Today I present one of my more elaborate artworks which evolved from an Ex Libris which I created for myself for a design class. It is a bit of a mystical art on the fringe of alchemy featuring a witchy woman, a flask with a single huge benzene molecule represented with the standard hexagon with delocalized bond which transform into evil plant monsters with sharp teeth. Drew this image in Procreate, which is my favorite app for freestyle drawing.

I didn’t know what is an Ex Libris until I had been given this assignment. The word comes from latin and means ‘from the books (or library)’. Ex Libris served to mark the books and documents of the owner and usually was a symbol connected with or representing this person somehow. This type of graphic is also known as a bookplate.
And here is my original illustration for my own Ex Libris drawn in ink:

As you see, the image evolved quite a bit in the digital artwork. Actually, looking at it now, I have to admit that I like more the flask and the benzene molecule in the original ink drawing.
Some quite blunt symbolism here, nothing very clever or elaborate. Flask and a molecule – because I have a deep interest in chemistry (and I have studied with pleasure a lot of its different aspects in medical university). And then some weird evil plants because these are my favorite type of plants to draw. Plain, abstract and with teeth, of course. The female figure is based on me but I drew her with short hair in a style which I like but I have never has it as a haircut. She does not see and she does not need to. This is a bit of an exageration – she represents myself and I live half of my live in my own imagination hence the idea. Drew some fabric wrapping the woman and flowing around her because I saw that Ex Libris images frequently included such elements and it was useful as a placeholder for writing the text on it, too. When I drew the image digitally I used another favorite tool of mine – the red and black color combo which adds drama and somehow resonates with me.
So, if you want to buy art prints, phone cases and some obscure other products with this weird science girl, you can do it at my Redbubble shop by clicking on the phone case below:

Thanks for taking the time to read about this very personal artwork of mine.
