Tomb Raider Reborn

Well, this is my artwork for the Tomb Raider Reborn Contest.

What drew my attention to the new Tomb Raider was the more realistic approach with a more fulnerable young character that has to face a real extreme situation. I like storyline in which more or less ordinary people have to face such situations and grow. So I'm really looking forward to the game.

What I wanted to capture in my image is the moment when Lara has managed to survive already some of the smaller dangers of this forbidding place. She is at the end of her powers, lit a bonfire which does not keep her warm enough and she's about to break. But then she takes the knife and is just before the moment where she rises up to make her first step into accepting the challenge she's thrown into.
Well at least that was my original intention. If I managed to capture that is up to every single one of you.

I used Photoshop CS4 and my beloved Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch. Everything was drawn freehand, except the crushing waves in the background, for which I used some custom brushes made by myself from splattered ink and actual ocean waves. Credit goes to SenshiStock, for her very helpful pose reference: [link]

For everyone who's interested, there is a step-by-step documentation on this image online on my facebook page:
[link]