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Description
Argus The Effervescent
Do you wish you had a different life? Do you wake up each day, begging the Fates that today, today will be the day you grow rich? Do you pray and sacrifice and cry out to the Gods above, bidding them to send you true love?

Have you not heard of Argus of the East, the unmatched deliverer of dreams?

He too was once down on his luck, spending his days trying to entertain children and their mothers alike, never once being recognised for the joy he brought to the streets. The son of a humble soap-seller, Argus grew up knowing only one skill – blowing bubbles. If that sounds ridiculous, that’s because you’ve never watched him perform!

In his breath lies the East wind, captured in floating mirages that fill the air of the West. And yet, no one batted an eyelid his way.

“Anyone can blow bubbles,” I hear you say. And I would agree. But no one does it like Argus.

You see, one fateful day, his entire world was destroyed and rebuilt from the ground up.

He was summoned by The Effervescent – spirits of breath and magic – for they had never known a human who would so freely give from his own lungs, capture his own life-force in little pockets of soap, and release them so liberally, just to see people smile.

Pleased by his devotion to the masses, The Effervescent blessed a hungry, poverty-stricken Argus with a magical object unlike any other – an enchanted girdle that, when worn by Argus and Argus alone, would bestow upon him the power to transform his breath into a spell. Every breath he blows into a bubble has the ability to grant any wish upon the person it bursts over.

Most common folk purchase the services of Argus The Effervescent to have all they’ve wanted – a palace here, some riches there, a beautiful wife scattered among the crowd, cures for mysterious illnesses… you name it, he’ll fix it.

And then you have a select few who, for just the right price, bring havoc and destruction upon their foes. And though he refuses to divulge any tales of ruin, many-a-kingdoms have been obliterated in towns where he was known to simply pass by.

The Inspiration
Argus was born out of a street performer I encountered in Central London – a man who carried around a bucket of foam and huge volleyball nets, blowing hundreds of little bubbles at a time. I remember sitting in the crowd around him and being transported back to when I was little and bubbles were the pinnacle of magic. I tipped him everything I had left in my wallet and went home the happiest I’d been in a long time.

I don’t usually participate in art challenges, but the prompt for this one seemed SO up my alley, and this character just demanded to be brought into visual existence. I’ve worked so hard on this for so long, and am truly so very proud of how he’s turned out!

If you’d like to check out progress shots and my original concept sketches, CLICK HERE!

Adobe Photoshop, 35-40 hours (yes, really!)

As always, thanks so much for checking this out, and I hope you fall in love with Argus just as deeply as I have! Faves, comments and critique are always most appreciated!

All my love,

Srish

Description
Argus The Effervescent
Do you wish you had a different life? Do you wake up each day, begging the Fates that today, today will be the day you grow rich? Do you pray and sacrifice and cry out to the Gods above, bidding them to send you true love?

Have you not heard of Argus of the East, the unmatched deliverer of dreams?

He too was once down on his luck, spending his days trying to entertain children and their mothers alike, never once being recognised for the joy he brought to the streets. The son of a humble soap-seller, Argus grew up knowing only one skill – blowing bubbles. If that sounds ridiculous, that’s because you’ve never watched him perform!

In his breath lies the East wind, captured in floating mirages that fill the air of the West. And yet, no one batted an eyelid his way.

“Anyone can blow bubbles,” I hear you say. And I would agree. But no one does it like Argus.

You see, one fateful day, his entire world was destroyed and rebuilt from the ground up.

He was summoned by The Effervescent – spirits of breath and magic – for they had never known a human who would so freely give from his own lungs, capture his own life-force in little pockets of soap, and release them so liberally, just to see people smile.

Pleased by his devotion to the masses, The Effervescent blessed a hungry, poverty-stricken Argus with a magical object unlike any other – an enchanted girdle that, when worn by Argus and Argus alone, would bestow upon him the power to transform his breath into a spell. Every breath he blows into a bubble has the ability to grant any wish upon the person it bursts over.

Most common folk purchase the services of Argus The Effervescent to have all they’ve wanted – a palace here, some riches there, a beautiful wife scattered among the crowd, cures for mysterious illnesses… you name it, he’ll fix it.

And then you have a select few who, for just the right price, bring havoc and destruction upon their foes. And though he refuses to divulge any tales of ruin, many-a-kingdoms have been obliterated in towns where he was known to simply pass by.

The Inspiration
Argus was born out of a street performer I encountered in Central London – a man who carried around a bucket of foam and huge volleyball nets, blowing hundreds of little bubbles at a time. I remember sitting in the crowd around him and being transported back to when I was little and bubbles were the pinnacle of magic. I tipped him everything I had left in my wallet and went home the happiest I’d been in a long time.

I don’t usually participate in art challenges, but the prompt for this one seemed SO up my alley, and this character just demanded to be brought into visual existence. I’ve worked so hard on this for so long, and am truly so very proud of how he’s turned out!

If you’d like to check out progress shots and my original concept sketches, CLICK HERE!

Adobe Photoshop, 35-40 hours (yes, really!)

As always, thanks so much for checking this out, and I hope you fall in love with Argus just as deeply as I have! Faves, comments and critique are always most appreciated!

All my love,

Srish