The Lamia

:EDIT - I've repainted certain parts after 4 years of unhappiness with this image ha ha. May redo other bits:

Okay, my first ever image colored with a graphic tablet. I have spent far to long on this image and just want rid of it now so here it is. And for a couple of my friends who have been monitoring my progress through this project, ITS DONE!!!!!! FINALLY!!!! ha ha

It is the Lamia, a part snake/ part women demon rooted in classical mythology who is supposed to be a servant of the Goddess Hecate as well as she likes to eat men (I suppose everyone needs a hobby). It is said that the only way to halt the Lamias attack is to insult her. So call her fat and she will leave you alone! ha ha (i know i have said that before but it makes me chuckle).

For this image i wanted for her to be pictured in the underworld, as the myth says she lives, but to also to have a sense of beauty so i thought up the idea of her sitting upon huge roots underneath the ground. Just to add a sense of wonderment i added small blue gems around the roots.

The flowers and roots are supposed to resemble Lamia herself. The vines are to that of her tale, curling and twisting round the giant root. The flower is supposed to symbolize her beauty and human side. It was a last minute thing to use the flower colour for her hair and i'm still not THAT sure about it so any comments about that would help (or anything else for that matter).

The fan design came from the idea of keeping an air of mystery about the figure, concealing part of her face with a fan. Originally the idea was to have a snakes head design but it seemed far to obvious so i eventually settled on this decorative female eye with a elongated pupil. The decoration around the top of the fan was influenced by peacock feathers.

I have also researched into ancient Greek clothing and hair styles and given them a modern twist (so I'm hoping).

I want to thank Louise for letting me use her graphics tablet until i get my own, i certainly would not have achieved what I feel I have without it so I dedicate this one to her.

Full view please

Mythology series
Siren - [link]
Hecate - [link]
Morpheus - [link]


Black Pilot pen, Photoshop, WACOM tablet, lots of hours

Line drawing - [link]

Thanks for looking
Comment if you so wish