Recently, I’ve been going on a binge with Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages. It’s pretty much all that I write about anymore. In fact, I have been so annoying about it in our Columns chat group that one fellow writer has started playing the games for the first time and another member added a Moosh emoji. I can now bless the chat with everyone’s favorite winged chunky bear whenever I want, and boy, it is often.
But unfortunately, Moosh isn’t the one who takes center stage in these games. Instead, the crux of the story hinges on the Oracles: Din, the Oracle of Seasons; and Nayru, the Oracle of Ages. Each has their own talent that draws Link into their circle of revelers, only for them to be kidnapped by Twinrova’s minions. Thus, they take on the damsel-in-distress role in their respective games, serving as the catalysts for Link’s quests through Holodrum and Labrynna. Of course, it is revealed a short while later that they were apparently under the protection of the Royal Family of Hyrule, and Impa dropped the ball.
One thing every royal needs is their own formal portrait, and artist Miyram submitted two excellent pieces to our Zelda Universe DeviantArt group that show off the Oracles’ royal side.
These two ladies are totally rad on their own, but Miyram really made them into some strong, elegant ladies. Nayru, the singer, has a more reserved and pensive look on her face, while Din, the dancer, is fierce, staring at the camera with her lips pursed. These pictures were clearly taken after Holodrum and Labrynna were saved, because they both exude confidence and power, having recognized who they are and what roles they play in this world.
All that girlboss energy aside, the pieces themselves are very well-crafted. The faces end up in the center of the portraits, while their bodies curve in opposite directions, indicating that they are two halves of a whole. Whether you have these women facing each other or turned back-to-back, the two pictures flow together. As cheesy as it may sound, it more or less represents the two ways you can play the games: as a single story, or as two separate adventures.
Miyram really leaned into the portrait look with these pieces. They look like they were painted with brushstrokes on canvas as opposed to clicking on a computer (I don’t know how digital art works, I’m a philistine). The blending and the contours on the faces and arms give the impression that these portraits were painted in the 19th century. I could see these hanging up in the halls of Hyrule Castle, proudly displayed next to other royal portraits.
Not to mention the fact that the colors are striking. Each piece has its respective color blended throughout. I really like the subtle coloration in the background, putting each Oracle’s color on display without being overwhelming. This is especially true for Din. Red can easily overpower everything, but it is used sparingly and serves as a good contrast to Nayru’s soft blue.
These excellent pieces are part of a portrait series that Miyram has up on her DeviantArt. Please go check out the rest of her gallery, and thank you so much, Miyram, for submitting your work to us. If any other artists out there would like a chance to be featured in a Yuga’s Art Gallery article, check out our very own DeviantArt group and submit your work for all of our eyeballs to enjoy.
