Sepia ink illustration of an ornate magic arch framing a small fairytale castle on a misty path — This ethereal ink wash artwork uses soft swirling sepia smoke effects to frame a carved ornate gateway, looking through to a whimsical fairytale castle perched at the end of a winding misty path. Warm brown and charcoal tones drift across textured off-white paper, creating a dreamy, magical dark fairy tale mood. The fluid smoke style gives the piece a transient, otherworldly fantasy feel.

Smoke ink drawing of a rune-carved gothic arch framing a spooky distant fantasy castle — This eerie monochrome smoke and charcoal artwork shows an ornate rune-inscribed portal wrapped in wispy ethereal shadow figures. A winding misty path through the arch leads to a tiny spired haunted castle, rendered in soft blurred black and warm off-white tones. The atmospheric mood leans into dark fantasy, gothic horror, and surreal otherworldly portal themes.

Wispy smoke-style sketch of a gothic arch framing a tiny haunted castle — This soft monochrome surreal illustration uses flowing smoke-like linework to depict a twisted gothic portal surrounding a tiny spooky fairytale castle. The muted charcoal gray palette creates an eerie dreamlike dark fantasy mood, with swirling tendrils curling around the arch frame and across the hazy background. The delicate ethereal style feels haunting and otherworldly, evoking quiet gothic horror themes.

Swirling ethereal mist arch frames a distant gothic castle in a dark surreal fantasy landscape — This moody monochrome fantasy illustration uses soft wispy charcoal-style texture to render a swirling smoky archway against a deep inky black background. A winding mist path leads through the arch toward a haunting tiny gothic castle, with curling smoke tendrils wrapping the frame. The warm sepia grey tone creates an eerie, dreamlike otherworldly mood perfect for dark gothic fantasy themes.

Wispy pale smoke forms an ornate magical archway leading to a tiny fantasy castle against a solid black background — This haunting monochrome smoke art depicts an ornate rune-carved portal arch opening to a misty tiny fairy tale castle, all rendered in delicate swirling wispy smoke against a deep black background. The gothic dark fantasy aesthetic carries an ethereal, mysterious mood, with curling smoke tendrils flowing outward from the portal frame. The soft translucent smoke textures create a surreal dreamlike effect ideal for supernatural and fantasy themed creative projects.

Wispy swirling white smoke forms a spooky haunted castle against a dark black background — This moody monochrome surreal artwork uses delicate curling white smoke to render a tiny gothic haunted castle framed by ornate vapor trails. Deep inky black backgrounds contrast sharply with translucent, wispy smoke textures, creating an eerie dreamlike gothic atmosphere ideal for Halloween or dark fantasy themes. A winding smoke path leads directly to the castle's arched entrance, amplifying the mysterious otherworldly tone.

Sepia ink illustration of an ornate magic arch framing a small… — AI art by @CaylaCatz

@CaylaCatz · 10/13/2026

Entry in the Your Inktober drawings theme on BudgetPixel.

Damn! lost my post before posting so trying again. I hate when I do that! Inktober 2026 Day 10 : Mystical My drawing with the fumage technique. It is a surreal technique of painting with smoke, actually painting with the soot from candle smoke. I thought @NielsCarlsen , @justrob and @Sealine might be itnerested in it. Maybe others. The models below are comparing 2 prompts. My original drawing was posted here: https://budgetpixel.com/p/93482 . The concept was "mystical" so I drew a stone arch in a forest as a portal to a castle. All are image to image with my original drawing. *Prompt A:* Basic: "**fumage**" only *Prompt B:* Descriptive: "**Surrealist fumage artwork made from drifting candle‑smoke patterns, soft soot textures, accidental organic forms, atmospheric, mysterious, monochrome with subtle tonal gradients, haunting and otherworldly**" 1. Nano Banana 2.1 : Prompt A: **fumage** only 2. Nano Banana 2.1 : Prompt B: see above 3. GPT 2.5 Flare: : Prompt A: **fumage** only 4. GPT 2.5 Flare: : Prompt B: see above 5. Muse 1.0 : Prompt A: **fumage** only 6. Muse 1.0: : Prompt B: see above This YT vid at 2:25 min shows the artist doing the fumage technique of painting with a candle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN0QyIe6Br0 I used the fumage technique to create my ghosts here https://budgetpixel.com/p/93351

13 likes · 23 comments

Comments

CaylaCatz

thank you! it's a fun art technique to work with in AI art. I've used it for a couple of years now once in a while.

legion

They could also fit with the caterpillar’s words: "in every puff, a softer truth."🙂

CaylaCatz

Thank you! The surrealists came up with some interesting techniques

CaylaCatz

it's interesting that the models did that. I wasn't expecting that

justrob

great idea, and really nice text with the image!

BloodRaiNxp

Nice work, I really like the smoke look you used

CaylaCatz

Thank you! So glad you liked it!

panos

Images with a great style here.

panos

You're wellcome! Yes, it did.

suga2309

Wow ! Nice effect, Catz ! 🤩✨