Playing God (2021)
This piece was an exploration into landscapes (something I rarely attempted before). One of my favorite views has always been sunlight filtering through clouds onto mountains during golden hour, so I set out to capture that serene and majestic light. Hovering above it all is a large hand rendered in whimsical, saturated colors, a stand-in for “God.” I intentionally blurred and smudged the hand to represent the abstract nature of creation. Around it, I used expressive brush strokes to imply the act of building the scene itself.
In the foreground, a man stands with half his face obscured by a white lily, adding to the tranquil and contemplative tone. The flower softens the scene, inviting pause and reflection.
I was inspired by the realization that working in Procreate felt like playing god. Unlike traditional mediums, where every movement is final, digital art offers infinite control: tap to erase, tap again to restore. You can alter colors numerically, rearrange layers, and undo mistakes at will. Coming from a background in charcoal and analog tools, it felt like stepping into an entirely new role. Not just the artist, but the architect of every decision and iteration.
Reflections & Areas of Improvement
The hand’s abstraction and blurred lines were intentional, but with more layering, it could’ve had stronger depth and dimension.
I’m still exploring how to integrate landscape and figure harmoniously, the transition between foreground and background could be more cohesive.
