STEVEN UNIVERSE: OF BLOOD AND WATER is a poster design for a hypothetical spin-off series for the cartoon series “Steven Universe” featuring original character designs and an original story premise.

Sunstone, Moonstone, Citrine, Tigers Eye, and Cats Eye were a group of rebel gems alongside Rose Quartz during the war for Earth. Upon Pink Diamonds shattering, as well as the following diamond attack, Sunstone and Cats Eye found themselves departed from the rest of their group, who managed to get off planet before corruption ensued.

Millennia would pass as Moonstone, Citrine, and Tigers Eye search for their lost allies, only to discover the two were not only captured, but rejuvinated back on Homeworld. The ones responsible? Their enemy from wars long past, Bloodstone,and her new Era Two lackey, Iolite. Now, in order to save their friends, the three will have to face their bloody past in an advanced future.

This illustration was created for an assignment titled “Riding Coattails”, in which we were assigned to create fanart for an existing IP or brand, however, I saw this as an opportunity to recreate and expand on some fan characters I had created or one of my favorite series. I had created these characters and story idea back when I was in middle/high school, and wanted to not only modernize these characters, but also use this as an opportunity to compare how my art style and sense of character design has evolved from where I had started. This project, in a sense, sees my drive and passion as an artist come full circle. This can especially be seen in the comparison of my very first illustrations of these characters, compared to their latest versions.