# Hearthbreak <span style="font-size: 13px;"> <span style="color: black;">Planted:</span> <span style="color: gray;"> 01 October 2025</span> </span> As I wrote in **[[Musings/Hearthbreak|Hearthbreak]]**, I'm currently working on an art series themed on this year's hardships, or rather, heartships. Beginning with this art series, I want to start documenting the thoughts, ideas, and processes behind the artwork I'm working on, from now on found in this **WIP Log** [[Compass#Branches|branch]]. Each page is going to continuously fill with information over time, until the artwork is finished (or abandoned, if never updated again). Thus, if you're curious, make sure to check in regularly. ## Theme The entire art series's atmosphere is heavily inspired by one particular music composition: ["The Final Battle" from Elden Ring's OST, by *Tsukasa Saitoh*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqbHqx4niUI). Specifically the iconic tune played on the harp at around **02:00**, of which I found an incredibly beautiful cover by *Anna Ellsworth*. This is also the base for the first art piece of the series, "**Hearthbreak**." In general, I adore *Elden Ring's* atmosphere, and it's hard to describe in words what it is exactly that captivates me so much. *Elden Ring's* world and story have an incredibly poetic and romantic flair, drenched in melancholy and grief. It resonates heavily with me on a very emotional level. ## Finding a Voice For this art series, I wanted to try out a concept I've had in mind for years: Presenting artworks with a voice over, in a simple animation showing it from different perspectives and presenting details. The voice over becomes part of the storytelling, adding an additional layer of depth. One of my favorite voices in any game or media is that of *Ranni the Witch*, especially her narration in [the first *Elden Ring* story trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_03kFqWfqs&t). By chance, I found a voice actress on *Fiverr* who comes fairly close to the original voice actress's tone and style, from my sources, *Aimee-Ffion Edwards*. We did a test recording where she actually voiced the narration of the *Elden Ring* trailer, just to see if she could replicate this very specific 'ice-cold softness' I was looking for, similar to the one in the trailer. It was perfect. Thus, *Nicky* and I will continue with the first voice-over for the series, with me planning to from now on use her voice for many more upcoming projects. ## Hearthbreak The first piece of the series, carrying the same name as the series itself, is about the weight of silence, in which one's existence and importance render meaningless. A person, in a cowered pose, clenching his fingers into his skull. Around him, a lake of blood, with blood running down his fingers. *The weight of silence.* In his hand, he holds a golden necklace with a rose pendant. A once meaningful gift, by now probably trashed or stored away for good. A drop of blood runs over the pendant. I wrote the script based on my experience and the feelings I was left with this year, from the perspective of the other person; the only interpretation I could take from incredibly hurtful actions and words. >My once... > >Wait not upon my return. > >Thou holdest no place in my heart. > >What once burned is now but ash, and I care not for thy weeping nor thy wounds. > >Seek not meaning in my silence, for there is none. > >Thou meanest nothing to me now… Nicky provided me with a huge variety of takes differing in tone and style, and for now I'm having a very hard time choosing between two. Together with Anna's cover on the harpy, it's perfect. I felt incredibly happy when I listened to the first rough composition I assembled in *DaVinci Resolve*.