Existential #10

What Happens at Night?

Charcoal, Marker, Sharpie

11 x 9 In

This is my sustained investigation #13, I based this project on the existentialism of nightmares, especially for children. As a kid, I had a lot of nightmares and I know a lot of kids experience paranoia and fear in the dark so I wanted to capture the feelings kids have during a nightmare. I used dark shadowy colors but brighter colors on the child, who is innocent and fearful.

I began this project with a sketch, then my first step was to create the setting with charcoal. I chose to use charcoal because it is easy to blend and use shadows with it. Once I was happy with the basic background I added depths and shadows like under the monster's head and under the bed. My last step in this process was to add color to the bed and child and add more detail like in the monster's face. I used markers for the colored parts and sharpies on the other black details.

When in the process of making this piece I decided to alter the shape of the room to make it square and claustrophobic, as well as not adding any doors or windows to enhance this feeling as well. I also decided to put the child on a floating platform because I think this gives the piece a feeling of fantasy like in a nightmare but also fear because the child has no way of escaping the monster they face behind the glass in front of them.