INK ON PAPER • 4″ x 6″ each (framed size 7 7/8″ x 9 7/8″)
$80 each • Email julie@juliemeridian.com to buy this artwork ⇢
These two are random sketches out of my imagination, created based on a couple of interesting frames I found. I started with the owlish mask of what became the first weary warrior woman. Once I decided I was drawing armor, I incorporated a few of the decorative elements from the frame into it – most notably the cape clasp.
When sketching I like I practice linework and texture. I decided to go a bit loose with the hatching here, and use it mostly to make the figure stand out (along with the thick outline). I wanted to save the detail work for the background. I enjoy art that has interesting details tucked away – it’s rewarding to find them, and since they’re never going to be the focus like a rich patron’s portrait or other central figures they seem more insightful about other things that are interesting to the artist. Here, I decided a warrior needed a battlefield: natural elements, structures in various states, and of course, bodies. I followed a similar approach for the second warrior.
I’m sure that Game of Thrones was no small influence here, as were the illustrations of Ivan Bilibin. I’ve also got a few prints (and a watercolor copy of a print) of his slavic folktale illustrations, including this memorable one of Vasilisa the Beautiful which popped up briefly in John Wick III. The battlefield is a little more reminiscent of Marya Morevna which I enjoy because my anonymous watercolor artist’s copy faithfully reproduces it down to the expiring fellow with two right hands.
Leave a Reply