Red Sun Rising

My submission for the “Be Open to New Things” contest over at

Rules can be found here: [link]

***

Al had never run this far this fast before. He had never had a reason until now to progress at more than a leisurely stroll through the endless silent landscape. Now he felt compelled to. Mephis’ daughter had been taken by one of his kind and this one wouldn’t be broken like he was. It would do any sorts horrible things to her finding pleasure in the torture of the innocent babe after slaughtering her mother in the night.

As Al leapt up to enter a cave – a shortcut – his mind was filled with so many possibilities he felt he would go insane. He couldn’t stand it. He would not allow that sweet innocent, the first living thing he’d held that trusted him just as implicitly as her father did to come to any sort of harm. A heat rose in his chest, replacing the sinking cold that had been with him ever since he had entered the village. He pushed his body to go faster.

Then he reached the exit to the cave and saw the next part of this race cutting through the horizon. A huge chasm tore through the earth as it was bathed in the light of the rising red sun.

It was the gate to the Serene Darkness.

The place where he - along with so many other demons - was born from the collected fear, pain and searing emotions of truly living things. Most never left while others ventured to and from other plains of Hell always dragging whatever meal they’d stolen kicking and screaming back to their lair.

That was where he would find the Alu who had taken little Bel.

He would take her back.



***

So this is my third time Digital painting without strict lines in mind. And this entry is once again for a contest. WOO! I decided to do a different process. This time I laid down a quick comp sketch, then separated the background, midground and foreground into three separate groups. I started with the BG and worked my way forward and did the figure - Al - LAST. This was to make me focus my attention on the environment and force myself to practice this style. I used some lines in the end to add more detail, but I never used any actual lineart.

Inspiration for this came mostly from listening to “Higher than Hope” by Nightwish on a nearly endless loop. I threw in “Schwarze Sonne” by E Nomine and “Malabar Front” by If These Trees Could Talk into the mix every once in a while. Mostly for the writing part.

I had an entirely different idea for this contest entry at first, but I couldn’t figure out exactly how I wanted to draw or write it so I’m putting it off for the moment (I still want to draw it…eventually…maybe). It was also a lot more abstract in concept when it came to the “door” so it’s probably better I did this one instead anyways. I’ve also had a very frustrating Art Block for over a week that’s prevented me from working on stuff I should (gifts, commission and a trade). I think working on this shattered it into a million pieces...at least I'm hoping it has.

I'm really really happy with this. In fact this is the first time in years where something I've drawn has been my desktop background X3

Textures used made by `cloaks and myself.

Art (C) *Sariels-Hope