This piece has been living in my head for a while, and it’s finally taking form on paper. The Codex of Man is shaping up to be a meditation on knowledge, transformation, and the shadow of artificial intelligence. The book at the centre of the composition, which will eventually have its spine inscribed in binary, represents the totality of human knowledge, our collective achievements, discoveries, and possibly our greatest creation: AI. It makes me wonder, has AI become the pinnacle of human progress, or have we merely written the first chapter of our own obsolescence?
The skull, naturally, is a symbol of mortality. In this context, it could signify the demise of man, whether through his own hubris or the gradual ceding of control to his own creation. And then there’s the raven. I see it as an ambiguous figure in this narrative, does it represent death and decay, or transformation and wisdom? Perhaps both. The raven could be the harbinger of the end, or a symbol of rebirth into something beyond human limitations.
Right now, the piece is in a transitional stage. The drapery and table need further refinement to create depth and contrast before I move on to defining the raven in more detail. The trickiest part of this process is managing layers with fixative, too soon, and I risk sealing in areas that might need reworking. It’s a delicate balance. I also need to pay special attention to the value range used in the drapery at this stage. It is a compositional tool to push the subjects forward, and I don’t want the background and foreground to fight for attention. It is worth remembering that I need to ensure the detail is in the light tones and not the dark tones.
This piece is pushing my ability to render atmosphere and symbolism, and I’m enjoying the challenge. With each layer, the narrative deepens, and I’m eager to see how the final details will shape the overall impact of the composition.
