u/SkunkStarlight

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 60 - Rags to Riches

Random Image Time 61 - Backgammon Boss

Random Image Time 62 - Cheddar Champ

u/SkunkStarlight — 22 hours ago

▲ 4 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Random Image Time 62! 🎲⏰

Cheddar Champ - July 2024

Mouse wants more cheese, please. 🧀

---

I grew up with the 80's and 90's era of computing, and both my series and Mouse are a reflection of that. The world of Galmiun is culturally and aesthetically frozen in the age of my youth, as that's when I first began my series, and it's what I have nostalgia for.

Though some of their technology is advanced far beyond our own, Galmiun's computers are beige boxes running the equivalent of Windows 95 or earlier. Their networking is still more primitive than that, owing to the fact that their world is largely medieval fantasy, with technology not being as widespread as it is in our own world.

Galmiun's foremost computer geek, Mouse is the in-universe inventor of the computer mouse, having named it after herself. Though she has accomplished great things in the field of computing, she was also once a notorious criminal, using her unparalleled hacking skills for all kinds of mischief.

As with many of the gods of Galmiun, the goddess of mice possesses a unique ability. Able to freely traverse between the physical and virtual world, Mouse is able to physically enter cyberspace, where she assumes the avatar of a cute anthropomorphic mouse girl.

While the real-world Mouse is a meek little nerd, her virtual self is all-powerful, able to effortlessly shape cyberspace as she sees fit. An avid video gamer, she enjoys setting up 'mouse traps', capturing hapless victims and toying with them, subjecting them to games for her own amusement.

Her absolute command over cyberspace makes her potentially a very serious threat. Fortunately, she's always been more mischievous than malevolent, and these days she uses her talents for good.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

Random Image Time 60 - Rags to Riches

Random Image Time 61 - Backgammon Boss

u/SkunkStarlight — 3 days ago

▲ 20 r/NintendoClassics

Mr. Do! 🍒

Eating, throwing or crushing... Mr. Do! is very active!

Arcade Archives Mr. Do! has at long last become a reality. It's one of my absolute favorite arcade classics, so I drew this tribute to mark the occasion.

Now that the arcade version is available, it's quite possible that the SNES version could be added to Nintendo Classics in the future as well.

Though it's not arcade perfect, the SNES port features the addition of a simultaneous two-player mode, making it a particularly excellent candidate for the online service.

u/SkunkStarlight — 7 days ago

▲ 5 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Random Image Time 60! 🎲⏰

Rags to Riches - January 2025

"Every battle is won before it is fought." -Sun Tzu

Born to Aeon Chronos and Era Chronos, Nathan King was disowned by his father and left to live in an orphanage after his mother died giving birth to him.

After enduring years of abuse in the orphanage, King fled and became a street urchin. Though he lacked any sort of proper education, King was born with a natural brilliance, and used his gifts to make a living as a con artist.

A life of crime eventually caught up with King. Apprehended by Dragon, the warden of the Divine Sanctuary, King soon found himself an inmate of the sanctuary.

Dragon, however, was merciful, and had taken a strong liking to King. Providing the ragged inmate with comfortable accommodations and a wardrobe of the finest clothing, Dragon became King's friend and mentor.

During their games of chess, it became clear to Dragon that King was an exceptionally brilliant tactician, second to none. After serving his time, Dragon offered King a place in the Crystal Palace as his royal tactician and advisor.

Graciously accepting the offer, King has remained Dragon's right-hand man ever since.

---

One of my earliest characters, Nathan King debuted in 1996 as part of the Spade Gang, serving as Melanie Spade's second in command.

King's character was primarily inspired by Oliver Twist and Jack Dawkins, and as such, he has a Victorian style and sensibilities. He prefers old-fashioned things and dislikes computers, though he's not completely dismissive of modern technology.

A brilliant tactician in more ways than one, King specializes in light magic. He's more of a thinker than a fighter, and primarily uses it defensively or strategically.

If resorting to offense is necessary, he can charge his trusty flintlock pistol or blunderbuss with light magic, unleashing the devastating Megaton Brightburst or Gigaton Brightburst techniques respectively.

An exceptionally skilled motorist, King was the getaway driver of the Spade Gang. When he isn't busy with intellectual pursuits, he enjoys participating in car races, humbling far more modern vehicles with his old-fashioned automobile.

Though King has become something of a dandy, he was once a ruthless survivor, and still has a rough edge beneath the elegance.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

Random Image Time 59 - Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I)

u/SkunkStarlight — 7 days ago

Random Image Time 59! 🎲⏰

Lydia Story - Game Over Screen (Book I) - May 2018

"Lars... I'm sorry..."

The game over screen that appears during the first act of Lydia Story.

---

I primarily create 2D artwork these days, though when I was younger, I had an easier time working in 3D, and preferred to do clay work and 3D graphics.

When I brought back my series in 2018, the original plan was to do something of a "new generation" reboot, focused around a brand new cast of characters, and renamed the series from Silver Stars to Shining Silver Starlight to reflect that. My line of reasoning was that I expected folks would hate the characters that I made when I was barely out of diapers and knew nothing about writing or character design, and so Lydia VanVoder was going to be Casino Grayleaf's successor.

The plot for Lydia's story was written out, and I planned to divide it into three small adventures. I also returned to working with clay, and thought it would be cool to use RPG Maker sprites for the characters and clay models for all of the monsters.

However, I ultimately scrapped all of this, save for the new name of the series. Folks ended up responding positively to my old cast, much more than the new characters, and truth be told, I really wasn't fond of the new direction either.

I also realized that, because I had gotten older, working with clay had become painful for me, and I was forced to abandon it entirely. I also no longer had the brains for 3D graphics software, finding it difficult to work with Bryce and MilkShape like I used to, and unable to understand Blender at all.

Thus, I abandoned the Lydia Story project entirely, retconning Lydia and the other new characters. I got back into learning to draw, and I've been doing that and working on Skunk and the Sanctuary since 2018.

The final update to the project was published November of 2018, nearly eight years ago. Lydia's Battle Simulator, a separate demo on my itch.io page that I used for testing boss encounters, includes playable battles against Gelda, Meldanio, and Cockatrice, the clay monsters featured on this Game Over screen.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

u/SkunkStarlight — 9 days ago

▲ 1 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Random Image Time 58! 🎲⏰

Sentinel - January 2022

"Thou art doomed..."

---

Sentinels are the devil's all-seeing eyes, sinister creations that allow him to observe all things from the underworld, where his physical form is confined. They sometimes find themselves in the hands of wicked humans, where they are used to further their wielder's own dark goals.

One such human was Melanie Spade, a once small-time mob boss turned terrorist who was imprisoned in the Crystal Palace for centuries as punishment for her crimes.

Freed after roughly two millennia by a mysterious figure named Aeon Chronos, the chronomage gave Melanie a strange dagger and an amulet bearing a sentinel, bestowing her with demonic power.

Melanie formed a new gang, and Aeon became her right hand man. However, Aeon had freed Melanie with the intention of using and betraying her. Once the dagger and sentinel had absorbed enough life essence from the gang's victims, Aeon stole them back and used them to enact the next phase of his plan. Literally stabbing Melanie in the back, he used her blood to perform a satanic ritual, summoning her father, the horrifically cruel Magnus Spade, back from the depths of hell.

As the devil of Galmiun is a perpetual child, much of hell's aesthetic consists of cute things such as toys and puzzles. Despite appearances, his heart is vile, a twisted soul devoid of empathy and festering with contempt. The dark lord's malicious side is most apparent in the sentinels, which often appear in numbers when tapping into the depths of his powers.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

u/SkunkStarlight — 11 days ago

Random Image Time 57! 🎲⏰

Locust (Gacha Life) - March 2020

Hailing from a world much like Galmiun, Locust is the most powerful of the insectoid demons. Able to summon and control swarms of powerful locusts like a conductor orchestrating a symphony, his most fearsome ability allows him to convert his physical form into a swarm of locusts and assume control of a host. Physically frail, he depends on his abilities to avoid direct combat.

---

By now, you've likely noticed that my male characters tend to be rather fair and fashionable. This is true even for the lord of locusts, who commands his atrocious scourge of pests with grace and elegance.

He was originally created in the late 90's, though his character has since taken inspiration from the likes of StarCraft's Abathur and Castlevania's Abaddon.

Locust is his world's counterpart of Dragon, and the two of them have quite a lot in common. Whereas Dragon is a metalhead, Locust has a love for classical music, and both of them share an appreciation for the finer things in life.

Whereas Dragon is an above-average fighter even without his pyromancy, Locust is very frail, relying entirely on his abilities. It's entirely due to these powers that both of them are, by far, the most powerful humans of their respective worlds.

Infestation lacks the raw power and ease of use of dragonfire, though its versatility and potential are vastly superior. However, it comes at the cost of Locust himself being far weaker than the more well-rounded Dragon.

As with a king in chess, Locust makes strategic use of others, both to subdue enemies and to protect himself from combat. Unlike a typical strategist, he has no need to issue orders, using his powers to command and to assume direct control.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

u/SkunkStarlight — 13 days ago

▲ 1 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Random Image Time 57! 🎲⏰

Locust (Gacha Life) - March 2020

---

He was originally created in the late 90's, though his character has since taken inspiration from the likes of StarCraft's Abathur and Castlevania's Abaddon.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 56 - Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2

u/SkunkStarlight — 13 days ago

▲ 4 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Gacha Life Shining Silver Starlight 2 - March 2020

Here are more of my characters from Shining Silver Starlight!

---

A friend introduced me to Gacha Life in March of 2020. My drawing skills were extremely limited at the time, and this character creator had a cute style much like I was trying to achieve in my own work, so I quickly set to work recreating dozens of my characters in it.

I shared this selection of characters here on Reddit at the time, and continued to share more and more until October of 2022, when I ended things with one final Gacha Life creation, a holiday special called Halloween Hijinks.

Since then, I've become far more confident in my drawing skills, and I'm able to make cute character artwork of my own without having to rely on tools like Gacha Life anymore.

That being said, I had a lot of fun with it, Halloween Hijinks is still one of my greatest accomplishments of all time, and the designs that I made in Gacha Life proved to be very helpful references for figuring out how to draw versions of my own.

Using Gacha Life, I was able to share approximations of what my characters looked like in my head, more accurate than ever before, years before I was able to properly draw them. It was an important stepping stone, and I wouldn't be where I am today without it.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

u/SkunkStarlight — 15 days ago

▲ 6 r/YourOriginalCharacter

The Year of Casino - December 2023

Last year, I picked out twelve ideas centered around Casino Grayleaf to draw each month of 2023, for a challenge inspired by 2013's The Year of Luigi that I called The Year of Casino. I not only met that goal, I exceeded it.

The three of you participated in The Year of Casino by contributing fanart, and I'm honored to have you up here on stage with us as part of the show.

Thank you. 🎭

---

Despite being the hero of my series, Casino Grayleaf was one of my less popular characters. Part of this was because I had a difficult time drawing her, so she didn't get artwork as often as my easier characters.

In order to remedy this, I decided that my focus for all of 2023 would be Casino Grayleaf. I went so far as to change my avatar across my various social media to her, as well as roleplaying as her on Twitter.

Since then, I've become much more confident at drawing Casino, and I've made at least one artwork featuring her each month.

In 2022, I made an artwork featuring Casino and Skunk on stage in their magician and fool forms. The stage background that I drew for it was rather pitiful, and since theatre is a major theme of my work, it's a subject that I desperately wanted to improve at.

Thus, I decided that the final artwork of The Year of Casino would be a follow-up of sorts, featuring not just Casino and Skunk, but several other guest characters on stage as well.

I'd planned this artwork a year in advance, though I wouldn't know how many guests would be included until the time actually came. This is because I intended to draw the characters of everyone who participated in The Year of Casino by contributing fanart of her.

Once December arrived, there was a grand total of three participants, and I drew their characters onstage, accompanied by the fanart that they contributed. I never revealed my plan to do this, so it ended up being a surprise for them all.

The one on the very left is Sheila Bandicoot, the one on the very right is Yukiko, and the one in the hoodie is Candy. Casino Grayleaf is the star of the show, while yours truly is the one in the dress.

In addition to today's random image, I've included full versions of the three fanarts for your viewing pleasure. Each of them was drawn in 2023 as part of The Year of Casino. The first was shared April 1, the second was shared May 17, and the third was shared July 21.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

u/SkunkStarlight — 17 days ago

▲ 8 r/YourOriginalCharacter

"I'm back again! Oh, isn't it swell? I've returned at last, summoned back here from hell! What joy to see the fear in all of your eyes! I'm stronger than ever, and I'm here... to... pulverize!

I'm Magnus! Magnus Spade! Melanie, my dear daughter, it seems you've been played! You've been duped, you've been had! And boy am I glad! Betrayed by the chronomage that you called comrade!

I'm back! Yes, I'm back again, my friends! It's been a long time, and it's time to tie up loose ends! I'm here to bend you! I'm here to break you! I'm here to stomp you, and I'm here to shake you!

It's time, yes it's time, to make up for so much lost time! I'm back again, and I'm in my prime! Thanks to you, my dear daughter, it's true! I'm tougher than ever, and with new powers, too!

This rock opera is gonna rock you to the core! I'm a one man army... and I'm winning this war! Hahahahaha!"

u/SkunkStarlight — 18 days ago

Magnus Spade - December 2022

The father of Melanie Spade and Melvin Spade, Magnus Spade died a decrepit and hateful old bastard.

Even the devil himself had never known a more cruel and wretched soul. He chose to bring Magnus back to life, restoring his youth and imbuing him with incredible power.

---

Of all of the characters in my series, none are more irredeemably evil than Magnus Spade. Despite being born a mortal man, the darkness in his heart transcended far beyond even that of hell's keeper himself.

Though I've only shared two artworks in recent years, and haven't drawn him since early 2023, he's an important character with quite a bit of lore. I've been wanting to bring him back for years now, but he's difficult for me to draw, and I've been having trouble getting it right.

Inspired by Fagin and Bill Sikes, he starts out resembling the former, a pathetic scoundrel of a crook. After the devil gives him another chance at life, Magnus more closely resembles the latter, now imbued with the power to be the terrifyingly violent brute the once-frail criminal had always longed to be.

His daughter is Melanie Spade, one of the earliest villains in my series. Like her father, she's irredeemably evil, though her disdain for Magnus is so great that she'd sooner join forces with the good guys.

This very scenario ends up occurring when Magnus returns from hell once more. Melanie, having been freed from centuries of imprisonment by a mysterious chronomage named Aeon Chronos, joins forces with him and forms a new gang.

However, Melanie was nothing more than a pawn in Aeon's true plan. The chronomage ultimately betrays her, literally stabbing her in the back and using her blood to perform a ritual to bring her father Magnus back from hell again.

Magnus, now stronger than ever before, sets to work doing what he does best; thrashing some puny wimps. The good guys and bad guys join forces to take down Magnus, but even their combined might is no match for the devil's right hand man.

While his physical strength is far beyond human limitations, Magnus was also gifted with magnetic powers, allowing him to manipulate metal. After the blood ritual, this power is enhanced, no longer being limited to metal.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

Random Image Time 53 - Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life)

u/SkunkStarlight — 19 days ago

Chance Grayleaf (Gacha Life) - October 2020

The grandmother of Casino and Mint, Chance Grayleaf was dismayed that fate had not chosen her to be the child of prophecy foretold to one day be born unto the Grayleaf clan. Seeking to defy fate, she studied intensely and came up with a plan. As an adult, Chance give birth to a child, Nevan Grayleaf, for the sole purpose of continuing the bloodline, and soon vanished from the world, leaving her partner Vega to care for the child.

For one-thousand years she slumbered in a cave on a remote island. When she awoke, she went to work learning about the current state of affairs. As it turned out, only two members of the Grayleaf clan remained, both of whom achieved divinity and have lived for several hundred years. Not only this, but they were born into the world not long after she went into stasis, as they were her own granddaughters.

In an attempt to usurp Casino Grayleaf's power and make it her own, Chance kidnapped Casino and prepared to enact a dark ritual. Her ambitions were thwarted by Casino's friends and allies, and she soon found herself imprisoned in the Divine Sanctuary. Rather than harboring ill-will, Casino and Mint felt bad for Chance, and wanted to welcome her into their lives as family. As a gesture of goodwill, while they couldn't give her what she had truly wanted, they gave her the next best thing by offering her divinity, which she accepted without reservation.

Now unburdened of mortality, Chance had ample time to reflect on her priorities and her life, on abandoning Vega and Nevan and knowing that she would never see them again, on missing out on watching Nevan grow and create a family with Ada, and found that all she really cared about now was living a peaceful life with her granddaughters.

Unlike Casino and Mint, her demeanor is often less upbeat and more withdrawn and introspective. Despite being their grandmother, Chance is effectively much younger and less experienced than Casino and Mint, as they lived through hundreds of years of life whilst she had gone into stasis as a young adult.

---

Like many other members of Casino Grayleaf's rogues' gallery, Chance began life as yet another "Evil Casino". She's meant to look completely identical to her granddaughter, only with longer hair, a different outfit, and a less sunny disposition. Due to being in stasis, she doesn't look any older than Casino.

Having only experienced roughly twenty years of life compared to Casino's one thousand, she's actually far younger than her own granddaughters, but her personality makes her come across as older and more mature nonetheless. Chance is also meant to have a deeper tone of voice.

Unlike Casino's other evil counterparts, Chance permanently joins the main cast for the rest of the series. Despite becoming one of the good guys, she continues to specialize in dark magic.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

u/SkunkStarlight — 21 days ago

▲ 6 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Inktober 2019 - Day 20: Tread

"Simon Askel!? Oh, this isn't good! I've got to get out of here and find help! Slowly, carefully, tread lightly and don't listen to his song."

---

I have a certain fixation with the idea of the most dangerous threats also being the most unassuming. Beings that, on the outside, appear to be cute, friendly, silly, or harmless, but in truth are far more terrible than any dragon or minotaur.

Enter Simon Askel, a wandering bard with soft features and an inviting aura. At a glance, he appears to be a tranquil nature-loving sort, often sitting on a stump in the forest and playing a beautiful melody, giving the impression of a gentle soul.

In reality, this is nothing more than a deliberate façade intended to lure in victims. Beneath the beautiful mask, Simon is a cruel and sadistic fiend, a servant of the god of nightmares who feeds on the suffering of others.

Like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, those who hear his song are put under his spell. Though able to use his power to force others to take their own lives, the wicked bard finds immense joy in forcing his victims to murder their own loved ones.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)

u/SkunkStarlight — 23 days ago

▲ 6 r/YourOriginalCharacter

Piercing Precision - May 2021

Personifying pure piercing precision and polar perfection, Penguin is Galmiun's most proficient practitioner of ice magic. She prefers to project her cryomancy through lightweight and expertly produced handguns and swords, as they promise to provide the finesse and accuracy she prides herself on.

An agent who always gets results, she often pursues potential prisoners and pacifies them promptly, either peacefully or painfully.

---

Though Skunk is the most prominent cryomancer in my series, she's something of a jack of all trades, with other practitioners such as Penguin being far more skilled.

Both of them are able to channel their cryomantic energies through handguns, though their methods differ. Skunk prefers easy to use techniques that can cover a wide area, while Penguin specializes in highly focused techniques that demand extreme precision.

Penguin comes across as cold and uncaring, though beneath the veneer of professionalism is a warm heart. Later on in the series, she finds a kindred spirit in Nautilus, who shares her difficulty in expressing emotion.

---

Random Image Time 20 - Dorothy Bradwell (Gacha Life)

Random Image Time 33 - Van Grayleaf and the Vampires

Random Image Time 43 - Poppy Bros. Jr. Skunk (2024)

Random Image Time 48 - Casino Grayleaf (0 The Fool)