Tamaqua and Juniata
(a.k.a. Ewan’s girls)
Tag Archives: Art: Character Portraits
BYWAYS: Ewan Johns
Ewan is the eldest of the Johns brothers: responsible, protective, and a little bit shy.
BYWAYS: Galena
Little Details
■ Galena is expecting a baby. If she and her husband can stay ahead of the Chasers until their child is born, they’ll become free citizens of Liberty.
■ She was brought as a child from Arundel, an empire far to the south. Memories of her former home sometimes make her sad.
■ Her personal seal is an oyster with a pearl, hinting at the precious life she’s carrying.
■ Galena’s marriage to Hurlock was arranged by their owner.
BYWAYS: Vanek Johns
As soon as the boys were gone, Ian turned to his uncle. “What just happened?”
Vanek chuckled. “Did you really think cramming those boys into a carriage would fix things?”
“But to send them out alone? Laurel won’t like it.” Ian fiddled with the buttons on his cuff. “I don’t like it.”
—excerpted from Byways, Book 1: On Your Marks
Ian’s overly optimistic plan was doomed from the start, but thanks to wise Uncle Vanek, the brothers will each have a chance to prove themselves. This big bear of a man is the Postmaster’s business partner, his trusted friend, and his uncle. Vanek Johns is the person who helped Ian establish the postal system that serves Liberty’s people. He has a booming voice and a deep laugh. The father of six grown children, he’s wise when it comes to helping young ones grow up.
BYWAYS: Meet Zane Johns
Zane Johns has a short temper, a love for excitement, and a surprisingly noble ancestry (on his mother’s side). He intimidates people almost as much as he avoids them. Oddly enough, Zane’s the only brother with a lifelong friend. Continue reading BYWAYS: Meet Zane Johns
BYWAYS: Brielle Trenton
Rounding out Zane’s Team. In Byways Book #3, Over the Bridge, they catch wind of a blacksmith who wants to move west, which brings them to Trenton Forge. The rumors are true, but an important detail was left out. Brielle Trenton is a young woman. And Zane can’t believe Jovan thinks it’s a good idea to travel with a girl. Especially one as pushy as Bree.
ART: Tupper [Galleries of Stone]
Tupper followed his daytime guardian, taking care not to let his hair get caught in overhanging branches. His last haircut had been near the end of the previous summer, so his white-blond curls were becoming difficult to manage. He often wondered if he could buck Flox tradition and let his hair grow out as long as Freydolf’s.
—excerpted from Galleries of Stone, Book 2: Harrow
Tupper Meadowsweet’s whole perspective shifts when he joins Freydolf in the Statuary. The rush of new information would throw anyone off balance, but the boy proves nimbler than most. Distant mountains. Vast oceans. Diverse races. Strange lands. And a whisper of magic that lures him deep into Morven’s galleries. Today, I’m sharing a watercolor of a Tupper whose hair has gone a bit shaggier than is respectable for Flox boys. Continue reading ART: Tupper [Galleries of Stone]
FOLKS: Ganix’s Team
“What’s going on?” asked Ganix.
“A show. That’s Hurlock. He’s famous around here because of his magic.” Luke shook his head. “It’s sad.”
While Ganix watched, purple fire bloomed in the magician’s bare hands, and he sent it whirling over his head. The flames turned into a dragon that twisted through the air. Shoppers stopped to stare. Some clapped. And a few tossed coins into a basket at the edge of the stage. Hurlock thanked them with a gentle smile.
“Sad? He’s amazing!”
“He is. But purple fire means a sad day for Hurlock. Can you see his feet?”
Standing up to get a better look, Ganix asked, “Are those chains?”
—Byways #7: Across the Line: A Ganix Johns Adventure
Ganix Johns is the youngest son of Liberty’s Postmaster. Up until this point in the storyline, he’s been changing traveling partners at every waypoint. But when he meets Continue reading FOLKS: Ganix’s Team
ART: Aurelius Hunting [Galleries of Stone]
Aurelius had stolen onto a rocky outcropping above the buck, blades drawn, muscles taut, poised to leap. It was impossible not to acknowledge the Pred’s own unique nobility. Although Freydolf would never cater to the other man’s ego by telling him so, he’d often thought that this Aurelius—the one stripped of all his ruffles and refinement—was worth sculpting.
—excerpted from Galleries of Stone, Book 1: Meadowsweet
Pred on the Prowl. In our recent festivities surrounding Harrow‘s book birthday, I asked readers to name their favorite Galleries of Stone character. Aurelius carried the day. Naturally. So I thought I’d share some Aurelius art. Continue reading ART: Aurelius Hunting [Galleries of Stone]
ART: Tupper [Galleries of Stone]
With Rimbles close on his heels, Tupper chose a roundabout way into the galleries, springing lightly down one set of stairs after another as he followed them into the heart of the mountain. He couldn’t have explained why he knew his master was in the deeper galleries. He just did.
Acting upon this certainty, Tupper jogged along a columned passage, lantern held high, key thumping against his chest in time with his heartbeat.
—excerpted from Galleries of Stone, Book 2: Harrow
Tupper Meadowsweet. From time to time, I’ll be sharing sketches and illustrations from Galleries of Stone on this blog. These art posts include pieces I’ve commissioned, as well as gift art. Today, I’m featuring a lovely digital painting of Tupper, who loves delving deep into the Statuary’s many passages. Continue reading ART: Tupper [Galleries of Stone]
C. J. Milbrandt 