Something different, something new!

Unfortunately, I'm not too skilled when it comes to landscapes. I enjoy looking at them, but when asked to capture their essence on paper, I just can't seem to properly lend my attention to them and see a project through. Perhaps if one held a whip, I'd be better convinced. Here, however, is one of my first serious attempts at a full landscape.


It's not much, of course. I worked from a small and blurry photograph of my parent's view from their house in Iowa. I think I may have learned a thing or two, however. One being that dark watercolor washes want me to die, and two being that one should finish a sky as a wet wash as quickly as possible. I see things I wish I could fix, but I'll let it be. Next time it'll be a different story. (Or so, I hope.)

"Almost" cover for UK edition of "The Doomspell"

This blog is falling quite rapidly into a state of neglect, isn't it? *groan* That needs to be fixed. 

Anyway, here is something I finished months ago and forgot to upload. The illustration that was almost the cover art for the UK edition of "The Doomspell" by Cliff McNish. Unfortunately, it was turned down as the author ended up wanting a different look for the series. Oh well. You win some, you lose some, right? At any rate, this piece held a host of new challenges for me, and it would be an understatement to say I lost just a little sleep over this project.