We Hail Thee?

I finally completed this piece, which I started last Saturday and finished yesterday.

The concept came to mind after listening to a church member explain the rules to my sister, who recently joined the choir. Hearing their complaints made me reflect on how deeply broken things have become in our country. The political system is completely out of order and no longer favors the poor. Seeing news of people living under bridges in Lagos was painful enough, but hearing stories of church members who suffer daily yet still give smiling offerings hit even harder.

Giving isn't a sin, but it raises a question: on what basis are people giving? Is it truly to fund God's work and help those in need, or to enrich hypocrites who dull people's minds out of greed? They display public wealth, claiming God made them rich, while draining the pockets of followers on the premise of "unlocking gates of blessings." Does God really demand this level of hardship from His people?

When the government turns its back, people turn to God. Yet, religious leaders have turned faith into a money-making business and invented "church politics." It’s a chaotic mix. While elite figures raise millions overnight, ordinary leaders struggle; a pastor's wife in my community recently passed away from early-stage cancer after being told to simply "fast, pray, and wait for a miracle."

Miracles feel commercialized, replaced by the love of money. Christ died so we could have direct access to God through prayer—not through a intermediary pastor or a physical building or brand and logo.
There's more to this that pisses me off the more I think and study but it's best we move on to the next part

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The Creative Process

• Traditional Foundation:
  I started with a pen drawing. I avoid recording videos or overthinking my posts during the initial phase because public expectations distract from the raw creative flow. I focused purely on the pen lines and shadow shading, adding stippling/dotting inside to pass the time while processing the heavy conversation.

• Digital Line Art & App Choice:
  On Sunday, I decided to take the piece digital. I imported the traditional sketch into MediBang Paint to trace the line art. I chose MediBang specifically to reserve IbisPaint X for my comics

• Base Colors & Costumes:
  After finishing the linework, I laid down the base colors, starting with the main character. I experimented with a few costume colors before settling on a palette that balanced the character with the background elements.

• Shading, Details & Background:
  I added the shadows, highlights, and painted the flag. To finish the piece, I added a minimal gradient background to keep the main focus on the character's expression and message.