Digital Art — 2021

2021 saw the digital practice mature — deeper explorations of light, portraiture, military history, mythology, and the full range of the dark fantastic. Each entry links to the original post with full commentary.

Out of the Woods

A lone figure walks along a dirt path shrouded in darkness, surrounded by eerie, glowing green foliage. Dense, twisted branches arch overhead, creating a foreboding atmosphere as if they long to trap you out of the woods, with a dim, pale light faintly illuminating the horizon.

Unleashed

A surreal scene depicting a night sky with the product Proxima Centauri in the background, glowing plants and flowers, and birds flying among dandelion seeds. The landscape features luminescent mushrooms and foliage, creating an otherworldly, ethereal ambiance.

An attempt at capturing something neither flight nor escape — inspired by a song title, executed from a blank canvas in the first hours of the new year. Read more →

She Loves Me Not

A person with light pink nails gently touches a vibrant purple flower, detailed with a stone face at its center, evoking the sentiment of "She Loves Me Not." The background shows grass and part of the person's face and attire. The artist's signature "Rob Medley" is visible in the bottom right corner.

The idea arrived at 2am via dreams too peculiar to describe. A fantasy portrait of longing and floral devastation. Read more →

Love’s Awakening

A 3D rendered image of three people in a room with wooden benches and a cross on the wall. Two young women sit on a bench; one wears a green uniform holding "Love's Awakening," and the other wears a white top and green plaid skirt. A standing figure in black is partially visible.

Love — L’amour, Liebe — has nothing to do with the physical. It is the pursuit of one’s spirit, or soul, or both. Read more →

The Morning Star

Her reputation preceded her. She was synonymous with evil, and had adopted the nickname of the light bringer — Lucifer. Read more →

The Arrangement

A dimly lit interior scene featuring several people dressed in historical costumes, gathered around a table with food and candles, creating a lively atmosphere.

A little modern Renaissance art. Not the best on the chiaroscuro, but next time. Read more →

Winston and Julia

Drawn from a re-reading of Orwell’s 1984 — a sage-burning of the mind. Winston Smith and Julia Dixon: tragic characters in a tragic world. Read more →

In Our Defence, Silence.

A digital artwork features an elderly woman with long white hair, wearing a light turquoise bra and underwear, sitting on a broomstick in a living room. A black dog sits close by. In our defense, the room is serene with a purple blanket and a fireplace. The woman appears to be a witch.

Ten days without art due to wage-slavery. This needed to exist. Sometimes something just needs to be. Read more →

Middle Aged Love-Fest

A lively crowd dances in a nightclub. The focal point is a shirtless man with blond hair in the center embracing the party atmosphere. Colorful lights illuminate the scene and people are enjoying themselves energetically. Musical notes are visible in the background.

Rocking the Fall

Fan art based on the Poets of the Fall video for ‘Daze’ — the main character in jester form, reimagined from a feminine perspective. Read more →

Malice

A close-up of a person with long, wavy lavender hair adorned with beaded chains and a decorative headpiece. A nose ring and multiple necklaces complete their look. The background shows blurred foliage, while the person’s serious expression hints at an underlying malice.

A representation of the D&D character Malice — created in the depths of a difficult night, because art keeps one going for another day. Read more →

Butterfly Looking Out Window

A close-up of a green eye with long, dark eyelashes, sharp details reflecting light. A vibrant orange and black butterfly is partially visible on the left side, as if looking out a window. A hand with purple nail polish is near the eye, adding color contrast.

Rendered in the early hours during stress-induced insomnia. Eyes have a depth of detail that is beauty on its own. So does this butterfly. Read more →

Gothic Love

A woman with long, flowing purple hair stands beside a skeleton, which has one arm draped over her shoulder and its hand resting on her head. The scene exudes Gothic love, with both subjects illuminated to emphasize their features. The woman has pale skin and striking eyes.

Started as another portrait focusing on hair. Nearly done and feeling ‘meh’ — it needed something. The first thing that came to mind turned it into a portrait of life. Read more →

A Bird in Hand

A young woman with curly blonde hair wears a yellow medieval-inspired outfit adorned with intricate patterns. She holds a small bird in her hands, smiling softly—a picture-perfect moment indeed, truly embodying the saying, "A Bird in Hand." The background is blurred, focusing attention on them.

Maybe it’s not about the girl at all. Maybe it’s about camera settings, depth of field, and what lives in a pair of hands. Read more →

Queen of the Underdark

A regal woman with dark skin, white hair, and a crown sits on a throne in a lace gown. She is flanked by two large, vigilant dogs. Behind her stands a knight in shining armor. Dim lighting emphasizes the Queen of the Underdark's elegant attire and the grandeur of the setting.

Queen G’elzanna was becoming impatient with the interlopers from the surface. The Underdark was her world. They did not belong. Read more →

Course of Action

Habibi stood looking down at the encampment below. There were too many of them. She needed to think of something fast. Read more →

Space Age Art Song

Two astronauts in blue suits float in space near a large, gray space station. Below them, an enormous green and brown eye with a dark pupil stares upwards like Space Age Art, occupying the background. The scene is surreal, with clouds partially obscuring the eye.

Inspired by Flock of Seagulls’ ‘Space Age Love Song’ and Bumbu rum. Fan art meeting original piece, unapologetically. Read more →

Virtual Dancer

Inspired by Middle Eastern dance music on repeat. She looks like someone I’ve crushed on for forever, but ‘twill never be. Read more →

Billie Jean

A digital illustration of a woman with vibrant purple skin, short blonde hair, and golden lips. She holds sunglasses and appears deep in thought against a colorful, abstract background with yellow and orange geometric shapes. The artist's signature, "Rob Meadley," evokes the spirit of "Billie Jean.

The playlist shifted to Michael Jackson and the art skewed towards the decade of glam. An unapologetic love of the Eighties. Read more →

Modern Magicfare

A person with intense eyes wearing a straw hat holds a large rifle. Their left hand is raised, emitting a glowing purple energy. Surrounded by lush foliage and trees, they seem to be a practitioner of Modern Magicfare in a dense jungle setting.

The Vietnam War, but with magic — drawing on Vietnamese mythology and the rich Asian lexicon of supernatural belief. Read more →

Comfortably Numb

A person dressed in medieval-style clothing is sitting and playing a musical instrument. A dog sits beside them, gazing upward. They are in a rustic room with stone walls, a window, candles, and various items in the background.

A woman in Dark Age Europe thinks wistfully of better parts of her life. Heavily influenced by Pink Floyd. Now she’s comfortably numb. Read more →

Moon Goddess in a Box

A captivating close-up image of a woman adorned with an elaborate golden headdress featuring angular designs, evoking the essence of a Moon Goddess. She has green hair, a nose ring, and wears a fur-trimmed, intricately patterned garment. A dragon tattoo is visible on the arm next to her face.

I started out with the idea of using the human body as a frame for what’s in the picture, so, goal achieved.

Dervish Dancer

A dyoptych — two angles of the same dancer, each telling a different part of the story. Read more →

Flashback 1984

A statement about the Goth Girl — the perfectly imperfect. A high school memory, a crush that went nowhere, transformed into art thirty years later. Read more →

Your Brioche

A person with long hair is seated on an ornate chair, holding a plate with a slice of cake. The individual is presenting the cake towards the viewer with an arm extended, in a partially illuminated setting. The background features intricate patterns reminiscent of your brioche mornings.

Full Rehearsal

Started as a ballerina pose, then became two dancers, then the floor became the ceiling. The interesting thing happens by accident. Read more →

State of the Arts

A haunting scene depicts three abstract, mannequin-like figures in black bodysuits, positioned in dynamic, contorted poses among a backdrop of scattered debris, bricks, and eerie, dim lighting. This evocative tableau exemplifies a true State of the Arts atmosphere of unsettling surrealism.

Snowbound

A fantasy scene depicts a red-haired woman holding a fireball in her hand. She stands snowbound in a snowy forest, riding on the back of a large, gray wolf. Snowflakes gently fall around them, adding to the mystical ambiance.

Regret

A man sits pensively on a stone slab in what appears to be an old graveyard, regret etched on his face as a ghostly woman in a translucent purple form reaches out her hand towards him. Sunlight filters through the trees, casting a warm glow over the scene.

Clash at Demon Head Tribute

A vibrant rock concert scene with a female lead singer, blonde curls mid-song onstage, rocking the vibe of a Clash at Demon Head Tribute. Beside her is a guitarist in a black shirt and a drummer in the background. Enthusiastic crowd members cheer and wave hands. Neon sign reads “Lee’s Palace.

Inquisition Adjourned

A dramatic scene unfolds as a person with long hair and pale skin strangles another in a dark fur-collared outfit inside a dimly lit room. Scattered old documents and books lie on a wooden table nearby, as if the Inquisition had just adjourned, leaving chaos in its wake.

Inspired by the film ‘Coven of Sisters’ — a band of women pulling back power from a corrupt and unjust system. Read more →

After the Rain

Dandelions were once celebrated — edible, medicinal, valued. This doodle is not about the flower, but it is for the flower. Read more →

Dawn’s Relief

Pseudo fan art based on the character Christine from the campy 1940s-noir horror film ‘Here Comes Hell.’ Read more →

Breakfast at Pharoah’s

A regal woman adorned in ancient Egyptian attire, including a golden headdress and intricate jewelry, stands beside a gleaming pharaoh’s sarcophagus. She holds a short, elaborately decorated sword and gazes forward against a backdrop of a golden sky, as if preparing for Breakfast at Pharaohs.

Breakfast at Pharoah’s Revenge

A woman in ancient Egyptian attire lies asleep on a bed, with hieroglyphics on the wall behind her. A mummy with decayed features looms ominously over her, reaching out with one hand. The scene is dimly lit, creating a suspenseful atmosphere reminiscent of “Breakfast at Pharaohs.

Learning to Fly

A dramatic scene of various animated rodents and birds, featuring rats in clothing and crows, engaged in a struggle in a forest. The crows, appearing to be learning to fly, pull a rope tied between two trees while the rats attempt to fight back or escape. The background showcases brilliant autumn foliage.

Crows attempting to convey the experience of flight to mice. One day the mice will be in charge and this painting will be currency. Read more →

The Supermodel

She wasn’t popular, and wasn’t an ‘it’ girl. She was stand-offish to everyone, but you summoned every ounce of courage, took a chance, and found what no others would; that she was a supermodel in mind, spirit, and the flesh. No one could match her. You won the lottery.

Take Me in Your Arms, It’s Alright

A digital illustration of a woman with black wings extending one hand forward. She has reddish hair and wears a black dress. The background is a dreamlike, slightly blurred landscape with a pinkish-purple sky and glowing embers, as if whispering softly, "It’s alright." A hand reaches toward her.

The battlefield. You hate it, yet it is your job. Souls need guidance to the afterlife. They cry for their mothers. Read more →

Postpartum

A solitary figure stands on a rocky outcrop near a body of water, gazing at a vibrant sunset. Leaves and birds fill the sky, creating a dynamic scene. The foreground features a pond surrounded by foliage, adding depth to the natural setting, reminiscent of the calm after postpartum challenges.

Can art still shock and offend? Drawing on Caspar David Friedrich, this explores the dark underside of the Romantic movement. Read more →

The Doll

When your doll points to something behind you, be very, very afraid. Inspired of course by horror movies en Español. I may take a break. I feel like I’m repeating myself with modern angst. As much as I’ve prodded the bounds of the supernatural I’ve never seen it’s presence, which is kind of a shame; I’d like to believe. Anywho, there’s not really a niche for this kind of art anyway, so maybe a break is in order.

Waiting for the Bluebell

A fantastical scene featuring an armored figure with a futuristic helmet standing amid rocky, red-hued cliffs. A vibrant green creature with luminescent orbs coils around a plant nearby, seemingly waiting for the Bluebell. Bold, surreal colors dominate the composition, creating an otherworldly atmosphere.

The Bluebell blooms only once in a thousand years, its bioluminescent flowers beautiful and desperately shy. Read more →

Abandoned America

A bearded person with long hair and dirt on their face and hands holds out a handful of soil. Snowflakes fall around them as they sit among various items, including a red shopping cart and a cardboard sign with indistinguishable text and symbols, painting a poignant scene of Abandoned America.

The subject can be anyone — a veteran, someone with PTSD, a victim of financial ruin. Homelessness is not discriminatory. Read more →

Fearless

Created after watching the Netflix documentary about Elisa Lam — about the courage of those who persist regardless. Read more →

I’ll Fall

A digital artwork of a woman with flowing hair and detailed facial features. She has a nose piercing, dark lipstick, and a tattoo on her hand. The background is vibrant with a blend of purple and orange hues, resembling glowing embers or sparks.

Like July in winter, a muse as perfect as she is a ghost. She’s intimate with flight, because she’s a bird of the sea. She’s perfect for me, but her imperfectness can never be. I’m only with her, in her royal court at Kush, past the weight of the day, in the dreams of the could have been. She flies with her broken wings and catches my fall, but will never know the depth of it all. She’s a mirage in my mind, of qualities transferred by the shores of my dreams. How I’ve fallen.

Who Will Survive America?

Digital artwork depicting a person with curly hair and a mixed robot-human visage, forming a heart shape with their hands. Their face combines human skin with metallic robotic parts, highlighted against a dark, softly glowing background. The piece subtly asks: Who Will Survive America?

Inspired by Amiri Baraka’s spoken word piece — only those who are not racist will survive the country. Read more →

A Lifetime

Not three generations of women — the same woman over a lifetime, from the brilliant light of youth to the quiet knowing of age. Read more →

BloodBathory

Flashdance meets Countess Elizabeth Bathory. No regerts. It will be worth something in 250 years. Read more →

Butterfly on a Wheel

Inspired by The Mission UK and Alexander Pope’s 1735 poem — to break a butterfly on a wheel is to use disproportionate force for a minor offence. Read more →

A Vespertilian Thing

A spooky scene unfolds with a wide-eyed figure in a dark outfit seen through the top of a glass table. Surrounding the table are eerie stuffed toys, with one large blue plush toy prominently visible in the foreground. This vespertilian thing, with its haunting expression and setting, evokes horror and tension.

She was no Mary Poppins. You felt it right away, there was something off about her, her elegance, how she smiled eerily at your vampire stuffed animal, ironically above you now – “Hold on,” your subconscious screams, “I’m not even old enough to know what irony is!” You begged them to hire anyone but her, but your mum and dad needed an overnight nanny, and they fell for that Sesame Street accent.

The Tiger of Xanadu

Coleridge’s Kubla Khan meets the 1980 film Xanadu, filtered through an Opium trade metaphor. Read more →

Realism Fail

A person with long hair and tattoos on their arms smiles at the camera. They are sitting on a beach, wearing a black top. The sun is setting in the background, casting a warm, golden light over the scene, creating an ethereal glow that almost feels like a beautiful realism fail in its perfection.

Happy Earth Day 2021

A woman with curly hair lies on the grass in a forest, blowing bubbles. The scene is filled with lush greenery, wildflowers, and trees. The sunlight filters through the leaves, creating a serene and magical atmosphere. Happy Earth Day 2021!

Horror Equality

A woman with long, red hair sits pensively under a tree in a dark, eerie setting. She wears a black and red outfit and holds a worn white mask with holes. The background features twisted branches and a gloomy sky, evoking an atmosphere of horror. Signature "Rob Medley" is visible in the bottom right corner.

The Friday the 13th series began with a grieving mother. Isn’t it time the horror genre reconsidered who gets to be the monster? Read more →

A Fragrant Silence

A close-up of a field with vibrant red poppies and green foliage surrounding an old, weathered wooden cross and a human skull partially buried in the ground, creating a striking contrast between nature and remnants of the past—a fragrant silence speaks volumes.

Poppies symbolise those who fell in war. The souls of the lost use them to shout ‘here I am’ as the living tend to forget within a generation. Read more →

A Place to Breathe

A close-up of a garden scene featuring vibrant orange dandelion flowers with green leaves. In the background, some dandelions have gone to seed, showcasing their characteristic fluffy white seed heads. The warm, sunny day makes it a perfect place to breathe and unwind.

Aftermath Remembered

A young girl in a floral shirt kneels in a grassy field, gently touching the face of a soldier in camouflage, with an abandoned building in the background and flowers surrounding them.

A Passing of the Quiet

A soldier in camouflage gear walks through a post-apocalyptic, war-torn urban landscape at sunset. Rubble, damaged buildings, and debris surround them. An airborne drone flies in the background, adding to the dystopian atmosphere—an eerie scene capturing A Passing of the Quiet.

Denouement

A single strong source light and an ambient, as used in Dutch and Northern Renaissance paintings. She’s bloody, she could use a shower, but she survived. Read more →

The Countess

She has braved the passing centuries from her imprisonment in Csejte. She’s older, wiser, and far, far more dangerous. Read more →

Night Lights

A woman with long, wavy white and pink hair looks over her shoulder. She has fair skin and visible tattoos on her arm. Wearing a black sleeveless top with buttons, she stands against a dark background that highlights the glow of her hair and face, reminiscent of night lights. The name "Rob Medley" is in the corner.

The Visitor

A woman with short hair and red lipstick holds a lit cigarette in one hand and a shotgun in the other. She wears a detailed black lace outfit and multiple rings. The background is dimly lit with a brick wall, creating a dramatic and mysterious atmosphere befitting The Visitor.

First came the odd lights at the window, then movement in the kitchen. She knew not if it were British regular or beast — just that it was not welcome. Read more →

Our Children Dance

The Mermaid Queen

She has seen the fall of the Dodo, the wholesale destruction of her kingdom. She bears the scars of an ocean in peril. She is the last Mermaid Queen. Read more →

Sea of Dreams

She waits on the shores of the Siren Sea, her song calling to the pirate vessel she will captain across the mists. Read more →

Magenta

My take on Magenta from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Strong, weird — which is the best combination. Read more →

Freedom Fighter

Americans generally don’t know what it means to fight for one’s freedom. This image is drawn from an Afghan context, for those who do. Read more →

Aemillia

A staple at the Renaissance Faire — European, noble, fair. An enigma with an infectious smile, whose presence calls for a lens, any lens. Read more →

Gold

From Hell’s Heart I Stab at Thee

Cheng I Sao, Anne Bonny, Mary Read — the famous female pirates. Beneath the waves, the forgotten call out their story of defiance. Read more →

Miami Spy Game

An homage to Patrick Nagel combined with Cold War spy themes, set in the gaudiness of Miami Vice. She’s out of ammo and surprised. Read more →

Hair

XStatic

A fantasy character with vibrant green, purple, and red hair flows dramatically around her face. She has dark eye makeup, purple lips, and wears a textured, dark shoulder garment. The background is a soft, blurred mix of colors. Image credit: Rob Medley.

My Marianne is a Zombie Battlefield

A lively skeleton with curly hair and tattered skin adorned in a bright pink bikini, poses playfully with hands behind its head. Red laser beams cross the figure, and a lit vanity mirror provides a luminous backdrop, creating a surreal scene.

Miami Spy Game

A dynamic, intense image featuring an animated female character with long flowing hair, wearing a red vest and black outfit. She holds a futuristic gun and is surrounded by vibrant, colorful light trails. The scene conveys action and urgency. "© Rob Medley" is visible.

Queen of the Southern Hemisphere

A human-like figure with dark skin, glowing eyes, and ornate jewelry stands confidently holding a golden sword. They wear an intricately designed, semi-transparent dress with a red and gold pattern and have braided hair adorned with a golden headpiece. This regal figure is none other than the Queen of the Southern Hemisphere. Image by Rob Medley.

A Woman and Her Dog

A woman with red hair adorned with a jeweled headpiece, earrings, and a purple outfit lovingly gazes at a wolf. The wolf's mouth is open in a gentle manner, exuding warmth and connection akin to "A Woman and Her Dog." "© Rob Medley" is visible at the bottom right corner.

The Emerald Priestess

She’s benevolent, kind, and caring — but don’t piss her off. Read more →

Catastrophic Sunrise

Close-up digital illustration of a woman's face with brown eyes, wearing pink eyeshadow and a nose ring. A black cat with glowing eyes and a playful expression is beside her, touching her face with its paw. There is a copyright notice by Rob Medley.

Madame Tia

For a fantasy campaign set in 1920s New Orleans with Noir and Lovecraft vibes. Why are fantasy worlds always stuck in sword play? Read more →

Mummy’s Day Off

A gaunt, zombie-like figure with wrinkled skin and hollow eyes sits curled up in a bathtub, creating a haunting image emblematic of the "Self Care" product. The eerie scene is further intensified by lit candles in the foreground, symbolizing a twisted form of relaxation. In the background, a green checkered pattern completes the unsettling atmosphere.

Making Waves

An experiment in creating ocean waves hitting the shore. Nakedness has a powerful connection with nature — or something like that. Read more →

Stake Night

The first time using that Romanian dating app. Everything was going well until she ordered her steak mooing. Read more →

Cold Revenge

Mary slowly swam forward, sword in hand, dagger in mouth, a match in her cap. The mutinous crew would not see morning. Read more →

The Choice

I was lying on the battlefield, life slowly bleeding out. As the sun set on what was surely my last day in this world, she came. Read more →

Stages

Stigmata

Inspired by the film ‘Stigmata’ — an attempt to replicate underwater conditions. First glance seems like violence. It’s not. Read more →

The Decision

Started as a Kirk and an Orion woman. Then I got bored. A warrior about to lead her people into battle suits the moment better. Read more →

The Druid

Fantasy art for the gamers. A nature magic wielding powerhouse. Big things come in small packages. Read more →

Broken Windows

The eyes are the windows to the soul. Sometimes they’re mirrors too. Both are easily broken. Read more →

The Shower

A terrified woman with blood on her face looks upwards as a grotesque, monstrous figure grins menacingly above her. Glowing eyes and sharp teeth are illuminated by a fiery light in the dark, intense scene from The Shower, evoking a palpable sense of horror and danger.

Cupid’s Remorse

A digital artwork depicting a baby with a quiver of arrows. The baby has several tattoos, including a heart with an arrow through it and the words "MOM" and "DAD." Autumn leaves are scattered on the ground and falling from trees in the background.

Yakuza Babe

DWM looking for SAF Yakuza babe. Must have PTSD to match my own, or we won’t be able to hold each other through the rain. Read more →

Breakfast at Pharoah’s Revenge

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