Well, Something Killed That Billionaire
Pen and ink wash of mansion staff going about their business, cleaning and answering the phone, while a gesture drawing lays on the couch (dead).

Id and Ego Babble:

While concept sketches are a great tool to practice, I need the crutch of stock photos. Yup. I lack the ability to pull something like this from a thought. I mean, budding artists spend a lot of time copying others, right? It's how I get better. Impatience, man. I'm impatient and want to do what I desire now like busting out a fine work of art in one go. That's probably not the reality of how artists operate. Yeah, that's not realistic, especially at this time. Case in point: I scribbled the pillow the gesture's head is supposed to be on because I didn't plan it out. Yay me! Rush rush rush. You know what? I don't hate it. It's messy. It's my mess. Exactly. Mine.

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Front Matter

  • Title: Well, Something Killed That Billionaire
  • Meta Title: Well, Something Killed That Billionaire
  • Meta Description: Something amuses me about staff murdering their boss. And, until I can draw that, especially the people part, these concepts will have to do.
  • Meta Image: /assets/images/death-at-mansion-concepts-20251130-600x.jpg
  • Meta Image Alt: Five mini concept sketches revolving around a rich person's death in their mansion.
  • Layout: art.njk
  • Date: Sunday, November 23, 2025
  • Modified: Sunday, February 01, 2026

Previous Versions

Five mini concept sketches revolving around a rich person's death in their mansion.

Id and Ego Babble:

I learned about small-format concept sketch exercise and tried it out.It's not as fun as jumping right in and creating a masterful piece of shit, is it? No. Maybe I can convince myself that it'll save me time and help my progression by focusing my attention on a composition that might work for my skill level. Patience and practice are boring. And wasting time drawing half-cocked ideas is worse.

Image Created:
A couple of sketches of a cleaning service worker sitting at the table of a dead client. Very, very crude, rough sketches.

Id and Ego Babble:

I wanted to create a scene where a chill domestic sips wine at the dinner table in a mansion's dining room next to a slumped over body. And? I don't know how to do it. Yes. And I also don't have a clear picture in my head which is why my sketches are half assed. How fix? To suck less? I know the answer. Don't be obtuse.Practice. And start easier. Blah blah blah. I hate sucking at things.

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Inspiration

Well, Something Killed That Billionaire

ABF Newswire: December 25, 2025

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, December 25, 2025 (ABF Newswire) Unexplained circumstances is the leading cause of death for a local billionaire found in his palatial upstate mansion this morning.

Speaking to reporters, the lead detective offered a cryptic and terse statement. "Until we know more about why and how the body was found, we're head down working the case."

The deceased founded a private equity firm that was on a recent run of buying out local veterinary clinics across the nation. Under new management, the clinics would generate more profit for the private equity firm by increasing costs and lowering expenses, usually sacrificing quality of service in the process.

Editor's Note: 2025-12-25T16:45: This story will be updated as relevant details become available.

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