Danae Sleeping Away Death, 2024

Inspired by Gustav Klimt ‘Danae’ I used AI prompts to create an image of a sleeping red haired woman using a Klimt palette. I then needed to redraw the skin, torso and adjust the hair and background. It was an intense drawing experience working in a machine

Made scaffold, similar to using reference photos. AI struggles with eyes, limb positions and to skin tonality, which meant a lot of overpainting to get a sense of flesh and tone. I wanted to bring in the idea that when we honour women through saving their lives we can change death itself. In mythology Danae was imprisoned in a bronze tower by her father. Keeping the bronze and gold themes the expression is one of peace, referencing a character who was imprisoned in a tower and a box seemed reflective of the way in which flawed hearts can feel like a physical prison sometimes, with the limitations they place on daily life.