Darkness rises

Samhain sona, it is time for proper dark art.

Time lightsped through October (and yes, this is a very nonsensical thing to say), and though you'd never know it by the temperatures outside, it is the festival of Darkness. I am making it tradition to devote this part of the year - from the start of October to the Winter Solstice and New Year - to Darkness. This is the best time for it, and also the most spiritual of times.... especially for us who are attuned and devoted to Darkness to begin with.

I was close to skipping creating an artwork for Samhain this year.... but I found a spark of creativity for it once more, praise Darkness for it as well. I'm not sure how the idea came.... I know it started as a really really messy sketch with a similar layout yet a very different perspective.... the castle was completely rectangular behind and probably a lot less recognizable. But then I realized I wanted a more dramatic and actually sinister look. So I took the messy sketch and started skewing parts of it until it became a lot more perspectived and a lot messier too. If you saw that initial stage you'd lose any faith in me as an artist.... or who knows, maybe you'd gain more of it. In any case, I am glad I did it so, I've never tried a perspective like this before, let alone remotely succeeded.

So what's going on here.... hahah, as if I'd really tell. Looks busy for sure, lots of ummm.... persons present, but everyone is present for a very concrete reason. I won't disclose the identity of everyone.... Obviously there's me, the tiny thing with witchy hat doing the summoning. Then there is Azazel, my Demon Guardian, who is the bluest spirit in the center, somewhat untypical for him. The other two spirits are Demons also, and they aren't random. One of them you might recognize from last year (he's taken another shape this time), the other I've never drawn before. Also, why yes, I start drawing them with a different kind of face, more bestial, it suits them better and is very likely closer to their native form. The other two persons present are self-explanatory if you know enough. If you don't they shall have to remain enigmatic.

As for the place.... Dark castle surrounded by the dark forests somewhere in deep and dark Prussia.... a Blood Moon rising illuminating its lightless shape and the raining of what is not quite rain. That last detail I decided to add almost at the end, kinda randomly, as I randomly thought the brush strokes made the castle look surreal.... so instead of adding more details (I didn't like how a cleaner definition looked), I did that instead. Turned out to work perfectly.... Because, in case you haven't gotten that yet, this is Castle Brennenburg. Why, you might ask, have I gathered friends to perform a Satanic ritual and summon Demons at that particular place? Ah well, I'm afraid that shall have to remain a mystery also.

And yes, no pumpkins this time. First Samhain art with no pumpkins. It's not about Samhain as much as it is about Darkness. Besides, pumpkins would have been totally out of place somehow.

Rebelle 5 with Wacom Intuos4

Original size: 2339 x 2339 px