Author | Lightnews

Xelrah

@xelrah.bsky.social

450 followers 560 following 150 posts

Hobbyist digital artist who tells himself that one day he will draw something other than dragons. One day. Also on: https://cara.app/xelrah https://www.furaffinity.net/user/xelrah tumblr.com/xelrah

cara.app

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Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 23h

Thank you 💙

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

10/🧵 There's also a lot of shapes or features lining up, especially in head area that may help with easing drawing process or getting proportions right much faster.

This sums this up. I hope you enjoyed some backstory and my line of thought.

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

9/🧵 I also made some features deliberately huge or even a little over the top. For example extremely long fins that separate both sides of head are both for look and practicality – there's very few angles at which you will need to draw full length of both horns. Half the work, sometimes at least.

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

8/🧵 One of ideas was to limit scale patterns and large scale shapes. Another was to have clearly defined layers and have sketch presented separately without colors. Thirdly a classic – color picking colors nearby. And I was never opposed to artistic liberty either.

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

7/🧵 Another issue I came across was my drive to make it as detailed as possible. But it's a ref, shading it and adding insane amount of details could make it more annoying to work with for some artists, hell myself included as I of course planned to draw my character every now and then.

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

6/🧵 Things changed when I came across Wayne Reynolds' cover for for Pathfinder 2e - Gamemastery Guide which featured black dragon. It was then I realized I was missing curved, twisting horns in my design, something that was intended for previous ref but I lacked skills back then to show it well.

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

5/🧵 Head shape and horn design put a hard stop to my progress and for a time I thought I had a breakthrough but after looking at it again sometime later it was still not what I wanted. I went through a few designs I really liked but after a while saw issues with them.

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

4/🧵 My ideology from beginning was to improve shape language, at least as far as I could manage with my current art skills. Original design was very roundy and did not radiate aura of vile necromancer. So I narrowed it down to one shape that needed to be in more places - triangles (and spikes!).

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

3/🧵 If you have seen work of Alexander Ostrowski and his dragon redesigns for D&D you will probably immediately recognize where main inspiration for this one came from. If you somehow missed it go check it out now www.alexanderostrowski.com

alexander ostrowski

www.alexanderostrowski.com

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Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

2/🧵 Dropping that indecisiveness on artist would be long and tedious process for both of us. Also this OC was one of the reasons why I initially started drawing. It's huge part of my drive to push forward with hobby and find enjoyment in it.

Above you can see early sketches (some very rough).

Assortment of early sketches before proper work began on a ref.

Assortment of sketchbook drawings exploring different parts of body.

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Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

1/🧵 First, a closer look at some parts of it.

And you may ask why not just commission artist to do ref for you?
I asked that myself quite a few times through this one. Problem with me is that I am very undecided and have to iterate a lot to get something across in a form I really want.

Closeup of forelimb area on side view ref.

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Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 1d

After several months a new version of my OC ref is ready. Work on this started sometime in late April and actual ref drawing in August. It's a first time I put this much effort and thought into a single project and it has been a journey.

Additional details, sketches and long thread ahead 🧵

A reference of my OC containing lore and various angles both in detail and sketch form.

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Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks, I'm happy that you like it 💙

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 3d

Thank you 💙

Xelrah @xelrah.bsky.social · 3d

After a few months of working on redesigning my OC I am finally done with it and wanted to celebrate by making illustration with use of a new design and I can say that I am happy with the results, especially not having worked on any complex scene in all too long.

Black dragon (with gold and teal features) stands atop of city wall's watchtower lit from below by red light. In background city can be seen burning with smokes rising into the sky and full moon shines bright.

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Reposted by Xelrah

FelisUmbra @felisumbra.bsky.social · 4d

adopt:
www.furaffinity.net/view/62697305/

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Reposted by Xelrah

Tanhir Davi (Comms Open) @tanhirtantan.bsky.social · 5d

www.furaffinity.net/view/62677578/

Yet another birthday present for the lovely wuffwuff ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ from the sweet gorgeous bronze fren @tempestus-sc.bsky.social