He Hardly Knows I'm Here

 "He hardly knows I'm here" the saddened Venimbus states as she cradles her son Erozion in her arms. Lewa does his best to comfort her, depressed to see his wife in turmoil and his son so battered that he always appears to be taking his last breath.

The pain cuts deep in Lewa's chest, Erozion's injuries Lewa's fault. 

The above and following images relate to the Life of Lewa series near the ending days before the story stopped being acted (these images specifically relating to scenarios never played). I had invented a very depressing scenario where Lewa loses his temper severely due to a Jusha poison spike in his bloodstream, thus harming his son for something Ero didn't do. Since the Life of Lewa series may not be written for a very long time if not ever, I'm preserving memories and ideas through imagery instead.

The above image is the full view of the scene, showing the general concept of Ero's room as a prop instead of drawing. Scrapbook paper, Barbie supplies, miniatures, homemade and found objects used to create the scene.

 

I took multiple angles to show what's going on.

 

The up close scene is a nice way to show how sad they are.

A ceiling view of the scene, first time I've tried a picture like this. I wanted to make things feel uneasy and give a view of what Lewa and Venimbus see while they look down at their son.

Making the bruises and cuts in PSE was interesting, and I did my best to keep it accurate to the story. Ero's right hand was cut, his belly has a gash from the whip, his back is lashed, his ankles were lashed and cut along the tendons, his left arm was deeply scratched, the left side of his face was scratched, the right side of his face is bruised from a recent fight with his brother Paluthero, and his lip was split from the flick of the whip. All that on the surface, not including internal injuries.

Another slightly overhead angle. "It's all right, Venimbus".

 

 For a more artistic way of expressing sadness and gloom, I tinted one of the more angled images with a gray tone, noticing my hands always like to tilt slightly during photo shoots, thus resulting in Tim Burton-ex like images.

 "I'm so sorry, lad." Venimbus was pulled away from the depressing scene when she heard one of the babies crying, and left Erozion in his father's arms while she went to tend her other children.

Lewa cradles him remorsefully, and tries not to gaze at his injuries.

 

Not a word escapes Ero's lips, he hardly even stirs from sleep.