Landy’s Sketchblog - Page 21 - Sketch-paintings and sketch-writings

The Harbinger’s Path: Panel Preview | April 13, 2025

Posted on April 13, 2025

“The Harbinger’s Path” preview panel from the prologue. We see a narrow-focused view of secondborn sylvari, Amaranda the Lonesome, penning the final line to "The Nightmare Harbinger" in parchment-colored pages of a thick tome. — “The Harbinger’s Path” | Preview panel from the prologue *(in-progress / artwork not final)*

“Malyck is no one. He comes from no where. On one hand, I am sorry for him. He has no roots. On the other, I am envious. He can become whatever he chooses. I hope he chooses well.”
– Excerpt from “The Nightmare Harbinger” by Amaranda the Lonesome
(Source: The official Guild Wars 2 wiki)

Some weekend progress for The Harbinger’s Path! This previews a panel from the prologue for the comic. I’ve always loved the character “Amaranda the Lonesome” from the Guild Wars 2 personal story, and really enjoyed depicting her penning her book, “The Nightmare Harbinger,” here. The comic shows the final (and my personal favorite) line from her book, which is quoted above.

I have always loved this final line from Amaranda the Lonesome’s musings about Malyck. I remember when I first read it (I believe several months before Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorn’s launch), my mind was lit ablaze with speculations for what might have happened to him, and what we might find out when we saw him again in the expansion. Months and months of excited speculation and theories to ponder!

(At the time, it was generally accepted there was a high chance we’d see the character again in this expansion, and find out what happened to him after his sylvari personal story arc.)

It was a lot of fun attempting to transcribe this line to New Krytan! I have done this once or twice before in past GW2-related projects (it might have even been partial transcriptions of this same line), but never one this long. It took me a while to write every letter, but it was satisfying to do! I tried my best, but there might be errors. If anyone more familiar with New Krytan notices any errors with my transcription, please feel free to let me know. :)

The Harbinger’s Path: Panel Previews | April 9, 2025

Posted on April 9, 2025

“The Harbinger’s Path” | Preview panel from Chapter 1

Note: This post may contain spoilers for the story in Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns.

Here are the first previews for some of the panels from The Harbinger’s Path, and a little more about my thought process behind what inspired this project.

Two questions I always wished Guild Wars 2, and Heart of Thorns specifically, could have explored are:

What happened to Malyck?
What might have happened if Malyck and Trahearne had encountered each other during the events of Heart of Thorns?

Two questions we have never received (canonical) answers for. One question has a chance of being answered again, while the other’s chances are exceedingly slim (though not impossible). Despite this, the possibilities for how these two questions could have been answered – especially during or just before the launch of Heart of Thorns – continued tickling my mind for years.

The Harbinger's Path | Preview panel from Chapter 1. Line drawing of the sylvari character Trahearne from Guild Wars 2. The drawing is mostly monochromatic and with flat shading, with a piercing, amber accent color for the eyes. — “The Harbinger’s Path” | Preview panel from Chapter 1

For whichever reasons, these two questions continued piquing my interest, long after the official canon had (seemingly) moved on from these story threads. I didn’t ponder them continuously, but every now and then, invariably, idle ideas for how these two questions might have been answered bubbled to the surface.

Most of all, I found the ideas which arose from attempting to answer these two questions endlessly inspiring – which I credit entirely to the brilliant writers who first created these wonderful characters, and set up their initial backstories and lore. These two characters were written with such care and nuance, that it made their placement in the world’s setting feel uniquely rich and alive.

I always wanted to see these two characters again – and especially for them to interact. That’s part of the inspiration behind starting The Harbinger’s Path – I hope I can capture some of that inspiration, and convey it to you in the form of this short comic.

Cover for “The Harbinger’s Path” | A Trahearne and Malyck Guild Wars 2 Fan Comic

Posted on April 9, 2025

Cover for "The Harbinger's Path," a Trahearne & Malyck Guild Wars 2 fan comic. The cover shows Trahaerne with arms open wide, as sylvari below extend their hands toward him. We can see Malyck in the crowd of sylvari, among other characters from the franchise. — “The Harbinger’s Path” Cover (not final)

“Pact Marshal Trahearne spent 43 days captured by the Elder Dragon Mordremoth. What happened to the Firstborn during this time?”

I’m excited to announce The Harbinger’s Path, a new project I’ve started and have been wanting to do for a while! It’s a Trahearne and Malyck short Guild Wars 2 fan comic, taking place in an alternate, non-canon, fan-take on “what could have been.” I always thought it would be fun to explore this with these two characters.

The Harbinger’s Path is a completely fan-made project, unofficial, and not affiliated with ArenaNet – it’s a small passion-project I’ve toyed with in scattered artworks here and there over the years. I’ve contemplated doing a longer project about it for a long time, and now, I’ve finally decided to do so!

To start, above is the cover reveal! This cover is still in-progress and not final, but hopefully it’s in a mostly presentable state. I’ll add a few earlier process images and share some additional to the this post soon!

Because this project is a little more personal to me compared to Guild Wars 2 art I’ve done in the past, I’ve decided to leave the ArenaNet Creative Partnership while I work on it. I felt more comfortable working on something more personal to me while not sponsored, especially as I’m not sure how much interest there might be in this project beyond my own specific tastes.

Here’s an earlier version with the cover art in an earlier stage, and before adding Trahearne and Malyck’s names to the subtitle.

Guild Wars 2 Commission | April 4, 2025

Posted on March 26, 2025

Guild Wars 2 commission commemorating the characters' owners' anniversary! Shows two characters standing beside each other, one wielding Bifrost, the legendary staff, and the other holding the Flameseeker Prophesies, the legendary shield. — Guild Wars 2 Anniversary Commission

Guild Wars 2 commission to commemorate the characters’ owners’ anniversary! This one was commissioned several months ahead of time for a surprise gift, and I’m excited I can show it now.

It’s painted in the “Speedpainting (Tier 3)” style.

Initial sketches to choose the idea. Several thumbnail ideas with notes are shown. — Initial sketches to choose the idea.

After reading the commissioner’s description for what they’d like to see, I had four initial sketch ideas.

In-progress stage after the initial sketch idea is chosen.

The painting in an in-progress stage after the initial idea is decided upon.

With support from ArenaNet.

“Impale” Work-in-Progress | March 21, 2025

Posted on March 21, 2025

Corveil and Arquel. Corveil stabs Corveil under a red moon. They are below an archway, greenery growing around them, with water streaming by their feet. — Corveil and Arquel

There seems to be a theme between this and the last post. Haha.

This was a sketch idea I wanted to jot down yesterday. I started trying out some vague decorative background ideas. Still deciding which way to take it. Other than the general pose, I didn’t plan the rest out. It felt nice to just scribble-wander for a bit. Backgrounds are secretly one of my favorite things to paint – but I oddly don’t end up showing too many here. Maybe that’ll change this year!

Initial sketch. Messy line drawing showing Arquel impaling Corveil. — Initial sketch.

There are some things about the sketch I like better than the current version – mainly the angle of Arquel’s head. The way it was changed probably reads slightly more clearly – I think – though I like the intensity of the sketch. That might also just be by virtue of being a sketch, though. That sketchy energy! Why sketching is still probably my favorite part of the drawing process.