https://youtu.be/0uCorX4gptk

Welcome to another DragonLance Saga creator episode. My name is Adam and today I am talking with Dragonlance inspired artist Elena "Greenedera" Zambelli. You can check out her fantastic artwork online through the link in the description below.

 I would like to take a moment and thank my collaborator patrons, the Heroes of the Lance, and invite you to consider becoming a patron or member of this channel by visiting the links in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate link.

Elena, I wanted to thank you for joining me,

1) How did you discover Dragonlance?

I was 13 when I received "War of the Twins." I knew it was not the first book of the series, but I decided to read it anyway. I fell in love with Raistlin immediately. In the next two months, I found and read the other books by Weis & Hickman and loved them. Later I discovered the D&D setting and all the previous material.

The Internet was just a novelty at the time, and I didn't know English, but I did my best to hoard all the official paintings of the series. I still have my first sketches of Raistlin from 2000.

2) Do you have a favorite novel or series?

In Dragonlance, that is The Soulforge. The Legend Trilogy is my favorite as well, especially the chapters about Raistlin and Dalamar.

3) Why is that your favorite novel or series?

Easy to understand why: Raistlin, Raistlin, Raistlin. Such a clichè, to fall for the villain. But it's not just that. He's a character misunderstood by his peers, the outcast. He has a lot of problems, yet he never gives up. He always finds  inner strength that leads him to overcome his fears and fight with all his might.

He can make mistakes, but he regrets nothing. This was inspiring and still inspires me to this day. Even though he's just a fictional character, thinking of Raistlin helped me through some awful moments in my past, especially when I had a health problem that I feared would stop me from drawing forever. 

4) What is the most tragic moment in Dragonlance, in your opinion?

As you can imagine, it was the end of Time of the Twins. It stole my breath, and when the book ended, I felt that peculiar feeling of emptiness. One moment later, though, I was already creating an alternative finale in my head, one I could bear. So, Raistlin never really died, for me.

5) What is it about Dragonlance that makes you create art for it?

My love for the characters. I want them to live forever, and I want to share how I imagine them. I want to depict significant moments. When creating a semi-realistic painting, I spend a lot of time with the characters: from 10 up to 40 hours working on the same picture, from sketch to final stage, so I have a lot of time to think. My thoughts are circling around  the books, the scenes, the "what ifs." Of course, it's nicer to paint subjects you love. It's not just about drawing something: it's about catching the moment, expressing the feel of the scene, the emotions of the  characters: It is what I try to do, when I sit down and paint.

6) What is your favorite medium to create art in?

I am torn on this subject, because I am an eclectic person. If I have to choose one answer, then it would be: digital. But I cannot deny my great love for art on paper as well: with a ballpoint pen and a scrap of paper I can sketch an idea I got within a minute...