PE Photomanip: Dark photomanipulation

What is Dark Photomanipulation?

Is dark manipulation romantic? Frightening? Cold? Is it full of untold possibilities or a scream waiting to erupt from your throat?

Dark photomanipulation has something for every shade of your dark mood and demeanor. If you visit our dark photomanipulation gallery, you will find everything from grimly beautiful women surrounded by crows to figures engrossed in decay and beautiful stagnation. Some pieces are soothing in their depths; some are startling in their grotesqueness.

So, once again, what is a dark photomanipulation?

When we submit our deviations to the Digital Art > Photomanipulation > Dark gallery, we see the following gallery description:

Photomanipulations which are dark in theme or mood, and have a mystical, obscure, sombre, grim, or sinister expression.

This is a good conceptual definition, but we also want to obtain a more operational definition from artists in our community who submit to this category regularly. That is, what is their process like when they are creating dark art? What makes dark art stand apart from fantasy? How does it differ from horror/macabre art?

To explore these issues, we caught up with an outstanding artist who is a member of our community, MarcelaBolivar (formerly Decrepitude).

Interview with MarcelaB

So, the “dark” photomanipulation category is confusing to many people because it can feature anything from beautiful, sorrowful women in long dresses to images with more of a sense of black humor or irony, borderline on macabre. In your view, what makes a dark manipulation dark? That is, what sets it apart from the fantasy and macabre galleries?

There's a fine line between them and many people won't separate one or another, depending on the artist. For me darkness is the prelude of every horror. Is like a nightmare waiting to happen.


A lot of people set a gloomy atmosphere by using blacks, blues, and grays in the manipulation, so that is sometimes considered the hallmark of a dark manipulation. Do you agree? If not, is there anything that is a hallmark—that is, something that you cannot have a dark manipulation without?

Not at all. It has more to do with personal interpretations; for me, yellow tones feel more asphyxiating and "dark" than many dark hues commonly used. But I like it when artists romanticize storms, clouds, and gloomy weather. It is not necessary though.


When you are creating a dark manipulation, are there certain techniques or styles you find yourself using more so than if you were creating, say, a fantasy or horror manipulation?

I don't think I have ever done a fantasy picture, but there's definitely different ways to start "dealing" with different subjects. My darkest works have more effort on the textures as I can see but I don't change my techniques too evidently unless it is a post-production of a photograph.


For art in general, but especially for dark art, what is it about a piece that “grabs” you and makes you want to add it to your favorites, feature it in your journal, etc.? In other words, what does a “good” piece of dark art look like?

The personal content, which is normally the one you can't relate with any cliché. When someone takes the time to think about his/her own problems and fears. I know there's a collective memory of stories and cultural background but when that's taken on a personal perspective and with personal thoughts, that's when a piece stands out for me.

MarcelaBolivar chose the following features as examples of great dark photomanipulations:



You’ve been on dA for several years now. How do you think dark art has evolved in that time?

On dA it isn't a trend like it used to be; the ones who identify with it kept doing it and others experimented with new expressions, more conceptual or commercial.


Do you have any words of wisdom for individuals who are just starting out with this style?

Not wisdom; just ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing and what message you want to give. Don't lie to yourself while making an image. That's it


Here are some of Marcela's works for your eyes to devour:




Thank you, Marcela!

How we do it

Here are some tutorials for achieving dark effects:

Remember that dark art frequently relies on the clever use of textures and lighting. Skin is frequently desaturated a bit before being colored or painted whitish. We have presented some of the better tutorials, in our opinions, here. If there's a particular technique you want to learn that is not represented here, feel free to let us know, and we will find a way to help you.

What we do

Please enjoy these great dark features!


Thanks for reading!

ChisSweetArt & Aeirmid