Celtic warrior + art process

New illustration of the Celtic warrior

Celtic Warriors & Painted Armor
These Celtic warriors (around 400 BC) were known not only for their courage, but for their expressive appearance and deep symbolism. Their gear often served as a statement—of rank, of spirituality, and of defiance. This warrior wears a linothorax: a composite armor made from layers of linen, adapted from Greek traditions but transformed through a Celtic lens.

Historically, such armor was likely worn by Galatian Celts, tribes who migrated into Asia Minor and encountered Hellenistic cultures. There, they adopted and reimagined the linothorax—sometimes painting it with tribal spirals, animal totems, and protective symbols, rooted in their own mythology.

Weapons of choice of celtic warriors included long iron swords, spears, oval shields, and decorative torcs—metal neck rings signifying nobility and divine favor. Their battle appearance was often dramatic, sometimes with exposed chests and war paint, other times with chain-mail or richly adorned armor that turned the warrior into a living icon.

Done in Krita.
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