As promised, here’s the collection of art from May Sketch A Day’s first week! I’ve really been enjoying letting my muse off the leash and the sense of relief I get just indulging in random ideas has been invigorating for me. I really needed the creative refresher! My Writing Muse apparently wanted in on this too, so brace yourself for story snippets, as well!
Are any of you taking on May Sketch A Day, Mermay, or any of the other events happening in May? Feel free to share your favorite sketch from your own journey this week in the comments!
DAY 1 – Khalara
Many would try to steal the secret of Khalara’s silk harvesting techniques. All of them would return home empty-handed and sometimes not at all.
They whisper that she stole the secret from her father before poisoning him and inheriting his business. She was his slave once, even though she hides her indigo-stained hands behind pretty jewels and henna swirls.
Let them whisper. Their fear keeps them right where she wants them.
. . .
Started off the event with the exploration of one of the cast of my original story, Song of Exile. She’s a port of my Exalted RPG Eclipse Caste, Kalara, into my original world. I’d love to see who would win that mercantile war, though they’d probably end up best frenemies.
DAY 2 – Mothglow
“And here we are.”
Ramah could at least agree on that. Their wedding was elegant, professional, an event to behold. The only thing missing from the great ensemble was love.
Now there was just the issue on the to-do list of their wedding night. Instead, he was engaged in a rather intense game of Dalit against himself. He didn’t even notice the sheer silks gleaming with mothglow, the unearthly gleam Khalara’s textile empire was famous for.
He hadn’t even looked up.
“Wine cures all ills, I find.” She said, finally catching his attention as she set the bottle down next to his game board and offered him a glass.
He had planned to be a perfect gentleman that night. She, however, did not make any such plans, should he decide to lose interest in the game board.
“Gold Warrior to Obsidian Dervish.” She slipped into the chair across from him and took the place of his imaginary opponent. “I didn’t know you had the brains for this kind of game.”
Ramah smiled. Perhaps there was hope for them after all. They at least had the same taste in wine and he always valued a good player.
. . .
I’m still channeling so much of Kalara’s Exalted look here, but I still like it as an evolutionary step. I’ve been playing with how to keep a similar red-haired look to conjure the character’s original fire symbolism by using henna red dyed tips as a solution. Also, I FINALLY got to do cut across lighting on someone!
DAY 3 – Worker Angel
I had one last limited edition coloring book drawing to do so I double dipped on May Sketch A Day for it, as it’s always a fun exercise to draw from random prompts and to be surprised by what my brain comes up with. This one was a special one for my mother in law who requested “Worker Angel”.
This prompt somehow conjured an image of an angel working on countless numbers of pots, as if she were searching for something, despite the fact each pot was a very good pot. Finally, she created one that sang to her soul.
I suppose that’s what comes to mind when I think of most creative endeavors! So much of it is searching for that moment when your creation ‘sings’ to you.
DAY 4 – Mothglow Dress
Continuing my exploration of the properties of the preternatural moth silk Khalara harvests for her trade empire in my story, Song of Exile. She guards the secret of its creation leaving her competition to guess the process.
Rumors abound of sinister origins, from blood infused plants to feed the moth larvae to dark magick ceremonies performed over their cocoons. Regardless, wealthy nobles pay handsomely for the silk, their eyes dazzled by its nighttime glow and their bodies soothed by its cooling properties, a valuable asset in a desert locked nation.
I went with a moth motif for this dress, an integral trademark of her business and also a personal symbol of transformation. Khalara has built herself up from slave to Merchant Queen and she’s damned proud of that!
It was laaate and I didn’t have a lot of time to spend on this one, but decided to get something rough down anyways. Taking a lesson from May Sketch A Day not to be precious lest the idea stays stuck in my brain forever!
—
And that was my first week! Did you guys have a fave sketch from my collection this week? Do you want to see more of any particular concept? I’m always curious to know what strikes your fancy!
Onwards to next week!
– Ang
PS.
Reminder that my Patreon Patrons are getting a peek at these a day early before everyone else via my private Discord server! You can pledge at any tier for access to it. 😉
