Roselight art dump!

Hello!!!

It's been QUITE some time since the last post for which I must sincerely apologize (more to myself than to my 0.8 loyal follower). I've been working through an awesome Master's program in Space Architecture, and that plus moving plus all kinds of other things have meant Roselight hasn't been in the forefront of my mind for a while - though it shall forever remain somewhere in the depths of my psyche, ideas bouncing and dancing about the recesses of my brain.

Anyhow, I have recently started to get back into doodling little bits of art for the setting, so I want to make sure it gets recorded!

Firstly, the most significant bit of news: Noira has had a bit of a redesign! Really this is just the result of me revisiting her to try and emphasize the vibes I'd always wanted her to have, and I'm fairly proud of how this sketch captures the energy I'm going for.

This Noira sketch was also fun, based on a noir-era reference image I can't seem to find...

I've also been wanting to spend more time getting to know the characters in this setting, especially our beloved trio of rebels-to-be. As seen in a pretty old post, I've got an understanding of the basic dynamics, but I haven't done a lot of visualizing any of the scenarios I see in my head, so that's been the focus of some of my doodling:

Noira and Maliyah in particular have a bit of an awkward relationship, which Clare is only too happy to help moderate...but they all get along well at the end of the day.

And here's one of a hotheaded Maliyah looking moderately peeved at you:

I've always had visions of Clare and Maliyah taking Noira to experience Orus' vibrant undercity nightlife energy for the first time, and it's fun to be able to realize scenes like this one:

This environmental bit depicts busy regions of space around each of the worlds in the Rosa system! pr'Sefone has sparse orbital infrastructure, and mainly sees traffic coming and going from the Eterna spaceport at its north pole. irid'An features a glittering ring of luxury space habitats tightly bound to its equator, while Orus hosts several broad belts of shipyards and in-space manufacturing. 

And I leave you with a silly rendition of a meme that reminded me of Noira and her mentor Marion, who might be considerably more inclined to kill this guy.

That's all for this art dump, but I've been enjoying getting back into it! With any luck there'll be more to come in the next few months.

Guest artist: Wolf-Rayet!

Some surprise art today, but not by me - this phenomenal painting is by my good good friend Wolf-Rayet, who posts all kinds of other amazing space art on her tumblr! Go check out her stuff!

She's captured all of these worlds very well - I'm absolutely in love with the texturing here, especially the oft-neglected deserts of pr'Sefone. Perhaps a future story scene must be set here...

Art: Doomed Poster

Somehow I can't find much to say...

I've been working on this poster for over nine months now, and it's taken a lot of effort to slowly chip away at it until I came to something I was happy with. Hopefully that work shows in the final product! I really wanted to capture some of the themes and emotions that define this story in my head, and incorporate a lot of the major aesthetic influences as well.

This scene was actually inspired by, of all things, this incredible live performance of Doomed by Bring Me The Horizon!

I've also uploaded this poster to Redbubble!

Sketch: Inferno

Noira followed the others up the path. Each step seemed heavier than it should have been, as though the biting wind had liquified, a frigid molasses swirling around her legs and under her petra coat. The ancient stone of the mountainside broke and crumbled underfoot, worn by months of movement from workers like herself. Her own crewmates trudged just a few yards ahead of her, yet their passage felt wrong, transgressive. Some deep-rooted fragment of her mind recoiled as the overlook drew nearer, as she trailed the others across what felt like forsaken ground.

She risked a glance over her shoulder. Far below, beyond the treacherous cliffs of the shore, Ark Royal loitered upon the restless tide. Its hold yawned open, a great dark maw, force-fed a choking landslide of misshapen slag from the chute above. Noira’s eyes moved upstream along the creaking trough, winding as it bent and warped up the side of the mountain. Ahead of her, just beside the overlook, the chute disappeared over the rim of the pit.

Her heart throbbed in her chest, pounding from exertion in the freezing air, the rhythm quickening as anxiety seeped into her veins. The edge of the mine drew ever nearer, the mechanical din of the pit emerging through the howling wind. Columns of dense black smoke towered over the platform, whipped into unnatural apparitions by the tempest. Her colleagues marched on with renewed fervor. Piercing white floodlights on iron towers cast their omniscient gaze past the dark procession. Inexplicably, Noira felt herself drawn, an icy metal chain gripping her stomach, tugging her towards the looming edge. Her breath came quickly, her footfalls erratic as she willed herself up the short staircase to the overlook.

The clang of her boots resonated through the metal platform. The others had lined up along the railing, overlooking the mine below. Among the faceless bundles of clothing she saw Kori, beaming her warm smile, beckoning Noira excitedly towards the edge. The grip on her core tightened, each footfall a knell ringing out above the cacophony below. She gripped herself tightly, as though to keep her body whole, and at last stepped up to the railing beside her recent friend.

Noira gasped, a choked sound that crystallized in a flurry about her face.

She was staring into the underworld.

Ref: Marion Montaigne

 

Marion Montaigne, he/him, late 40s?

[In which Beverly attempts to draw someone who isn't a young adult femme]

Marion's life story is largely that of his career. Born to a well-off family, Marion has enjoyed some of the highest quality education to be found in the developing society of the Rosa system. Throughout his studies and eventual employment, he's been a part of the sweeping industrial revolution that's catalyzed the recent population boom. Marion's exceptional talent gave him a ringside seat for some of the most influential technological rediscoveries in recent memory.

Somewhere along the way, perhaps at one of the foremost academies of his time, Marion met his (now estranged) husband Elias. A soft-spoken, sage, and artistic type, Elias' personality was a stark foil to Marion's rather more detached nature. Despite several happy years, their union would not last, grounded more in prospects and practicality than in mutual support. Marion still grapples with this failure, finding it difficult to understand exactly what went wrong.

While working part-time aboard Ark Royal as a senior technician, Marion began to mentor Noira. After its destruction cost her a job, and nearly her life, Marion created a position for Noira at the mining company which governs Orus, where she continued to learn under him as an apprentice engineer. However, when she discovers the true nature of their work, their subsequent schism - and her dramatic departure - leaves him questioning his place in the world.

Marion is stoic, reserved, and more than a bit broody. Though his steadfast commitment to his work as an engineer has carried him to success, it has also driven away those who might otherwise have been closer to him. Marion tends to lose himself in his work, finding it an effective distraction from the doubts that often plague him. Though he has trouble showing it, he does form deep attachments to people in his life, making it all the more difficult for him to come to terms with his own antisocial tendencies. The growing revolutionary crisis on Orus will drive him to places he could not have expected in his search for a truer purpose.