I started this project a little over a year ago, but i admit it overwhelmed me. The original layout included full moons, lightening, crashing waves and moonlight glow. I must say im glad i waited because when i pulled up the file a couple days ago the sketchy wip looked like a goth-disco mound with strobe lights. I kind of chuckled to myself.
Anyway, the subject of this material is technically religious and Im not going into public debate on that subject, so we'll keep the metaphorical explanations on the low-down.
The sea of skulls is an explanation all its own. You may wonder how an artist as lazy as I actually painted such volume. The truth is I only painted 3 skulls, each with a neutral light source. Then, in the painful hours that insued, I copied, pasted, flipped, turned, miniaturized, enlarged, and touched up the same three skulls into the mounds you see before you. Sure i added a random skull by hand here or there, added cracks to differentiate them, and of course shadows help tremendously.
Photoshop, Painter, tablet. I have no idea how many hours were involved in this. I barely remember starting it. (I barely remember my own name sometimes!)