Anastasia Ershova is a talented artist whose passion for Tomb Raider has shaped her artistic journey. At 21, Anastasia acquired her first graphics tablet and started exploring digital art. Inspired by the array of artwork she found online, she began creating her own fan art. Without a formal art education, she taught herself and, by 23, decided to make art her career. Read on for insights into her artistic journey and reflections on some of her favorite pieces.  

“I became a huge Tomb Raider fan back in junior school when I was about 8 years old. My parents bought a PC, and it came with some games, such as Tomb Raider 2, which instantly became a hit with me and my older sister (whose name is Lara, by the way!). One of the most cherished memories of my childhood is playing Tomb Raider 2 together.” 

“Being a fan of Tomb Raider gave me a lot of opportunities to connect with fans all around the globe who were just like me, playing those games back in the 90s and still loving them all those years later. It was a dream come true when I had the opportunity to work with Crystal Dynamics on one of the Tomb Raider Reimagined fan for covers for the #TR25 The Angel of Darkness celebration month. I have the greatest pleasure of being a part of the Official Fan Program, and I'm deeply honoured to be on Jenni Milward's AoD sequel team, helping to save the Angel of Darkness legacy for the future. I don't think I will ever stop loving Tomb Raider and being inspired by it!” 

“This is one of my most recent paintings. I was inspired by the release of Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, prompting me to recreate one of my favourite renders from the Tomb Raider 1 era: Lara sitting on her motorbike in front of the main gate of Croft Manor. It's always fun to give your own interpretation of preexisting work, be it a masterpiece of a painter or an iconic 3D render like this. I definitely took artistic liberties with Lara's face; I wanted her to resemble the Remastered version. I also highlighted her iconic long braid and added some muscles, giving it a personal touch. I changed the overall colour scheme to a warmer one, aiming for the scene to evoke a nice summer day. The most challenging part was the bike, but I enjoyed painting it, adding extra light effects on the metal parts for a more realistic look. Including grass and particles on the ground is another personal touch to bring the scene to life. Finally, I added The Croft Family crest to the top piece of the gate as a finishing touch. I sincerely hope I did justice to this render.” 

"This is one of my favourite paintings, not just Tomb Raider-themed but of all time! It features all the iconic Tomb Raider I characters in one poster, aiming for a 90s action flick vibe! I hope I succeeded. For this piece, I let my imagination run wild while still adhering to the original designs of the characters. Natla is the largest figure at the top, appearing scary and imposing, as in the game, with shadowy Tihocan and Qualopec behind her, similar to their cutscene appearances. Larson and Pierre, fan favourites, are just below her, sporting cheeky smiles and guns at the ready. The rest of the villains surround the central figure of Lara, holding the Scion of Atlantis, wearing her iconic outfit, and a cocky smirk! I chose a red/green colour scheme for this painting, giving it a lot of energy but also a spooky vibe. As a comical touch, I added Adam, the game's almost final boss, on the lower right corner, just happy to be there!" 

“I don't usually paint action pieces, but I enjoyed creating this one, hoping to convey a sense of motion and danger. It features one of my favourite outfits and vehicles from my preferred TR game, Tomb Raider II. I always adored the snowy levels in Tomb Raider, and the Tibet area of Tomb Raider II is my absolute favourite. Lara looked stunning in her brown winter jacket, and I aimed to do it justice, along with the red skidoo. I loved driving it around the snowy mountains as a kid, and the red colour stood out beautifully against the white snow. I still have fun playing this level many years later. I added a bit of a motion blur effect to the braid and the edges of this painting to give it a strong sense of movement!” 

You can follow Anastasia’s work here: 

• X (Twitter) 

• tumblr 

• Instagram 

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