Saukko and Riitesydan WIP

A concept WIP piece for my own story, 'Linnunmuna' (A Bird's Egg). Saukko (Otter) is the woman, and Riitesydän (Frostheart) is the man.


-Why was the Border made, Riitesydän? asked Saukko quietly. Riitesydän didn't answer immediately and his kind grey eyes looked into the forest. He didn't seem to be upset by the question, quite the contrary: he looked like he was trying to find the best way to answer. Saukko was surprised by his reaction and remembered how reluctant and hostile people became in Ruskahalli when she asked the question. She guarded her tongue, though, despite wanting to ask why he wasn't upset - she didn't want him to lose track of his thoughts. Riitesydän tapped his lips with the side of his finger, pursed his lips for a moment and then leaned back onto the rock behind him so that he was lying amidst the wild flowers and grass.

- Come here, he said and waved his hand. Saukko did as he said, amused and bewildered. At first she remained standing next to the wildling shaman, but he smiled at her and patted the ground next to him. Saukko sat down and allowed herself to be pulled into the shaman's side, laughing. He laughed as well and adjusted his position. He tilted his head and breathed the refreshing fragrance of the flowers around them. For a moment he was still silent and then began: - Imagine a world without the Border, a world where the Folk and People live side by side and love each other. Imagine that we are lovers - you have Gawynn and I have Narva so we can do that - and you expect my child. We live in Lake Town in the summer, and in Autumn Hall in the winter."
-IdaHarra, Linnunmuna

I read that sequence (in Finnish, of course, this is a very crude translation) and it inspired me to start drawing. The scene is weird in the sense that it is very intimate even though the two hardly know each other, and beautiful. The whole scene mirrors what was in my fantasy world before the Border was set and the Folk (dryads, wildlings, trolls, centaurs and the like) and People (your average humans) were separated from each other, and I think this captures that beauty and intimacy very well so far.

I also love my placeholder flowers. Cx Once finished, this should be similar in detail (or better, always aim for improvement) to my previous piece 'I will not forget', which can be found here:

[link]

I will update my progress regularly and edit this submission until it's finally done.

EDIT1: Changed the file to reflect the process I made this morning (two hours of work). Some of the flowers have been painted, the rocks have been started, and there's a butterfly. Also, all kinds of refinement and random splish-splashes of black. :3

EDIT 2: Another two hours, that makes about seven or eight hours now. Skirt, sleeve, yarrow, field, water, and general background scribbling. I promised myself I would not half-ass the background but based on what the field looks like I think that's exactly what's going to happen. xD Yarrow is my favorite plant ever. It smells divine. It has the best names, too: nosebleed plant, old man's pepper, devil's nettle...

EDIT 3: I have no idea how much time, because this is one of those works I just sit in front of and look at, go browse some forums, and then look at it a bit more, maybe paint a couple of things; rinse and repeat. The background is almost totally painted now (and as I predicted, the field IS random lines and circles xD). I painted ALL THE YARROW. 8D I still love yarrow, this has not affected my love of it at all. Now it's all down to refinement, details, fabric and more refinement and detail. And the trees, of course.