Edgar Allan Poe

This drawing is one of two shots that are part of a project called The Goth Subculture. These two artworks represent the goth subculture by dividing it into two components that shape it: literature and fashion. They were all drawn in black for boldness and white space was utilized to keep the focus on the subjects. Plus, white space makes everything look so nice. It just lets the art..breathe. 

The first is literature so of course, I had to draw the famous Edgar Allan Poe, with a raven on his shoulder. He is well known for his morbid poems, especially "The Raven". Gothic literature dates back to the 1700s when Horace Walpole wrote The Castle of Otranto and it influenced goth music and style with its use of mystery, darkness, visions, and castles. For Edgar, I put a lot of emphasis on his eyebrows because they are a big part of his face. They're the reason he always had a serious expression. I used a softer brush to make them fluffy so that they'll look realistic. His hair was often parted and slightly curled at the ends with a little shine so I added those details and made gray and white streaks in some areas. I also added a scarf because he is often photographed wearing one and used a thin brush to draw the outline of it. For the raven, I used a thin brush to make the feathers on its chest and head appear fluffed up. One of the reasons birds fluff up their feathers is because they're angry, an emotion that is commonly found in his poems. I also used some white color to add shine to the puffy feathers and highlight a wing for added detail.