Book Cover Sort Of

Our friend and former roommate, Karen, asked me to repaint a bookend she bought. It is a stack of books and she wanted the titles etc. painted on the spines and I decided that the full book front needed a cover.  This was a commission that is now going to be a Christmas present.  "Witch in the Woods", 4 x 6 1/2 approx. Acrylic on wood. There is glare at the top from the flash. (I will post the side and show the rest of this bookend once it is finished. Picture 73.

Transformation Finished

As always, I could work on this for hours or days longer, but I will stop now. "Kirin Transformation", 8 x 14, Acrylic, Pro White and Prisma Color on Canson board. Original and prints available. Picture 72.

Good Article

http://freethoughtblogs.com/godlessness/2014/12/07/jesus-was-not-a-queer-ally/

New Picture Needs Background

Here is the newest picture I am working on, the figure is not done yet, but I have no clue what I am doing for a background. Any suggestions will be appreciated. "Kirin Transformation" WIP, 14 x 8, Acrylic on Canson board.

Japanese Ox Finished

I think this is done, I am fairly pleased with it and hope the person who commissioned it likes it. This is based on prints from the 1500's and the background is the Kagoshima Volcano (as requested by the client) and it is also based on Japanese prints of the volcano. "Ox Samurai Archer", 8 x 18, Acrylic, Micron pen, watercolor colored pencil and ProWhite on Canson board. Prints available. Picture 71.

Propper Art Practices

(I wrote this for one of the online art communities I am involved in but feel this simple thing which should be common knowledge needs to be spread to any and all artists who might come across it. Feel free to repost it wherever you think artists may benefit from the information).

OK, I have seen this so many times on here and other sites I just have to say something. Many very good artists, many who I am sure consider themselves professional, fail to leave room on their work for matting and framing! You should ALWAYS leave at least 1/2 inch border around your work that can be covered with the matt/frame without cutting off any of the picture! If you do traditional work you should have been taught this from the start.
NO art should EVER be framed/put under glass without a matt! The matt keeps the glass from sitting on the art and prevents condensation or heat from making the art stick to the glass! If you value your own work, please NEVER frame without a matt if there is glass (of plexiglass) and ALWAYS leave a border to allow matting/framing without covering up part of your work!!

Helping Another Artist

On Weasyl an artist I follow posted a WIP and needed help on their human figure/face. This is for them and will be removed when they are done with it. Finbar WIP redraw. Aricla, I drew in pencil over your work and then did a red marker of it to help you see what I did. The eye shape and position is lower and the eye lid is actually on top of one of the lines you had for the eye. The head as you can see needed a lot more roundness. The wings I am less detailed with but I hope I give you enough of an idea of what I think would work best. Look at real wings to do your version and get them more realistic...position is the main thing my drawing is trying to show you on them. Hope this helps!