As we get that little bit closer to Cyberpunk 2077's release date, CD Projekt's previous highly acclaimed title The Witcher 3 is never too far from gamer's minds. Over the course of five years since its initial release on PC, Xbox One, and PS4, The Witcher 3 is certainly one of those games you go back to time and time again after you have completed it due to the incredible stories found within its realms. When choosing a favorite character from the RPG adventure, that's usually not the easiest decision to make. But what I will say is that talented artists from around the world seem to capture each one with immense beauty and today is no different as we see the resilient Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon drawn solely with the use of charcoal.

Michael C. Hayes is an illustrator for Magic: The Gathering, a gallery painter and, more so than anything else, an independent artist. Wanting to stand out from the crowd, Michael decided to take up charcoal painting to add another layer of creative talent to his paintings especially so when attending conventions. He has also received numerous awards from the Art Renewal Center and the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists where his work has hung in collections, galleries, and museums all over the world. Here we see Michael taking on the incredible Ciri from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and it's amazing how well he has captured Ciri's determined facial expression we have all grown to love and recognize.

As you will notice from the drawing, Michael has sketched Princess Ciri using charcoal which gives it real depth and a haunting undertone. I particularly love how Michael shades certain areas that make Ciri almost come to life, especially in parts as her shirt creases and the deepening of her facial scars. The level of detail here too is not to be sniffed at - just look at how much work went into Ciri's belt, her eyes, and those long wisps of white locks. As a Witcher fan, this is definitely a piece of work I'd love to hang proudly on my wall. If you happen to love fantasy artwork, Michael has also put together a book full of his illustrations that's currently running over on Kickstarter. Named Exodus, the book is Michaels third compilation of his work and it is the first in which all of the artwork was created not for commercial clients, but entirely for himself. Having spent some time gazing over all of Michael's pieces of art, it's safe to say that his work is incredible and well worth taking a look at.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt celebrated its 5-year anniversary a few months ago so, naturally, I took to my keyboard to type out why I still love it so much to this very day. If you have a few minutes, you can check that out right here. For all things monsters and mythology from The Witcher Netflix show, take a look at this guide that goes into great detail about the lore of the monsters that Geralt encounters. We also saw recently that a prequel to the incredibly good Netflix TV show The Witcher will be coming our way.

The Witcher: Blood Origin will be set 1200 years before Geralt of Rivia, and will feature a chaotic world filled with monsters, men, and elves that will explore how the first Witcher developed. The TV series was one of Netflix’s biggest first seasons ever with over 76 million households tuning in to watch. In the years since its release, there have been tons of great fan creations and art, ranging from a comic book-style illustration of Geralt to a mockup of Witcher-themed Xbox Series X console and also some of Geralt displaying his dad side.

Be sure to check out our own review for the Netflix series The Witcher here. If gaming is more your style, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.