September 2024

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digital fanart of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, done in a painterly style with wide brushstrokes. he is depicted as a young-looking slender drow, with lavender skin and short white hair, the curls falling over his forehead. he is wearing an outfit loosely inspired by Chinese hanfu. it consists of long and wide high-waisted pants made of shiny iridescent peachy orange silk, held up with a dark ribbon tied in two knots, the loose ends falling down the front; a similarly-colored wrapped-front shirt, with a white underlayer peeking from underneath; and a terracotta brown coat with a hood. his arms appearing out of the arm slits of the coat are covered in leg-of-mutton sleeves. Essek is standing against a loosely sketched grayish-periwinkle background of grasses and branches, lit with a warm rosy light as if from a rising sun. he is carrying a woven basket full of fresh peaches in his left hand, while his right arm is supporting a red and white cat against his chest. he is smiling fondly and looking down at the other two cats gathered around him, their tails held up and curled in excitement.ALT

some of you might remember that in my 2023 art summary the september piece was pixeled out due to being part of an unfinished project. this is the painting in question!

it’s one third of a series of Essek portraits, inspired by a conversation with @saturdaysky about the universe needing more Esseks wearing fun colors. black & purple is a timeless classic, but i like to think that Hot Boi can and does rock colors outside of what would be considered nude tones for him 🤭

hence,

part 1: peach! 🍑

one of my favorite colors, and one that was a fun challenge to make work with Essek’s lavender skin tone. as i was drawing i was thinking of Essek bringing a basket full of fresh peaches from his travels to his partner, and the kitties being the first to greet him as he arrived home 💜

tip jar!

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zmeess:

digital fanart of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, done in a painterly style with wide brushstrokes. he is depicted as a young-looking slender drow, with lavender skin and short white hair, the curls falling over his forehead. he is wearing an outfit loosely inspired by Chinese hanfu. it consists of long and wide high-waisted pants made of shiny iridescent peachy orange silk, held up with a dark ribbon tied in two knots, the loose ends falling down the front; a similarly-colored wrapped-front shirt, with a white underlayer peeking from underneath; and a terracotta brown coat with a hood. his arms appearing out of the arm slits of the coat are covered in leg-of-mutton sleeves. Essek is standing against a loosely sketched grayish-periwinkle background of grasses and branches, lit with a warm rosy light as if from a rising sun. he is carrying a woven basket full of fresh peaches in his left hand, while his right arm is supporting a red and white cat against his chest. he is smiling fondly and looking down at the other two cats gathered around him, their tails held up and curled in excitement.ALT

some of you might remember that in my 2023 art summary the september piece was pixeled out due to being part of an unfinished project. this is the painting in question!

it’s one third of a series of Essek portraits, inspired by a conversation with @saturdaysky about the universe needing more Esseks wearing fun colors. black & purple is a timeless classic, but i like to think that Hot Boi can and does rock colors outside of what would be considered nude tones for him 🤭

hence,

part 1: peach! 🍑

one of my favorite colors, and one that was a fun challenge to make work with Essek’s lavender skin tone. as i was drawing i was thinking of Essek bringing a basket full of fresh peaches from his travels to his partner, and the kitties being the first to greet him as he arrived home 💜

tip jar!

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zmeess:

digital fanart of Essek Thelyss and Caleb Widogast from Critical Role, styled like a painted couple's portrait. Essek is depicted as a slender drow with lavender skin and soft curly white hair that reaches just past his chin, while Caleb is a light-skinned bearded human of average build, with ginger hair that is brushed back and is straighter than Essek's, but is of a similar length. they're both wearing comfortable clothes. Caleb is dressed in beige trousers, a simple linen shirt with its collar open and the sleeves messily rolled up, exposing the regularly spaced long-healed scars on his forearms, and he has his underarm holsters on. Essek is wearing rather nondescript brown pants and shirt that look like lounge wear or sleep clothes, with a simple but elegant house robe over them, its split sleeves too showing his naked forearms. Essek is sitting down on a chair, while Caleb stands behind him and slightly to Essek's right. Caleb's left hand is resting on Essek's left shoulder, his right hand in his pocket, while Essek's right hand is folded neatly on the thigh of one of his crossed legs, and his left is reaching up and touching Caleb's hand on his shoulder with the tips of his fingers. they are both relaxed and smiling gently in a slightly shaded room painted in tones of brown. next to Essek there is an edge of a table with two books stacked on it, and behind them is an open window, showing soft blue and pink sky, the sun lighting the edges of their shoulders and hair with bright golden highlights.ALT

a soft portrait

tip jar

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digital fanart of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, somewhat evocative of formal full-body equestrian portraits. he is depicted as a young-looking slender drow with light lavender skin, standing contrapposto, with his back straight and chin held high, looking at the viewer with a cold haughty expression. he is wearing a lavish winter outfit consisting of black leggings, gray flat-soled boots, a cherry red coat and a darker cloak worn over it. the coat has an asymmetric hemline and leg-of-mutton sleeves, and is decorated with a wide iridescent mint green sash tied around his waist, the two ends of it falling down his sides. the very long embroidered cloak, draped artfully on the snowy ground around Essek, has a very tall stiff collar and a large fur mantle accentuating his shoulders. he is wearing a cylindrical fur hat, his curly white bangs falling over his forehead from beneath it, and his pointed ears with minimalistic silver cuffs visible. Essek's icy light purple eyes are made even more striking by lines of red paint on his lower lash line, and his lower lip is painted white. his right arm is resting on the shoulders of a young moorbounder, which is sitting down next to him. it's depicted as a large panther-like creature, muscular and sleek, with a nose consisting of two vertical slits, short ears, and large tufts of fur around its neck and shoulders. it seems calm, looking at the camera with large turquoise fish-like eyes. behind them, there is a suggestion of a clear horizon and gray stormy winter sky, with greenish early twilight lighting.ALT
a close-up of the above image, showing Essek's face in more detail.ALT

i’ve fallen so far down the rabbit hole of life that i totally forgor i was supposed to be posting my colorful Esseks project! (wherein i paint Essek wearing all sorts of fun colors outside of his signature black and purple, because i can, and because he should)

part one was peachy orange, anddddd

part two is cherry red 🍒

it was also painted last year and was inspired by conversations about equestrian portraits, the potential Kryn versions thereof, and young and impudent Essek wanting to impress people. which very well could have resulted in him commissioning a formal portrait of him standing next to a mighty cat steed (juvenile so as not to take up 90% of the portrait) in his youth 🤭

tip jar!

● ⬈

zmeess:

digital fanart of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, somewhat evocative of formal full-body equestrian portraits. he is depicted as a young-looking slender drow with light lavender skin, standing contrapposto, with his back straight and chin held high, looking at the viewer with a cold haughty expression. he is wearing a lavish winter outfit consisting of black leggings, gray flat-soled boots, a cherry red coat and a darker cloak worn over it. the coat has an asymmetric hemline and leg-of-mutton sleeves, and is decorated with a wide iridescent mint green sash tied around his waist, the two ends of it falling down his sides. the very long embroidered cloak, draped artfully on the snowy ground around Essek, has a very tall stiff collar and a large fur mantle accentuating his shoulders. he is wearing a cylindrical fur hat, his curly white bangs falling over his forehead from beneath it, and his pointed ears with minimalistic silver cuffs visible. Essek's icy light purple eyes are made even more striking by lines of red paint on his lower lash line, and his lower lip is painted white. his right arm is resting on the shoulders of a young moorbounder, which is sitting down next to him. it's depicted as a large panther-like creature, muscular and sleek, with a nose consisting of two vertical slits, short ears, and large tufts of fur around its neck and shoulders. it seems calm, looking at the camera with large turquoise fish-like eyes. behind them, there is a suggestion of a clear horizon and gray stormy winter sky, with greenish early twilight lighting.ALT
a close-up of the above image, showing Essek's face in more detail.ALT

i’ve fallen so far down the rabbit hole of life that i totally forgor i was supposed to be posting my colorful Esseks project! (wherein i paint Essek wearing all sorts of fun colors outside of his signature black and purple, because i can, and because he should)

part one was peachy orange, anddddd

part two is cherry red 🍒

it was also painted last year and was inspired by conversations about equestrian portraits, the potential Kryn versions thereof, and young and impudent Essek wanting to impress people. which very well could have resulted in him commissioning a formal portrait of him standing next to a mighty cat steed (juvenile so as not to take up 90% of the portrait) in his youth 🤭

tip jar!

● ⬈

zmeess:

digital fanart of Essek Thelyss from Critical Role, somewhat evocative of formal full-body equestrian portraits. he is depicted as a young-looking slender drow with light lavender skin, standing contrapposto, with his back straight and chin held high, looking at the viewer with a cold haughty expression. he is wearing a lavish winter outfit consisting of black leggings, gray flat-soled boots, a cherry red coat and a darker cloak worn over it. the coat has an asymmetric hemline and leg-of-mutton sleeves, and is decorated with a wide iridescent mint green sash tied around his waist, the two ends of it falling down his sides. the very long embroidered cloak, draped artfully on the snowy ground around Essek, has a very tall stiff collar and a large fur mantle accentuating his shoulders. he is wearing a cylindrical fur hat, his curly white bangs falling over his forehead from beneath it, and his pointed ears with minimalistic silver cuffs visible. Essek's icy light purple eyes are made even more striking by lines of red paint on his lower lash line, and his lower lip is painted white. his right arm is resting on the shoulders of a young moorbounder, which is sitting down next to him. it's depicted as a large panther-like creature, muscular and sleek, with a nose consisting of two vertical slits, short ears, and large tufts of fur around its neck and shoulders. it seems calm, looking at the camera with large turquoise fish-like eyes. behind them, there is a suggestion of a clear horizon and gray stormy winter sky, with greenish early twilight lighting.ALT
a close-up of the above image, showing Essek's face in more detail.ALT

i’ve fallen so far down the rabbit hole of life that i totally forgor i was supposed to be posting my colorful Esseks project! (wherein i paint Essek wearing all sorts of fun colors outside of his signature black and purple, because i can, and because he should)

part one was peachy orange, anddddd

part two is cherry red 🍒

it was also painted last year and was inspired by conversations about equestrian portraits, the potential Kryn versions thereof, and young and impudent Essek wanting to impress people. which very well could have resulted in him commissioning a formal portrait of him standing next to a mighty cat steed (juvenile so as not to take up 90% of the portrait) in his youth 🤭

tip jar!