Guild Wars 2

Hi everybody,

wanted to post this outstanding 20 hours artwork in my Norn-thread first, but then I realized that she deserves a place of her own. So here she is, Freyja Frostdaughter, a name that is only spoken in awe-filled whispers and mumbled curses. Below I have written down what the skalds and storytellers say about her and it is truly a legend in line with Jora and Eir Stegalkin…

As a newborn, Freyja Frostdottir had been abandoned in a cruel blizzard as a sacrifice to Jormag by her parents, who were secret dragon worshippers. The first few hours of her life were an ordeal yet somehow she survived the cold and was finally found by a snow leopardess. Growing up amongst her savage cubs meant to sleep naked in the snow and to tear at the bloody meat of prey with bare teeth. She developed instincts beyond imagination and could run the mountains for days without rest. With fourteen she was as wild, savage and unforgiving as any beast of the Northern Shiverpeaks. When she encountered other Norn for the first time it nearly ended in a massacre. After a ferocious fight with the young Knut Whitebear (a standoff in the end!) she could be persuaded to join her brethren.
During the following years she forged a legend that could be heard in every met hall, every norn settlement and at every campfire in the north. It was Freyja Frostdottir who hunted down the great mountain minotaur Nidhængr. She drove off a whole jotun tribe that had been pleaguing the Snowdrift Dens for decades. She travelled with the walruss hunters at Frostgorge Sound and fended of the attack of icebrood kodans. And there are rumours that once her journeys led her back to the village where she was born. Her parents and the other villagers apologized frantically and denied their collaboration with Svanir´s Sons but Freyja could sense their corruption. Here the stories differ. Some say Freyja drew her swords and killed her parents at the spot, others claim that she turned away in disgust. But all legends agree that only hours later she was climbing the icy cliffs above the village with crowbars and staffs and in the same night a mighty avalanche buried the entire settlement under the snow of oblivion.
From then on she was fighting Jormag´s servants with strengthened resolution. She brought down the svanir marauder Heimdal Hjarkathson in single combat. During the fight his axe snapped and a sliver of the cursed weapon buried itself in her flesh. She was never free of the icy pain afterwards and has become even more brittle and violent. It is said that dragontaint is kreeping through her veins like hoarfrost and will turn her into an icebrood one day.
On the rare occasions when she emerges in Hoelbrak in the middle of the night she is evaded and people shut their doors. There are whispers of ‘kinslayer’ and ‘dragontouched’ and some swear that they have seen the blue tattoo-patterns on her body twitch in an obscene life of their own. However, she is received by Knut Whitebear in secret but only the spirit animals know what they are talking about in the seclusion of his private chambers…

What do you think of the drawing? Anybody interested in such a kind of character? Or is this too dark for typical high-fantasy? Thoughts, ideas, suggestions? :-)

Kind regards to all players

I like your painting style and I like the way she looks so strong and you didn’t fear to put some muscles on her. She’s a fighter after all, she must have the strength to lift her sword. It’s something, that is important for Norn in my opinion. A Norn woman in my interpretation, by still being beautiful in its way, should not be depicted as delicate or shy, since that not how they’re taught to be. They want be seen as legendarily heroic, strong and fearsome after all.
her hair looks really cool and I like the perspective, since it lets her look more massive, which is good when you want to draw a giant-like character.

I think there’s something wrong with the anatomy of the torso though. I feel like it looks a bit to much like that of a guy. i think it is because of the way the flanks and the beginning of the leg at the hip are drawn.
The boobs that come out above the armpit look a bit weird, since with humans the boobs start lower.
Also confusing is the bikini top. I mean considering the cold weather it is understandable that you can see her nipples through clothing, when the clothing is thin and soft. but this looks like metal…and that would be some really supernaturally hard nipples.
you could also think about the right arm and hand. the arm look a bit too broad in relation with the left one, the upperarm seems to be slightly too long and the hand looks a bit to small in relation to the arm…even when you consider the perspective.

She seems like strong character and I would have the suggestion to make her look a bit more active, less “passive fantasy bikini babe”- like. I’d make her look at the camera.
i think you wanted to show of her awesome hair, so you tilted the head, but it makes her look more passive and open. She’s practically presenting her neckline, which could be deadly under certain circumstances.
For a character like her, I’d make her look more on guard. Considering the story with her parents she probably has her fair share of trust issues.
Even when you keep the head tilted, she should have control over the her surroundings and look straight at you.

I made a paintover to figure things out, if you’re interested I could send it to you.

Hi Oreithyia,

thank you so much for this kind and detailed feedback. You seldomly receive something like that here in the forum ;-)
I´m still considering the many points you mentioned and i hope they´ll help me to enhance my drawing skills. You keep me motivated to further improve!

Best regards

Benjamin

no problem.
I send you a mail with the paintover, I hope it helps you.