Month of Fear #5: M A S K S

"Premeditation" 8"x10" oil and acrylic on board

I took a different turn in interpreting masks. Rebellion, dissatisfaction with society and government, it's all very scary and very serious and very, very real. As a race, us humans have gone through a lot lately, and for our benefit, I hope to see that we will all rise up and fight for what we believe in and change the world for the better through intelligence and cooperation rather than violence.

Month of Fear #4: Haunted

"White Lady" 5" x 7" oil and acrylic on board

 I live in a hotbed of the paranormal. Growing up, every October Ed and Lorraine Warren would come to my high school and do a presentation about the hauntings in the area and about the exorcisms and investigations they've conducted.

A constant in our area is the famous White Lady of Union Cemetery. She's almost caused my friends car accidents to avoid hitting her, and my Poppa said that he had an encounter when he was young, but never went into detail, remaining vigilantly silent about his experience.

Month of Fear #2: What Are You Afraid Of?

"As Above" (left) "So Below" (right) each 2.5"3.5" oil, acrylic, gold and silver leaf on board

I believe in karma. that any good deed will come back to you, and any malevolent deed will come back and bite you in the ass. I also believe in self-fulfilling prophecy. Life has a tender balance, and to me, when I have a bad day, I can't help but wonder what I could have done to someone or myself to warrant such bad luck!

Month of Fear #1: Things That Go Bump

"Pray the Lord My Soul to Keep" 8"x10" oil and acrylic on board

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
If I shall die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen.

I wasn't brought up in a religious household. I always thought it was pretty deep to drill into a child's mind that some unknown force in the middle of the night could kill them, for no reason, and that you better hope your soul be saved.

Illustration Master Class 2014 Edition

Post-IMC is not so much a case of con crud, but rather a multi-day hangover from excessive consumption of awesome! Now that I've been home for a few days since getting back on Monday, I'm finally rested enough to not feel the urge to just lie down on the couch.

This year I decided to work on a personal piece: a painting for The Dark Woods show coming up next month at Krab Jab in Seattle. The painting is my take on a Japanese kodama, spirits that inhabit old sugi trees. I was originally going to take on the Dragon Rider assignment, even going so far as spending two weeks working on reference compiling and having a final sketch to show for it, but two days before heading up to Amherst, I, in Carly fashion, decided to kill two birds with one stone and work on one of the three pieces I needed to get done for gallery shows coming up in July, and get a good critique on my own personal work. So, in two days I went from zero to sketch, ready for first-day critique.

Sketch Pre-Critique

My focus group was comprised of Rebecca Guay, Greg Manchess, Scott Fischer, Mike Mignola, and Iain McCaig. I couldn't have asked for or picked a more perfect group! Of course they offered great critique, leading me to have the figure hug the curve of the tree to help reinforce the flow of the piece. It wasn't until the end of the week, but Greg brought to my attention how much of a swastika the original pose was... Whoops!

My critique in action!

Day two, Tuesday, I spent the whole day coming up with and finalizing her new pose--primarily sussing out what to do with her arms and hands. The end result on day two was what I ended up transferring onto board and began to paint by Wednesday!

Thursday's in progress photo...

I kind of got too wrapped up in painting and socializing to take more progress pictures, but I at least got this one! Since this picture was taken I changed the pose of her right arm to a much more believable and elegant configuration. Now that I'm home I've worked on it since, and thanks to the slow-drying nature of titanium white, it will take a few more days to finish this than anticipated, but I'm pleased with how it's coming along and am very excited to get it finished! Once it's done it will be of course posted up here on the blog, so look out!

I told myself that this was going to be my last year, because it's terribly difficult for me to afford attending, but it's so hard to say no year after year... Soo many good things came out of this year, potential job gigs and private sales, and seeing friends I wouldn't get a chance to see any other time. I'm going to try my hardest at being able to go back for 2015, so the next few months I'm going to work my ass off! Here's to another brilliant year of the Illustration Master Class!

How could I say no to a week of shenanigans?!

Tiny Pleasures

3"x3" oil and acrylic on board

Jon Schindehette of The Art Order brought the artists together yet again! This time for Tiny Pleasures, a celebration of tiny paintings. All paintings will be on display at Spectrum Fantastic Art Live this year. So if you're there, check it out! I can't wait to see them all hung up together!

Field Guide to Hiveland

8"x10" oil and acrylic on board

Name: Domus Apidae

Realm: Forest of Zzub

Special Skill: Crystal Honey - Domus Apidae oozes honey from

her bark, creating a hard crystalline shell offering extra protection against damage.

Short Story: Born a dryad in the Forest of Zzub, the young sprite befriended its buzzing inhabitants after admiring the bee's dedication to the Queen. Wanting to offer help in her own way, the dryad grew tall and strong to offer herself as a walking shelter to protect her friends from harm.

Honey Power - 20

Dance Moves - 10

Pollen Processing - 10

Wing Potential - 5

Sting Power - 20

Exoskeleton - 35

Be sure to check out this piece at The Hive Gallery on Field Guide to Hiveland on its opening night in Los Angeles April 5th!

Jeff Easley Tribute

16" x 20" oil and acrylic on board

Jon Schindehette a while back had sent out a call to artists to help celebrate a tribute to a father of modern fantasy illustration:
I was never able to help Jeff get permission to create his art book when I was at Wizards of the Coast, and I would like to find a way to celebrate what he has contributed to our industry. I could only think of one way I could do that - through ArtOrder. Join me in paying homage to a man that directly influenced the fantasy illustration and gaming genre. Create an image that celebrates the man and his art.
My main influence from his work is how he can paint in one hue, but give it so much life, depth, and diversity. This piece was painted with just titanium white, mars black, and alizarin crimson.

Happy birthday, Jeff!

Nine of Pentacles

11" x14" oil, acrylic, and gold leaf on board

Hello everyone! I'm excited to say that I'm participating in The Hive Gallery's 5th annual 2014 Tarot Show! Two tarot pieces in 2013, how apropos... 

The opening is in Los Angeles on January 4th at 8:30. I won't be able to be in attendance, but if you're in California you should go!

Dream Predation and Getting Busy!

Dream Predation 16"x20" oil and acrylic on board

I did this piece for Forest to Shore's Cursed show last month and I have yet to properly upload a photograph of it up on my site. This is actually a springboard piece for a solo show coming up in January that I still need to get off my arse and begin work on the pieces! 

However, I am fortunate enough to say that as of late I have been incredibly busy working on and finishing painting after painting for numerous projects! I have never felt so happy :D

IMC 2013 Piece

Jon and Arya oil & acrylic 24" x 36"

I finished it! I will be making prints, which will be available to buy at Dragon*Con and illuXcon this year!

Amanda Palmer Tarot

Hello! It's been a pretty hectic time lately, lots of art to do, places to go... I apologize for a lack of updates, but I was fortunate enough to be able to take part in the Amanda Palmer Tarot project. I was roped in really really late in the process, so I had to haul ass to get this done in a timely manner in place of another artist who dropped out. This is the Six of Cups, a card which speaks of nostalgia, simple pleasures, and joy.

Now that I'm less than 24 hours done with this piece I do have my qualms with it, specifically anatomy but otherwise I'm happy with how it turned out and especially how as of late my technique of painting has changed for the better after watching a lot of tutorials.

Now I need to finish my Illustration Master Class piece that's been silently screaming at me to finish!

New Piece: Threads

"Threads" 16" x 20" oil and acrylic on board

This is a new piece I just finished for Forest to Shore Gallery's 2nd Anniversary show! I had a lot of fun with this, I got to experiment with an old grungy brush that's been around since I don't even know when!

Month of Love: Day 10/Klaymen Buddy

Decided to dedicate the day to working on one of two pieces I'm submitting to a show this weekend, well, Thursday. This is Klaymen from The Neverhood. I have a lot to do the next few days!

Third Eye Revisited

Wasn't too happy with how the third eye in this piece was rendered, so I revisited it. Added in the wings, made the eye more graphic.

I finished Morrigan tonight. However, I do need to do another coat of cadmium red on the arrows I added in to make them more opaque. Red is so finicky...

Beep beep make way for headway!

Howdy, been doing a lot of painting lately, but not much updating. Here's a new piece I started this week I have yet to properly name. Flotsam? I dunno... It's 18"x24", my usual acrylic/oil combo. It's very minimalist, but I'm loving the hell out of this piece so far!

And here's a closeup of the face:

Hurricane Follow-up

I am absolutely thrilled to have power back! When Sandy hit on Monday, John and I were comfortably watching movies together while I painted when the power went out. I cursed, washed my brushes, and hoped for the best. Four days later while waiting for John to come save me from my heavy case of cabin fever, the lights went back on! Since then I jumped back into painting, the only thing I really missed. Except maybe the heat and use of the percolator...

I waaant to say she's done? It's up for critique, for sure! I love how the hair turned out, but the leaves and flower were tricky. I'm still giving those an inquisitive glare.

Haha, oh man, this looks awful at this stage, but, here it is. There will be glowing magical symbols in this one, a halo around her head. It is so far from being done...

Working on some smaller, 4"x4" pieces for my upcoming gallery show at Forest to Shore. Need to do a beastly sized piece as a focal point as well... Gotta brainstorm!

Rapunzel Again

Finished the face! It's been forever, but hey. The hair will be drawn in, need to render the leaves and the flower and add in more color and glazes into the white to make it more interesting.

Need to do a lot of work in the next 2.5 months for an upcoming gallery show I will be doing with 3 other artists. I'm so excited!

Rapunzel

Had a marathon painting day today! Started a small painting of Rapunzel. I'm all over the place with paintings right now...

Back in the Game

Hey! Been a little while... August was a month full of trial and error, and experimentation. I've reconnected with a few books, stories, and characters I've always--or recently--loved. This painting in particular is revisiting one of my favorite short stories: Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury. As my favorite author of all time, I find it very appropriate to illustrate a work of his in the midst of his passing.

This is my first time painting space; very exciting! I've utilized NASA's wonderful archive of photographs to supply reference for this piece. If you have yet to take a look, you should!