This is a competition entry piece for RenderHub's Deadly Cruves. I had been working out ideas in my mind and wanted to create a fantasy-inspired piece that captured the deadly allure of curves—something that could kill, yet evoke a delicious sense of sensuality. My vision leaned towards a Frank Frazetta-like aesthetic, with a female protagonist at its core. I’ve worked on barbarians before and had a female barbarian concept tucked away, so this felt like the perfect opportunity. Step One: I roughly visualised a scene of her triumphantly cavorting over a vanquished creature, knives in both hands. The pose was originally quite different in my mind, but as the idea evolved, so did the composition. I started by morphing my female barbarian to look more athletic, but to enhance the sense of curvature, I increased her voluptuousness. That said, I don’t think my level of voluptuousness will satisfy those who are truly into extremes—lol! I still prefer a touch of athleticism, so yes, I compromised quite a bit. Next came the pose. I drew inspiration from Aeonsoul’s delightful pose sets and Faber Inc.’s Just Dance collection. With a few tweaks, I arrived at my initial concept. However, when viewed through the camera angle I wanted, the scene felt too sedate. After more adjustments, a new pose emerged—hopefully worthy of Aeonsoul and Faber Inc.’s own work. Expression was another key element. I aimed for a mix of mystery, innocence, and ecstasy. Did I manage it? Hopefully—lol! After rendering several versions, I began post-work. The last image in my entry shows a zoom of about 300%, highlighting the subtle layer of noise I kept throughout. This slight grittiness at 100% adds depth and impact, so don’t feel compelled to remove all noise—it can enhance the overall effect. With post-work complete, I turned to my favourite critic—my daughter. She offered some sharp observations, prompting me to redo parts of the work before finalising the submission. And here I am, sharing the journey behind this artwork. Most of the post-work brushes came from Ron or Deviney’s collections. (A little side note: I was struck with flu at the start of this endeavour and was bedridden for a couple of days—just when my flu jab was around the corner! Thankfully, the worst is over and I’m on the road to full recovery.) I hope you enjoyed reading my story, and I truly hope you enjoy my new submission. —Yaz #Renderhubcontest, #aograi, #fantasy, #BarbarianQueen, #DeathRite,