Sleeping Beauty – The Undead
Art Inspired by Fairytales
One of the many ways that I have found inspiration and improved my artwork is by creating an image that is part of a suggested theme or idea. I belong to several online digital art communities and they often have theme-based contests for artists to participate in. Having a community of artists that encourages you and recognizes your work is a wonderful way to begin sharing your artwork. I created the image in this post when the theme was about “retelling a story.” The artists were encouraged to consider old fairytales and other stories and create an image that is about their new version of the story. That is all it takes sometimes for me to connect with my muse and to begin creating. As often happens when I create an image there is a story that goes with it.
This is my retelling of an old fairytale, Sleeping Beauty ~ The Undead
The storytellers got it all wrong…. this is how the real story went. Once upon a time Briar Rose was conceived and born from two ancient vampires. Something that was unheard of, not to
mention forbidden. Vampires were not supposed to have children and this miracle was one that the Council of Witches would never allow.
On her birth, Maleficent came and placed a curse upon the child that on her eighteenth birthday, not only would she be one of the undead but she would be a ghost. One without a corporeal body. She would be an immortal ghost unable to connect with the world or anyone in it. Oh and just to be spiteful Maleficent also made sure that she would not be like other ghosts … she would be invisible to all other kin.
Her family and the vampire council did everything they could to try to undo the curse, trying to save Briar Rose from this fate. However, as the clock struck midnight on her eighteenth birthday
Briar Rose began to fade right in front of those that loved her. She cried out to them but nothing seemed to work…. no one could see her…no one could hear her…. She wasn’t asleep… no she was
destined to be immortal in a form no one could sense…. She was well and truly alone….