Coffee Monstress | If Art Were Music
Coffee Monstress | Maya
If you haven’t met Maya. She is my one panel comic and one of my most popular characters. I’ve been drawing her since 2012. Maya is edgy, brainy, snarky and misanthropic. She has so many thoughts!
Her comic is all about humor, sarcasm, coffee, life and random short stories....mostly about coffee. These are among the many things she writes in her notebook. This ‘notebook’ is her audience. To learn more about Maya, check out her page here
I created this particular painting for a ‘Draw this in your style’ challenge in 2020. This challenge was to draw my own illustration with the word and art of ‘coffee monster’ by Katherine Lindsey. I knew this had my character, Maya, written all over it. I sketched her with this theme in mind, and in my style using Procreate. I gave her the title of, ‘Coffee Monstress.’ Maya loves her coffee, but she also loves her books, and so I included a book.
In this painting, I imagined Maya being tiny in size in her imaginary world. Where she stumbles upon a dark and dreary home just outside the wild forest she loves to visit. This peculiar home was marvelous, filled with books, potions and oddities. Maya, curious as she is, began exploring the home. Fascinated with all the strange things she was seeing. It’s during her exploring where she finds the coffee cup on top of a book, placed on a large table. Maya being Maya, took this opportunity to bathe in the coffee. Enjoying its warmth and soothing aroma.
I knew the moment I started painting her what her song would be. Given her mischievous nature, a particular song with a symphonic orchestra, was just the perfect song for her. The song by the orchestra metal band, Ignea title, Alga was her song. The beginning symphony is what I thought was perfect for Maya in this painting. The melody feels eerie with a bit of mischief, yet full of wonder. The words of the song, ring true in the imaginary sense for Maya.
Sadly, this particular song and its lyrics, hold very true for the Ukrainian metal band today. But back in 2015 without its literal meaning, was perfect for Maya.
Watch the time lapse with the symphonic melody below.
I invite you to listen to the song in its entirety below or check them out on Youtube. the music video is great, plus you get to see the orchestra.
And read the lyrics here: Alga, Ignea
“I’ve always imagined my artworks as tiny glimpses into other worlds. A personal invitation for the curious to see more.
With the hope that my paintings will carry the observer away into another world. Whether it be in a cozy café, a charming bookshop, or a mystic dreamlike sort of place. Similar to what a fantastic book would. A special kind of escape through my artwork.”
