kalahari
patreon
"Karina Whitefoot" (2014)
🕑 Added 2019-12-20 22:56:38 +0000 UTCThanks to a patron for noticing that this piece wasn't in the full-resolution files! I did a fresh scan of the picture so I can correct that. It's still one of my personal favorites, and here's the original story I included with the post:
"Her name was Karina, but those close to her began to call her ‘White Foot’ after the fine, dusty sand she gathered on her walks through the dry, worn away part of the desert just outside of town. She took these little walks to greet the wildlife and feel what must be ancient, ancient stone beneath her feet, communing with the earth as it was a long time ago. But more and more, spending time in the quiet white sand became a way to reflect, surrounding herself with empty space and giving her mind the sense of solitude it needed to return to what was by comparison a very busy world. She’d be out there for hours at a time, journal in tow, ready to release unedited thoughts, putting them on paper in a cathartic process she hoped would bring her just a little more peace, make the blood throb through her neck just a little more softly. Sometimes unbidden thoughts of loss and regret came straight to her out there in the sand and she would write them out—perhaps calmly, perhaps in shaking strokes—and maybe rob them of their strength.
"It was all a process, and Karina Whitefoot began to doubt that there was really an end to it but rather a continuation that one could hope gets easier with time. Animals are a help. They have a remarkable way of brushing off the pain of loss that we might carry with us for the rest of our lives. She caught a striped lizard in the house in a way that earned her some firm but forgettable reprimand from her parents, and the little frightened creature instantly became her companion. He warmed up to the jackal in the reserved and ambiguous way that lizards do and she pondered over just what to name this creature, this home intruder that was nonetheless lovingly accepted into her family. She piddled over the sound of ‘Extaberr’ and her little brother offered ‘Snapper’, but she had a feeling it wouldn’t end up being either of these.
"Some days nothing much is done and she lies in the shade or swims in the canals, staying out of the heat of the open desert. But she reminds herself it’s a long process and remembers her father’s encouragement that she’s been through a lot and she needs to give herself credit for coming this far. Still, she planned to get her feet dusty tomorrow, and maybe there wouldn’t be any breakthroughs, maybe she would have some trouble relaxing in the bleached sand thinking of what waited back at home, but it was something clear she could do, something solid she could stand on."
Comments
Kalahari
Yes please! This has happened a couple times already. As long as I have access to the original, it's not a problem to scan it at high resolution.
RavenWorks
New here—does this mean if we spot one that isn't in the high-res archives yet, we should point it out?
Kalahari
This is definitely something I love about traditional media. I haven't managed to get the same kind of emergent textures digitally yet, but I'll keep working toward it!
Kitsunelegend
You know, I think this might be one of the very first pieces of your art I ever saw, it may even be the first come to think of it! Its definitely one of my favorites though, thats for sure! =D
GraceTheGoldenFurred
This has always been one of my absolute favorite pictures from you. Karina is so beautiful, and I love the serene, thoughtful atmosphere the piece evokes and the feeling of being miles from anyone who might interrupt her thoughts. I enjoy the way you use nudity to evoke images of freedom and simplicity and that combined with her choice to use a paper journal and pen to record her thoughts suggests a life pleasantly free from the rush of the modern world. Great work on this and thank you so much for sharing the high res version!
Spartanfur06
I love the little details in your work. I love her bracelets, hair color, and that she has a lizard on a leash.
Tygepc
This is a really cool piece and I was entranced it by it the first time you posted it. I still have many questions about the story, like what's makes her need to journal and express so much? What type of busy life does she endure? What struggles does she go through? Do you have any plans to revisit this character? I want to echo what J.N. said in that the coloring is amazing but I feel you have progressed from here. The fur texture is really well done too. Glad you brought this one back. Shows how far you've come.
J. N. Squire
The fur coloring is awesome! I love the way it gives volume and fluffyness to the fur. I really dig it and miss it. Do you think you could give it a try to a future piece of yours? Current coloring seems less detailed, maybe because it's digital?
Kalahari
Thanks :) I don't get so attached to all my pics, but I couldn't part with this one~
Negg
This is also one of my favorites from your pictures. And the story is very good :)
