I love creating pencil art. Much of the time, the process involves very little planning. I enjoy the spontaneity and allowing the drawing to evolve naturally, almost like a stream of consciousness.

For example, here’s an older piece I created using this same approach. This particular pencil drawing was inspired by many things: the Northern Renaissance (like Van Eyck), the art of Brian Froud, and films I was watching at the time, such as Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian.

For this new piece, I initially envisioned a benevolent, John Bauer-like character. However, as I began drawing, the figure started shifting towards the darker end of the spectrum. Its gender also slowly but surely transformed; what began as a female figure became more androgynous, and eventually, more masculine.

I wasn’t entirely happy with this evolution at first, but by the time I realized where the drawing was headed, it felt too late to turn back. So, I decided to fully embrace the transformation. That said, I think I’ll still explore the original concept in a future piece.

Once the character’s darker nature was established, it felt natural for the background to follow suit, and several demonic figures began to emerge. I still need to finalize the fourth demon on the right, after which I plan to finish the gnome’s body.

The drawing is quite detailed; I’m using a magnifying glass to capture all the intricacies. The piece is a square, measuring 8.4 x 8.4 inches (rendered area). I hope all these fine details will be visible when I reveal the final image.

I’m still undecided on a title, but I’m leaning towards something slightly comical, like “Gnome Summoner and His Demon Portfolio.”

I’ll be revealing the final piece in the coming days!