Alright, so this marks the hardest picture I've ever attempted, and the only one I've ever completed.

This image saw me using a lot of new techniques that I've never tried before, so please be gentle.

First off, the lines were drawn on three seperate pages, compiled in Photoshop and each coloured seperately. LOOK! A full, finished background! that never happens!

Secondly, this marks the most layers i've ever used in one image: 48. pretty evenly split between the three layers, actually.

Thirdly, this marks the most time I've ever spent on one picture, from the twelve hours spent drawing and inking the lines to the ballpark 35-40 hours spent colouring.

Fourthly, this image saw me use about four or five different techniques for shading and colouring, many of which i found frustrating beyond reason, especially using different layer styles and texture combinations. Many of the techniques would not have been possible without the use of my love's Tablet, which I'm still learning how to use, so thanks for your patience, pet.

There were a lot of things about this picture that i normally skimp about, that i made sure to take time on. I would have liked to have been finished this picture over two hours ago, but i wasn't happy with the background layer, and i really am still not too happy with it.

There are aspects of this that i like, and that i feel i succeeded on: the richness of his cloak, the varyance in texture on his clothes, the [i]suberta[/i] leaves on the right there, the trunk of the tree.
There are also many many things i loathe, but cannot figure out how to do better: the lichen, the water in general, the lighting in the background layer. I also could not for the life of me figure out how to do beams of light, hence their layer was utterly axed.

As for the setting, this is a sitting rock off the side of the path behind Ahd'ar'ohk's house on his little island. *pops wrist back into joint*

Well, this is my birthday present to me. I wanted a new featured deviation picture, and this is it, for better or for worse. So if you don't like it, oh well. Just keep in mind it was a mountain to tackle, and however much of me the mountain took away, I'm still standing.