#black and white illustration
The Haven
When it’s storming outside, how comforting a good book is ?
She needed a full library to feel in control : she could choose the lives she wanted to live, she could escape, for a moment, this overwhelming reality. To her, these books felt like windows opened to countless possibilities, and she would take days to explore them. Why would she take a step outside when this haven was all she needed ?
Here is my contribution to the new issue of the Sink-Fanzine, “Library” !
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Drawtober 5: Ancient Rituals
All rituals have a beginning. And for the rituals that take place on All Hallows’ Eve, that beginning was when the first ghost returned to the world of the living.
Like my art? Consider supporting me: Ko-fi. For art not to be resold or used for advertising, view my Commission Info. For graphic design/art intended to be resold or used for advertising, view my Contract Details on my website: emilylaj.com/contract-details.
[ID: Black and white digital illustration of a ghost walking through an open, wooden gate. The front of the ghost (the part past the gate) is fully opaque and then fades until the back of the ghost (behind the gate) is almost invisible. There are round, organic shaped stones arranged in a circle around the gate, decreasing in size the further they are from the gate. Tuffs of grass are between the stones. End Description]
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Drawtober 4: Folklore
One foolish enough to follow the light of the will-o’-the-wisp can only hope their death, and transformation, is quick.
Like my art? Consider supporting me: Ko-fi. For art not to be resold or used for advertising, view my Commission Info. For graphic design/art intended to be resold or used for advertising, view my Contract Details on my website: emilylaj.com/contract-details.
[ID: Black and white digital painting of a woman, from chest up, leaning against a tree, her head tilted to face the viewer. Her long hair is made of smoke that billows out to the right, with some strands falling over her face. The left eye, directly facing the viewer, is decayed to show the full eyeball and eye socket, and some of her cheek, separated into three sections, on the same side is decayed to show some teeth, gums, and jaw bone. Her lips are chapped and cracked. Four smoky will-o-the-wisps with large, round heads, two thin limbs, and a wavy toil, glowing from the head and middle, circle around her. Her expression is somber. End Description]
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Drawtober 2021
Prompt 6: The Grande Finale
This is your last chance to see the wonders of the Dark Carnival.
～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～
✦ Like my art? Consider supporting me: Ko-fi. For custom art for personal use, view my Commission Info. For graphic design/art for business purposes, i.e to make profit from reselling the work as a product, using it for advertising/promotion, etc., view my Contract Details on my website: emilylaj.com/contract-details. ✦
[ID: A curtain is separated in the middle by one hand on the left and one on the right. Everything described after this is behind the curtains. At the top is a cracked mirror, with a screaming mouth, bloody handprints, and eyeballs reflected in them, warped by the cracked glass. In the middle, emerging from the darkness, are two hands hovering over either side of a glowing crystal ball. Beams of light and stars erupt from the crystal ball and pass through the Fortune Teller’s fingers. In the crystal ball, a person stands, wearing a brimmed hat, a mask with crescent moon eyes and smile, a jacket with a long, eyeball-and-star-patterned cape, a striped long-sleeved shirt, overlapping-circle-patterned tights, and riding boots. Their head is tilted back with the cape flowing up behind them as if just landed from a jump. One set of arms are extended upward. The third arm is wrapped over their stomach and the fourth arm is behind their back, bowing. On the bottom left, a clown (bald with pigtails) peers out with a sharp-toothed grin. On the bottom right is a clear jar, and inside the jar is a fairy with their hands extended out, touching each side of the jar, and one leg lifted parallel to the ground. They are looking straight at the viewer, wearing a blank expression. They are wearing a tank top and pants overlaid with a sheer, long-sleeved, fit-and-flare dress spattered with leaves. Hanging off the jar is a small, eyeball creature with seven legs. The words, from top to bottom, read in all caps: “The Grande Finale. Your last chance to see the wonders of the Dark Carnival.” End description.]
Drawtober 2021
Prompt 5: Side Shows
Oof, the art block with this one.
～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～
✦ Like my art? Consider supporting me: Ko-fi. For custom art for personal use, view my Commission Info. For graphic design/art for business purposes, i.e to make profit from reselling the work as a product, using it for advertising/promotion, etc., view my Contract Details on my website: emilylaj.com/contract-details. ✦
[ID: A person with long hair, wearing a dotted, sleeveless shirt and solid-colored skirt, stands in front of of pillar, with floor to ceiling mirrors on either side. Their image is reflected four times in the mirror, two showing each side of the person, and two showing each 3/4th view of the person. From the person outward, the mirror is cracked in six major sections, and in each section is an image broken up from the cracks. From top to bottom and left from right in an arch, the images are: screaming mouth, bloody handprints, eyeballs, screaming mouth, eyeballs, and bloody handprints. The words, from top to bottom, read in all caps: “Side Shows, Introducing: The House of Mirrors. Only at the Grand Finale.” End description.]
Drawtober 2021
Prompt 4: The Ring Master
They command the stage.
～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～
✦ Like my art? Consider supporting me: Ko-fi. For custom art for personal use, view my Commission Info. For graphic design/art for business purposes, i.e to make profit from reselling the work as a product, using it for advertising/promotion, etc., view my Contract Details on my website: emilylaj.com/contract-details. ✦
[ID: A person stands in the center, wearing a brimmed hat, a mask with crescent moon eyes and smile, a jacket with a long, eyeball-and-star-patterned cape, a striped long-sleeved shirt, overlapping-circle-patterned tights, and riding boots. Their head is tilted back with the cape flowing up behind them as if just landed from a jump. One set of arms are extended upward. The third arm is wrapped over their stomach and the fourth arm is behind their back, bowing. The words, from top to bottom, read in all caps: “The Ring Master, they command the stage. Only at the Grand Finale.” End description.]
Drawtober 2021
Prompt 3: Fortune Teller
Would it be worth it?
～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～
✦ Like my art? Consider supporting me: Ko-fi. For custom art for personal use, view my Commission Info. For graphic design/art for business purposes, i.e to make profit from reselling the work as a product, using it for advertising/promotion, etc., view my Contract Details on my website: emilylaj.com/contract-details. ✦
[ID: Emerging from the darkness are two hands hovering over either side of a glowing crystal ball. Beams of light and stars erupt from the crystal ball and pass through the Fortune Teller’s fingers. Inside the crystal ball is a skull with smoke billowing out from the eye sockets and mouth. The words, from top to bottom, read in all caps: “Fortune Teller, find your fate. Only at the Grand Finale.” End description.]
Drawtober 2021
Prompt 2: Living Curiosities
Snakes, surprisingly fun to draw. Still scared of them though.
～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～
✦ Like my art? Consider supporting me: Ko-fi. For custom art for personal use, view my Commission Info. For graphic design/art for business purposes, i.e to make profit from reselling the work as a product, using it for advertising/promotion, etc., view my Contract Details on my website: emilylaj.com/contract-details. ✦
[ID: A pair of hands extend from the left with a two-headed snake wrapped around them, with the top snake pointed up, turned to the right, and displaying its fangs. The bottom snake is upside down, calm. The hands are holding a clear jar, and inside the jar is a fairy with their hands extended out, touching each side of the jar, and one leg lifted parallel to the ground. They are looking straight at the viewer, wearing a blank expression. They are wearing a tank top and pants overlaid with a sheer, long-sleeved, fit-and-flare dress spattered with leaves. Hanging off the bottom hand is a small, eyeball creature with seven legs. The words, from top to bottom, read in all caps: “Living Curiosities, you won’t believe your eyes. Only at the Grand Finale.” End description.]
Drawtober 2021
Prompt 1:Send In The Clowns
Hurricane Ida might have wrecked my house but that won’t stop me from participating in my favorite Halloween tradition.
～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～✦～
✦ Like my art? Consider supporting me: Ko-fi. For custom art for personal use, view my Commission Info. For graphic design/art for business purposes, i.e to make profit from reselling the work as a product, using it for advertising/promotion, etc., view my Contract Details on my website: emilylaj.com/contract-details. ✦
[ID: A curtain is separated in the middle by one hand on the left and one on the right. A clown (bald with pigtails) on the left peers out with a sharp-toothed grin. Another clown (bald with horns made of hair sticking out of the side of their head) crouches down in front and to the right of that clown, half of their face hidden by the curtain. A third clown behind the other two is enveloped mostly in shadow, but their wide, opened-mouthed, and fanged smile can be seen. In the background there are many toothy grins scattered around. The words, from top to bottom, read in all caps: “Send in the clowns, and prepare to scream and laugh. Only at the Grande Finale.” End description.]
“They took out their precious book.” Wood engraving by Joseph Swain, based on the artwork of John Everett Millais, for the periodical Once A Week, volume 6, December 1861 - June 1862.
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“She looked down upon our street.” Portrait illustration by Charles Dana Gibson, for the novel, About Paris, written by Richard Harding Davis and published in 1895.
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Bookplate etching by William Bell Scott for Poems Dramatic and Lyrical, by John Byrne Warren, published in 1893. The artwork was designed and engraved by Scott as a gift to the author.
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A Winter’s night. Etching by William Hole for The Poetry of Robert Burns, Volume 1, published in 1896.
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“Under her childish gaze, a wolf that had been taken alive in the Bohemian forest crawled fawning to her feet.” Portrait illustration by William John Hennessy, for the book The Witch of Prague; A Fantastical Tale, published in 1901.
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Study. Wood engraving by Georges Leon Alfred Perrichon, based on the artwork of Eugene Carriere. The portrait was included in the periodical, L’Image (1896-1897), published in Paris, France by Henri Floury.
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Glance at Detroit from the city hall. Wood engraving by John Douglas Woodward for Picturesque America, Volume 1, published in 1872. The book was edited by William Cullen Bryant.
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The shower. Woodcut by Felix Vallotton, for his biography, published in 1898 by Edmond Sagot and J. A. Stargardt
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The falling of the leaves. Landscape etching by Alfred Taiee, based on the artwork of Jean-Francois Millet for the book, J. F. Millet: Souvenirs de Barbizon, published in 1876.
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