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Description
Guan Yu also known as Guan Gong, the Red-Faced General and the God of War, he served his oath brother Liu Bei in the civil war that ravaged China at the close of the Han dynasty leading the the Three Kingdoms Period. Lionised in stories and legends as the epitome of loyalty, strength, bravery and righteousness.

Ever since I got into Dynasty Warriors and the Three Kingdoms era I've wanted to make an artwork that does Guan Yu justice. More and more often I've seen gamers and 3K fans (sometimes citing scholars) disparaging Guan as overrated and arrogant with history attributing to him many deeds that were imposible or actually accomplished by his contemporaries.

Initially I sort of agreed but as I trawl deeper into the myth of it all, I get the feeling Guan Yu is China's Lancelot. A warrior and comrade beyond compare with one fatal flaw that serves as the catalyst for the beginning of the end of his kingdom. It's not about what he did or didn't do, it's about him representing the strength and determination to fight to the bitter end. A symbol of an era long gone that helped shape the world today. Plus he actually existed, which is always a nice plus. Anyway, I've said my piece.

tl;dr: my respect for Guan Yu and all he represents continues to grow and this piece was a creative out pouring of that.

Initially this was just a ballpoint sketch that I started on a spur of the moment, but as I kept going I realised I'd never actually drawn anything quite like it! Colour added on Photoshop.

Description
Guan Yu also known as Guan Gong, the Red-Faced General and the God of War, he served his oath brother Liu Bei in the civil war that ravaged China at the close of the Han dynasty leading the the Three Kingdoms Period. Lionised in stories and legends as the epitome of loyalty, strength, bravery and righteousness.

Ever since I got into Dynasty Warriors and the Three Kingdoms era I've wanted to make an artwork that does Guan Yu justice. More and more often I've seen gamers and 3K fans (sometimes citing scholars) disparaging Guan as overrated and arrogant with history attributing to him many deeds that were imposible or actually accomplished by his contemporaries.

Initially I sort of agreed but as I trawl deeper into the myth of it all, I get the feeling Guan Yu is China's Lancelot. A warrior and comrade beyond compare with one fatal flaw that serves as the catalyst for the beginning of the end of his kingdom. It's not about what he did or didn't do, it's about him representing the strength and determination to fight to the bitter end. A symbol of an era long gone that helped shape the world today. Plus he actually existed, which is always a nice plus. Anyway, I've said my piece.

tl;dr: my respect for Guan Yu and all he represents continues to grow and this piece was a creative out pouring of that.

Initially this was just a ballpoint sketch that I started on a spur of the moment, but as I kept going I realised I'd never actually drawn anything quite like it! Colour added on Photoshop.