Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ren Varela

@cobaltcorvus.bsky.social

1.9K followers 160 following 2.2K posts

A Latine dark fantasy, horror, and surrealist artist, illustrator, storyteller. #DarkArt 🚫 No A/I ; 🚫 N/F/Ts Nonbinary | Pronouns: they/them 📧 Contact: [email protected] 🌐 https://bio.site/CobaltCorvus 🥫 https://ko-fi.com/cobaltcorvus

bio.site

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Ren Varela @cobaltcorvus.bsky.social · 1d

Hello, #PortfolioDay!

I'm Ren Varela, a freelance artist that specializes in dark, slightly surrealist fantasy illustrations, and character & creature designs.

I am open for work & interested in creating art for TTRPGs!

💼 Portfolio
🖼️ Print Shop
🪙 Tip Jar
✉️ Contact: [email protected]

A collage image of six different paintings done by the poster of various skull headed humanoid figures, most with their skulls floating above dismembered torsos and other mystical features.

A collage of six images that are of three different character portraits, two of which show full body poses.

A collage of two different images featuring the same character. One is a portrait of a ghostly male character that is mostly in shadow except for his face. He has dark hair, blue skin and glowing eyes. The other features different portrait angles and one almost full body pose.

A collage of three different digital paintings. One is a portrait of a headless figure in a suit and tie with two glowing halos of different sizes floating where the head would be. Second is of a jackal skull floating above the neck of a dismembered, semi-human, teal torso. Last is of a giant, four-armed, skull-headed figure floating in a large thunder cloud with several bolts of lighting generating from its hands and the cloud as sunlight shines from behind it all.

1 20 40

Reposted by Ren Varela

Ren Varela @cobaltcorvus.bsky.social · 1d

1 20 40

Reposted by Ren Varela

Dave Ghoul @daveghoul.com · 1d

Oh, hey. It's #PortfolioDay. I'm a freelance artist and graphic designer who's now semi-retired due to disability. My work's predominantly digital mixed medium and leans towards darker themes. I still take on some client work if I can dedicate the time and the project really interests me.

Poster design for the Shadowland Lancaster event Black Mass. Digital mixed medium. 2025.
A human figure facing forward wearing a black hooded robe. Its face is a ghostly skull with bloodshot eyes. The moon is positioned behind its head and is shades of orange.

The Horned God. 2007. Digital mixed medium.
A human figure facing right. It has a ram skull fir a head and is crouched on a small stone wall in a dark forest.

The King In Black. 2025. Digital mixed medium.
A human figure facing left wearing a black robe. Its head resembles a burning ember and has a crown of flames and billowing smoke.

2 5 11

Reposted by Ren Varela

Sam Guay @samguayart.bsky.social · 21h

#portfolioday

Hello, I'm Sam, creator of the Blood Moon Tarot, MTG artist, and I'm currently working on a new personal project, the Saturnine Oracle.

Find More Here: samguay.com/hello

1 48 220

Reposted by Ren Varela

ElieraDraw @vendyjurikova.bsky.social · 1d

It's #PortfolioDay - a special autumnal edition! 🍂
If you are looking for some whimsical, slightly creepy illustrations for books, games, or anything else, hit me up! Im open for work. Let's do some spooky art together 🎃
#portfolioday #autunum #fall

Watercolor and ink painting of a frog riding on a snail. The snail is covered with candles and cute flags; the background is filled with a cornucopia of late summer fruits and berries, along with fireflies. Frog is wearing medieval clothes and holding a letter with three seals

Watercolor painting of knight on black background knight is clad in autunum collord with cold steel scales, head of deamons as shoulderpad, autumn leaves as decoration with pumking head. Knight is holding scythe and axe and shield with sun and moon holding skelleton

Painting made by colored pencils and watercolor. Painting of a small cabin in night in a purple forest and purple ferns above a small waterfall. There is stormy clouds with a bright cartoon moon andan orange mushroom

Watercolor of painting of autunumal criters on black background

3 27 62

Reposted by Ren Varela

Sygnin / DTIYS pinned! @sygnin.com · 1d

Heyo #PortfolioDay! I'm Sygnin, I illustrate in an ink & color style.

Interested in working on book/game/card art. I like making art featuring folklore, fantasy, romantic horror.

Portfolio - sygnin.com
Vgen (commissions) - vgen.co/sygnin
Email - sygnin[@]gmail[.]com

art of a female vampire's head looking at the viewer. flowers cover one of her eyes. her dark hair flows upwards and she wears a lace victorian type outfit

art of a silhouetted hooded rider on a horse with horns and red glowing eyes. behind them is a red moon

art of a hunter fighting with a large flying monster that looks like a dragon. based off Monster Hunter game.

19 230 600

Reposted by Ren Varela

Dougie @ ShadowMyths @shadowmyths.com · 19h

Hey #PortfolioDay my name is Dougie and I'm the creator of ShadowMyths. I do dark, spooky, unsettling, but sometimes positive and uplifting oil painted artworks.
💼 ShadowMyths.com
📧 [email protected]
#DarkArt #OilPainting #Art

An oil painting of a large old tree with red leaves and a mottled trunk. Next to the tree is a man who is just staring off in the distance. The man is wearing a tunic and has long hair.

An oil painting of a vulture sitting on a branch, three skulls in the darkness above it.

An oil painting of a barn owl sitting atop a skull. A large bright moon rises in the background.

A painting of a gray mechanical looking figure with a glowing red heart in the center of their chest. Their eyes are also glowing red.

23 59

Reposted by Ren Varela

Julijana M @julijana-m.bsky.social · 22h

Happy #PortfolioDay, my first ever on Bluesky! 💙
I'm Julijana, I love doing atmospheric illustrations 🥰

3 15 65

Reposted by Ren Varela

R. Riekkinen ✦ @artvaris.bsky.social · 22h

Hello #PortfolioDay!
I’m Runo, a freelance fantasy artist specializing in characters ✦🌿

A black and white drawing of a character with curly horns and long dark hair worn in two loose braids, surrounded by a forest background and a decorative frame. There's a scar running across their mid chest and ribs. The character is gently holding their hands over the scar, with a calm expression on their face, eyes closed.

A black and white drawing of a long-haired character with antlers and fluffy ears, portrayed against a forest background. A circular shape frames their face from behind, and multiple sparkly shapes decorate the portrait.

A black and white drawing of a character with long dark hair and curly horns, surrounded by stylized foliage. A symbolic dagger seems to be piercing their throat. The character has a calm expression - eyes closed and a subtle smile on their lips.

A decorative and detailed black and white portrait of a long-haired character with pointy ears. They are dressed in fancy clothing and wear jewelry. Their eyes seem to be slightly glowing as they gaze at the viewer.

11 140 420

Reposted by Ren Varela

CarsonDrewIt @carsondrewit.bsky.social · 1d

Hi #PortfolioDay
I'm Carson, a Chinese Canadian illustrator who's been working in freelance illustration since 2012
I've run my own t-shirt company, made emotes and overlays for twitch streamers, and also worked on a couple indie games.

I'm also a partnered twitch streamer - I stream 4 days a week!

A digital sketch of a woman-like shape made of gnarled wood, flesh, and flowers. The majority of the upper half of her head hollowed out and missing.
In a void in the figure's back, the face and hands of a woman peers out, cold eyes looking at the viewer.

A digital sketch of a nightmarish elk made of humans, bone, and gristle with its head raised toward the sky.
A four armed figure wearing a helmet holds up a small object that looks like a foetus.

A digital sketch of a person holding up a gnarled staff to ward against a large horned and feathered creature and several other humanoid creatures.

A digital sketch of a 3 armed woman. Between her palms is the brightly glowing form of a cat. Erupting out of the cat are various flowers and plants. The woman is a teal colour, and the flowers are a warm purple.

8 110 400

Reposted by Ren Varela

Scazrelet ~ Spooky Vibes Only @scazrelet.bsky.social · 23h

It's #PortfolioDay !

I make work in a variety of mediums as well as create/curate art resources to help fellow creators - check out my Art Guides Megathread for the (always free) ones I myself made.

✨ Website - links & info
✨ Ko-fi - resources & stuff you can buy

DMs open. You are welcome here.

Two men sit on a chair, one straddling it sideways on top of the other's lap, one leg dangling over the chair's arm. They lean against each other, the lower supporting the second, leaning into each other as if falling asleep, heads touching, limbs falling limp. Meanwhile the chair they sit in catches fire, threatening to consume them completely. One of the men regards the flames with unconcerned, open eyes, the other remains unmoved, as if the fire cannot wake him.

A man stands, staring directly at the viewer from a low angle. His left arm is a cybernetic prosthetic with visible machine parts. He is wearing worn-out clothing reminiscent of Vietnam era combat clothing mixed with punk aesthetic and advanced future tech. Over one shoulder is slung a mix of AK-47 and electric guitar, the neck extending down the barrel. He stands in a foggy scene surrounded by pipes, tubes, electric panels, and wires. He is smoking a cigarette. While there is nothing in the image to suggest this, you now know his name is Truant.

An illustration of a fairy standing on top of a bobbin of thread. She is wearing a patchwork skirt and a flowing gathered top. She has an apron through which she has threaded pins and needles and she is carrying a thimble within which she has gathered scraps of fabric and thread. Behind her is a tomato shaped pin cushion. Her hair is fashioned to resemble two yarn balls. Her purple and cyan wings are spread out behind her.

A mythological Nixie, or water spirit, represented as an attractive nude woman with aquatic features floating underwater amid bubbles that swirl around her. Her eyes are golden and her skin is teal with traces of shimmering iridescence on scales and fins. She smiles at the viewer sweetly, her hands framed around her face, her body leaned forwards with legs trailing behind her.

5 34 53

Reposted by Ren Varela

JayIsPainting 🍁 @jayispainting.earthskyart.ca · Oct 15

I'm an Alberta based artist who has a thing for storms & space.

I do commissions & have originals & 50 different canvas & paper prints available earthskyart.ca/shop

#art #painting

Painting of a badlands valley with winding river at the bottom & swirling blue clouds on an orange background sky

Painting of a mother ship storm cloud lit from below with swirling clouds above over a butte.

Painting of a nebula that looks like a hand with orange yellow clouds and lots of stars on a blue black field

Painting of a spiral galaxy with swirls of blue white and red orange arms with clusters of stars and a area of stars in the center

130 520 2.3K

Reposted by Ren Varela

michael katchan @michaelkatchan.bsky.social · 1d

Gday #portfolioday

I’m Mike, an illustrator in the fantasy/rpg/TCG space

I love expressive characters, moody spaces and lingering moments

If you’re looking for work like this I’d love to talk

9 110 400

Reposted by Ren Varela

Anan S.K. 𖤓 Comms Open @acloudboiii.bsky.social · 1d

Hello #PortfolioDay!

I'm Anan and I'm a freelance illustrator based in Italy. I specialize in dark fantasy with a focus on storytelling and moody, dramatic lighting :)

Currently looking for new opportunities in the RPG/TCG/Publishing sphere!

🌐https://tinyurl.com/anansoka
📧[email protected]

digital painting. a sketchy, dark scene showing three figures, a central one walking towards the viewer with a sword in skeletal hand. its head is a mix between a helmet and a skull, with four orange glowing eyes. the two other figures are shown behind it to its sides, indistinguishable silhouettes with glowing orange eyes.

Painting of a dimly lit woman with dark wavy hair and a loose nightgown, she's shown from the chest up, leaning forward and holding a person's face by the chin while looking at them seductively, as if leaning in for a kiss.

Double portrait of two different "sides" or personalities of the same fantasy character, a drow with dark grey-blue skin, long red hair and green lipstick. On the left she's shown with a calm, dreamy expression, looking off to the side; on the right side she's shown with an evil, devious smile, looking at the viewer and reaching a hand out towards them. Between the two at the center of the image is a big stone mask with glowing red eyes.

1 14 30

Reposted by Ren Varela

Laura the Spookiest of Ducks @fallenlights.net · 1d

Hey #portfolioday!
I'm Laura, a fantasy abstract fine artist that sometimes does illustrations! Huge fan of stories, whether they're a single line or pages upon pages. I work in watercolor, graphite powder, and gouache
My style vibes with what I need it to do
[email protected]
fallenlights.net

landscape of branches and roots growing around a small puddle of water. a blue raven stands above it with a feather in his beak, peering down into the water.

three small abstract landscape paintings. Green seaweed looking one, a green stone formation that can be a city or forest, and a green and yellow natural formation that can be a leaf breaking apart

Two book cover paintings. a blue one with a man and a sword, looking tired and worn, and a burnt hand besides him. the background is abstract shapes hidden by misty swirls.

The second image is of a city. There is a crowd of people that are just forms, and one man standing out in a red trenchcoat and white eyes staring at the viewer.

dark blue landscape of two woods meeting for a conversation. It can also possibly be a single tree split down the middle.

6 69 190

Reposted by Ren Varela

NEX 🥀 | COMMS OPEN! @anexart.bsky.social · 1d

It's #PortfolioDay! 🖤

Hi! I'm Nex. I'm a self-taught digital and traditional artist from Poland. I love drawing fanart, original drawings, and my OCs. I love music (especially metal and kpop), nature, and books c:

📎 Commissions open ✨️
📎 nex-art.carrd.co

3 30 63

Reposted by Ren Varela

Babe&Oak @babeandoak.bsky.social · 1d

Hi #PortfolioDay

I’m Élle • Freelance illustrator & surface pattern designer

Specializing in detail heavy B&W work & passionate about occult history, horror & symbolism

Open for work in publishing, book covers, TTRPGs, private & commercial commissions

✉️ [email protected]
🎨 babeandoak.carrd.co

Altar prayer card for the goddess Diana. A rectangular card has a black border with parts of the Orphic hymn for Diana surrounding it as a border in white text. In the bottom right are twin arrows over a crescent moon representing her and Apollo. In the bottom left and top right are white outlined 8 point stars. Inside the border is a marble shockwave black and grey pattern with white outlining that forms an arch at the top with lining to look like columns on both sides. In the middle is a stag skull with painted antlers of a diamond and star pattern. Behind the skull are smaller 8 point stars and cloud ripples. Above the skull is a scraggly branch of queen Anne’s lace with small dots above. In the top corners are two constellations for Sirius as her hunting dogs and Roman numerals for 13 and 8 for the date of the Nemoralia festival.

Victorian Ward - Black and white illustration of a Victorian wall with a scarab ward framed. The border of the whole piece is a torn paper. Inside is Victorian black and white striped wallpaper with damask type filigree in the black and smaller stripes and speckles in the white with small vertical black stripes on either side. In the damask pattern are slightly abstract symbols of infinity, an hourglass and other resurrection symbols. In the middle is an ornate rectangular frame framing a large scarab beetle with its wings out. On its wings are celestial symbols like Jupiter, stars and the moon. Around the scarab are peony flowers and branches of a tree branching towards the top left with a vine white line swooping in an out and around the frame in the same direction. The scarabs body is engraved like metal with filigree. Behind the scarab in the frame is grain shading grey over black.

Dark Vibrations - Inktober 2022 black and white ink illustration. Plain rolling hills lead to the door of a building with a large central spire and a small covered porch. To the left side of the building is a three facet bay windows and the other windows have ornate stained glass. On top of the central spire is a lighting conductor in the shape of a 5 point star. In the highest window of the spire is stain glass in the shape of an eye. Converging at the start is a large vortex spiraling and expanding through the whole sky. The vortex is pulling party’s of the building up towards it and cracking parts of the wood and foundation. The vortex is casting light and highlights on the building and the tress behind it. Converging towards the building is a circle of 12 white bird silhouettes.

16 250 740

Reposted by Ren Varela

KENNETH SCOTT 2: KENNETH’S REVENGE @superactionfunboy.bsky.social · 1d

Day 14 of #zombieskulltober still enamored with good ole Pencil and Paper. #darkart

A pencil and paper drawing of a zombie head and torso, it’s ribcage featuring and intense amount of deformed ribs. Jaw is missing.

A drawing of two zombie heads morphing together in the tradition of Rob Bottins work from ‘the Thing’

4 19 110

Reposted by Ren Varela

𝕲𝖆𝖇𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖑 𝕳 @eralacrimae.bsky.social · 1d

Hello #PortfolioDay!
I'm Gabriel, digital artist painting OCs and fan art with dark fantasy themes, inspired by symbolism, space, religious iconography, and the Tarot.

✉ [email protected]
🖼 eralacrimae.carrd.co

A portrait in colour of Director Krennic standing in front of his creation, the Death Star, with its targeting systems right behind his head. His hands are clasped together, with his pistol in his left hand. Behind him orange light and dust is coming forward, spilling into the foreground, covering him partially. Behind all of it is the dark starry sky.

A colourful painting of Corvus Corax in his simpler armour with raven skulls on his belts around his waist. He has his right hand on his heart, and in his left hand he holds a whip that seemingly melts into darkness along with the ends of his robes. Red glowing embers are surrounding him, painting his feathery cloak and the feathers of his large wings a red light. The planet of Kiavahr is behind his head as a red halo, and above it is Deliverance.

A coloured painting of my OC Xander, a pale man with long, dark hair, tattoos, and jewelry, sitting on an ornate brown-gold throne. He is wearing a golden draping over one of his shoulders, leaving the majority of his torso visible, along with a deep red draping on his lower body. His tattoos on his arms are visible, with dark fiery motifs, a skull with a parchment coming from its upper jaw, and the astrological symbols of Mars, Jupiter, and the Sun, the rulers of the Zodiac signs Aries, Sagittarius, and Leo, on his arm that he is resting on the armrest of the throne, with his hand facing us. He is wearing golden jewelry: two collars on his neck and three on each of his upper arms, and he is wearing nipple piercings with golden chains on his upper body. Behind his throne a segment of a simple wall is visible on the lower half of the painting, and on the upper half of the painting there are mountains and a blue sky with clouds above the wall. The back of his throne is like a gateway to the darkness of space, it is pitch black with small glowing stars seemingly coming out of it. He is slightly turning towards the side, and his eyes are covered with a whisp of yellowish flare that appear to connect him to the Sun behind his head.

A black-and-white painting of my OC Xander, a man in water up to his waist, approaching towards the viewer. His eyes are not visible, black liquid is pouring out from the place where his eyes should be. He has long dark hair that he shoves back, the sides of his head are shaved and tattooed, and he has several dark flame tattoos down his neck, shoulder and arms, along with a motif of a parchment and a skull holding a parchment with text on his left shoulder. Ports are visible on his body throughout (he is a Space Marine OC). The dark liquid from his eyes have accumulated behind him as he's approaching, and with his hand he seems to direct its flow forward, too. Behind him is a black hole enclosed in an armillary sphere with ornate rings. The front, horizontal ring has the Roman numerals XVI, XVII and XVIIII on it, there are two rings very tightly closing up the black hole, and two outer, concentric rings. The uppermost ring has the texts "XVI - LA MAISON|DIEV", "XVII - L'ESTOILLE" and "XVIIII - LE SOLEIL" on it, along with the alchemical symbols of sulphur, the element of fire, and the Sun, as well as the symbols of the following in pairs: the Sun - the zodiac sign of Leo, Jupiter - Sagittarius, Mars - Aries. The lower part of the rings is lit strongly. On the upper part of the painting, above the rings, the distortion of the black hole is visible on the background stars and interstellar medium as their images get "flattened" around the curved surface of the outermost ring.

3 43 73

Reposted by Ren Varela

Morgane Magloire illustration @morganemgl.bsky.social · 1d

Hi it's #portfolioday !

I'm Morgane a freelance artist who loves to illustrate deep emotions,I do book covers, interior art, and recently started to do card illustrations for MTG🥹

Woman with a big pink dress looking behind her back

A couple exchanging their last kiss underwater

18 160 520

Reposted by Ren Varela

D.D.B.Torres @ddbtorres.bsky.social · 1d

hello #PortfolioDay,
I'm Torres, a freelance artist and illustrator.
I love medieval fantasy, whimsical creatures and dark fairy tales.
I'm always on the lookout for new projects in book publishing, TTRPGs and TCGs.

Email: [email protected]

An illustration of mother Goethel, the witch from Rapunzel. She stands in the center, surrounded by thorny bushes and between two crooked trees, holding a baby wrapped in luminous white cloth and her eyes glowing a malicious golden color. In the foreground we see rampions growing from golden vines which intertwine like braids; in the background, in the distance and in the middle of a forest, we see a lone tower

a red squirrel knight, with body armor and a cape, holding a lance in one hand and standing on its hind legs, with a golden halo aroung its upper torso and head.

the beast (from beauty and the beast), appearing in the middle of a dense rose-bush foliage, gently holding a tiny bird in its huge paws and looking at it with tenderness. the castle tower can be seen in the distance.

toe-thrasher, a rat lord wearing a royal mantle made of white fur, thrashing in the middle of a swamp in its hind legs and holding a black flail. in the swamp, there are numerous yellow eyes

15 190 570

Reposted by Ren Varela

Freddie @stringerseven.bsky.social · 23h

Day 14! Doing a back-to-basics zombie skull(s) for the drawathon midpoint!
#zombieskulltober #sketch #darkart #penandink

Three zombies shambling along - left tallest one has missing jaw, the middle one is standard decomposed zombie, and third is standing behind looking at the second.

3 15 89

Reposted by Ren Varela

Jasper 🐦‍⬛ TTRPG artist @jaspermillerart.com · 1d

Hi #PortfolioDay! I'm Jasper, a fantasy illustrator working in TTRPG/TCG/publishing.

My work pendulums between dynamic and vivid; soft and intimate.

I'd love to work on more book covers and TCG, so don't hesitate to reach out.

📨 [email protected]
📷 jaspermillerart.com

Illustration of a drow standing in front of a large white snake with wings. The drow has long white hair and dark green clothing with copper accents. He holds a dagger above his head with blue magic arcing between the blade and his hand. They are in the Underdark, with blue spores and mushrooms surrounding them.

Illustration of the fellowship from the Fourth Age actual play. They are at a high altitude looking down into a valley with a river. From left: Theodas (bald elf, many scars, dark beard, golden interlocking armor, dull blue cape); Iairen (elf, medium brown skin, kinky brown hair with undercut and half up style, blue robes, holding a blue palantir); Mistiel (elf with dark brown skin, copper cape, long white box braids half up, golden armour); Eona (human, dark brown long hair with golden scales woven through, leathers and cape, holding a sword); Chicory (hobbit-elfish, lilac dress, pale skin, brown hair in loose waves, holding a wooden staff that crooks over and holds a glowing white stone); Aerlind (elf, dark hair, blue fine outfit, tanned skin, east asian features, holds an astrolabe in one hand).

Illustration from first person view, showing a hand holding up an opalescent stone with a hole in the center. The stone has brass filigree, and through the hole is a view of a mountain sheep. The background is a mountainous landscape. There are slight magical effects showing that the view through the stone is a zoomed in view of the background.

An alabaster gargoyle and a feminine figure dressed in black robes with their faces shadowed by hoods. The pair are within a gothic styled church, standing before an altar on a dais, preaching to spectators behind the POV. Candles cast plenty of light in the room despite the flames being purple, and all the decorations and the architecture is gothic in design. They look as though they are in the middle of performing a sermon in unison

20 230 660

Reposted by Ren Varela

Quico Vicens-Picatto @quicoarts.bsky.social · 1d

Hi #portfolioday
I’m a freelance illustrator with 10+ years in the game industry, focused on character and creature design, and full-color narrative art for RPGs. www.instagram.com/quicovicens_... #artshare

2 23 54

Reposted by Ren Varela

craig robertson @craiglee47.bsky.social · 23h

"dancing the moon over the witch house" 8" x 13" pen and ink

1 5 44

Reposted by Ren Varela

Jana Heidersdorf @checanty.bsky.social · 23h

Hello #PortfolioDay 👻
I'm Jana, illustrator of everything hauntingly beautiful--nowadays mostly books, though.
Happy to take on one more project this year 📚

Portfolio: janaheidersdorf.com
Contact: [email protected]

Cover illustration for May The Dead Keep You by Jill Baguchinsky (portrait of a red haired girl with a half decayed woodpecker covering half of her face. I swear it looks really cool.)

Spooky illustration for a short story featuring a house that is also the body of a ghost boy. The boy is trapped and reaches out to his crying mother outside.

Cover illustration for Don't Let The Forest In by CG Drews. Portrait of a blond boy with slashes obscuring his face. Through the openings thorny vines and roses grow.

A serene, pale face surrounded by lots of worms and insects.

7 99 310