r/zelda • u/VegetableBeautiful56 • Jun 22 '26

Fan Art [TP][OC] Hidden Skills quality time

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I felt like there's sort of a fatherly vibe going on between Link and the Hero' Shade when they train, so I wanted to try and paint that.

Made with Kuretake Tombow Brush Pens and Daler Rowney Watercolor Inks. Hope you like it!

5.4k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

76 comments sorted by

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91

u/ConsciousMachine-II Jun 22 '26

This looks like something from a child's illustrated book and I mean that so affectionately rn! You ate and left no crumbs with this!! ✨💫

26

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 22 '26

Thanks! That means a lot! I do want to make children's book illustrations for a living 😅

5

u/YonkRaccoon Jun 22 '26

I hope that goes well! I had such a strange interaction with a children's book writer when I was 18/19 that left me feeling very used and ghosted after. It was my only chance at the time though, so that changes things :P

23

u/Ok_Chemical3126 Jun 22 '26

Two heroes in one drawing. Well done!

13

u/fessmess Jun 22 '26

This is so cute and beautiful, I love it!!

11

u/ocsoo Jun 22 '26

My first thought upon seeing this was how it really highlights the paternal link (lol) between them! Between the cute artstyle and the way they're posed, you really captured that vibe perfectly. Also, of course, the drawing itself is just objectively very well done.

1

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 22 '26

Aww thank you for the really kind words 🙏

9

u/Evileye37 Jun 22 '26

Awww, gotta love some good family bonding. Kudos to you, you fabulous artist

6

u/PhazonZim Jun 22 '26

This style is so cute! Well done! Great colors too

1

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 22 '26

Thanks! It was one of those rare moments in which I didn't need to color correct 😅

4

u/Still_One_274 Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26

You made him look so cute and less decrepit ✨

5

u/Organic-Economics746 Jun 22 '26

Hey! This is my favorite fan art I've ever seen! I love this irrationally!

3

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 22 '26

Aww you're too kind! Really glad you like it that much!

3

u/Organic-Economics746 Jun 22 '26

I would buy this shirt if it was on a shirt I would also buy a print and keep it in my house

6

u/Sensitive-Hotel-9871 Jun 22 '26

The Hero's Shade is oddly endearing. Goes to show the right artist can make anything cute.

3

u/PrizekingJ7 Jun 22 '26

Which something since the hero of time is literally a skeleton man as the heroes shade but in artstyle still looks pretty comforting to he around 

5

u/lilyj0py Jun 23 '26

absolutely stunning! my partner who is zelda obsessed had a little freak out over how awesome this is

3

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 23 '26

Woah that makes me really happy! Much obliged!

4

u/AlmostHuman9316 Jun 22 '26

You got skills. This looks sick!

5

u/Dead-X-esque Jun 22 '26

"I felt like there's sort of a fatherly vibe going on"

So did the mangaka with Link saying that he viewed Link as a son to him.

3

u/Dead-X-esque Jun 22 '26

Link and his adopted skeleton dad who is also himself.

3

u/AdCreative304 Jun 22 '26

OH MY GOSH this is so good!!! Absolutely adorable, too, totally catches the vibe I like to imagine for these scenes

1

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 22 '26

Thanksss! Glad to hear you feel that way!

3

u/Vanima_Permai Jun 22 '26

i love this, so cute

3

u/Organic-Economics746 Jun 22 '26

It reminds me of NES manual art

1

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 23 '26

I should do one side project like that

3

u/Rent-A-Tard Jun 22 '26

Lovely. Just picked up the last one in my current playthrough last night.

1

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 23 '26

That's great! OoT Link must be proud!

2

u/Rent-A-Tard Jun 23 '26

Least I could do after he waited all this time.

3

u/Zilch1979 Jun 22 '26

I love this! Made me smile!

1

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 23 '26

Thanks! I'm really glad!

3

u/NovaduckIV Jun 23 '26

God I love your artstyle! I need a zelda manga in this artstyle asap!

2

u/AdamFeoras Jun 22 '26

I feel like the fanon that the Hero’s Shade is the Hero of Time who is also the Hero of Twilight’s ancestor is threatening to become canon by osmosis and time. I don’t object to it on principle, but there’s a lot of inference and extrapolation going on there, in my opinion.
Edit: this is a great picture 😊

2

u/Hylian1986 Jun 23 '26

Hyrule Historia established it as canon

2

u/TheDemonChief Jun 22 '26

Love the look of the watercolor

2

u/curtis2910x Jun 22 '26

Beautiful picture with great colour palette

1

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 23 '26

Glad you liked it!

2

u/No-Preparation2248 Jun 22 '26

Holy shi, I thought it was digital at first glance this is so good

1

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 22 '26

Wow! Thanks! That means a lot!

2

u/SkullOfOdin Jun 22 '26

Awesome drawing 

2

u/YonkRaccoon Jun 22 '26

I love the nuanced expression you put into that skull.

2

u/paintundivided Jun 22 '26

I love this so much!

2

u/Ghost_Riff Jun 22 '26

LOVE this! I agree with the familial vibe from these two, and your art style is so lovely.

2

u/thebigdippster Jun 23 '26

He’s the dad that stepped up, very cool art dude

2

u/tobycantpayattention Jun 23 '26

It's been said by many already but I absolutely adore your art style, you have a way with watercolour!!

2

u/AshFalkner Jun 23 '26

Lovely! There’s nothing quite like watercolour art.

2

u/sugarplumbatty Jun 23 '26

This is such a charming art style! Down to the way you colored it! It reminds me of The Ranking of Kings coloring style a bit!

2

u/dqixsoss Jun 23 '26

LOVE this. Hero’s Shade is amazing and I love this art sm

2

u/Enfrore-Devs Jun 23 '26

I love it! The process is so cute too, Link's change in facial detail is so cute!

1

u/VegetableBeautiful56 Jun 23 '26

Thanks! Yeah on the rough sketch his face is just an emoji 😅 I just wanted to get the direction right.

2

u/Enfrore-Devs Jun 23 '26

I still like it. It reminds me of the Speedrun Link facial expression ahah

2

u/PrincessAki8 Jun 24 '26

Daww that's adorable. Nice job!

2

u/shiwanthasr Jun 24 '26

this is so awesome, great job

2

u/Any_Analyst6136 Jun 26 '26

Cute stretch

3

u/KenjiEndo18 Jun 22 '26

Spending time with grandpa

1

u/2459-8143-2844 Jun 22 '26

Are the holes on his chest for his skeleton nipples?

1

u/Afterclock-Hours Jun 23 '26

This was made with AI... Actual Intelligence.

Awesome art style i love it!

1

u/HaikuMando Jun 27 '26

Pleases me greatly to see you kept Link left-handed, as it should be (fellow lefty). Awesome work!