The Lad and the Devil

Final piece

I’m really pleased with the outcome of this piece. I think that I was able to convey the eerie tone and atmosphere of story, through the characters expression, found in their pose, movement, and interaction with the environment. In addition, I think I illustrated the key moments and aspects of the story in a way that is clear to the viewer. I decided to keep the background and composition of the blacksmiths house very simple, as there are already three key focal points in the piece, the blacksmith, the explosion, and the devil, and I didn’t want the painting to appear too busy and messy. I think that acrylic worked well for this piece, because as a media it is very versatile, enabling me to create opaque shadows, adding to the ominous tone of the piece, as well as vibrant tones and carefully placed small brushstrokes, creating a sense of movement within the piece. If I could do it again, I would use more muted tones for the brick wall, so that the red tone I used for the smoke and devil would stand out more from the page and appear more vibrant, as it is one of the focal points of the illustration.