New Computer Ordered

There is the kind of blog silence that means nothing is happening and the kind that means everything is -this is the later sort.

I've been doing a lot of good art since my last update, which unfortunately I can't share until publication. ;) But lets just say I've been putting my 8 hours in most every day.

My biggest news: COMPUTER! That's right, I'm readying for a major upgrade in the form of a completely new custom built system. I just ordered the last component yesterday and I received the motherboard in the mail today. This thing is going to be super sweet. Here are the technical goodies:

- Lian Li PC-B25B Case (ohhh... the glowing blue circle!)
- ASUS P5E WS Motherboard
- Intel Quad Core Q6600 Processor
- ATI FireGL v3600 Graphics Card
- 8GB of CORSAIR XMS2 DHX RAM
- x2 1TB Western Digital Caviar RE2 Hard Drive (for a RAID config, art and data)
- 500GB Western Digital Caviar SE16 Hard Drive (for programs and OS)
- 36GB Western Digital Raptor Hard Drive(solely for Photoshop scratch disk)
- FreeAgent Pro 1TB External Hard Drive (I already have a FreeAgent 500GB for backing up the program drive)
- x2 SAMSUNG Black 20X DVD combo drive
- CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX Power Supply
- Vista Business 64-bit

I'm going to have the shop that built my current PC assemble this one for me. I can't wait!

Going Going

It's slightly frustrating working so long on art I won't be able to show ya'll for a good year. But I am enjoying it all the same. :) After a year and a half, this is really starting to feel like a full-time job.

Things are still coming along with the picture book dummy too. I just got all of the shipping supplies via the men in brown today. I'm still awaiting the order of printed spiral-bound dummies and need to get all the the shipping labels and cover letters / query letters filled out and saved.

In other random news, I just bought Casey Stratton's newest CD called Orbit and I am really enjoying it. At the moment I am obsessed with "Your Ghost Passing By."

Not Dead, Just Highly Occupied

Don't let the fact that I've been suspiciously quite since Christmas fool you. I've been quite occupied. Mainly on that picture book I started a year ago. I've been working both on an updated 40 page dummy and the text... Which may end up as a very long poem.

Also in the works are a myriad of projects for clients, including a huge one for a fellow in Holland (and I can say no more). This secrecy stuff is rather enjoyable ;)

Oh yes, I've also just finished a brand-new logo for my Illustration business, which I plan to incorporate into my new website design.

Golden Shadow and Merry Christmas

Well, I guess I can post this now that it is a gift given. For my grandparents I painted a 16"x20" acrylic painting of their baby Shadow. As I didn't have the dog here in person, I drew the underlying sketch based on reference photos and painted the background from imagination. The title "Golden Shadow" is a nod to Michael Whelan's similarly golden painting for the Otherland books ;)

Merry Christmas everyone! I know mine was a merry and satisfying day. I am currently tired and full but happy... as is fitting after such a day of presents, food, and family.

Winter Wishes and Covey Awards

Apologies for the lack of updates. Like many people around the holidays, I've been busy with all sorts of things both art and not. I've been doing commissions, painting a really nice gift for a certain relative, buying and wrapping presents and getting together a business winter mailing (among other things).

I also saw The Golden Compass a couple days ago. The verdict is like but not love. Visually it was beautiful. Plot-wise I feel like they lost a good deal of the book's depth. A fun and enjoyable movie all the same :)

I got e-mails from the author and publisher on a contest my cover art has been nominated for. Please vote for my cover painting on The Fireborn Chronicles at the Covey Cover Awards. [There are polls vertically along either side of the blog, one for Most Eye-Catching Cover and one for Most Relevant Cover. My cover is #18 for both.] If you have a couple seconds please vote. Let's show up those photo manipulators! ;) Thank you so much.

Oh yes, I also updated my site with the image below... check out the full version in the Children's Illustration Gallery at www.LDiehl.com.


Warm Winter Wishes!

Enchanted and Tides

I finished the mock cover image for The Tides of Avarice by John Dahlgren and added it to my site!












On a random note, I saw Disney's Enchanted a couple days ago and really enjoyed it. :) It made me giggle about as much as the 10 year old girls sitting nearby.

Fox Pirates and Post 80

My 80th post wow! It's been practically a month since I last posted too... er. What can I say? I've been super busy with a variety of projects. Below is the progress for one I'm currently working on. Besides other people's stuff, I'm again stirring the waters of the River of Dreams. I'd like to have it in submittable from for the Red Cygnet Press contest (ie December 31).