July 2024

digital fanart of Essek and Caleb from Critical Role, utilizing lines in a gradient from pale blue-green to dark purple. they're both naked, lounging in bed with Caleb resting his head on the pillows placed in Essek's lap; Caleb's right hand is interlocked with Essek's left on Caleb's chest, and he's is looking up at Essek with a quietly love-struck expression.

Essek is depicted as a young-looking slender drow, with small pointed ears and shoulder-length curly hair falling over one shoulder. Caleb is a thin and wiry bearded human in his forties; his messy graying hair is splayed over the pillow and Essek's right forearm that is resting around Caleb's head, the hand touching Caleb's freckled shoulder slightly. Caleb has regularly spaced horizontal scars running down both forearms. the hand that is not locked with Essek's is lying on top of a thick tome next to him, closed.ALT

i’ve been having tons of fun drawing Essek’s fancy pinned up hair in my recent expression studies, but that led me to wanting to draw Essek with his hair down and unstyled, which in turn spiraled into soft domestic cuddles. what else am i supposed to do when Essek is being so extraordinarily married

tip jar!

zmeess:

digital fanart of Essek and Caleb from Critical Role, utilizing lines in a gradient from pale blue-green to dark purple. they're both naked, lounging in bed with Caleb resting his head on the pillows placed in Essek's lap; Caleb's right hand is interlocked with Essek's left on Caleb's chest, and he's is looking up at Essek with a quietly love-struck expression.

Essek is depicted as a young-looking slender drow, with small pointed ears and shoulder-length curly hair falling over one shoulder. Caleb is a thin and wiry bearded human in his forties; his messy graying hair is splayed over the pillow and Essek's right forearm that is resting around Caleb's head, the hand touching Caleb's freckled shoulder slightly. Caleb has regularly spaced horizontal scars running down both forearms. the hand that is not locked with Essek's is lying on top of a thick tome next to him, closed.ALT

i’ve been having tons of fun drawing Essek’s fancy pinned up hair in my recent expression studies, but that led me to wanting to draw Essek with his hair down and unstyled, which in turn spiraled into soft domestic cuddles. what else am i supposed to do when Essek is being so extraordinarily married

tip jar!

several expression studies of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, based on in-game roleplay. in all of them he is depicted as a young-looking drow with short curly hair, slicked back on one side, and a shoulder and chest decorative armor piece, reminiscent of beetle carapace.

he is smirking, looking up in contemplation, frowning, casting a spell with an elegant flick of his wrist. in one sketch, he is laughing with a radiant smile, saying "I'd like to see you try!". in another, he is leaning forward with a pleased smile, thanking an off-screen Jester, who is saying "I really think that you're very handsome". in yet another sketch, he has a complicated expression on his face that is a mixture of annoyance and resignation; his hands are folded in front of his chest in a pleading gesture and his speech bubble reads "There would be nothing I would love more than to not be around you all".ALT

finally finished my early Essek expression studies! (do not ask me how many times i’ve redrawn these since last year)

i adore Essek’s expressiveness and his shadowhand mask is a whole separate flavor of that expressiveness. my personal favorite here is that scene where Jester tried to butter him up by telling him how cool and handsome he is and Essek thanked her with the most self-satisfied face on, elegant lean forward and all. love a performative wizard

tip jar!

zmeess:

several expression studies of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, based on in-game roleplay. in all of them he is depicted as a young-looking drow with short curly hair, slicked back on one side, and a shoulder and chest decorative armor piece, reminiscent of beetle carapace.

he is smirking, looking up in contemplation, frowning, casting a spell with an elegant flick of his wrist. in one sketch, he is laughing with a radiant smile, saying "I'd like to see you try!". in another, he is leaning forward with a pleased smile, thanking an off-screen Jester, who is saying "I really think that you're very handsome". in yet another sketch, he has a complicated expression on his face that is a mixture of annoyance and resignation; his hands are folded in front of his chest in a pleading gesture and his speech bubble reads "There would be nothing I would love more than to not be around you all".ALT

finally finished my early Essek expression studies! (do not ask me how many times i’ve redrawn these since last year)

i adore Essek’s expressiveness and his shadowhand mask is a whole separate flavor of that expressiveness. my personal favorite here is that scene where Jester tried to butter him up by telling him how cool and handsome he is and Essek thanked her with the most self-satisfied face on, elegant lean forward and all. love a performative wizard

tip jar!

zmeess:

several expression studies of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, based on in-game roleplay. in all of them he is depicted as a young-looking drow with short curly hair, slicked back on one side, and a shoulder and chest decorative armor piece, reminiscent of beetle carapace.

he is smirking, looking up in contemplation, frowning, casting a spell with an elegant flick of his wrist. in one sketch, he is laughing with a radiant smile, saying "I'd like to see you try!". in another, he is leaning forward with a pleased smile, thanking an off-screen Jester, who is saying "I really think that you're very handsome". in yet another sketch, he has a complicated expression on his face that is a mixture of annoyance and resignation; his hands are folded in front of his chest in a pleading gesture and his speech bubble reads "There would be nothing I would love more than to not be around you all".ALT

finally finished my early Essek expression studies! (do not ask me how many times i’ve redrawn these since last year)

i adore Essek’s expressiveness and his shadowhand mask is a whole separate flavor of that expressiveness. my personal favorite here is that scene where Jester tried to butter him up by telling him how cool and handsome he is and Essek thanked her with the most self-satisfied face on, elegant lean forward and all. love a performative wizard

tip jar!

digital fanart of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, styled like character concept art and depicting him wearing two outfits. he looks the same in both depictions: as a slender young-looking drow with lavender skin and short white wavy hair, standing and propping a book against his side.

the first outfit consists of a close-fitting teal shirt reminiscent of a jerkin, with elaborate voluminous sleeves ending in bracer-like cuffs, a high collar, structured shoulders, and ginkgo leaves embroidered in brown thread; tight dark-brown leggings made of silky reflective fabric, and almost knee-high grayish-green boots with lacing in the back and shiny metallic tips.

the second picture depicts a few outer layers worn over the first outfit. there is a sleeveless long brown caftan-like coat visible in the opening of his cloak, worn with a wide layered sash sitting high on his waist. the cloak itself is a dark purple, edges decorated with fur, with arm openings in the sides. over the cloak, he is wearing an armor-like decorative shoulder and chest piece, iridescent white in color, the short breast-plate evocative of a beetle's back, and the pauldrons having conch-like spikes curving away from his shoulders and behind his head.ALT

a commission for @mightaswellblowup, who requested a full-render front view of Essek’s outfit from this shadowbren drawing of mine, as a two-year anniversary gift and cosplay reference for @birdverbatimcosplay!

“Through a thousand lifetimes it always comes back to you and I.”

happy anniversary, and thank you for commissioning me, Tuskteefs!

zmeess:

digital fanart of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, styled like character concept art and depicting him wearing two outfits. he looks the same in both depictions: as a slender young-looking drow with lavender skin and short white wavy hair, standing and propping a book against his side.

the first outfit consists of a close-fitting teal shirt reminiscent of a jerkin, with elaborate voluminous sleeves ending in bracer-like cuffs, a high collar, structured shoulders, and ginkgo leaves embroidered in brown thread; tight dark-brown leggings made of silky reflective fabric, and almost knee-high grayish-green boots with lacing in the back and shiny metallic tips.

the second picture depicts a few outer layers worn over the first outfit. there is a sleeveless long brown caftan-like coat visible in the opening of his cloak, worn with a wide layered sash sitting high on his waist. the cloak itself is a dark purple, edges decorated with fur, with arm openings in the sides. over the cloak, he is wearing an armor-like decorative shoulder and chest piece, iridescent white in color, the short breast-plate evocative of a beetle's back, and the pauldrons having conch-like spikes curving away from his shoulders and behind his head.ALT

a commission for @mightaswellblowup, who requested a full-render front view of Essek’s outfit from this shadowbren drawing of mine, as a two-year anniversary gift and cosplay reference for @birdverbatimcosplay!

“Through a thousand lifetimes it always comes back to you and I.”

happy anniversary, and thank you for commissioning me, Tuskteefs!