Persephone, Queen of the Underworld

EDIT: Re-uploading with a MAJOR compositional overhaul I did for reasons which I explained in this blog entry. Enjoy the new, hopefully improved Persephone!

Comparison of old and new versions:


Detail:


Signed prints and products at my Etsy - [link]

Sketch Diary - [link]

See the step-by-step at WIPnation [link]

My interpretation of Persephone based on the parameters of the CharacterForge Challenge over at CGhub. Thanks for all of the feedback (especially *Zephyri, *kdeln, and *windfalcon) that helped to push this image to its full potential! I feel like I've really hit a milestone here in my methods, lighting, and work, overall.

This version of Persephone has adjusted somewhat to her role as queen of the Underworld. She has a certain power to her and the status of the queen. Even still, she somberly awaits her return to the world of the living and guards the seed of Spring. The four garnets set into her necklace symbolize the four pomegranate seeds that doomed her to this fate.

Drawn entirely digitally with a Wacom Cintiq 12WX (a milestone for me!) with no line art, just slowly building up color and plucking out details. Mainly used these brushes from Mr Jack and default hard brushes set to various opacity levels. It's like oil paint (sorta) without the fuss of solvents!