Between Want and Ruin
Succubus Study — Original painting by Chris Shopland
Acrylic on 15.2 x 20 cm canvas paper
(Please note: as this is painted on canvas paper which is rather floppy in nature, framing is recommended.)
Part of an ongoing Angel and Fallen Angel series within the intense series, this piece explores the tension between beauty, desire, and deception. Drawing from myth and fantasy, the succubus appears as a seductive, almost ethereal presence—much like a mermaid without the rocks or shoreline—luring in those who cross her path, only to claim something far deeper than affection.
Set within a gritty, “after-hours” bathroom scene, the work carries a subtle nod to The Shape of Water’s bathroom, reimagined through a darker, more unsettling lens. The environment acts as a kind of modern-day mirror—echoing the spirit of The Picture of Dorian Grey—where the truth cannot be hidden within those tiles. As the ritual unfolds, hints of her true nature emerge: horns rising, beauty distorting, intention revealed.
At its core, this piece reflects a familiar human tension—the uncertainty of trust. We rarely see others in full; light and dark exist side by side, like flame and water, yin and yang. While my work often focuses on finding light with bright colours, this series allows space to acknowledge the shadows too—the intensity, the unknown, the parts of life that feel uneasy yet undeniably real.
As someone drawn to atmospheric horror, not for fear but for its exploration of human response - ordinary people and how they deal with an extraordinary situation, I occasionally step into these darker themes. Between Want and Ruin sits within that space—where allure meets consequence, and beauty walks a fine line with danger. See the other two succubus within the series.
Between Want and Ruin
Succubus Study — Original painting by Chris Shopland
Acrylic on 15.2 x 20 cm canvas paper
(Please note: as this is painted on canvas paper which is rather floppy in nature, framing is recommended.)
Part of an ongoing Angel and Fallen Angel series within the intense series, this piece explores the tension between beauty, desire, and deception. Drawing from myth and fantasy, the succubus appears as a seductive, almost ethereal presence—much like a mermaid without the rocks or shoreline—luring in those who cross her path, only to claim something far deeper than affection.
Set within a gritty, “after-hours” bathroom scene, the work carries a subtle nod to The Shape of Water’s bathroom, reimagined through a darker, more unsettling lens. The environment acts as a kind of modern-day mirror—echoing the spirit of The Picture of Dorian Grey—where the truth cannot be hidden within those tiles. As the ritual unfolds, hints of her true nature emerge: horns rising, beauty distorting, intention revealed.
At its core, this piece reflects a familiar human tension—the uncertainty of trust. We rarely see others in full; light and dark exist side by side, like flame and water, yin and yang. While my work often focuses on finding light with bright colours, this series allows space to acknowledge the shadows too—the intensity, the unknown, the parts of life that feel uneasy yet undeniably real.
As someone drawn to atmospheric horror, not for fear but for its exploration of human response - ordinary people and how they deal with an extraordinary situation, I occasionally step into these darker themes. Between Want and Ruin sits within that space—where allure meets consequence, and beauty walks a fine line with danger. See the other two succubus within the series.
