Redemption

My entry for this year's contest at for the sketch category. I meant for it to be in the "solid" category, but it took a lot longer to even make the sketch version than I thought it would and the deadline is tomorrow... And today was actually my last day to be able to work on it.

Anyway, the three themes for the contest are Honor, Courage, or Redemption... and while I chose "Redemption" as my theme I think the others apply as well.

I tried to capture the most significant moments of the journey Kenshin wandered over his life... right until the moment when I believe he would truly have felt redeemed: when he held his newborn son Kenji for the very first time.

He went through so much blood and tears until that moment... But I'm sure he cried tears of happiness when he became a father.

Because, after so many years atoning for all the lives he took as an assassin... in that moment, he held a life that he actually helped create.

While it might be sketchy in appearance, I feel that the raw emotions I felt while drawing this came through. That's how my sketches usually are, and I like them for that reason.

Hope you guys like it too!