After seeing a huge peak in page views in the last two days, I decided to address all of those who have come from either 9Gag or Imgur, or any other site that might have shared my art. First of all, I would like to thank you for your visit, as it shows that you liked the Pokedex Project and were probably eager to see more.
So, what can you find here in Creatures of the Labyrinth? Well, there's probably something for everyone, or mostly everyone. The website is dedicated to the art of Luis Merlo, that is me of course. I run the site on my own, so I try to keep it as neat and updated as possible. There's a bunch of galleries that you can explore, including the Pokedex Project, a Fantasy & Fanart gallery, Lovecraftian works and a rather personal gallery which is the Dark & Gothic section.
Ok, you've seen the site, took a peek at some artwork, liked some, hated some... but what's next?
This site represents my dreams as a content creator, and it will continue to grow as far as my ambitions take me. Here are a couple of immediate projects I'm working on:
1. Monster Biology Guide: A project to take the most famous videogame creatures and describe them in the same way a biology textbook would. Of course, the first samples will be of Pokemon, but I hope to include all types of creatures. Since I'm a doctor myself, I'm confident that my anatomic and physiological skills are enough to create an immersive yet concise booklet for gamers, collectors, fans, etc. Once the first couple of sample sheets are complete, I will post them here and probably on some social media sites.
2. Story-Rich Content: As much as I'm an amateur illustrator, I'm also a writer and (sometimes, if inspiration is alright) poet. So there's basically two ways for me to express that here. The first one would be to open a "Gallery" for my short stories and verse. That's still being considered. The most likely project I will be undertaking is attempting to start a web comic series using a world I created for a novelette, called Crux. The story takes place in a dystopian world dominated by a religious institution, with lots of steampunk, industrial and dark imagery.
3. Comunity: My dream for this site is for it to become a forum for people with similar interests, or different interests but open minds. I will most likely be opening a proto forum board in a new community section in less than a month, so fans and followers can give me their opinions, ask questions, make suggestions or simply start a debate. This would depend, of course, on how many people actively wish to join in. Also, the community tab will certainly include a community art section, where Patrons can submit their own creations every month.
So how will I achieve all of this? As said before, I believe I have a strong enough will to take me wherever I want to go, even if it takes time. I have some very awesome supporters on Patreon who lend me a hand every month, and are subject to receiving rewards and, most of all, a lot of appreciation and my personal thanks. Art is my life, though not my profession, so if you're reading this, be sure that Creatures of the Labyrinth will continue to grow, but always at the pace I'm allowed to tend to it. If you're interested in my art, would like to be part of the community, would like to see my projects through, or would simply like to support a small artist, then please consider visiting my Patreon page, where you can donate from as little as $1 and become an important part of Creatures of the Labyrinth. Or, if you want to request a particular commission, let me know by sending me an email or contacting me via Facebook.
Again, thanks for visiting, and hope you find the Dreams and Nightmares you're looking for!
Best,
LM