Greek mythology digital illustration | Lethe [100% Power Up]

Today I am sharing with you one of my more recent illustrations made with Procreate.
This one is based on the River Lethe from greek mythology. She's one of the five rivers running in the underworld. Souls passing into the afterlife had to drink from her to forget about their previous lives and be reincarnated. This is why she is also known as the river of oblivion.

I wanted the atmosphere of the painting to be eerie and mystical, so I tried to make the background a little foggier and darker compared to other painting from this series.
I kept her outfit and jewelry simple because I wanted the main focus to be on her face. She is also holding a cup of water of forgetfulness, offering it to the souls of the dead.
Similarly to how greek statues look nowadays, I kept her eyes blind (statues actually used to be painted very colorfully).
In ancient Greece, stones or coins (oboles) were placed on the mouth or eyes of the deceased, both as a boat fare for Charon the ferryman, and as a seal to protect their souls. Instead of a coin, I added a flower which I thought looked more aesthetically pleasing. Flowers also have a symbolic meaning in a lot of cultures, as they fade quickly they are often associated with death, so I thought it suited the whole concept of the painting well.

Thank you for viewing :)

Process:
As usual, I started to draw the face.

Then, body/pose and background.

Adding more details on the robe and water and starting to work on the hands. I usually keep them last, as it is one of the hardest part for me ^^. Also playing a little with the disk behind her.