Posted in Digital Art

Digital Art – Fascination Street

All digital art by Michael

Succubus 1-1

The above image is the “featured” image for a gallery focused on the Succubus or Devil Woman that sometimes moves within our dreams. A brief description of the succubus is included for historical reference is also included in the gallery –  Succubus – Devil Woman

Screaming for Vengence

The Valkyrie of Norse mythology. For more images and a brief backgrounder, check out my digital art gallery – The Valkyrie 

Dionysus - Red Sheet 1 v2-1

I’ve been working on a post, The Rise and Fall of Dionysus and the above image was inspired by that writing. The central questions I wanted to learn more about were how a great civilization like Greece fades and what became of their gods? My findings are available as a “work in progress” here: Dionysus – The Rise and Fall (and Rise).

Dionysus - Ecstasy v2

I created this above image a while back during a free-flow session. I had been reading a lot about Dionysus in general and, in particular, Nietzsche’s interpretation of Dionysus. In this image, Dionysus delights in the unification of our divine dreams and primal urges along with the transcendent ecstasy he orchestrates…as do the participants. I’ll explore this line of thought further in a future post.

Sugar Skull

Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is celebrated in central and southern Mexico on November 1 & 2. Coinciding with the Catholic holiday called All Soul’s & All Saint’s Day, the indigenous people of Mexico have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones. They believe the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them.

Nights in White Satin 2 v2

A feature image from an upcoming post about Sienna – Nights in White Satin.

Digital Art: Succubus – Devil Woman

The study of succubi isn’t exactly my passion, but I wanted to learn a bit more about their origin and movement within our dreams. I went to my old friend – Wikipedia – for a high-level overview which is included below. The focus of this post, however, is to share art I occasionally create within the succubi – devil woman theme. Hope you enjoy ~ Michael

 

Succubus 1-1

A succubus is a Lilin-demon with lineage that traces as far back to Lilith of the Mesopotamian religion (circa 3500 BC). Mesopotamian religion is thought to have been an influence on subsequent religions throughout the world, including the ancient Greeks. The male counterpart is the incubus.

Succubi appear in dreams and take the form of a woman in order to seduce men and collect their sperm so that they may propagate their own species of demons. Religious traditions hold that repeated sexual activity with a succubus may result in the deterioration of health or mental state, or even in death.

In modern representations, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as a highly attractive enchantress, whereas, in the past, succubi were generally depicted as frightening and demonic.

Devil Woman 13-2 copy v2

Devil Woman 15 cpoy7 v2

Devil Woman 25-2 v5

Devil Woman 19-3 v5

Hammer of the Gods 9 v2

Hammer of the Gods 10

Of course, who says they have to leave victorious?

Hammer of the Gods 11 v2

 

Digital Art – Lightworker

Michael - Lightworker v2

Michael - Sheet 4 v1

Michael - Sheet 13

Once upon a time, I had almost demonized women and approached them with a warrior-like mentality. I was fighting my own darkness and, in the process, becoming what I fought. Today, instead of wanting to fuck every woman in the world, I want to shine light where there is darkness. More than empty, soulless fucking, I want to have a sensual, thoughtful, and erotic connection to the world…to see and appreciate beauty in all its forms.

In my journey through the Dionysian Experience I recognized that I seemed to be drawn to women that are in some way hurting or in need of emotional support and positive energy. Similarly, my exploration of topics seemed some to resonate deeply with some women and I’ve made some surprisingly wonderful connections that I cherish deeply.

Fast forward a few years and I am exposed to the concept of “lightworker”. Lightworkers are people who have experienced some form of mystical/spiritual awakening in their lives and feel the calling to unleash healing emotional energy. They radiate with an energy that others in need may be drawn to. Those drawn to this energy may themselves be lightworkers but have lost their way and forgotten the energy residing within them. While lost in darkness, they still recognize this energy in others and are drawn to the light. If a connection is made, they are once again illuminated.

Do I consider myself to be a lightworker? No. I don’t even want to go down that road of exploration. I attribute my fascination with light and energy to the archetypal influence of Dionysus. To the ancient Greeks, Dionysus represented the dancing universe and ceaseless flow of energy that unites us with one another and all the universe. This is the archetypal force that calls to me in my dreams. Then again, perhaps he was the original lightworker.

If this your first visit, welcome to The Dionysian Experience. Open the door…step inside and get turned on.

Mr. Cogsworth 2

Digital Art – Valkyrie

Sienna - Tears of the Gods 3-1 copy

A Valkyrie is a female helping spirit of Odin, the chief Norse god. The Valkyrie assisted Odin with identifying which warriors would be slain in battle and transported half of them to Valhalla. Once in Valhalla, the fallen warriors will experience an afterlife worthy of fallen heroes. These same warriors would also serve in Odin’s army for the battle of Ragnarök.

Tears of the Gods 1

In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle that will result in the death of a number of major figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, and Loki). The battle would be followed by a series natural disasters and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Afterward, a fertile world will reemerge. The surviving and returning gods will meet and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors.

What about the other half of those slain that don’t go to Valhalla? They are taken to Fólkvangr – a meadow or field ruled over by the goddess Freyja. Freyja is the Norse goddess associated with love, sex, beauty, fertility, gold, war, and death.

Snow Bunny 3

The earliest Norse references to the Valkyrie described them as dark angels of death that soared above the battlefield. Later Norse references described them as virgins with snowy white skin, golden hair and plush wings.

Screaming for Vengence

Valkyrie were susceptible to capture if caught on earth without their wings…

Sienna - Tears of the Gods 4 v2 (Tribal House Warming Gift)

Like most of my digital art galleries, I will continue adding to this one when the muses lead me here again.

I have more digital art galleries available here: Digital Art

References:

http://mythicalrealm.com/legends/valkyries.html

Valkyries

http://lostgirl.wikia.com/wiki/Valkyrie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnarök

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freyja

Digital Art – These Dreams

1_Beata - Olympus 4 copy-1

Fallen Angel 3-1 v2

Lotus 1 v2-1 copy

Fairy 1-1 copy

Carnival 4-1

Hammer of the Gods 25 v2 (Man Enough)

 

Digital art is one of my passions and I enjoy creating the 3D-artwork used in my posts on the The Dionysian Experience. I actually enjoy this aspect of the creative process as much as I do the writing. The artwork adds an extra emotional and/or psychological connection to my experience. Writing a story, adding art, and then later creating a music video that captures the spirit of the story is where it all comes together for me and resonates most deeply.

My artwork falls within the Digital Art realm in the subcategory known as 3D Art. The term “3D” isn’t directed at the output. Rather, it means that I am working within a 3D platform. For all of the scenes I create, I can move within this platform to render images from multiple angles (front, back, top, bottom, etc.).

Tools of the trade: I use DAZ Studio as my 3D platform, Iray as my render engine (mostly), and then finish off my work in Photoshop and/or Lightroom.

I plan to periodically feature some of my personal favorites. Hope you enjoy the first edition – These Dreams.

P.S. You are welcome to use any of these images (or those in other posts) to accompany your writing. I only ask that you provide a link to my blog –  Art by Michael at The Dionysian Experience.