Barlowe's Inferno

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This digital paint-sketch was created after I spent some serious time with the Painter program on Paradise Lost. More than just a collection of eye-popping paintings, Barlowe's work comprises a visionary world, complete with commentary and a foundation in the myths and beliefs of multiple cultures. I often do detailed drawings before putting paint on the palette but this was not the case with this painting. I find Hannibal to be fascinating figure from history; he’s on my short list of people I’d take a time machine back to meet.

I had a rough to work from and then, brush in hand, “grew” the figures on the board with layers of detail. Limited to just 150 copies individually signed and numbered by the artist himself, Barlowe's Inferno collects these amazing depictions of hell inside of a splendid cloth slipcase and includes a signed print, suitable for framing. To me the most difficult part of this painting’s concepting was whether or not to add a question mark after the title. A collection of art and narrative that brings Barlowe's detailed world-building of Expedition to Hell.In this work, Wayne Douglas Barlowe dips his brush into the swirling mists and rolling infernos of Hell.

Wayne Barlowe’s Inferno is an awesome visual work, taking us into a contorted landscape of the damned which Dante himself could never have imagined.While the historical Hannibal actually does appear in GOD’S DEMON, it’s Sargatanas who utilizes certain principles and elements from his life. These float about, sometimes leaving the city’s wards entirely, making their way into the darkness of the Wastes where they are never seen again. In Inferno, Barlowe envisions an entire living landscape grown and tortured into a gnashing organ of torment.

Demolishers – (acrylic on Gessoboard) – Part of the vanguard of Dis’ army is its intimidating force of various engineering “vehicles”. Because distances between cities in Hell are considerable – determined for the most part by where the most influential demons Fell – the need to travel quickly between them is rare.A tangle of streets beyond count, the city’s arteries are clogged with work-gangs of souls and demons of every description. The devil is in the details and it took quite some time to work out all of the motifs from a design standpoint. Here potent glyphs stream away from the wings’ trailing edges, glyphs that not only keep the demon aloft but also delineate territories and can carry commands to nearby airborne troops. Beelzebub’s Keep – (unpublished – acrylic on Gessoboard) – There is no single construct in Hell that typifies the monolithic evil of its rulers more than this enormous edifice. Starting as nothing but an experimental sketch, it took two days to render – a time that would have probably been double or triple that if I had used actual paint.

Hunted for their skins and their usefulness as war-beasts, many Abyssals evoke an attitude of savage respect from the demons, while, for their part, the more intelligent of the Abyssals keep their distance, understanding the innate superiority of the new-comers. Tanith Lee, September 19, 1947 - May 24, 2015 Tanith Lee was born on September 19, 1947 in London, England, the daughter of ballroom dancers. Sargatanas Descending – (from Barlowe’s Inferno – acrylic on ragboard) – Like all Demons Major, Sargatanas is a metamorphic being. Sharing the world of Hell, the demons and Abyssals co-exist in an uneasy relationship with both sides preying upon each other. This party is fortunate in having a few important Demons Minor amongst their number and would probably be safe enough in any short journey within their own kingdom.Much as I did with EXPEDITION, I plan to do a series of wildlife paintings focusing on the fauna of Hell. While this painting represents a semi-intelligent individual, there must be countless Abyssals that are mere animals. In 1971, Macmillan published "The Dragon Hoard," another children's book, which was followed by "Animal Castle" and "Princess Hynchatti and Other Stories" in 1972. His idiosyncratic style is still fresh and captivating and this painting is something of an homage to him.