Kaul Shaelinsan, The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee

For this artwork, it was essential for me to choose the right color palette and play around with various hues to create striking contrasts in my digital painting. I often lean into darker tones like blues and purples, so I wanted to challenge myself this time by exploring different parts of the color wheel with reds and greens.

The color green not only enhances the harmony of the piece but also holds deep significance in the books that inspired this fanart. In Jade City and the entire Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee, green symbolizes martial proficiency, with bioenergetic jade boosting a person's abilities.

However, the society of Kekon is patriarchal, often putting women in a position where they have to prove their "Greenness" and struggle to be recognized.

With this piece, I aimed to shine a light on Kaul Shaelinsan, known as Shae-jen. She’s fierce, strategic, and refuses to let men dictate her path. This badass character showcases not just her cleverness, but also her martial skills.

I wanted the green in the composition to really stand out, using red to contrast it while also reflecting the violent nature of Janloon, or Jade City, itself.