Dark Souls is one of the biggest franchises of the last two generations. It has spawned and inspired multiple other games in the same formula, but none has matched the environment and feel of the original. The reason for that isn't just nostalgia, but the carefully crafted world, brilliant lore, and memorable characters. One of those is Solaire of Astora, who is motivated similarly to the main character in the game.
Players meet Solaire multiple times through the Dark Souls, and he is one of the characters which lends his assistance during boss fights, which is what makes him such a fan favorite. Dark Souls is very influential with fans, and some of them have taken their love for the series to another level, with incredible fan art.
10 Solaire - Dark Souls By Stefano Bernardi
This is not a hand-drawn fan art but rather a full fledged collectible model of Solaire. This work is by Stefano Bernardi and is published in his Artstation page. The details in this piece are incredible, the boots look shiny and metallic, the shield looks thick, and the clothing is right to the model of Solaire in Dark Souls. According to the information on the page, this was initially a fan project but was later turned into a contracted work by Fangamer.
9 Sunlight of Astora By Mateusz Twardoch
This stylized artwork is by Mateusz Twardoch and is posted on his Artstation page. The fan art is fantastic, and with the exaggerated size of shield and sword, Solaire looks a lot more deadly compared to the in-game version. But this is the best part of the art. It is a portrayal of one's thoughts and passion. This piece looks like it can easily be used as a professional poster design. It looks shiny, dark, and gritty at the same time, and matches the feel of the original game.
8 Prodigal Sun By Cal Santiago
This is fan art of Solaire of Astora and the Nameless King from the Dark Souls. It can be found on the creator Cal Santiago's, Artstation Page. This work looks exceptional and unique because of the realistic facial features of Solaire and the armor. Another great thing about this work is the fact that Solaire is holding his helmet in his left hand, feeling the glare of the sun on his bare face. The Nameless King in the back brings out the whole piece together.
7 Solaire of Astora - Dark Souls By Juan Acosta
This is an artwork by freelance concept artist & illustrator, Juan Acosta. The work captures the rusty and raw nature of the game and has a historic vibe to its paint style. This could easily be a painting texture in a game; that is how good it looks. The work portrays a calmed down Solaire resting by his shield and holding a sword in his hand.
It is clearly visible that he is enjoying the soothing taste of sunshine before he proceeds with his journey into the unknown.
6 Praise Vauban, Praise the Sun By Audrey Manabat
Here is an example of how fantasy becomes a reality, mainly when amazing fans exist. This is a hybrid fan art by Audrey Manabat and can be viewed on the Artstation Page. The artwork shows Vauban from Warframe, wearing the Vauban Citadel Skin. According to the information on the page, Audrey has really liked the new design of this character and saw some similarities between the new skin and Solaire. This is why the artwork shows Vauban posing like Solaire, as he praises the sun.
5 Ultra Ornstein vs Oscar and Solaire By John Agnew
This is an entirely 3D printed project by John Agnew. The fan art looks impressive as it has excellent sculpting and textures. But what's even better is the idea and the cinematic angle of the artwork. It is a fight scene between Ultra Ornstein VS Oscar and Solaire. The whole piece looks terrific, especially since it captures the grittiness of the Dark Souls. The fact that Solaire is using his shield as a platform for his partner guarantees that he is genuinely a sun bro.
4 Lost Izalith By François Coutu
This beautiful artwork is created by François Coutu. The fan art is a homage to Dark Souls and carefully captures the feeling and details of the experience. In the artwork, Solaire can be seen waving back to the player as they part ways.
This final goodbye is very emotional and captures the essence of how almost every player feels after reaching this point in the game. Other than this, little details like the arrows and the Bounding Demons of Izalith in the background sell the whole piece as authentic.
3 Sword of the Sun By Alexandr Novitskiy
This is what happens when a fan art becomes too original with its approach. Created by Alexandr Novitskiy, this is not a character artwork but rather a design of a sword. What makes it unique is its freshness, as the sword doesn't belong to the Solaire in the game, but is instead inspired by the character. The overall design looks brilliant, with detailed textures and lighting. The symbolism in this piece is to the point. The whole composition is artistically aesthetic.
2 Solaire of Astora - Georgy Stacker
This fan art is created by Georgy Stacker, and showcase a bruised and battered Solaire fighting a horde of undead enemies. The artwork is detailed, and showcase Solaire in a battling stance, as he is about to kill the enemies. This sketch speaks of the feeling and experience of the game. The uneasiness and being jumped by multiple enemies is something almost everyone has felt while playing Dark Souls and seeing Solaire in a similar situation, highlights the crazy world of this game.
1 Solaire of Astora Dark Souls By Raquel Cornejo
This is probably the most comic-accurate representation of Solaire. It is created by Raquel Cornejo and can be viewed on the Artstation page. The best part about this fan art is how simple yet captivating it looks. This is probably an excellent style for a Dark Souls comic book, with the inked outlines and faded colors. Solaire here looks just like from the game, with grungy textures and an outfit that resembles the in-game version. The streak of sunlight makes this piece stand apart.