Character design: Tahkuna

I wanted a being that was neither an angel or demon, but maybe close to a reaper with bright wings to judge a person's fate if they life or die. Going for a reaper-type of character but leaving out a scythe as it would not have any original feel and give it a sword instead. 

2. Going over the lines, but leaving the wings out of it for now for they won't need any to have a glow from them, making them more of a pure energy sprouting from the back. Giving the inside of the hood more dark, leaving no trace of the angel's face.

3. Making the cloak dark and greyish, leaving the rest for lighter colouring. 

4. Now for next step is the wings, starting with a pale white colour and smudge the point edges to make them more like feathers. Making the white much lighter for the edges to add more 'feathers' for the characteristic form as they fold around the reaper/angel. Making the background dark a little to get started on a background to blend well with Tahkuna. 

5. Working on the lighter on the armour, robe and sword, the sashes would work well after experimenting on the background. 

6.  Now for the background is to make the bottom pitch black the the top lighter, drawing straight down to make, using the smudge tool to drag them down, making sure the stripes are not too bright for a background. Adding the shading s in between the folds of the robe

7. Working on the wings to make them more like an actual pair of energy wings by adding the outer glow, making them faint as possible to not over do it.

8. Now of the objects that hover beside it.  Starting with a 'moon' which would represent death in a greenish blue colour scheme, giving it a jewel-like appearance. 

9. On to the life amulet would have a fiery shape close to a sun or star to represent life. Starting by going for orange and red, carefully lighting the tone near a yellowish colour to make it more like gold and blend with the red lines.

10. Once the two are finished, I now added two more layers, both for an after glow for each one but in a different colour.

As it now stands out as a proper angel of life and death. I had the inspiration from some tarot cards and church windows. Happy how it looks with the way it's wings are and for reasons for adding the two objects hovering beside it would reflect on a person' good and bad conscious like in some comedy and cartoons telling the character what they should do. Here, they would reveal the fate of the person as the angel is a judge in the illustration.