Penny Dreadful tarot sketch cards

October 31, 2017, 5:26 pm

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For the Penny Dreadful trading card set, Cryptozoic Entertainment asked me to draw the 22 Major Arcana cards of the Tarot in a way that fitted the feel of the show – but without using actor likenesses.  So I took the traits of the main characters, blended them with the Major Arcana archetypes, mirrored the compositions of the original Rider Waite tarot cards (included below for reference), and lavished them with a heady mix of Penny Dreadful themes and symbols.
Everything I put in the cards has a Penny Dreadful reason, and a Tarot reason, for being there.  Everything. o.O

Inks, acrylics, gold medium, and 22k gold leaf. Everything except the lettering of the card names and numbers is hand-drawn or painted.

Official info about this set release here: http://www.cryptozoic.com/trading-cards/penny-dreadful-trading-cards-season-1

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Elemental of Fire & Revenge

November 2, 2017, 11:22 pm

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From a series of paintings embodying the four elements as human(ish) characters: Fire, the Spirit of Revenge.
Acrylics, gesso, and liquid gold on paper; size A3 (30×42 cms or 12×17 inches.)
Created for Perna Studios (to be printed as a basecard) for their trading card set ‘Elementals’.

Prints and shiny things available here.

(Gallery of work in progress) :

Elemental of Earth & Protection

November 4, 2017, 5:23 pm

≫ Next: Elemental of Air & Freedom

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From a series of paintings embodying the four elements as human(ish) characters: the Spirit of Earth and Protection
(with baby foxes, a little deer, and apparently *the* most fascinating plant anyone’s ever seen. :3 )

Acrylics, gesso, and liquid gold on paper; size A3 (30×42 cms or 12×17 inches.)
Created for Perna Studios (to be printed as a basecard) for their trading card set ‘Elementals’.

Prints and shiny things available here.

(Work in progress gallery) :

Elemental of Air & Freedom

November 6, 2017, 4:25 pm

≫ Next: Elemental of Water & Choice

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From a series of paintings embodying the four elements as human(ish) characters: the Spirit of Air and Freedom.
(I’ve been asked repeatedly why the spirit of freedom is chained up. I shall leave that to your consideration.)

Acrylics, gesso, liquid gold, and 22k gold leaf on paper; size A3 (30×42 cms or 12×17 inches.)
Created for Perna Studios (to be printed as a basecard) for their trading card set ‘Elementals’.

Prints and shiny things available here.

Elemental of Water & Choice

November 9, 2017, 2:32 pm

≫ Next: Elemental sketches

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From a series of paintings embodying the four elements as human(ish) characters: the Spirit of Water and choice.
Seen here with his would-be lover, and the choice she has to make.

Acrylics, gesso, and liquid gold on paper; size A3 (30×42 cms or 12×17 inches.)
Created for Perna Studios (to be printed as a basecard) for their trading card set ‘Elementals’.

Prints and shiny things available here.

The work in progress (condensed into a few seconds) :

Elemental sketches

November 11, 2017, 7:31 am

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A few of the sketched ideas for the ‘Elemental’ series while playing with ideas; including an increasingly long (and increasingly tragic) story between the Merman and his lover.

All are in pencil and acrylic, paper size A4 / 8.5×11 inches. A few of them are available as prints here.

The Raven King

November 12, 2017, 3:26 pm

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John Uskglass, the Raven King

“Even the Raven King – who was not a fairy, but an Englishman –
had a somewhat regrettable habit of abducting
men and women and taking them to live with him
in his castle in the Other Lands.”

The Raven King, with bird and book. Inspired by the character from exquisite Strange & Norrell by Susanna Clarke. (The audiobook is particularly good.)

Acrylics, pencil, liquid gold and silver, sterling silver leaf, and old English magic on paper 21×30 cms. Prints available here.

Elric sketch

November 17, 2017, 3:13 pm

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Drawing practice inspired by a conversation about Michael Moorcock’s doomed and gloomy (gloomedy?) albino hero: Elric of Melniboné

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The Old Forest

November 21, 2017, 12:22 am

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The Old Forest

” ‘They do not like all that about ending and failing,’ said Merry. ‘I should not sing any more at present. Wait till we get to the edge, and then we’ll turn and give them a rousing chorus!’ ”
—The Old Forest, Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien.

 – I just learned that this will be the cover of the Tolkien Society’s annual publication: the ‘Mallorn’! :)

The first in a series of landscapes inspired by both Britain and Middle-earth – this one based on the forest of Padley Gorge in Derbyshire. Though I think the trees there are less likely to eat you.

Acrylics, pencil, pastel, gouache, tea, cat hair, and the withered deathless malicious and malignant soul of a really evil tree – on paper (also made from trees, maybe evil), and then some digital colouring and fannying about.
A3 / 12×17 inches
Prints available here.

Work in progress and details:

 

The Lonely Mountain

November 21, 2017, 9:36 am

≫ Next: Smaug, the Unassessably Wealthy

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The Lonely Mountain

“And then Bilbo saw a sight…”

The Lonely Mountain, from the book ‘The Hobbit’ by JRR Tolkien.
This is the second in a series of landscapes inspired by both Britain and Middle-earth – this one based on Buachaille Etive Mòr in the Highlands of Scotland.

Acrylics, pencil, pastel, gouache, tea, dragon scales, and the indignation of surly Dwarves; then a smidge of digital editing including the frame.
A3 / 12×17 inches
Prints available here.

Work in progress and details:

Smaug, the Unassessably Wealthy

December 4, 2017, 2:38 pm

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Smaug

‘Smaug the Terrible’ dragon from the (film-version) of The Hobbit.
In his treasure are actual little gems, a tiiiny Arkenstone, and enough 22k gold leaf to even satisfy a Dwarf, briefly.

This shiny, jewel-encrusted wyrm will be one of the prizes in my art giveaway for the winner to choose from! Keep an eye on my Facebook page to see the other art prizes as they’re finished, and then for the contest itself afterwards!
A4 / 8×11.5″, acrylics, pencil, gold paint, liquid gold, 22k gold leaf, and glass crystals of various sizes.

Work in progress:

The Black Rider

November 19, 2017, 5:39 pm

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“ ‘…You won’t go far. They will come on you in the wild, in some dark place where there is no help. Do you wish them to find you? They are terrible!’ “

(Aragorn to the Hobbits at Bree) Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien.

Work in progress, showing also the five early draughts I did for this painting. They’re numbered so I could hold a vote to ask followers on Facebook which sketch they wanted to see made into a painting, and #2 won.

This finished painting will (omg eventually) be part of a big art giveaway contest on Facebook, please keep an eye on my page for details.

Thranduil in Winter

March 5, 2018, 10:00 am

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“But there was in Thranduil’s heart a still deeper shadow. He had seen the horror of Mordor and could not forget it. If ever he looked south its memory dimmed the light of the Sun.”
JRR Tolkien, Unfinished Tales

The Elvenking in Winter (book version)
Acrylics, pure silver leaf, and 22k gold leaf on paper; 21×29 cms.
Prints etc. available here.

Work in progress:

Love Conquers All

February 13, 2018, 4:45 pm

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‘Love Conquers All’, dangerous Eros, by Soni Alcorn-Hender

Work-in-progress detail of gold leafing behind his head:

~ Guards from Mount Olympus are seeking a dangerous madman who escaped on Valentine’s day: Eros, also known as Cupid. He’s naked, armed, and terrifyingly interested in your love life.
If you see him you’re advised to run to your nearest shrine, make an offering to Zeus, and ask to be turned into a tree. ~

Acrylics, chalk, pencils, and gold leaf on paper.
Prints etc available here.

Spirit of Spring

July 22, 2018, 11:49 pm

≫ Next: Circe, Goddess of Enchantment

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Painting was done in *everything*. I mean just Everything. (Pencil, acrylic, pastel, gouache, acrylic ink, pearl paint, gold paste, gold leaf, *and evidently everything within arm’s radius of my desk*) on paper, 21×29 cms.
(She has flappy lamb’s ears because she is a deer-ish/ lamb-ish lady, not an Elf, hence the little hoofies. :) )

Work in progress shots:

Prints and pretty things available here.

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Circe, Goddess of Enchantment

August 30, 2018, 10:57 pm

≫ Next: The Harpy, Marta

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Circe, ancient Greek goddess of enchantments and herbs, made famous by Homer’s Odyssey and the memorable welcome she gave to Osysseus’s crew.
Trespassers upon her island were offered sweet wine laced with a potion that packed a beastly hangover, literally.
The pig, lion, and wolf motif are used a few times (on her tripod, the writing on her arm) as those are what she turned men into – and is doing right at the moment of this scene in fact.
She’s entwined and crowned in Enchanter’s Nightshade, a plant from the Circaea family, named in her honour. Her crown is also decorated with the seed heads of opium poppies.

The original painting was mixed media over acrylics, A3 size (29×42 cms, approx 11.5×16.5 inches)

Prints available here.

Work in progress pics:

The Harpy, Marta

September 12, 2018, 8:13 pm

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“On the roof, what did you see?”
“I thought I saw a woman, but all dark and sharp and hunched over the roof tiles like a vulture. …I thought she had wings.”
He sighed. “You won’t always see the wings, but her face remains the same: ageless, vicious; eyes like a mad hawk and a temper to match.” He cast a nervous glance at the rooftops and shivered. “Avoid her. Are you listening? Avoid her, and avoid her eyes. If she looks into your eyes, she’ll know.”

The harpy Marta. Finished sketch of an original character from my own story. :3
Derwent pastels and pencils on recyled paper. 8.6×12 inches.

Prints available, in case you want to scare yourself or your nearest and dearest, Here.

Dracula Risen

November 20, 2018, 5:34 pm

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‘Dracula Risen’
Basecard art for a trading card by Iconic Creations; acrylics and gold leaf on paper,
A3 / 29cms x 42cms

Prints and art items available at Society6

Work in progress and detail images:

Oberon & Puck

June 5, 2020, 12:32 am

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Oberon & Puck

‘Oberon & Puck’
Basecard art for a trading card by Iconic Creations for the set ‘Iconic Literature’.
Acrylics, mica glitter, gold leaf, dubious love potions and fairy-level arrogance, on paper
A3 / 29cms x 42cms

Prints and art items available at Society6

Work in progress and detail images:

Hide and seek

September 22, 2020, 4:05 pm

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This painting resulted from reading about Aragorn’s tortuous journey with Gollum to the Elves, and wondering what would happen if Gollum tried to sneak away – surely the ultimate game of hide and seek? The idea coincided with a *need* to paint another English landscape, and this is the result!

Landscape inspired by the glorious Aira Force in the Lake District.
Very mixed media: acrylics, acrylic ink, pastel, chalk, pencil, charcoal, gouache, and possibly a third of a jaffa cake (I never did find it) on paper, 21x29cms.