bad dreams good nightmares

6.22.09
IlluxCon2 commission : "misaligned" or "Hey -it's a dress with faces on it!"
I was extremely excited and flattered when Pat Wilshire commissioned me to do some artwork for IlluXCon 2. . Very briefly, IlluxCon is the largest gathering of fantasy/ sci-fi illustrators that I know of. Gathering is a more appropriate term, since it feels way more intimate than a convention.

The best part for me about this commission, was I was given carte blanche with the image. I was tossing around a few ideas, and I decided to revisit this one idea that has been bothering me for years. I am not sure why - usually when creating personal work if something doesn't click in a relatively short time I just move on. Once in a while though ,I get obsessed and almost take it as a challenge, as if I am going to conquer this image and rid if from my brain forever. Truthfully - it feels great when I do that. I feel like I can move on to other things without the extra burden of incomplete ideas.

I'll post a few sketches I found...some of which are quite old. I probably couldn't even find all the sketches I did for this over the years, as I tossed probably half of them. Oddly enough , I was just doodling in a tiny moleskin, waiting for my son to finish his gymnastics class when I found the composition I was finally pleased with.


"misaligned"
oil on linen
16"h x 26" w


underpainting


digital sketch


old sketches


old sketch

I will definitely be posting about IlluXcon 2 when it gets a bit closer- it's worth checking out if you can.