that has shaped her identity. Perhaps it's the fact that I've been living a healthier life, but having an OC like this, unapologetically apathetic to whatever means little in the grand scheme of things... Unapologetically scarred yet confident, unashamed to show just how feminine she is and can be despite her imperfections... It's inspiring. It makes me feel good about myself. I have a lot of admiration for the kind of person she is and what she represents for me: someone who is unafraid to live her life to the fullest, unbound by limitations, while still staying grounded to who she really is at her core.

It's spurred me in recent days to try things I otherwise wouldn't have done. Typically, they're a lot of outdoorsy things, like camping and paddleboarding, as I mentioned previously. Coupled with my physically active job and working out to lose weight, I feel a lot lighter. Thinner. It's easier to breathe. I have a better outlook towards my body and fit into clothes I previously struggled to.

And that just makes me feel more confident about... Well. Showing more of that. Being a little more revealing when I'm paddleboarding or swimming rather than covering so much of myself up. I often find myself thinking, "Maybe I want to show off a little more skin and feel sexy..." Or something. It's a little silly. 😆 Nonetheless, I feel a lot happier now from just being inspired by this, though I also know I've still quite a ways to go to hit some of my health targets.

This art piece was meant to just express all that. Express how much I admire my OC and her femininity. Ergo, she's hot and I would totally bang given the opportunity. 😏

Doppelgangers

My self-insert nameless Commander/Wayfinder from Guild Wars 2, and nameless Scion/Warrior of Light from Final Fantasy XIV.

When I originally made my Scion OC, I had been mulling whether or not to just make her the same as my Wayfinder. Ultimately, I decided to create a new OC altogether, as I loved the idea of making both characters distinct from each other while sharing various similarities.

Their patchworks of scars are what I think would be my most favorite things about them. There's just something to be said about women with scars, especially when they're visible for all to see and hold a deeper meaning beyond the physical. For the Wayfinder, they're a symbol of lost innocence (from being a bright, promising scholar to a cynical, jaded adventurer), falling from grace (from being slain by Balthazar and the regret to save some of her allies, and the shame of her mistakes), and of halcyon days never to return (with the loss of Sieran in particular). For the Scion, they're badges of honor and experience that she proudly wears like a heart on her sleeve, serving as a testament to her many tribulations she weathered and came out on top of.

I was mentioning to someone the other day how, after some introspection, this parallels my own admission of envy towards other artists. There's shame in having to admit something like this because one would think that in the journey of self-improvement, one would use their betters to better themselves rather than treat them as subjects of insecurity and jealousy. Yet in the same vein, there's also both relief and acceptance that this is a part of me. It reminds me that this is but one of many imperfections that make me human. It's all a matter of perspective how we view our scars no matter how they marr us; at the end of the day, we can only move forward and strive to be better people despite ourselves.

The sight of these two finally drawn together, their scars exposed and all especially, fills me with a newfound sense of relief and contentment that I haven't felt in over six months. I will be continuing my Guild Wars 2 fancomic Objet d'Art after leaving it on hiatus for a time, while slowly featuring more content about these two characters moving forward.

Scion & Alphinaud 1

"You're a brother, but not entirely; you're a friend, yet in some way family. No matter what pair of lenses I see you through, you and your sister both will always be important to me... And I'll walk the ends of the earth just to save you if I have to, Alphy."

Alphinaud Leveilleur. Self-assured young boy of House Leveilleur with a talent for debate, public speaking and diplomacy. Once founded the Crystal Braves, an organization meant to embody his lofty aspiration of spearheading Eorzea's true champions of the future. His own inexperience and naiveté would eventually lead to the downfall of the Scions when his own men betrayed him. This same experience would humble and temper him as a person especially when he, the Scion, and Tataru remain as the only known living members of the Scions for a time. The Scion becomes very privy to his moments of weakness in this period especially in the times they are alone, and so the two have naturally grown close as a result.

But while the Scion dotes on him like a little brother she never had even in her past life, Alphinaud finds himself crushing onto her instead. He keeps his feelings relatively concealed, not wishing to ruin the platonic relationship he already shares with the Scion, especially knowing that she's still grieving over the loss of Minfilia—a loss he feels responsible for after the events of the Bloody Banquet. Every now and then though, he can't help when he slips up or someone else slips up for him, much to his embarrassment and dismay.

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Alphinaud is a character I didn't expect to become genuinely fond of as I was playing the story. When I first met him, he came off as some kind of lowkey arrogant rich kid with so much to say and not enough years of experience to prove it. So when Heavensward happened, I was absolutely pleased to bear witness to his bouts of angst and melancholy that led to his eventual character growth. Now he's quite easily one of my favorite characters, next to his sister.

I think it's actually kind of funny how the game hints at how he's so fond of the Warrior of Light especially in Heavensward and Shadowbringers. I enjoy the headcanon of how the Scion just loves him platonically and thinks Alphinaud values her the same way, while also being blissfully unaware of just how much (or how badly) Alphinaud wants her to view him differently.

Nameless Scion Sketches 2

More sketches of my Scion, and her interactions with her allies.

Her relationship with the twins, Minfilia, and Ardbert are the ones I'd like to personally explore more about. I'm fond of the other Scions too, but these characters are regularly lingering in my head. 😌

Nameless Scion - Profile + Relationships

A quick sketch of my Nameless Scion from Final Fantasy XIV, as well as her relationships with her allies from Post-Shadowbringers I.

I had made this a while ago, but I hadn't been bothered to post up until today. Art depression hit me quite hard.

I'll be posting more sketches of my Scion in the next couple of posts. I feel quite invested in developing her and just expounding on her relationship with her allies.

Nameless Scion Sketches 1

I called her just the Traveler last time, but Nameless Scion felt very appropriate now in comparison.

I struggled for a while to draw her facial features in free sketch, so I tried to draw by tracing over screenshots first and then attempting to imitate a reference without tracing afterwards.

I feel comfortable with my free sketch of her now, but I still have to do free sketches her in different angles.

Lighting Study 9 + Self-Insert Traveler

Been playing the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV Online with an expanded free trial, which you could play through the entirety of A Realm Reborn AND the award-winning Heavensward expansion and ALSO award-winning Stormblood expansion up to level 70 for free with no restrictions on playtime. I really like my character, so I turned her into another self-insert OC and tried to do some lighting practice with her.

I do find myself feeling more weird about this than actually satisfied, frankly. But I think it's because I'm not used to painting realistic faces in general. Maybe the feeling will go away with practice.