Here is my entry for the weekly Splinterlands Art contest found HERE
So I always browse through the Splintercards site to look for a new card to draw and came across this one:
Is she an angel? A devil? I wasn't sure. So I asked ChatGPT to tell me about her and it came up with this:
Zyriel is a unique and powerful Splinterlands promo card—the game’s first-ever dual‑element monster, combining Life and Death splinters.
Zyriel represents a milestone in Splinterlands design—a promo with meaningful, flexible gameplay and powerful synergy. Whether you're collecting, playing competitively, or both, she offers unique utility and a strong presence on the battlefield.
Comparing that description with the original card art, Zyriel looks like a demon that somehow imitates angelic powers (the wings look like they are tech-based. So, for my version of the "Is she an angel, is she a demon?--Zyriel," I decided that I would re-imagine her as an angel, that fell from grace, became a demon, then was later restored to angel-ness.
So she still has the scars from losing her original wings. Bone shards sticking out of her shoulders. Then at some point she got her demon armor and bow. And then somehow gets redeemed, so the translucent wings of light. See, it all makes sense.
The Process – Clip Studio Paint Pro
All the artwork was created in Clip Studio Paint Pro, which remains my go-to tool for digital illustration. Here’s a quick overview of the steps you’ll see in the
Rough Sketch
I start with a basic pose and silhouette that fits Zyriel’s majestic aura—wings raised, arms open, commanding both light and shadow. This phase is loose and expressive, focused on gesture and energy. I kept her armor and bow. Later, when I am working on the lighting effects is when I put that lightning-style bow string. There was a very specific reason I went with that bow string. To make it into an energy bow, like Hank the Ranger had from the old Dungeons & Dragons cartoon. Why? So that she doesn't need a stupid quiver and arrows. Just shoot energy bolt, baby!
Refined Line Art
Using Clip Studio’s vector layers, I clean up the rough sketch with tighter line work, locking in details like armor, jewelry, and facial expression. This is where her duality starts to come into sharper focus. I also did this one closer to my usual comic-style of art, rather than painting style. This is just easier for me/in my comfort zone.
Flat Colors
I block in flat colors using reference from the original Zyriel card art but adapt them to my own style. For instance, I gave her wings a feathered, organic feel rather than stylized plates, and added more iridescence in her glowing elements.
Lighting & Effects
This stage is where the piece really comes to life. I used multiple overlay and glow layers to push the magical aura surrounding her. For the Dark side, I used multiply layers and subtle gradients to give a sense of depth and shadow.
Why I Love Drawing Splinterlands Characters
Zyriel, like many Splinterlands characters, gives artists a lot of room to interpret, invent, and explore. The mix of fantasy archetypes and original lore is a rich playground for visual storytelling. I especially enjoy illustrating Legendary cards because they come with weight—both in terms of lore and player recognition. Reimagining them is a challenge, but also a joy.
This version of Zyriel is my tribute to that duality—divine, dangerous, and beautiful.
No AI Used
Just a reminder: this illustration was 100% hand-drawn using traditional digital tools. No AI-generated assets or assistance were used in any part of this process. Every brushstroke, gradient, and effect was created manually by me.
EDIT: Whoops. Forgot the time lapse video.
Watch the Full Timelapse Video Here:
https://rumble.com/v6w9yey-zyriel.html?mref=18dagn&mc=d3obe
