Claire In A Cave | Commission Piece

Commissioned illustration created for a published horror story featured on Horrific Scribes.

This piece captures Claire standing at the railing inside an abandoned dark ride tunnel, aiming her flashlight toward a murky canal where a decayed animatronic waits in the water. The focus was restrained tension rather than visible fear, using posture, lighting, and environmental depth to carry the mood.

The tunnel environment was built with rusted metal textures, cobweb details, and heavy shadow to create atmosphere. The main animatronic was inspired by Mildred the Crocklebog, reimagined with matted red fur, exposed wiring, and visible decay to enhance the horror aesthetic. Supporting animatronics remain in silhouette to preserve suspense.

This commission allowed me to explore cinematic lighting, flashlight-driven contrast, and environmental storytelling in a contained scene.

Commission work.