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Artwork

This contains most of my best drawings during my three years of education at the New England Institute of Art.  The digital art was all created using Adobe Photoshop while the life drawings were done by hand using tools and materials purchased from Blick Art Materials at the Landmark Center in Boston.  I'm also including post-college digital art made for practice and experience.

 

All artwork and drawings belong to Alexander Ratta.

Project Work

Life Drawing

Character Digital Art

Project Misla

Wallpaper Digital Art

Lana in the Great Coral Reef Maze

Lana in the Great Coral Reef Maze

This artwork includes my valiant attempt at background art in addition to character art. This might not look like a "maze", but this is only a drawing, not a whole level design. The contents include my original character Lana, 2 clown-fish, 1 dolphin, three jellyfish, 1 agnatha, and of course the background art with effects using specific brush tools. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Human Lana in the Great Coral Reef Maze

Human Lana in the Great Coral Reef Maze

A variation of "Lana in the Great Coral Reef Maze" with Lana as a human swimming underwater. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Shaya and Magis Swimming Underwater

Shaya and Magis Swimming Underwater

Shaya and Magis are swimming underwater together in the Mermaid Ocean. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Young Shaya Drowning, Swamp

Young Shaya Drowning, Swamp

Another attempt at background art. Shaya at the age of four is quietly drowning in the swamps of Samsara Jungle. It all started when she fell off a cliff and into deep water below. She learned how to swim on her own, but from starting out, she lost all her strength and sank underwater. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Young Shaya Drowning, Ocean

Young Shaya Drowning, Ocean

Shaya at the age of four is drowning deep underwater in the Mermaid Ocean. Since she was crowned princess of Misla, Shaya has been exploring the island on her own and many times practices her swimming to get better. But on this occasion, she grew too tired to even paddle and sank, heading for the bottom of the water. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Human Lana Struggling to Swim

Human Lana Struggling to Swim

The focus here is on expressions and poses. After a desperate escape from the Black Mermaids, Lana in human form tries to swim back to the shores of Misla. Not only is she a relatively slow swimmer as a human, but it's also a long swim to the island. She's one tired little girl and still far from dry land. Can she somehow make it back? Or will she sink to the bottom of the sea? Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Water Dress Shaya Swimming Underwater

Water Dress Shaya Swimming Underwater

Several hundred feet deep underwater lies the remains of the once famous pirate ship, the Barnacle King. Shaya is exploring this sunken ship while wearing the elusive Water Dress, which allows her to survive underwater, so she is enjoying being able to swim underwater for as long as she likes.

Water Dress Shaya Relaxing Underwater

Water Dress Shaya Relaxing Underwater

Shaya loves the water's embrace and while wearing the Water Dress, she feels the freedom of being able to stay underwater. She's one content little swimmer.

Water Dress Shaya Exploring Underwater

Water Dress Shaya Exploring Underwater

There's so much to see in the Mermaid Ocean, and the ruins of the Barnacle King pirate ship are no exception. But Shaya is also keeping her eyes peeled because as beautiful as the ocean is, it holds as many dangers as there are wonders.

Underwater Prison

Underwater Prison

Shaya, Lana, and Kiri have been captured by the notorious Black Mermaids and put in an underwater prison cell with no air pockets. And poor Kiri can't even swim! As air started leaving their bodies, Lana was soon crying for help, but the Black Mermaids did nothing but laugh as the three girls began to gurgle and drown, bubbles pouring from their mouths. With no way out, is there no hope left for these three children?

Kiri Drowning, Swamp

Kiri Drowning, Swamp

A desperate escape from the evil Catas Tribe natives leads Kiri to stumble and plunge into a swamp. Fearing for her life, Kiri cried for help several times over, but only ended up swallowing water. And as she drifted down closer to the murky bottom, it seemed that some seaweed was ready to give her an underwater burial. Has Kiri evading the natives led her to an early watery grave? Or is it still not too late to save this poor little girl?

Bonding Between Best Friends

Bonding Between Best Friends

Shaya and Lana first met at the age of 5 when Lana saved Shaya from drowning while several hundred feet underwater. They quickly bonded over wanting to meet each other's species for the first time. After Shaya met the Pink Mermaids and their queen, she and Lana got together almost every day to talk and swim. Here, Shaya and Lana are still five years old and Lana is taking Shaya on an underwater tour. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Fifty Shades of Green

Fifty Shades of Green

In order to reach the Jewel Forest where the fairies are living, Shaya and her team members must brave the deluge of the Sleeping Swamp that surrounds the forest perimeter. Here, Shaya is accompanied by Magis and Kiri and something about the swamp keeps clicking in her memory. Something must have happened to her in these murky wetlands, possibly something that separated her from the fairies who raised her back when she was a baby.

Fairy Trap

Fairy Trap

Kiaka and her mother, Queen Luvrinnia, had somehow been captured by the Land Pirates and placed in an underwater cell with a strong glass frame. While under the water, their wings were waterlogged and their magic was far too weak to use. And of course, the poor fairies could not breathe. Luvrinnia felt sad and helpless as they both started to drown and soon, Kiaka curled into her mother's warm embrace.

An Octopus Encounter

An Octopus Encounter

Shaya, four years old, went swimming in the ocean one day, when something wrapped around her leg and pulled her under the waves with no time to hold her breath. An octopus was wrapping its tentacles around little Shaya's limbs. Soon, the frightened young girl was pulled down to beyond her swimming limits. Even if the octopus decided to let her go, Shaya felt that she could not possibly swim up to the surface. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

A Moment of Despair

A Moment of Despair

Focusing on Lana and her mother, Renarya, both of them have been captured by the evil Black Mermaids and placed in an underwater prison cell. Lana is stuck in human form, and with the entirety of the Black Mermaid Palace shrouded in a magic spell that cuts off magic power from anyone else, Renarya is unable to change her daughter back into a mermaid. Overwhelmed with helplessness, the Pink Mermaid Queen breaks down in tears and cradles her drowning daughter.

Revenge of the Black Mermaids

Revenge of the Black Mermaids

The Black Mermaids had captured many of the Pink Mermaids, including Queen Renarya. Shaya and Lana braved the deep ocean to find them, only to be captured themselves. Trapped in an underwater prison cell with no air pockets and their magic sealed by the Black Mermaids, Renarya is unable to change her daughter back into a mermaid. Overwhelmed with helplessness, the Pink Mermaid Queen breaks down in tears and cradles her drowning daughter. Shaya also starts to drown herself. Can they be saved?

A Moment of Despair, Dialogue

A Moment of Despair, Dialogue

A variation of Revenge of the Black Mermaids with dialogue. Trapped in an underwater prison cell with no air pockets and their magic sealed by the Black Mermaids, Renarya is unable to change her daughter back into a mermaid. Overwhelmed with helplessness, the Pink Mermaid Queen breaks down in tears and cradles her drowning daughter. Shaya is just as sad and helpless, but she starts to drown herself. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Shaya and Lana Breath Holding 1

Shaya and Lana Breath Holding 1

Shaya and Lana dive deep into the Mermaid Ocean to practice their breath-holding skills. With Lana in human form, it is significantly harder for her to adjust to the ocean blue, so Shaya is helping her out, just as Lana trained Shaya years ago. Shaya's breath-holding can already surpass four minutes while Lana is still fairly new to breath-holding. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Shaya and Lana Breath Holding 2

Shaya and Lana Breath Holding 2

Shaya and Lana both begin to reach their limit on breath-holding, having been underwater for four minutes. The water is somewhat warm and the ocean is beautiful, but they cannot stay submerged forever. As bubbles begin to pour from their noses, the children realize that they have to swim to the surface soon. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Screeching with the Fishes

Screeching with the Fishes

Aldia is a brave young thief, although trying to reclaim what the Land Pirates have stolen from the harpies doesn't really make her a thief. So if the Land Pirates call her that, then what's wrong with them? Here, she has been captured and thrown into some kind of fish tank. A group of angelfish could tickle her, but Aldia would just as soon instinctively gut them, as her talons and claws are razor-sharp. Getting out of the fish tank is the bigger problem.

Swim, Shaya, Swim

Swim, Shaya, Swim

Shaya, four years old, was swimming in the ocean blue, but then suddenly swept out to sea by a vicious riptide. Thousands of feet away from the shore, little Shaya is desperately trying to swim all the way back with no tides backing her. Still somewhat inexperienced at her age, it isn't long before she is struggling and panting. She needs help. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Young Shaya Swimming with Dolphins

Young Shaya Swimming with Dolphins

As time went on, 4-year-old Shaya got better at swimming from daily practicing. Here, she is swimming and playing with dolphins living in the Mermaid Ocean. These friendly porpoises will be there for Shaya if she ever needs help again. And they're great for giving her underwater tours. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Shaya Swimming with Dolphins

Shaya Swimming with Dolphins

The character Sapphire Shores from "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" swims with dolphins in her dreams. Shaya swims with dolphins for real. This is a variation of "Young Shaya Swimming with Dolphins" with Shaya at the age of 10. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Sinking and Tired

Sinking and Tired

A continuation of "Swim, Shaya, Swim". Still struggling in the deep, little Shaya is swallowing water while her whole body is aching. Having little to no strength to even paddle back to shore, she is beginning to sink.

Kiri Drowning, Ocean

Kiri Drowning, Ocean

Sometimes, on the rare occasion, the Catas Tribe punishes Kiri by rowing out into the ocean and dropping her in the deep. They leave the poor girl to drown all alone with no one but fish for company. Kiri cannot swim, so she is sinking into the depths, heading for a watery grave.

Shoujo-ai

Shoujo-ai

Shaya and Lana, both 10 years old, are best friends. As they both grew up, Lana was always there for Shaya, having her back when they went on underwater adventures, and as their friendship grew stronger, Lana became nearly attached to Shaya. Lana loves Shaya as her best friend and although she would be happy with a romantic relationship, to show the extent of her love, she wants Shaya to be happy, which makes her even happier.

Love in the Water

Love in the Water

On the day after Shaya and Magis had their first date and shared their first kiss, they met up again on the beach and decided to go swimming in the ocean. Temperatures on the island of Misla are like summer all year long and with the ocean great at holding heat, its temperature is perfectly suitable for swimming. Shaya and Magis kiss while they are swimming in the water as its embrace wraps around them.

Staria Drowning

Staria Drowning

Staria is Shaya's faithful unicorn companion and dear friend. While in the ocean, Shaya was being swept away by powerful waves and Staria tried to swim to her, despite her protests. For not wanting to leave Shaya, Staria swam with all that she had, but it wasn't enough and the waves pushed her under the water. Soon, Staria was sinking into the current, unable to swim to the surface and save herself. But even in her drowning gloom, she is sad that she could not save Shaya...

Staria Drowning, Caged

Staria Drowning, Caged

Staria was imprisoned in a steel cage that suppresses her powerful unicorn magic. The cage was then dumped into the ocean and with Staria unable to save herself, she starts drowning helplessly. As she looks up to the surface, she wonders if anyone, maybe Shaya, will save her...

The Swallowing Sand

The Swallowing Sand

Young Shaya, four years old, had gone out for a trek in the hot desert only to unfortunately stumble into the swallowing sand, which is what the desert quicksand is notoriously known as due to not even Catas Tribe natives daring to explore the desert. Will the warm sand consume the little girl completely? Or can she be saved somehow?

Pearl Divin' Sisters

Pearl Divin' Sisters

The Nordica sisters, Mia and Mimi, dive deep into the ocean looking for pearls and possibly other treasures. Mia is not much of a swimmer, so she sometimes relies on her younger sister Mimi to get around. Here, the sisters are in a deep underwater cave collecting pearls and Mimi finds another one in the belly of an oyster.

Underwater Spelunking

Underwater Spelunking

Shaya and Magis are swimming underwater in a deep cave. There is much to see in the Mermaid Ocean and for Shaya, it's practically a second home to her beneath the waves. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.

Carolyn and Saka

Carolyn and Saka

When Carolyn arrives on the island of Misla, she and Saka form a fast friendship, but with a deep and special bond. They become like surrogate sisters, spending quality time with each other. Here, they float in the deep ocean and share a warm embrace, not letting even the strongest ocean tides come between them. *Carolyn is owned and created by another user, added with permission of usage.

Take Me for a Swim

Take Me for a Swim

A variation of "Carolyn and Saka" with the Opacity of the water set to 100%, so there's no transparency. Made entirely with Adobe Photoshop Elements 7. *Carolyn is owned and created by another user, added with permission of usage.

Shaya's Island Swim

Shaya's Island Swim

At the age of 6, Shaya temporarily departs from the island of Misla along with her unicorn friend, Staria, and they seek refuge on the island of Tropa for a while. Shaya opts to live under the water with her mermaid friends and so the ocean becomes a second home to her beneath the waves. As a human living among mermaids, she swims every day, both above the surface and under the sea. Using breathable resources, Shaya is quite comfortable and right at home in the deep ocean blue.

The Little Girl in the Sea

The Little Girl in the Sea

Swimming underwater is much more exciting for 6-year-old Shaya, searching for adventure and new places to explore. And her best friend Lana helps in making her a stronger and faster swimmer in time. While a swim to the surface for fresh air is easy enough, Shaya also uses breathable resources to help her stay underwater a lot longer.

Coral Island

Coral Island

The island of Tropa is a paradise where humans and mermaids co-exist and live peacefully. The islanders live in stormproof housing while the mermaids live below in the splendors of the sea. Coral reefs are always close by, and so here is 6-year-old Shaya, swimming gracefully and in awe of the beauties and sightseeing in the deep blue sea.

Dip in the Deep

Dip in the Deep

Often, Shaya's underwater life and adventures take her into very deep water, sometimes hundreds of feet below the surface. But she'll always have her mermaid friends Lana and Mira to back her up. So no matter how deep, 6-year-old Shaya is very much at home under the water.

© 2014, The Thunder Productions. Proudly created with Wix.com

Alexander Ratta, 2D Game Artist

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