Genius Loci: Red Forest by Ranarh on DeviantArt

"Breathing through masks for nine days, first in the yellow and then in the red forest, was very unusual to us Sawans, and many of us bordered on panic most of the time from the headdresses snugly enclosing our entire heads. But after we had seen what happened to Sfire when she tore it off, we endured it."
— Kirikim, traveller

Genius Loci has many coloured forest, the red being the most dangerous, because everything is poisonous. I was determined to also show how regular and dreamy it can look before killing everybody. I changed the sketch twice, expanded it to twice the width, and flipped and added parts of it a lot while creating this, a process that's been very useful lately.

Find out more about Genius Loci in the Genius Loci blog, Starmaker's Gaze.

EDIT: Whoops, took the wrong quote

fixed!

SeekHim Featured By Owner Sep 28, 2017 Hobbyist Writer

I never tire of looking at your Genius Loci works and forests.
I still hope you'll one day do a Black Forest.

Ranarh Featured By Owner Sep 30, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Thanks. I had a productive phase early this year for Genius Loci pieces, but right now my depot is empty and I have little time. There are enough blog articles for the next year, but none are illustrated. Sigh.

Sayurie-luna Featured By Owner Aug 14, 2017 Hobbyist Digital Artist

Wow its goergious. The color, deepness, the plants and trees... Everythings is epic to my eyes. Awesome art man !

Ranarh Featured By Owner Aug 17, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Thanks a lot! I had wanted to give up on it several times, but I think maybe sticking to it was why it came out so nicely.

MemeThePenguin Featured By Owner Jun 17, 2017

I'd like to ask permission to use this piece of art for an article! I will give you full credit and link your DA account. Thank you for your time!

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 18, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

I'd have to know where you're writing, and what the article is about?

MemeThePenguin Featured By Owner Jun 18, 2017

The image will be used for an arcticle for a Roleplay Group. I'm simply asking to use it for a banner, with your credit and full permission of course.

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 20, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

I sent you a note about this.

zakimiyakey Featured By Owner Jun 11, 2017 Hobbyist Digital Artist

I would like to go to this forest!!

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 12, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

You'd have to wear a layered spidersilk suit and leather oversuit with bone armor pieces to protect yourself from the poisonous plantlife, and a full helmet with breathing mask and goggles. But yes, the red forest is a beautiful place that I too would like to visit.
Thanks!

jerry8448 Featured By Owner Jun 11, 2017 Hobbyist Digital Artist

Love the atmosphere. Great work!

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 12, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Thanks! It gave me some headache, until I told myself to keep working till something work finishing emerges.

KreStOaksky Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Hobbyist General Artist

Wonderful.

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Enitsu331 Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Hobbyist Writer

Your creativity is inspiring - great job with this one!

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Thanks - it's indeed one of my favourites of the red forest.

angelahedderick Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Professional Traditional Artist

Don't eat! Don't breathe! Healers always sound so grumpy! Lovely job on all those off-color plants; I think you did a wonderful job controlling saturation and showing distance.

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Thanks! Since the red forest usually grows in dry regions, I imagine there's a large water body nearby - maybe I'll visit that next?

AudreyLIe Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Professional Filmographer

Nice atmosphere!

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Thank you very much!

guodaaiko Featured By Owner Jun 9, 2017 Hobbyist Artist

Magic

Nice colors.

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

guodaaiko Featured By Owner Jun 11, 2017 Hobbyist Artist

Winterkeep Featured By Owner Jun 9, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

interestring choice of colors !

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 10, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Thanks. I'm trying to circle through all colours of the Gderan forests. Maybe I'll do a green one next

AMEcco Featured By Owner Jun 9, 2017 Hobbyist General Artist

The blue contrasts very well with the red.

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 9, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Thanks! I'm always looking for something to help underline the nature of my coloured forest. Truth be told, this will be an exceptional scene in Genius Loci, because the red forest grows in dry, almost desert-like areas.

Uriak Featured By Owner Jun 9, 2017 Hobbyist Digital Artist

I think you did well with the color theme. But I would say that monochromatic is not too much of an issue, unless you mean for variety. And you did use mostly a blue to reddish palette with the occasional green and yellow patches so there was some room to work with.

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 9, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Thanks, I'm happy you like it. I seem to tend towards magentas lately and will have to do another red forest piece soon with more oranges in it

And maybe start creating concepts for the borderlands between forests, with aggressive red cacti attacking peaceful white fungi, and yellow pollen everywhere.

Uriak Featured By Owner Edited Jun 9, 2017 Hobbyist Digital Artist

Seems you're having a blast with your biome drawings

I've been doing plant themed scenery there and there, and gone sometimes out of the greenish range. I've been told green is actually a very difficult color to work with. I've been experiencing issues with my palette and composition so it's time to experiment with some speed painting. In your case it works very well, from the cool desaturated background toward the magentas in front, with the yellow patches for flying leaves.

Ranarh Featured By Owner Jun 12, 2017 Professional Digital Artist

Green is indeed said to be very difficult. Maybe it's because humans can differ more greens than any other colour? Either way, speed painting sounds like a great idea to tackle the problem.