Painting done for .psdmag it will be used in my tutorial concerning painting landscape and female with some symbolism added.

She’s the one who wanders through the fields, chasing crows. Crows are scared of this mysterious lady. They know that some day the power that gave them human souls to be kept safe will get weaker and then the hunter comes to steal the souls, to kill the crows. They try to escape every time they feel her but she’s fast as a wind and silent as a breath. Once the Soul Seeker gets the crow it can be sure of death. She treasures souls, keeps them hidden in feathers that she wears on her belt. She’s beautiful, but dangerous. And crows know that. You have been warned, now think twice before you walk around the misty field. I’m not sure how she’ll treat you if she’s hungry.

Sooo… as the story goes. I was told to paint beautiful woman in misty field. The rest was left to me so I went with this background story. There’s more symbolism. First – such fields are said to be the home of lost souls, crying, unholy, restless, dangerous. Nice idea, wonder if I ever meet such creature because I love such places especially in the storm =] Second – crows, or rather ravens are said to be death’s birds in many religions. They’re wise, intelligent birds, in fact you can teach them to speak better than a parrot. If, of course, the crow doesn’t happen to be a home for lost human soul ^_^ Third – pearls. They’re symbol of despair. Incorporating all of these into this painting let me create this character, full of ambiguities. She’s beautiful but she holds dead bird and another one that she killed is lying in the grass. Crows are caught by shamans and sometimes witches who then put human souls into them using many spells and herbs to make sure souls will not die as crows are said to live hundred years. But the Soul Seeker is always hungry.

No direct references used except for some photos of dead birds and wedding gowns, I also checked my hand in the mirror.




Photoshop 7.
Thanks for looking =]