Early Concepts from the World of Aerias
These pencil sketches were my first attempts to visualize the tone of Markus Kane: Dawn of Shadows. They were drawn years before the final designs, back when the world and its symbols were still taking shape. The drawings below capture the earliest glimpses of Markus and the Alq’arus—quiet studies that helped me find the balance between fragility and strength that runs through the story.
Markus Kane – Early Portrait I
Pencil on paper. One of the earliest studies of Markus’s profile and the scar that defines him. I was trying to understand not just his look but the tension in his jaw – how restraint and anger could live in the same expression. This drawing became the anchor for every later design.
Markus Kane – Early Portrait II
A later sketch where I softened the features and experimented with lighting and shadow. I wanted his face to feel worn but still searching, as if he’s just beginning to realize the cost of survival. The hair and collar lines here eventually guided the finished cover art.
Alq’arus Emblem Studies
Two rough symbols exploring the geometry of the Alq’arus pendant. The sketches capture the idea of a living shape – part flame, part wing, part heartbeat. The left version felt primal; the right became the foundation for the sigil that appears throughout the book.
Alq’arus Pendant Design
Early line work for the final pendant form, drawn before any digital rendering. I wanted motion in stillness – wings arched mid-rise, the central figure neither bird nor spirit but something older. This image reminded me that every artifact in Aerias should carry both grace and gravity.