Made a few edits to "Margot l'escargot" to try to make it pop a bit more.  Also added detail pics on the gallery, so check it out!  Will post up a progress pic of the "Leviathan Queen" soon...

...aaaaaand VOILÀ!  Second version of my beloved "Swamp Elder" complete.

 Process

(I had two critiques to help out with this one.)

Final

"Margot l'escargot était une collectionneuse passionnée de libellules."

I learned so much about composition on this piece--it was a long, arduous and very educational experience.  I would like to thank Dan and Trevor from the Crimson Daggers for their excellent critiques!

The beginning of VERSION TWO!  Awww, yeah... :P

I added a bit of texture to the base color to give it a more tangible, paper appearance (as well as using a brush with the same texture), and I'm really liking it. As you can see, I'm approaching this a lot like a drawing with watercolor.  I have a very good feeling about this.

Here is the latest for "Origin"!

None of the panels are really finished, except maybe the first one. Trying to lay everything out in a harmonious manner is turning out to be quite the trick! For a close-up view of the panels, please check out the blog via the website (Blogger's Fancybox picture viewer doesn't seem to allow zoom-ins, but this viewer is disabled through the site).

So, as I previously mentioned, I got a little sidetracked from my "Origin" comic.  I had an idea for a "swamp elder" and just had to go for it.  See below for thumbnails, sketches, studies and at last...the "final" piece. There is a lot of fine-tuning to be done with it as well plenty of stuff that just plain isn't finished yet.  I need a break, though, before I dive back in.  I'm also hoping to get a critique on it, so if I do, I'm sure lots of things will need to be changed!

 First thumbnails with a (photo) study of an old woman's face

 Character sketches

 Large thumbnail

 Final thumbnails with shell sketches

 Close-up of final thumbnail

 Live study of snail shell

 My little set-up for studying the shell

 Photo study of some mossy branches

 Photo study of a hunchbacked old woman

"Final" digital painting

Just a little study of a snail shell (dredged out of our local lagoon by my dearest just for me). Took about 3 hours...I think (I didn't time myself too closely).  This is preparation for an upcoming piece--yes, I got a little distracted from my comic, "Origin". I promise I'll get back to it ASAP.  First, though, I'm going to tackle this totally sweet idea I have...

I've been meaning to mention that "L'Angoisse de Méduse" was featured this past summer in 33 Contemporary Gallery's 7th Annual National Self-Portrait Exhibition--click on the link to view all the pieces that were exhibited!  It was a fantastic exhibit!