Malyck Pencil Sketch

Normally, I tend to only draw rough pencil sketches (more like the third image). I decided to try an A5-sized sketchbook recently, after using the reliable Muji B6 sizes for years. I think the combination of slightly nicer-texture paper, and the larger size from this Stalogy A5, encouraged me to clean this one up a bit more than I usually would. (The Muji B6 paper is very smooth.)

Mechanical pencil used to be my favorite medium, but I’m very out of practice now with doing finished drawings in it. Maybe I’ll try giving it a go more this year.

The date changes above because yesterday, I originally wasn’t going to work on it more past the second image. Then, I decided to today.

Link to post:https://landylachs.com/sketchblog/2025/02/malyck-pencil-sketches-february-5-2025/

With support from ArenaNet.

Happy Year of the Snake!

Small painting of Aurelle with a comically-large version of Julius, her Rosy Boa snake familiar.

I find the perpetually-confused expression in Rosy Boas very endearing, which was the original inspiration for this idea, haha.

The second image above is the initial sketch, and the third image shows Julius’s normal size, for scale (it was Julius’s birthday that day).

Random ramblings about Rosy Boas and this painting in the post on the sketchblog, as well as the uncropped painting (I hope to touch it up at some point in the future, as the rest of it looks messy to me):

Link to post: https://landylachs.com/sketchblog/2025/01/happy-lunar-new-year-january-29-2025/

Lilly for @/Nightmare3dge on Bluesky - his bloodstone-themed elementalist!

I’m also aiming to start using my sketchblog again this year, and of the 3 posts I’ve added so far in the new year, I added 6 thumbnails to the post for this piece (they’re in 1 image, and it would be messy formatting-wise to post those here in this post, otherwise I would).

Link to post:https://landylachs.com/sketchblog/2025/01/lilly-guild-wars-2-commission/

My current plan is to try and develop the habit to post art there first, and then to here and Bluesky. There will probably be slightly more art there - mostly smaller or rougher works I feel less confident about (one of the posts is a sketch I probably won’t post anywhere else, and there’s also a fandom sketch I’m unsure whether or when I’ll post elsewhere).

It’s refreshingly satisfying having another place for random longform thoughts that I don’t think fit my page here, because of how often I can go off-topic (there’s a long ramble about Cardassians in the first 2025 post for some reason) (which is related to the sketch I’m unsure whether/when I’ll post elsewhere, haha).

I also spent some time improving the blog’s mobile interface yesterday, which I admittedly had neglected for years - hopefully it should be a smoother browsing experience now. :)

A wip of Trahearne and Malyck to close out the year. :)

I was testing something with my desk setup and needed something to draw. This is apparently the result when my mind wanders.

I wish you well during your New Year’s Eves!

With support from ArenaNet.

A vaguely winter-themed (or at least cool-toned) artwork of Kurt! In his original blue-haired design, instead of his current light brown/blond.

A Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you. :)

Now that Wintersday is upon us, I would like to share the very best screencapture I have ever taken. I can’t believe I haven’t posted this here before, but that changes today.

Sound required for maximum merriment.

A very merry Wintersday upon you!

Corveil feeling contemplative

Practice drawing/personal work

“Don’t be foolish. The Dream would not want me.”

My Nightmare Court druid (in his Vigil disguise for story reasons, sans headgear for art reasons).

I recently realized I never posted this portrait of my druid here - it pairs with a short story where he’s speaking to his brother of the Dream (my reaper character).

Firstborn Dagonet | Detail + Process

Detail close-up + couple process steps + final of the Dagonet portrait from yesterday. :)

There are a few small things I changed from the sketch, mostly having to do with his expression and mood of his pose. I thought he was looking a little too similar to my Nightmare Court ele character, who I’ve been drawing a lot on the side recently (why are malevolent sylvari so fun to draw?).

I tried to bring some of that “nobility” Dagonet speaks of in the final, though I do miss a bit of that attitude the painting had earlier on. But I can do that as much as I like in my ele’s own paintings. :D

Firstborn Dagonet

“A true sylvari should have two hearts: one soft and pliable as hot wax, and the other as hard and impenetrable as an icy diamond. The first, he should show to his companions, the second, to his enemy. Woe to the one for whom the two are the same.”
- Dagonet from Dream and Nightmare, by Ree Soesbee

I finished Janthir Wilds over the weekend! I was not expecting it to end when it did - I was looking forward to the next chapter! I coped by drawing Dagonet.

Seeing him in a more prominent role in JW was a pleasant surprise. The thoughtful manner his scenes are written and voiced reminded me of Trahearne, in some ways. That might be my personal bias, though. :)

Cadeyrn WIP

“I am first!”

One of my longtime favorite characters from the early sylvari lore - his backstory is so beautifully written.

He may or may not still be alive in my ever-sprawling headcanon, haha.

I’ve never been able to draw him to my satisfaction, but that doesn’t stop me from trying!

With support from ArenaNet.

Guild Wars 2 - Charr Deadeye & Asura Mechanist

Had the recent pleasure to paint this heroic pair - a charr Deadeye and his asura Mechanist companion. Loved painting these two!

Thanks again to a lovely anonymous person, and I’m so happy the characters’ owners enjoyed how they turned out. :D

This one’s a “Tier 2: Watercolor-style” painting.
Inquiry info on my site here.

With support from ArenaNet.

Drawtober Week 2: Shapeshifter

Reaper Shroud counts as shapeshifting, yes?

The original idea had the back half of him more in shadow, blending in with the scythe - to suggest he’s in “mid-transformation.” He became a bit more lit so I could see what I was doing.

If I end up finishing this one, I’d probably add that back in toward the end.

With support from ArenaNet.

Drawtober 01: Vampire

“Your life for mine.”

Blood magic necromancers qualify as vampires, don’t they?

I wanted to draw my necro snacking on his Nightmare Court counterpart (my druid courtier). I still don’t know if it’s canon, but I’ve always thought of sylvari sap blood as bioluminscent, and the same color as their external glow color - which is why the sanguimancy color here is blue and not red.

Earlier versions of this featured my courtier’s sap-blood more prominently (and why there are residual blue highlights in places, like by his mouth), but it wasn’t reading the way I wanted. The rave-blue was challenging for me to pull off, haha.

I’ll have to attempt it again another time.

With support from ArenaNet.

Trahearne & Riannoc WIP

“Valiant as the shining sun.”

This is a tiiiiny crop from a painting I would loooove to finish sometime. I can’t remember what spurred the original impulse to draw this - probably too much random thinking about firstborn, as always!

With the support of ArenaNet.