The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's is a game steeped with fasinating lore and captivating characters. Triss Merigold is one of the game's most important and beloved characters, with one fan bringing her to life with nothing but paper and pencil.
Six years since its release and The Witcher 3 daily continues to inspire the creativity of its fans. Triss Merigold is a powerful mage, who has aided the series' protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, since the first game, and help raise Ciri, the focal point of The Witcher 3's story. With bright red hair and a distinct blue, red, and yellow tunic, Triss' design is a standout of the games many female characters, especially against the dark attire of Yennefer and the lightness of Ciri's. Geralt can romance Triss in The Witcher 3 if they desire, but unfortunately, things between Geralt and Triss are quite rocky.
Artist Emily Megan shared their beautiful art of Triss to The Witcher 3 subreddit. The piece is inspired by Triss' official artwork from the game, but with enhanced colors, turning the rather muted original piece into a vibrant one that pops off the page. Beyond just the colors, Megan's art perfectly captures the depth of the character through their expert shading, making it look like Triss is genuinely standing in a space. Importantly, Triss is a very capable character, and Megan's render of her flames perfectly captures that, the flames appearing dynamic and full through Megan's use of movement and color.
In the comments, fans are expressing their adoration of Megan's piece. Some people thought this was just the original game render or that it was a photoshop until studying it closer, to which Megan responds, "The highest of compliments!" When asked about how long it took to get to where they are now, Megan notes, "It's taken me around 6/7 years to get where I am now." Megan is a full-time freelance artist and also a concept artist at Supermassive Games, the developer of The Dark Pictures Anthology.
As Megan iterates, to have one's artwork be compared to an original piece and be seen as indistinguishable from it is really extraordinary praise. What is clear from Megan's work is that while they are very attentive to detail in successfully recreating the original piece, they are also not afraid to alter certain aspects to make the piece still their own, which in this case, was Triss' coloration. Megan's piece is so rich and full, that for many, it may even surpass the original work. Either way, Megan's talent is indisputable and it would be great to see them tackle more The Witcher 3 characters.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.