This was one of my favorite topics for the Exalted Art Challenge I participated in during October. Inspired by the Exalted TTRPG from Onyx Path Publishing, this art event always gives me an excuse to experiment with new techniques and styles. For this topic, I got carried away with the idea of Chiaroscuro glass. These remnants of the magnificent buildings of the city of old Chiaroscuro magically retain their luster and strength and are usually used for armor, weapons, and other utilitarian purposes. But I figure why not armor AND a gown for my gal, Kalara? This practice piece represents a new style I've been attempting to evolve with soft vs hard elements a la Klimt/Tarot. - Watch a timelapse of this piece [here](https://youtu.be/bQDvZPv0hkQ) - See the full Exalted Art Challenge prompt list [here](https://twitter.com/TheUncrucified/status/1575523886032117761?s=20&t=mTVPr8hhcmu2AEMhytCEUg)

It's my first year doing Art Fight and I regret not getting in on this event sooner! It's been a lot of fun practicing my skills and seeing how other artists handle my own characters. My first entry for this year is Evelynn, an arrogant demon for [Viday](https://artfight.net/~viday). Painted in Procreate. Watch a timelapse of Evelynn's portrait [here](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuxYIblAhjN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==). And check out my AF profile [here](https://artfight.net/~AngelaSasserArt) if you'd like to Attack me. I'm trying to revenge most Attacks I receive if I can! 

An oldie from 2013 and what I hope to make a series of cover redesigns in the future. In an ancient land founded by angels, a young woman discovers her destiny as one touched by the Angel of Punishment, himself. This is the tale told in _Kushiel's Dart_ by Jacqueline Carey, one of my favorite mature fantasy novels and an endless source of inspiration for me. I decided to practice my skills by designing a wraparound cover for this book as an exercise in my artistic and book illustration skills. Check out t[he original cover by John Jude Palencar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushiel%27s_Dart#/media/File:Kushiel's_Dart.jpg) for comparison. You can see more of my Kushiel's Legacy fan illustration project at http://kushielconcepts.com

May I formerly introduce The Crucified Dreamer. This alternate universe villain form of my Exalted character, Kalara, enjoys seducing revolutionaries to the cause of her Deathlord, the Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears. She fiercely loves her Deathlord, who saved her from the days of torment she had endured after being crucified by the Guild for a murder she didn't commit in an effort to silence her calls for reform. The Lover gave the Dreamer the chance she craved to 'equalize' all in the embrace of death. The Dreamer enjoys finding revolutionaries much like herself, encouraging them to fight wars they cannot win so she can watch them die 'beautiful' deaths. Those she deems useful, she brings to her Deathlord. Her skin is a corpselike blue, while her crucifixion wounds will never heal. Find out more about this character and project at http://www.theuncrucified.com Painted in Procreate with finishing touches in Photoshop. Inspired by the Exalted TTRPG setting from Onyx Path Publishing. * Watch a timelapse [here](https://youtu.be/34_Hz2zVp1A)

I was going to catch up on work this weekend, but then I did this most important work for the cultural zeitgeist of Elden Ring instead! Because KC Green's "This is fine" comic was all that was going through my mind during the catastrophic events of the late game where we were expected to still carry on with our day to day while everything else was happening. Painted in Procreate.

After being massively inspired by The Legend of Vox Machina's fun animated series, I felt so homesick for D&D, which we had to give up because of COVID and underlying health risks. Luckily, our friends hooked my husband and myself into a game online in Roll20 and now I have SO much fodder for tabletop art to bury you all with! Starting with this party banner portrait inspired by the LoVM's animated series style. For this party we have: Cal the Entertainer, Tiefling Arcane Archer, Dorn the Butcher of Barrow, Half-orc Blackguard, Rabs the Flame of the Sultana, Fire Genasi Barbarian (my character!), and Mint the Noblelady, Human Bladesinger. * Read more about this party and their backstories [here](http://www.angelasasser.com/new-art-dd-party-the-unmerry-band-hiatus-begins/). * Watch a quick time lapse of this piece [here](https://youtu.be/BMdqS-Q_AJw).

The Tiefling known now only as "The Lamb" rose from her would-be death as a sacrifice to become a Warlock of an Ancient One set on a quest for revenge for her slaying! Or she would if I took the story of the adorably evil video game, Cult of the Lamb, and combined it with Dungeons & Dragons, which was the first thing my geek brain did when I played the game. I enjoyed the straightforward story for the game's premise so much, alongside all of the mechanics. I had never played anything quite like it before! * Watch a 1 min timelapse for this piece [here](https://youtube.com/shorts/qHYpHSqWubs?si=kdEqwU-3Ar12UEzR). If y'all feel like supporting this art on social media, you can find this piece at the links. Every share gives an artist wings! * [On Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/angelasasserart/posts/pfbid0SC8ap381s2qiqtepMATpWdMX6XtxvC1AyrhKEcHEqGAfENsCHXAEbFdWDUbuRF5El) * [On IG](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxs_htNx7Rk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) * [On BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/angelasasserart.bsky.social/post/3kafbweizfx23)

Taking a break from discourse for ART! This concept for an Earth Genasi, sister to my Fire Genasi Barbarian, Rabs, has been itching my brain for awhile. Enjoy a peek at the WIP concept for her crystalline hair! Rabs has a total of 4 sisters of varying Genasi elements, so this is going to be a fun exploration across different visual motifs. Remember to take joy in your craft, artist friends. Passion matters!

Jumping on the bandwagon for Art VS Artist this year! I didn’t have a lot of art because of healing from shoulder surgery back in April and the long recovery time afterwards, but I’m very proud of what I still managed to turn out. It was a fun break from my SRS BIZNESS projects. I of course have no normal pictures of myself and am only usually compelled to take them when I am in costume. GOOD GRIEF why is my art so rainbow hahah. I always wanna be muted, moody, and dramatic, but my stuff just bleeds color.

This was a birthday present from 2022 for my dear friend and talented artist, [Sam Hogg](https://www.artofsamhogg.com). Sam has always been there for me with constant encouragement and has done such beautiful art of my own neglected chars. I finally got to paint her characters, for once! I'm appreciative of Sam's characters thoroughly kidnapping the muse, as it's been so wonderful to slow down and enjoy the process instead of rushing from one project milestone to the next! It's also been invigorating to explore something stylistically different from what I've been doing lately, especially as this feels like my best painting in a long while! "The Pirate's Kiss" features Eidy & Kalam from Sam's story, [The Whaler Girl](https://www.daichenchronicles.com/), a dangerous pair to others and to one another. I'm looking forward to seeing Sam explore more of their tumultuous relationship in her stories! Inspired by Klimt's The Kiss, which always struck me as being about a woman swept up in a dangerous romance, which was the perfect root inspiration for these characters. This was also quite the experiment done solely in Procreate! It's been exciting to finally achieve a painterly look in this app after some struggling to get used to how the app operates. * Watch a time lapse of this piece [here](https://youtu.be/uueVUfUPv18).

To worship at her temple is to unlock the sins within and be cleansed. Be cautious of what secrets you keep from her, for she will know all in due time. The kept secret will rebound upon its owner three-fold. 11x14 in. Ink sketch colored digitally. [Prints](https://www.etsy.com/listing/230703392/art-poster-print-keeper-of-secrets?click_key=03c53f5372423bcb64ee60a8bfacbe21c1c59fdc%3A230703392&click_sum=7cfd7527&ref=shop_home_feat_4) | [Coloring Pages](https://www.etsy.com/listing/502729861/printable-coloring-book-page-for-adults?click_key=4440be0104232029e62d1e5584f362745f4f6feb%3A502729861&click_sum=dcd735ef&ref=shop_home_active_5)

I spent most of 2022 recovering from shoulder surgery to repair torn tendons in my arm and shoulder, so I'm excited to have even been able to finish at least one thing a month this year! Without the stress of doing art for my SRS BIZNESS endeavors, I spent a lot of time just having fun allowing my muse to explore self-indulgent original character art and ttrpg stuff for Exalted and D&D. For more on which was my Favorite Art and Level Up Art and what my plans are for next year, check out my blog post [here](https://www.patreon.com/posts/76161449).