Adel Creates

My studio’s finally moved to Carrd! Pretty spacious there with bigger walls, a lot more cabinets for storage, and a lot more room for ideas. I’ll still be taking some strolls here on X, but all details on Prices, Guidelines, and Studio Status can now be found at adelcreates.carrd.co. How’s that for a slice of fried gold!

Starstruck I don’t think my studio was ready for the tidying up I did today. See, the canvases were lined up, paints behaved on the shelves like children, and all the brushes were tucked away in mugs. I had just locked the front entrance and prepared the backdoor for her arrival. Signage is now flipped to “closed.” Finally, she’s here, seated right at the center. Surreal! Her smile, her laugh. What magnetic charm she brings! Her assistants and guards are scattered and stand right where they need to. I begin sketching, but my mind runs. Would they use my painting for a poster? Is she preparing for her next show? I cannot believe how a task so mundane as this is making me feel immensely electric. There must be a word for this sort of thrill.

There it is, blowing in the wind and slipping through the cracks of the doors. The purple glow lands gently upon my desk. I blink twice to understand what I see. No, not a falling leaf. It is a fella, smartly dressed and decorated. He fixes his coat, almost displeased that the little illusory drumrolls I play are not a call to action but a mere call for his attention. “Hello, sir! This painting on the leaf, it is you, isn’t it? I attempted to capture your likeness in my own painting. Not as impressionistic as yours, but I hoped I came close.” He takes my gift, quite impressed that I had painted it on a tiny canvas. “She’s going to like this,” he says with a cheeky smile. He slaps his forehead as if remembering something, “Oh, shoot! I must find my way home! Will you help me?”

@mnshep Thank youu! 🥹

@adelcreates This one is *really* something else. Amazing work!

Halls with pillars towering high, curtains draped to the floor, candles lit upon chandeliers, today was a special day. Much like the voices of the arriving guests and the symphony playing in the air, I am filled with all sorts of thrilling emotions, an overwhelming mix of joy and anxiety that an assembly of total strangers get to look at my exhibit of paintings up close. I feel so little in these great halls, and even smaller against the giant curious lady in a beautiful blush gown with bright fiery hair over there. She came to me to give her compliments and graciously wished she’d have a similar painting of herself. I hate to stare too long, but truly, it was me who was enchanted enough by her to say yes.

@PraxisDarth Oh thank you! 💜

@adelcreates How absolutely beautiful! What a wonderful story to go with your amazing art! 🤟🏻💜

@AsthreaFragorum Awww! 🫶

@adelcreates Truly an enchanting experience, this process of portraiture. One that will be forever etched in a dragon's memory, just like the portrait will remain, timeless and resplendent, in the halls of her castle. For her part, the princess was enchanted as well... And gives her thanks.~

It went by like regular routine. The two ladies sat for a portrait two weeks ago and came back to claim the dried paintings, but at my studio, not a day goes by without something extraordinary to behold. They requested the portraits be unframed. “Stay still,” said Ms. Mavis as I held the portraits on both my hands. She takes a breath and closes her eyes. Seconds pass. She raises her arms, recites a poem in a different tongue, and waves her hands in the air, a rhythmic ritual that lightened the paintings I carry until they have shrunk as small as a thumb. They took the paintings from my palms and inserted them into golden lockets. “I hope they like these,” says Ms. Alice. I wave goodbye as they leave and fade away to another plane….

@TrevorTurnpage Ooh thank you! 🫶

@adelcreates Think this is my favorite one of your works, dear Adel. The dress, the color, the fond cheek to crow head bump. 🖤

Hunched on a bench by my window, a lady in regal red dress waits for her turn. She amuses herself with a piece of square wood on her lap and her right hand carving away. “Lady Evienne?” I call out, the chips of wood sliding off of her velvet gown as she stands. She is royal in title and seems to prove it so in portraiture with crossed hands and a straight posture, but I often try to strip the formality with small talk. A few conversations later, a resounding voice, deep and fearsome as a queen, grows in the air. Embers form and land on her shoulder. She introduces her red raven, feathers brimming with fire and terrifying like a dragon’s breath. Not the formality, but it was this sight that almost made me reverent. Evienne Tenescue, played by @JoliSpringborn.

@JoliSpringborn My absolute pleasure! 💜

@adelcreates My beautiful girl ❤️ thank you so much for capturing her love for her familiar

@SternritterNTR Thank you! 💜

@adelcreates Absolutely gorgeous work

Eyes darting all around, up and down, side to side. She scans every corner of my studio in all its cluster of wood, cloth, and colourful chaos. Her excitement cannot be hidden. I’d ask her to stay still for a moment, but every movement added character. I was determined to capture it. She cannot wait to see the final result, but it seems it will take some time. Giddily, she says. “I saw your paintings at a Hawkwinter’s manor a while back, and I was eager to get something like that for myself.” How odd. I do not remember the House Hawkwinter holding a banquet recently…. Vala Dex, played by @RHilliar.

On some weekends, Father goes out hunting, stretching his bows as often as possible. This time, I came along to watch. I am not proficient with his bows. So, I brought a lighter one that shoots with a trigger. We lay still behind the bushes. One breath and another, Father lets out an arrow, quiet and piercing deadly, but a crack in the leaves alerted the stag. Off we ran, following the trail of the escaping target. At a quick glance, I swear I saw a guiding figure with his pack of dogs, coordinated and sprinting at the call of duty. We followed their direction until they vanished at a blink, and there it was, the unaware stag. A bow is drawn. Father takes his second chance. The Houndmaster, played by @feo_ul.

“Whoa, watch out!” Too late. Some large biceps wrapped around a basketful of vegetables swung straight towards me. I wasn’t sharp enough to dodge the turning lady. I forget how busy it gets at the farmer’s market in the morning. We exchanged apologies, picking up the disarray of ingredients on the ground. “You look like you’re cooking for a whole party!” I say. “Ooh, in fact I am!” she adds as she goes on to explain how special this meal would be. One invitation later, I end up seated amongst new friends with a warm bowl of soup. They seem to be taking in every moment before heading off. Maveith, played by @desireelukowiak.

“Ever so often, I feel like a stranger in my own body. My friends say it might help to have a painted portrait of me. Verily, I did put on my best garment for mere formality, But please do not be so reserved in drawing me so harshly.” Her head bows, her hands reaching for the back of it. She seemed more nervous than she can admit. Untied the scarf and revealed what lay beneath, The fiendish white eye her tenderness contradicts. She gave me trust to paint the side of her that is honest. “Your secret is safe with me,” I say with promise. On I went and scribbled before the sunlight dies, Sketched most of all her smile and the twinkle in her eyes. Delia, played by @desireelukowiak.

@Nebbles_Markov Thank you Asthrea! Happy you're liking the new look! 💜

@adelcreates The texture of the skin/bark... And the decorations on the collar and suit! This looks amazing Adel, congratulations! Also love the new changes to the frame.

For the meantime, I took over my brother’s map shop which never ran out of curious travellers. Among the list of items for sale is a map of a labyrinth under the city, a seemingly unfinished drawing with rooms still in blank, which a gentleman in red glasses had an interest in purchasing recently. “Are you certain about this endeavour, sir?” I ask as the map slips away from my palm. “Ah, you see, much ancient knowledge wait in secret. I intend to chase them before they fade into myth,” he replies with a wink. Cecilien Tarandus, played by @luci_mcguire

@daniphin Thank you Dani! 💜

@adelcreates Oooh, I love the new look for the portraits!!! And the texture of the horns is so gorgeous!

@CheesyDraws Oh thank you! 💜

@adelcreates So pretty! What gorgeous painting work. The details are absolutely stunning!!!