Thursday, June 4, 2009

Deryni Big Scene




Katherine Kurtz' Deryni books are filled with big operatic scenes which take place in grand settings. This illustration depicts one where Dhugal, King Kelson's best friend, is knighted by a lord, now a bishop, who is his father by a secret marriage. During the ceremony the father reveals, by emitting a halo of light, that he is Deryni.

This illustration was commissioned by two friends of mine who are ongoing patrons of my art. It was originally supposed to be simpler, but the architectural details of the Romanesque church setting got out of hand and I just kept painting more columns and archways, even if they didn't go anywhere! I also painted miniature portraits of various friends into the audience. This is what happens when there isn't an art director. In the end, they paid me the pre-arranged price for a painting which was worth far more, in time and effort.

"The Knighting of Dhugal" is acrylic on illustration board, 18" x 24", painted in April-May 1991. Click on the picture for a larger view of all these obsessive details.


4 comments:

Tristan Alexander said...

As always, wow! you rule when it comes to buildings. And theatrical!
I have also set a price for a "basic" picture and then had it get much more complex and worth more (but a set price is a set price).

emikk said...

the detail!

Pyracantha said...

Yeah, the deeeee-tail! That's what my art viewers always used to say. It was so common that I coined an acronym for it: LATD which stands for "Look at the DEEE-tail!" I gave up doing these wildly detailed pieces because not only did I drive myself nuts doing it, but my eyesight isn't as good as it used to be. I now regard those mega-detailed pictures as products of a kind of mental disorder.
Tristan, I wish I could do human/animal figures as well as you! I'm stuck with doors, walls, and windows.

LauraJ said...

I love the nun at the very top, over the dramatic drapery.