
This is my image for "Subterranean", this week's Illustration Friday theme.
In regards to the process, I hand drew the bird and the ink squiggles with pen and ink and scanned them into photoshop. The rest was assembled in photoshop using custom brushes and patterns.
As for the idea, I've been reading The Dunwich Horror by HP Lovecraft, and throughout the story he references birds as psychopomps (a psychopomp escorts newly deceased souls to the underworld). I figured underworld was as subterranean as it can get. I tried to reference skeleton parts on the crow to emphasize the death part of it. I actually saw a really creepy pidgeon in Gore Park the other day that had eye markings that looked like a skull, which also inspired this.
I enjoy this style, but I would really like constructive criticism to make it better! Comment if you have something to say that could help. Thank you!