The Raven

This painting was originally commissioned as a book cover for Imaginary Worlds Press. The book was a horror novel, and we wanted to do something 'chilly' for the cover, featuring a crow or raven and some icons from the book. The story has many references to nursery rhymes that we all know, featuring predominantly The House that Jack Built, so in the corners we have a wee little cat, and a rat, and a cauldron and pie. All these had significance to the story.

I wanted to do a very wintery feeling painting, to convey a cold and spooky atmosphere, so I worked up the idea of a raven on a branch in shades of cool blues. Accents in red were added with the winter berries and a few drops of blood. The final touch was the knotwork border drawn in a rough style like woven branches.

• The Raven
• 6" x 8.5"
• Watercolor, ink, and acrylic on watercolor paper
• SOLD

Copyright Cari Buziak, 2001.