Quick sketch of my reaper to test some brush settings – I tried to digitally recreate the feel of using my favorite ink in my fountain pen, haha (Pilot Iroshizuku’s “sui-gyoku” – “emerald green”).
Sketches & Studies
Landis playing the tin whistle | March 17, 2026
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, I was reminded this year of the time I drew my sylvari reaper playing a tin whistle (which is also known as the “Irish flute”).
The original painting is from 2019, and was part of a collaborative project organized by Angelique van der Mee. Several artists drew our own characters in support of the “#Love4ArenaNet” hastag, which to my memory was a spur-of-the-moment way to show a little support for the devs at the studio who were laid off at the time. It was a rough time for the studio, and a very sweet idea by Angelique and everyone else who was involved with the idea. Angelique then made a lovely composition involving everyone’s contributed artwork.
For this 2026 paintover warmup, after I drew the musical notes (which aren’t in the original), I idly thought perhaps I should have drawn “Fear Not This Night.” But for the holiday, I wanted to draw one of my favorite tunes I enjoy playing on tin whistle, instead. I would be very impressed if anyone can recognize it from the music notes, and I mentioned on socials that if anyone does guess it, I’d do a sketch for the – because it’s such an esoteric bit of knowledge, I would marvel if someone could recognize it!
Tin whistle is my favorite instrument, though sadly I rarely play it now since moving into an apartment. It’s why I moved more into practicing guitar – I’ve always liked guitar, too, but used to play tin whistle more often. Guitar has the benefit of being able to play at quieter volumes, as necessary!
In the original 2019 version, I drew my reaper, though this paintover is only showing a crop of the full-body art. I did add more to the full-body in today’s paintover, but it’s not really presentable. Maybe if I have a chance, I’ll add it to this post at a later time.
2019 version in the full post below because I’m not keen on how it looks when I saw it again today, haha:
Reaper Sketch | March 10, 2026
At the tail-end of formatting the Duskbirds zines – indulged briefly earlier with some imagination-drawing anatomy-practice with my sylvari reaper. I think I’m slightly more comfortable drawing torsos from imagination now.
I need to do more neck studies in the future.
Lorcan WIP | March 3, 2026
Bit of “sketch-painting” I haven’t posted in a while! I wanted to try a few techniques I haven’t used in a while. Mainly just the combination of a very soft and harder brush.
It’s Lorcan, my sylvari druid in his ‘Untamed” elite spec form.
Taller crop (Edit March 12, 2026: Slightly updated version). The full composition is full-body, but this one was fairly unplanned, and I’m not sure the full composition is worth furthering. I titled this post “work-in-progress” as it wouldn’t take me that much longer to refine the smaller crop, but I’m not sure when I’ll be able to do this.
Also, I hope it’s obvious his waist area is covered by foliage. What is the point of my drawing those it if it ends up looking phallic either way! Haha. Well, in any case, I’ve been thinking lately about how artistic nudity used to not be considered so “risqué” as it is today – really old posts on this blog include artistic nudity back when that was widely understood as not titillating.
Slightly earlier version of the taller crop in the full post:
Clint from Stardew Valley – Practice Drawing | February 26, 2026
I couldn’t resist having a go at drawing Clint after hearing about the Stardew Valley 10-year anniversary stream earlier today, and hearing who the new marriage candidates are. :D
Forgive me if his body type isn’t accurate – since he’s a blacksmith, I imagined him having a husky but muscular build (banging at that anvil takes strength, right?). But he might be more idealized than he should be, since this is another of the construction anatomy practices from imagination I’ve been doing.
My purpose with those is practicing my recall of muscle groups, (also why there are likely anatomical errors).
This is also why he is shirtless lol. It’s intended as a playful drawing, and my hope was no one took it too seriously. I was just excited by the announcement. :D
Process steps also in the full post below: