Death Knight

Due to a royal struggle for the throne, a prince was betrayed by his brothers. After his death, he fell into the depths of hell and forged a dark pact with the devil, transforming into a Death Knight. Now, he leads an army of demons back to the mortal realm, vowing to exact revenge and bring total annihilation. His soul, like black smoke, slowly dissipates—therefore, a cursed chain of hell binds his body, anchoring his soul within his armor.
This is my personal project. I created this character using Photoshop. The two most challenging parts of the design process were:
Choosing the final version from eight sword sketches. I realized that swords with overly complex or distinctive designs would shift the focus away from the character.
Selecting the right color comps was also a struggle. Initially, I thought a simpler palette—such as blue and black—would make the death knight appear more terrifying. However, considering his identity as a prince, I ultimately decided to use gold and added a strange, eerie purple to enhance the character’s unsettling presence.