Tarot Border Inks for Sale

Finally got around to updating the tarot site to include all these new ink drawings. Price range is from $65-$150 for each of these 11x7.5 inch ink drawings that I have been posting in the blog. You can find them -here-. Fun to put my dusty old programming skills to use now and then, as long as I don't have to do it for a company other than my own!

Pentacles are still forthcoming as soon as I finish them.

Minor Arcana Book Borders - Swords

Next batch. Swords Ace -> King. Just Pentacles left and then I can get started on the layouts! Also done with the proofing of Dreamscapes, so that has been sent off back to the editor this morning. Ran through the rain from my car, clutching the package to my chest. It's been pouring like crazy here in California, but we need it with the past few years of drought.

Dreamscapes: Myth & Magic Cover Preview

Looks like the editors at Impact decided they wanted a different image for the cover instead of the original one I submitted for it. I was a little disappointed that they didn't go with that first piece, but I trust their marketing department, and they said they wanted something that was more differentiated from the first Dreamscapes.

I'm slowly making my way through the manuscript that Impact's designers have finally put together for me. Basically when I submit material to them, its a bunch of pictures, and the text is marked to indicate which pictures belong with what block of text. The design and layout is all determined by their people (which I am glad for!)

I have until the end of this week to finish up the proofing. As with the first book, I'm impressed by how nice it looks all laid out, and I'm sure I will be very happy with the finished product! I haven't heard yet on a release date, but I'm guessing early/mid this year. Seems like I have a lot of things coming out around that time this year!

Pigeonholes

Two of Cups

Medium: Ink

Size: 5.5x7 inches

This one's not for my own tarot project, but yes it is yet another tarot piece. It's funny how once you do a style or a theme, you become That kind of artist and people keep coming to you for more of it.

Pigeonholes.

But I'm not really complaining. This is a rather roomy pigeonhole that has plenty of freedom for interpretation and variation of themes within the structure, and I'm enjoying it still. And this is not a whole deck, just a few spot illustrations for Liveperson tarot newsletter.

Back in 2000 I remember thinking how I wanted to avoid being a "Fairy Artist" and yet somehow I landed smack dab into that label. It's just that "fairy" sometimes has connotations of pretty, fluff, twee-ness, and being devoid of meaning. Things that my detractors would probably find it hard to believe I do try to avoid!

I don't deny them the right to that opinion though. I've learned since my Fine Art days at Berkeley how subjective all art is, and how to accept the criticism along with the praise. As an artist, one puts oneself out there for the judging. What I find meaning in, may be quite different from what another may see (or not see).

Or there's "Symbolist Artist" which seems to be the fine art equivalent of "Fantasy Artist", but eminently more gallery acceptable terminology.

It's the power of Names. Just as true names have power in the world of fairy tales, they do in this world as well. The right name gives validation, acceptance to one community or another, and commands monetary renumeration. We swim through the sea of labels, trying them out, finding the one that suits, the one that can feels right, to clothe that core of expression inside.

And really one wants to just ignore all that and just Be.

Improvement Meme Bandwagon

"Me too!"

Someone started this over at DeviantArt, and it looked like fun, so here goes.

I think if this were to go back to 2000 there would be much more drastic change. But for the most part it's a gradual anatomy improvement and richer colors, with some branching out in recent years. The ink work shows a lot more change in the 2003-2009 period than my watercolors.

If you're interested in looking at the full paintings, you can do a title search at Shadowscapes for these:

2003: Sparks, Catknot, Green Witch, Fyre Hair

2004: Blue Rose, Harbinger, Fool

2005: Dangerous Other, World

2006: Muse, Page of Wands, Five of Swords

2007: Eight of Pentacles, Plum Blossoms, Surge

2008: The Storm, Changeling: Dusk, Dragon Pearl, Slumber

2009: Potential, Offerings, Nautilus

Unfortunately, most of the ink drawings are no longer online, and are only viewable in Inklings or Inklings II

Minor Arcana Book Borders - Rest of the Cups

Happy 2010!

The rest of the cups borders, 8 through King. These were a good opportunity to dig up those photos I took while in Maui, San Francisco Academy of Sciences, and at the Monterey Bay Aquarium several months back. Aquariums and such are great sources for reference photos. Nautilus, jellyfish, seahorses, leafy seadragons, sea turtles!