Strength

Amazingly, the tarot series is nearly finished! I believe I only have three more to do before my 19 are all in, and we're expecting all 78 pieces to be done by the end of the summer. This is my most recent, catching up on more Major Arcana with Strength (which I was very surprised to see had not yet been claimed!)



14x21, oil on illustration board

***ALSO***

A few days ago I learned that I had received TWO medals in this year's (upcoming) Spectrum. I was awarded the Gold in the book category for Gods War and the Silver in the comic category for Sleep. Spectrum has come to be one of the two milestones of my creative year (the other being San Diego Comic Con) when I stop and assess where I've been and where I intend to go. It's a wonderful opportunity to reflect and a strong motivator to push further and explore, and I'm tremendously honored to have been selected for these awards. :D

The Whitefire Crossing

A recent cover piece here. This is the all oils version, though the printed cover will have some glowy red magic effects added where the figure touches to the tree. Story-wise, he's absorbing life from the living tree and the tree is blackening from his touch. This is how I picture it as described in the book, very subtle and quiet. For a cover to code as fantasy though, it was a bit too subtle. It was something we talked back and forth a bit, and in the end I think I prefer the original version as a painting though the more overtly magical certainly works better for the cover. Thanks to Photoshop, everybody wins :)



16x24, oil on illustration board

*edit* here's the digital retouch version as it was approved for print:

Though Smoke Shall Hide The Sun

A new piece for Tor.com, this time for a short from Brit Mandelo. This is a slightly different version of the piece from the one shown with the story. There was concern over the foreground character looking too much the victim (which I most definitely agree she should not) and so I was asked to give her a bit of a sly smile. It worked better for the story, though this version works a bit better for me, so here it is :)


9x16, oil on illustration board

The Hanged Man

As we're closing in on the final stretch for the tarot series, I've found I have some Major Arcana yet to do. The Hanged Man is one that I'd called dibs on from way early on and then let simmer for, well, the past couple years I guess. I love the meaning and traditional interpretations, but I did want to move out of the box just a bit. The whole Tau Cross leg thing for example. It didn't feel necessary to the symbolism for me, and honestly I'm not even sure I understand it. So here's the outcome, a rare traditional/digital hybrid piece for me. Oh, and the model for the painting is my Dad, which was fun and strange, like making an alternate universe time traveling self portrait.



12x18, oil on illustration board/digital

Star Wars: Visions

In all the whirlwind of getting that last gallery show up, meeting deadlines, and the usual holiday madness, I totally snoozed on posting this piece! This was a painting for the Star Wars: Visions book which finally released in November. I'm not 100% on this, but I *think* I started this piece in early 2009 so it's been almost 2 years since I painted it. Though I would most likely think in a different direction were I to be offered this project again today, I'm still really pleased with how it came out.



13.5x18, oil on illustration board, 2009

Two and Twenty Idols

I leave for Illuxcon tomorrow and *just* finished this piece in time for the show :) This is the first completely non-commissioned illustration I've done in a couple years, I really need to make more time for that sort of thing.



15x23, oil on illustration board

More new work for November

A few more pieces for my upcoming gallery show in November


"Underbelly", oil on panel, 24x54


"Tranced", oil on panel, 30x40


"On nights when we're apart", oil on canvas, 30x40


"Beyond the castle walls, there are new kingdoms to explore", oil on panel, 12x48


"A long and crooked road", oil on panel, 18x24