Gods Goddess Contest Entry 00

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Edit: Uploaded finished colored version--original line art can be found here.

My contest entry for =ellastasia's Gods and Goddesses Contest.

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Before starting on this piece, I had to do some research on Norse mythology since I wasn't as familiar with it than what is typically shown on television and cartoons. I ultimately decided to draw a Valkyrie because I wanted to draw a lady in armor (there have been a couple requests for that).

For those who are unfamiliar with what Valkyries are and how they fit into the Norse mythos, allow me to elaborate from what I picked up from my research:

So you are a fierce Viking warrior out on the battlefield and you killed maybe like 90 or so other guys trying to pummel you into submission and stop your invading horde from taking their land (yea, they should'a seen you coming and ran away before you got there, seriously). Then, out of nowhere, some panzy stabs you with a pitchfork in the gut and you are bleeding profusely. Now, you can be dragged back to the boats and die in unbearable pain as caring members try to save your life, or you die like a man on the spot--after you decapitated the foo' who took that cheap shot of course.

You decide to take it like a man and axe the guy in the face before yelling out your final battle cry--as you do this, a bright light pierces through the night sky (lightning, of course), and out of the rolling clouds, some hawt ladies on flying horses come down and survey the cluttered battlefield. One of them sees you and reaches out, grabbing your arm, hoisting you upon her horse's back, and floating you off into the clouds. Of course, since you be dead, you pass out and dunno where you be going.

After you come to, you find out that you are in some hall called Valhalla where all the other dead warriors go as well--you know, to eat monster boar meat and drink super goat mead. With the powers of deduction, you see that you ain't in Midgard anymore. Then, the almighty lord of Asgard, Odin, comes in and tells you, "Sup dawg, you'z gonna be part of mah Einherjar army, an' you gonna prepare for Ragnarök--represent!" And you're like, "dawg man..." it's just unbelievable because you just died in battle and now you gotta be some lone-wolf hero of awesomeness.

So when you're not preparing for Ragnarök (basically the apocalyptic "Doom of the Gods"), you'll be in the halls drinking mead brought to you by the beautiful Valkyries and chatting it up with your deceased buddies all day.

Man, being dead sucks...




... no, wait...

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So I think I got that about right, maybe. Do correct me if I'm wrong though, I don't mind.

I realized that the extended deadline was earlier than I had thought, so I started on this the day before it was due... After many failed sketches, I finally decided to use this version. I had a few full-body versions, trying to focus on the dynamic poses, elaborate attire, and horse anatomy, but I couldn't get it to work properly (especially the horse). I ended up deciding that a very close view is what I needed to show what I wanted. I now know I need to practice some equine anatomy and anatomy in general...

Along with the imaginary armor, I wanted to drop in some symbolism to make the piece more relevant to the myths, thus the two ravens flying in the back there. The main character could be seen as Freyja if you like, but that was not my intention.

"Come with me if you want to live (as a spiritual warrior in Valhalla, and I can give you all the mead you can ever drink so you can be ready to fight in the name of Odin in Ragnarök)!"

Hope you like it and thanks for looking!

Done in Adobe Photoshop CS3.