#megamikenzie

Leaf & an Other

Hihi~ When I made my earlier portraits of Children of the Forest and the Others, I noted that I couldn't achieve everything I'd imagined via the Artbreeder interface. For truly nonhuman characters, it has limitations. The only way around that is to supplement what Artbreeder can do by painting over it.

So, here is my updated portraits of Leaf, and an unspecified Other.

For Leaf, the main things that I wanted Artbreeder to do but had issues accomplishing were the scale and shape of the ears and eyes, and the dappled effect on the skin. I had been pleased actually by how close to my imagined hair the program was able to get, so that didn't get much adjusting - I just tried to make it look more explicit that there were plants and vines in the hair. The eyes are noted to be large and slit-pupiled, so that was important to me to change. Also, I tried to counter some of the youthfulness I felt from the original, since Bran describes Leaf as seeming like Arya in age but not at all at the same time, idk how well that comes across though. I'm not sure if I'll do the same with my portrait of Snowylocks (as they were posted as a pair) at the moment.

As for the Other, I worked off the more feminine example I'd posted. The original is pretty buried in this new portrait lol I changed a lot! My initial focus was changing the skin texture and making them seem less human overall. Part of the process for this was changing the eye shape, as well as the shape of the orbital region on the whole, and creating ridges to produce a more angular, structural face. I don't see why an Other would have eyebrows, eyelashes, or protruding ears, so I just nixed those. I'm of the opinion they are a constructed race rather than one that evolved... I thought about changing the nose but ultimately decided against it. I wanted to do something completely different with the hair, too, but I couldn't manage it with my skill level. For those familiar with the anime/manga Houseki no Kuni, I was trying to make hair like the gems have, sort of sheets of ice instead of strands, but damn if it isn't an endeavor. Props to fanartists who go all out - I recommend looking it up if you aren't familiar with the property!! Anyways, I defaulted on strands - I'm satisfied with the result but in my mind that is not what I picture for the Others.

Arya Stark

Hey everyone :) I've been trying to get back into painting again, and yesterday I spent some time making this pic. I used my older Arya portrait as a reference, but while that's meant to be Arya as an older teen/early 20's at most, I think she looks more like a young adult here...

Tyrion Lannister

Tywin Lannister

Finally posting this bastard! So, for starters, I genuinely picture Charles Dance for this character. For one thing, he was pretty close to the correct age (64ish at the start of the series, to Tywin's 58). For another, his eyes have something leonine to their angle imo. They styled him wrong, of course, and he was directed to be much calmer/more cool than I read Tywin as being, but yeah. I think if they shaved his head and gave him the appropriate muttonchops, he'd be perfect!

Speaking of muttonchops, what a challenge those were! I'm not happy with the end result, but it was a tremendous obstacle so I feel I've done about as well as I could to render his hair style.

Also, I'm throwing an extra goodie at you:

Joanna Lannister

Let's talk more about Tywin's hair! So, he shaved it off as soon as he started to go bald. Was it curly beforehand? Somehow, I don't picture it. However, the twins most definitely have curly hair, and their kids inherit that. So I've concluded that Joanna was the one with curls. My portraits of their kids take more after her in general.

Daenerys Targaryen

Dany! She's the first character I attempted to make on Artbreeder. We've come a long way over the course of a year! I'd started initially about a year ago trying to make an east asian Dany, and had mixed results. Artbreeder resists unique colorations like a purple eyed blond asian, as often the shape of the content is inextricably tied to the coloring. After a month or so, I had decided to make a whole series based on the book descriptions and revisited my efforts. I've had a few versions of Dany since then.

At some point I pivoted to try to create Dany at different stages. This was an effort because simply changing hairstyles can wreak havoc on the facial features! Because of this, I was more successful when I begun with a short haired Dany I was satisfied with, and then tried to make her younger and older from there.

At the top, we have Dany as a young Khaleesi, finding her strength in the Dothraki Sea. Next is Dany as I picture her in Qarth - her hair has grown in some, but I also tried to show her as having grown older, with her sweet nature tempered by the loss and hardship she has experienced. Last is Dany in Mereen. She is the picture of queenly calm and maturity. At this point, she sits on her ebony bench and hears from her people for hours daily, so I figure some makeup wouldn't be out of place.

I hope you guys will be as pleased as I am with these portraits!

Missandei

I love Missandei and her ever-broadening role beside Dany. She starts off as a scribe and handmaid but we see her do much more, as she counsels her queen and becomes a dear confidant. She's wise as well as experienced in administration, and kind to boot.

Arya Stark

Arya is one of my favorite characters, and this is one of my favorite portraits in the series. I had a couple before this which I kept trying to make younger, and there was always the issue of ensuring she and Jon looked alike. There was also the important factor of getting her age to sit right between Sansa's and Bran's... Not only did I want her to look like the kid she is, but I also wanted her personality to come across. I think I was successful in that! She has curious eyes, untidy hair, and the openness I feel Arya Underfoot would radiate. :D

Below, I've included two additional portraits! The first is of Arry, which is of course Arya as she heads back north, seeking safety in Winterfell. The second is Arya having grown into a young woman. I'd say she's in her late teens or possibly in her twenties. I like picturing the younger cast reaching adulthood, especially since that's such a tenuous thing in the series!