A character portrait of the Angel Gabriel based on the novel "Convivium" by Andrew E. Maugham:

Gabriel is best known as the Angel of Annunciation and Truth, but she's also one of the Angels of Vengeance. Not one to mess with...

Both Gabriel's appearance and the sword are based on the descriptions found in the book, minus the tattoo on her arm, which was a spur-of-the-moment request by the author.

Personal photo reference used for the pose, and my sword was a good help to get the sword right. To get the jewel in the pommel to look so real, I used several layers of custom texture brushes over the basic shape and shading of the stone.

I'm not too keen on the background anymore, but I made a point of never to touch finished paintings again, so it'll stay.

Anyway, here are some close-ups:







Thanks for looking! =]