Prompt #22 for the 2024 "Pinuptober" drawing challenge was fairy.

For this piece I took inspiration from one of Shakespere's most beloved works: A Midsummer Night's Dream. In the well known play, Titania is the Queen of the Fairies. She is beautiful, stubborn and determined. She is not afraid to assert herself. She has powerful magic and her fairies follow her commands. 

Rather than rely on any physical descriptions mentioned in the play, I went with my own vision of what a fairy queen might look like. I love how her leaf-like wings turned out and I kind of want to own that dress but I don't have Titania's confidence so I'm not sure I could pull it off. I adorned her eyes with purple flowers to symbolize the potion that is put on her eyes in the story. 

Titania is a complex character in a complex story. The famous comedy evokes a range of emotions. While it is amusing and playful it is also tinged with darkness and jealousy. Shakespere plays with how he sets up the verses to distinguish the way different characters speak. To add even more complexity, the final act is a play within a play that alludes to Romeo and Juliet. 

Before I started working there, while I was still a volunteer, the theater I helped run, produced a SteamPunk version of this play that was quite fun. While Shakespere can be challenging to absorb, this play in particular is known for its slapstick comedy and I personally find it quite enjoyable to watch.