Medium: Mix of Traditional/Digital

 

Size: 3000 x 4000 px

 

In this narrative of an aghori detective and a slain monster, the story strikingly reflects our modern world, marked by greed, where animals suffer for their resources. This serves as a poignant plea to safeguard nature, seamlessly blending historical and contemporary contexts.

Bathed in sunlight, I aimed to capture a grieving aghori caring for the oblivious baby monster, emphasizing the innocence lost to exploitation. The imposing background monster becomes a powerful symbol of the ongoing fight against environmental abuse. With a vibrant landscape, cascading leaves, and a depth-of-field effect, I want to prompt viewers to contemplate the timeless connection between past and present challenges in our treatment of the natural world.

 

These character sketches are precursors to the previous illustration slide. I focused on capturing varied expressions of both the Aghori, a devotee of Shiva, and the young crocodile.

Interestingly, the Aghori character has tritanopia, causing him to perceive the creature in shimmering shades of blue. Working directly with Staedtler watercolor pencils has been an enjoyable experience. The distinct pencil strokes coalesce into clear shapes, avoiding the grey, indistinct smudging typical with regular pencils. Moreover, these pencils offer the advantage of being remarkably lightweight.