I’ve only played Twilight Princess once. I played it on my old GameCube in my freshman year of college. Basically, I had to rush through it because I set a goal to finish it before the end of the school year…and I started in April. So, I don’t really remember a whole lot from the game. I do, however, remember the shift in tone from Wind Waker. It was darker, broodier, and atmospheric. The art style was so different from Wind Waker, hearkening back to Majora’s Mask‘s creepy vibe, and I loved it.
I also loved the version of Link that was portrayed. He was older than normal and had a bit of an edge to him. That’s why I wanted to highlight this wonderful piece that was submitted to the Zelda Universe DeviantArt group by Filiana called “Staring at the beast…”
Let’s just talk about the composition of this piece to start with. It looks like Link is kneeling in the grass, since the grass is the focus of the foreground. It’s subtle, making the overall color of the piece darker. It’s not freshly mowed bright green grass, this is grass that has been stained by blood and washed by rain. Speaking of, the rain is an incredibly nice touch, adding to the ambiance of the work. You can tell that Link has been struggling with this battle and his mood reflects the weather around him.
And Link? Hoo boy, he’s looking scary. A commenter on the original post said, “Dark Link if he wore green,” and I think that sums it up pretty well. He’s menacing, almost feral, beaten to his knees and spoiling for another fight. He’s bleeding, with the blood adding a nice bright contrast to the rest of the image. His eyes shine with bloodlust, an intent to kill. His teeth almost look like fangs, his inner wolf coming to the forefront. It’s truly an excellent character study.
Filiana is really excellent at detail work. At first glance, you might not be able to tell that it is Link from Twilight Princess, but when you look at it closely, it becomes obvious. Link’s tunic and mail are spot on with their in-game counterparts. The hat even has stitch marks! Not to mention that this is one of the most detailed Master Swords I’ve laid eyes on (outside of official art). I absolutely love the blurring effect that she added on, showing that Link is drawing his sword, ready for battle.
Man, this picture makes me want to pick up Twilight Princess again. If only we can get that ported to the Switch, right? Right, Nintendo?
Want to be featured on Yuga’s Art Gallery in the future? Be like Filiana and submit your art to our DeviantArt group! We host contests over there from time to time, and it’s a great way to show off your work.
