Silent Bloom

Thoughts

I created this piece during a particularly negative mental state. Unable to find the words to express how I felt, I turned to artwork instead. I imagined these negative feelings as something tangible, like an infection of darkness. I pondered the idea of trying to expel these emotions and what would happen in the silence. Given that mushrooms grow in dark and damp environments, it seemed fitting that they would emerge from a mouth wide open in a silent scream. Perhaps the bloom represents a spore release or the release of those pent-up emotions.

I also played around with proportions to highlight certain aspects. For example, the eyes are small because she doesn’t truly see what’s there; her energy is focused inward. The mouth is exaggeratedly large, almost as if the jaw had been unhinged like a snake, to emphasise the effort of trying to scream. The green skin tone signifies age, akin to how metal tarnishes to a specific green color over time. I chose the Victorian-style ruff for a historical touch, though I’m unsure if it might be a distraction.

Process

I sketched in the bulk of the composition roughly as I am not used to working on black paper and moved on to colour quickly as I didn't want to start second-guessing shading! I used Posca markers to block in colour and begin to get some form. The clothing I left very rough as I didn't want to make any choices just yet. I enjoyed using the black background paper to shine through in the mushrooms, almost like an ink lining.
After this, I moved on to adding the chalks to give some gradient and shading using some pencils too for more nuance and control. I didn't like the negative space above the figure so added in some 'spores'. I think, as mentioned above, it reflects the feeling of release as I finished the piece.