Still not happy...

This is a preliminary sketch for when David first sees Sir Richard's castle. I'm trying to find a sense of beauty and grandeur and magic, but it just seems heavy. Of course, the story's set in the time when castles were little more than stone walls with little design beyond protection to them; I'm using a fair amount of poetic license to make it this tall, even.

What's weird is, it looks Moorish to me, now. Plus my perspective's off. And David still seems a bit older than 12...more like he's 15.

I might be able to change that by making his legs and torso a bit shorter...but when I look at photos of 12 year-olds off Shutterstock, they sort of look like this. So maybe I'm just being hyper critical.

What's even more interesting to me, however, is how the inn he hides in is to his left. When I wrote the story, I thought of it being on his right. But the positioning seems better, this way.

I also found an older sketch I did on the grand chamber of the castle. It doesn't look right, either...but it's a start.

I'm so easy to please.