Dandelion Sky

Just started a new summer promo/personal piece. I'm calling it 'Dandelion Sky' ...inspired a bit by Miyazaki movies, a bit by Ray Bradbury's book Dandelion Wine, and a whole lot by the feel of summer!

Much more to go: but I like the way it's shaping up!

(As you can see I also decided, after coloring the initial sketch, that this would make a really nice wide-format wallpaper.)

Eternal Fire Map

Why are words always cooler in another language? Especially words on maps...these in particular are Swedish. To me they sound fantasy already ;) As you may have guessed, I'm now working on the map for Patrik Bergström's Magic of the Eternal Fire series. Shading and more refinement to come...

Magic of the Eternal Fire - Sketches

I just started a new cover for Patrik Bergström in Sweden. This is for a children fantasy chapter book/series that translates roughly to: The Magic of the Eternal Fire: Tim and Corinthia.

I'm quite excited about how this is turning out so-far and can't wait to start playing with color and light!

Moss Dragon - WIP4

Haven't forgotten about this piece. Today it underwent a bit of revision. Namely, I changed the woman to a much younger girl. It had been bugging me that this didn't quite fit into my children's art portfolio, making the character younger was the obvious solution =P

Also looking at TONS of photos of mossy forests around Ireland as inspiration. My goal is to have this one done for St. Patrick's Day -but we shall see! ;)

Moss Dragon - WIP3

Made some more good progress on the 'Moss Dragon' piece today. I got a number of good critiques from my wave group yesterday evening. I found Cynthia's suggestion to go more "wide-angle" with the forest background especially helpful.

Also, trying to make the greens work in a more harmonious manner. I darkened and desaturated the background, shifting the hue, and adding bits of red-ish tint here and there. I do want this to be a primarily green piece, but I don't want it to feel like a war between greens! =P

Moss Dragon - Sketch & Color Rough

Trying to get better about posting updates as-I-go for pieces (when I can). Today I started a new personal piece. The idea is an ancient moss-covered well in a magical forest. In this well lives a friendly "moss dragon" who enjoys sunning himself and having his chin scratched. =)

I've been listening to the Princess Mononoke soundtrack as I was working today ;)

The Deeper Darkness - Book Cover - Value Study

A ton of work yesterday on the grayscale "value study" for the Deeper Darkness cover.... so much so, that I was too zonkered to post it by the end of the work day! But here it is.

Today I play with color =)

The Woodcutter (Sketch & Color Rough)

So, I've finally got another project-in-progress to share (ie one that is not NDA...like the big ones I'm working on). The client is an author by the name of Lorn Wolf and he needs a cover for his up and coming fantasy book: The Woodcutter.

In this scene the main character (and family) confront the Giant who has supposedly kidnapped his daughter (the girl in the center). At this point in time, the daughter has rushed out to "save" the misunderstood Giant but is rapidly loosing control of her magic.

Math Wizard

Just wrapped up an e-book cover today for Vincent Tan in Singapore (his blog here: honeybeech.com). This is an illustration of a D&D "Math Wizard" for a specialized rule book. Accordingly, our hero fights with a divider and casts mathematical spells at his foes... I loved the clever concept and had a blast coming up with the illustration to match.

In the midst of said illustration, I underwent a rather big workstation change: I upgraded from a 24" Gateway LCD to a 30" LCD. And not just any 30incher, a NEC MultiSync LCD3090WQXi which I am really enjoying. I also got a Spyder3 to help with calibration =) (Photos of my updated workstation to follow). As for my 24".... let's just say a certain boyfriend is now enjoying a 3 monitor spread for his internet spaceships.

Oh, and special thanks to my friend Joe for modeling in a wizard's robe.

A Hint of Magic - Cover WIP 5

The "almost done" for A Hint of Magic. =)

A Hint of Magic - Cover WIP 1-3

Just started on a new book cover for Liz at Zumaya. This is the cover for the up and coming book A Hint of Magic by Linda Andrews.

Still a ways to go... but 'tis coming along. Color sketch is the current stage.

Mother Goose and Steph Portrait

First up. I just started another lovely book cover for Kalliope Audiobooks. This is for the audiobook version of The Mother Goose in Prose by L. Frank Baum. The story I chose for the cover is "Little Bo-Peep."







Also onto the next character portrait for Tom Tancin's Time Warriors series:

William and the Witch

So my little fingers have been flying around the ol' Wacom... Below are some recent projects: the first a WIP character portrait for author Tom Tancin (of Time Warrior fame).

The second is a quick black & white interior illustration for fantasy author Mark Milbrath. This is the first of a series of images for his upcoming book Pumpkin Tales (working title). The particular story I've illustrated is called "Matilda's Ingredients" -about a witch, three orphan girls, and a mysterious cat.

Patchwork Girl - Just About Done

Yup, just about done with the cover for The Patchwork Girl of Oz!

The Patchwork Girl of Oz - Sketch

I just started on a new audio book cover for Kalliope Audio Books. This one is for The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum.

It's not really a literal scene, more a selection of characters and scenery that I thought would make an attractive cover. The landscape will be painted in shades of blue (as per Munchkin Land). The road they travel is the yellow brick road (of course), and the strange plants are the ones that had hypnotic color/shape changing properties and attacked the group.

Princess and the Goblin - Painting I

Working on the "long part" of the Princess and the Goblin illustration now... =) Still not sure I've got her face the way I want it.

(On a random note: today is my birthday.=)

Princess and the Goblin - Color Sketch

I've been working on the color sketch for The Princess and the Goblin... =)

The Princess and the Goblin 1

Got a good start on the cover illustration of The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. This is another one for Kalliope Audiobooks... Below is the tight sketch, rough sketch and thunbnail sketch.









Also, finished up the splash page illustration for theterrorofprismfading.com a few days back: