User blog:Rai-Knightshade/Arion Rusalka!AU

I've been toying around with this idea of a dark AU for Arion where he completes his tale but instead of turning into sea foam, he turns into a Rusalka (which logically makes sense since Rusalkas are spirits of people, usually women but I'm taking artistic liberties here, who've been jilted or killed by their lovers). So I drew him as such, with two different versions: the traditional watercolor "day" version and the digital "night" version. The day version is softer and lighter, meant to feel somewhat melancholy and soft; it's the "awww, poor guy :(" aesthetic. The second is much darker, more "this is an otherworldly being who could snap me in two should he wish to do so" aesthetic wise. One of my goals when drawing Arion is to lean into these dualities: either he's melancholy and sad, or he's the Sea Personified with all it's rage and power. I hope the latter is achieved here with the second version.

Without further ado, here are the pictures!

CONTENT WARNING: Implied Nudity (basically he's shirtless, nothing's showing and the point is not to look sexy but it's better to be safe than sorry)