#megamikenzie

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A portrait of Quaithe! I'm not big on any particular fan theory on her identity or intentions, but I do love the concept GRRM was going with for her :3

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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.

Overall, I'm excited to share these! I'd love feedback <3

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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...

Anyways, wishing y'all the best <3

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Tyrion Lannister

I played around with my Tyrion portrait recently. Its hard to get the stripey hair down while trying to maintain a realistic style! I'm not super jazzed for this one, but I thought I'd share anyways. Hope everyone is doing well <3

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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.

(Also, she's significantly younger than Tywin as she is pictured around the time when she passed away, FYI!)

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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!

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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.

I know people are excited about the idea of Daenerys and Arya meeting, but I think Arya would like Missandei and have a lot in common!

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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!

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Sansa Stark

This is Sansa as I picture her as a kid at home in Winterfell, where the biggest upset she has to contend with comes from her siblings rather than politics. I think she looks fittingly like a little lady! I'm not positive she looks enough older than Arya, but I figure she's right on the cusp of puberty here. Below, I have two additional portraits of her at other points in her narrative. The first is Sansa in disguise and on the run. The second is Sansa as I picture her at the eventual end of the book series, in her late teens or early adulthood.

I do very much love the Stark girls. My sister and I spent many years greatly at odds, and the relationship between Sansa and Arya is something that I relate to a lot. I'd share my thoughts on the sisters, but the fandom is unfortunately pretty antagonistic about that topic so imma leave it at that.

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Shireen Baratheon

I've updated my portrait of Shireen! I wanted to finalize the versions I'd uploaded earlier by adding her greyscale. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out!

I know I've been off a bit lately. Not really feeling very inspired recently. I'll try to get back in the swing of things soon... my health is a mixed bag lately, too. I've had to get a PICC line installed a couple weeks ago and I've been really nauseous most days. Ugh!

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Jhiqui, Doreah, & Irri

For recurring characters, there is sadly very little description included of the members of Drogo's khalasar. It's frustrating! I'd like to make Dany's kos, but I don't feel like I have enough to go on. As for her handmaidens, I do imagine them differently in my head... and frankly it's not like there is a glut of fanart of them, so the more the merrier!

When they're minor characters, I like to do more with the framing of the portrait to help combat the samey-ness that can occur with Artbreeder. I had fun working in varied hairstyles for these ladies. I tried to make Doreah appear a little older than the others, as she was in her 20's. For Irri, I wanted something looking more playful and active, since she's the one who teaches Dany to ride properly. She's also described as the slimmer of the two Dothraki handmaidens. So for Irri, I wanted a sense of movement where Jhiqui's portrait would be still. Jhiqui teaches Dany the language, so I imagine her to be calmer and more cerebral in contrast.

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Obara, Nymeria, Tyene, and Sarella Sand

These were such a fun series to do! The famous Sand Snakes vary in appearance, but are all said to have Oberyn's eyes (in shape if not color) and I wanted to do justice to that descriptor. Did I succeed? I feel pretty pleased with them, personally. I'll upload my Oberyn (and I think my Ellaria with him) next so you can compare :3

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Brienne of Tarth

Beauty, they called her . . . mocking. The hair beneath the visor was a squirrel's nest of dirty straw, and her face . . . Brienne's eyes were large and very blue, a young girl's eyes, trusting and guileless, but the rest . . . her features were broad and coarse, her teeth prominent and crooked, her mouth too wide, her lips so plump they seemed swollen. A thousand freckles speckled her cheeks and brow, and her nose had been broken more than once. Pity filled Catelyn's heart. Is there any creature on earth as unfortunate as an ugly woman?

And yet, when Renly cut away her torn cloak and fastened a rainbow in its place, Brienne of Tarth did not look unfortunate. Her smile lit up her face, and her voice was strong and proud as she said, "My life for yours, Your Grace. From this day on, I am your shield, I swear it by the old gods and the new." The way she looked at the king—looked down at him, she was a good hand higher, though Renly was near as tall as his brother had been—was painful to see. - Clash, Catelyn II

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Brienne was as strong as most knights, and her old master-at-arms used to say that she was quicker than any woman her size had any right to be. The gods had given her stamina too, which Ser Goodwin deemed a noble gift. Fighting with sword and shield was a wearisome business, and victory oft went to the man with most endurance. Ser Goodwin had taught her to fight cautiously, to conserve her strength while letting her foes spend theirs in furious attacks. "Men will always underestimate you," he said, "and their pride will make them want to vanquish you quickly, lest it be said that a woman tried them sorely." She had learned the truth of that once she went into the world. Even Jaime Lannister had come at her that way, in the woods by Maidenpool. If the gods were good, the Mad Mouse would make the same mistake. He may be a seasoned knight, she thought, but he is no Jaime Lannister. She slid her sword out of its scabbard. - Feast, Brienne II

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Aurane Waters

I was looking through my list of prepared portraits this evening while working on my queue, and I remembered a request I received back in April for the Bastard of Driftmark. I don't have a very cohesive, flowing queue order right now, so I figured I'd post Aurane (& Hildy up next, from the same anon request) and not worry about saving him for a courtiers of King's Landing sequence down the line. Enjoy!

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Lyanna Stark

Lyanna is a very popular character for headcanons! I hope this portrait fits at least some of y'all's idea of her <3

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Rhaegar, Aerys II, & Rhaella Targaryen

I've cycled through a few different Rhaegar portraits over the last year. I don't know that I'm ultimately satisfied with this one, but he's the closest to what I imagine that I've made so far.

In contrast, I'm pretty happy with my Rhaella! It really is a wonder this woman was able to give birth to a healthy Daenerys - when you learn of the myriad miscarriages, stillborns, and infant deaths she suffered over the years, and then consider the massive stress of Robert's Rebellion and Aerys' violence towards her, it seems really incredible. I think the portrait shows her exhaustion.

Aerys was an effort, and I'm not really satisfied with his portrait either. Like, he looks appropriately older than his years and somewhat thin and haggard, but I wish he looked dirtier? Beards are tricky in Artbreeder, and I'm glad this one looks long, but I'd have liked the moustache part to cover more. And if his hair could be more matted... Ah, well, I am happy with the family resemblance achieved here, in any case.