Xianglong is a concept designer from Chengdu who blends traditional Chinese ink aesthetics with digital painting in Photoshop to create dynamic Three Kingdoms characters (see our guides to the best drawing tablets and the best laptops for drawing and digital art.
Here he presents four examples of his character designs with striking, dramatic compositions. For more inspiration, see our other features on digital artists.
Huang Zhong: The Veteran Warrior
“This piece features the aged but formidable Huang Zhong, with mellow tones reflecting his fortitude and legendary archery skill.”
Hzhang Fei: The Fierce Vanguard
“I made use of bold brushwork here to convey Zhang Fei’s fearless spirit, with ink splashes emphasizing his imposing battlefield presence.”
Guan Yu: The God of War
“Here, I depicted Guan Yu’s battlefield prowess, merging ink textures with dramatic light and powerful composition.”
Ma Chao: The Mighty Cavalier
“This captures Ma Chao’s wild cavalry prowess, with dynamic composition and ink shades highlighting his heroic charm.”
You can see more of Xianglong's work on his ArtStation profile.
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This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.
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