The Tempest
Rae M.
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My art has a habit of seeming more carefree until taken into context. For instance, this piece is an illustration of The Tempest, where an innocent spirit is bound to an arrogant mortal, Prospero, and asked to do his bidding. This spirit, Ariel, has been a captive in the grasp of an oak tree for twelve years after refusing to perform the violent orders of his previous captor, only to be freed into a slightly larger prison. His newest assignment is to create a storm that will wash a boat of Prospero’s enemies to them.
The aim of this drawing was to capture the silent helplessness of Ariel; as he is one of the most powerful spirits in the world but unable to escape the orders of a mere human. He has the power to send waves and storm clouds, but each order he must fulfill is against his own morals. Standing amid the storm, Ariel is unable to even look at the damage he’s created.
For this image, I decided to use a digital medium instead of graphite or ink because I knew it would be important to zoom in on all the details, such as the tiny ship and the people onboard. My favorite drawing app is Ibispaint, and I prefer to use my finger to draw over a stylus because I feel more in touch with my artwork.
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When I was younger, I was amazed at the way the books I read whisked me into another world, but it was only a couple of years ago that I realized that I could be like that too. I could make a world for myself and others to enjoy through my art.
