-===-
Imagine the sounds of a forge.
The metal clanging, beat after beat...
As he stands there, pounding with his hammer,
Metal on Metal rings it's song.
Sweat and flame and smoldering...
Smoke and soot and warm fire-light.
He stands at the forge in the burning room...
And his servants stop and stare and hurry away again...
And he is alone... And the metal is alone with him.
In his hands it finds its only shape...
He hears the masterwork's name... Whispers...
And breathes life with fire into molten ore...

He is the Hell-Smith.
What he has created today...
Tomorrow, it will taste fresh blood.
He is and was and will be...
Lord Azazel... Creator of the Tools of War.

Listen to the metal-song... and you will see him there.
Churning his creations... until the end of days.


-===-

What can I say about this piece? I have poured a piece of myself into this, heart and soul... It is everything I dreamed in my mind's eye that it would be... In my heart I knew I could make this vision come to reality... But I was not sure because it was such a great task.

This is #3 in my Demons of SII series.
This is Lord Azazel. The poetry above says all. The image is more.
He is the most powerful Devil in the circles... Second of the Second Circle. Second only to Samaeul in the Second Circle. He is a fantastically powerful creature to have once been human...

And yet he is bound in a sense... bound to his duty to the forge... to his work. Ever the craftsman, however, he is not bound to drudgery. However, his work does take its toll. He is an interesting character, to say the least and I was deeply inspired to draw him for some great time... However, I am NOT normally good with so many things I needed to create him:
*MUSCLES
*Objects
*Lighting
*Backgrounds

Yeah... I'm normally into drawing bishies in voids... This was an enormous undertaking for me... and I am amazed I was able to complete it at all... I am VERY happy with the outcome.

I left the lineart sketchy for several reasons. Style for one... Feeling for another... Also, he was so muscley and it just seemed to keep better in that style.

I spent SO much time on this piece... and made so many leaps forward, so much progress! I'm so happy with it. His proportions aren't bad, his muscles are believable, and even the non-realistic such as his horns are really good and believable. I'm really happy with all of this.

I was also pleased with my background and objects...
Then the lighting.
Omg... I spent a couple of hours just on the lighting. I did like three layers just for that. A multiply layer for ALL the ground work and shadowing and then two add layers for light. One for basic light and one to REALLY shine some places. I tried hard to think about the light sources since there was one strong source (The forge) and two weaker sources (the two magic-hot-rock lanterns on the walls).

I had to pay attention to everything that would cast a shadow and everything that would catch light... It was a great exercise for me...
I'm just glad it came out looking warm and like firelight.

The only thing I was a little iffy about were the goblins. I was not sure from the outset how to put Azazel's servitors in the image. They scurry in and out through their small tunnels and bring him bars of metals, refill his troughs for quenching hot weapons, and generally serve him in whatever way he needs. They are somewhat comical, ridiculous little guys... but not over-much so it was a hard balance to strike. I'm glad they are not TOO obvious in the picture. I'm glad they don't draw the eye away from him at first... at least it seems that way to me.

My favorite features: The lighting and Azazel's shadow on the left wall.
My least favorites: My crappy perspective in places.


-===-

So I would give a ton of hugs for some good critique on this!
Seriously. I have never undertaken such an ambitious project and I really would adore some feedback!

-===-

The lineart:
Made in Photoshop
The coloring and painting and virtually the WHOLE painting:
Made in Open Canvas.

And my Wacom Intuos4ML ~~ HURRAY~



Azazel (c) Rohan Darksbane and the Dreamweave RPG Project
Art (c) Arsiei Darksbane 2010


Do not use this work or any part of it in any way. Do not distribute or alter.