the four horsemen

Well, maybe it´s not the right Category, but I have not found a better one.

This is my entry for the last CG-Society Challenge "Myth & Ledgens - Steampunk"

When I pondered traditional legends in the context of steampunk, I first happened upon Greek and Nordic mythology. Then however, a picture of the biblical Horsemen of the Apocalypse came to mind, which, combined with elements of steampunk, was to become the object of my work, finally.

In the course of my research I discovered many different interpretations of the horsemen. Especially the conqueror mounted on the white horse, traditionally thought to represent pestilence, was interpreted in diverse ways, depending on the source. I tried to weave in as many of these intimations as possible to get a well-rounded overall picture. In this vein, I kept the traditional colors of the horses, given as white, red and black, but made conscious choices as to the weaponry of the riders, i.e. equipping the Conqueror only with a sword and not a bow and such like.

Death occupied a special role in my mind. I didn't like to put him in a line with the others, but I also wanted to prevent him from being relegated to the proverbial fringe, either. Thus I decided to put him in the background but to make him as large as possible, giving the impression of him leaping powerfully over the others. In order to soften the dominance that would be established by his sheer size, I decided to put him into backlight as a silhouette, thus establishing a reference to the pale horse. This way he is the one to come last chronologically, as well as being the most significant, as the Grim Reaper's work is often thought to be the final judgment of man.

When conceptualizing the overall effect, I wanted to create the impression of the horsemen charging towards the spectator in a way that would make all the details apparent, without having the figures look piecemeal. Some elements of design reappear in several characters to create a sense of textual unity.

Being thus decided, I set to work, creating the outline of this picture using traditional pencil on paper, while completing it digitally, using the wide array of techniques available on Photoshop.

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The Book of Revelation

1
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
3
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
5
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
7
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

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