This was my entry for the recent Addictive Hobby Forums challenge: Nordic Art & Graphic Competition 2008. The contest deadline was extended to December 3rd, 2008, so there's still time to enter!

Although I had a lot of fun reading up on the Nordic mythos, the age-old story of Odin's valkyries claiming the land's bravest soldiers for their own was what inspired me the most when it came to deciding what kind of picture to create. After being chosen by a valkyrie, they are then taken up to the hall of Valhalla, where they spend their days feasting and fighting with one another, staying in tip-top shape for the moment Odin requires them in battle.

Because I was so inspired, this picture only took me 2-3 days to throw together, rather than the usual 2-3 weeks, and would have taken a good bit less if I'd stopped fussing with the lighting so much. I ended up using a much more simple lighting rig than I'd originally planned out.