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2024 was the year that I went back to working traditionally in a big way after decades of digital. Some of it was personal, some of it for my Dark Shepherd project and debut novel. I have been lucky in that I sold every piece of art I created. So here are my nine picks of the year, both digital and traditional, none are AI.

Happy New Year to you all and all the best for 2025.

#DarkShepherd  #book  #writing  #concept  #SciFi  #illustration  #art  #digitalart  #spaceships  #visdev

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CHANUR'S HOMECOMING (1986)
Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 30" X 18"

This is one of my all-time favorite cover paintings. 1/3

#sciencefiction#scifi #scifiart #sff #illustration #cjcherryh #hani

A tall alien in dark hooded robes points across a cavernous, futuristic space, giving directions to a group humanoids with cat-like heads. The Kif has gray skin, a long dragon-like snout, and red eyes. The Hani have muzzles like lions and ears pointed back. The hair draping from their cheeks forms modest manes, falling flat at shoulder length. The most prominent Hani stands with regal bearing while the rest of the group is poised for action on the ramp behind it. Exposed from the waist up, the lithe musculature of the Hani is covered in short golden fur. Its red pants are cuffed above the calf, and it holds a snubbed nosed laser pistol at its thigh. Accents of gold can be seen in a simple thin band around its upper arm and a thicker bracelet around its wrist. A dark furred ape-like humanoid stands above the pack with eyes lost in thought, closely following the directions of the Kif, while a bearded blonde human glances sideways toward the viewer.
A tall alien in dark hooded robes points across a cavernous, futuristic space, giving directions to a group humanoids with cat-like heads. The Kif has gray skin, a long dragon-like snout, and red eyes. The Hani have muzzles like lions and ears pointed back. The hair draping from their cheeks forms modest manes, falling flat at shoulder length. The most prominent Hani stands with regal bearing while the rest of the group is poised for action on the ramp behind it. Exposed from the waist up, the lithe musculature of the Hani is covered in short golden fur. Its red pants are cuffed above the calf, and it holds a snubbed nosed laser pistol at its thigh. Accents of gold can be seen in a simple thin band around its upper arm and a thicker bracelet around its wrist. A dark furred ape-like humanoid stands above the pack with eyes lost in thought, closely following the directions of the Kif, while a bearded blonde human glances sideways toward the viewer.

Tasteful nudity, non-sexual

SPIRIT OF ENDURING HOPE (2016)
Acrylic on Mat Board - 12" x 9"

I turned a smear of paint on my drawing table cover into a tree. Other marks suggested rocks and became an island to which I added a figure. I started to paint in clouds but stopped because the image was getting boring.
1/3

#art #fantasy #illustration #leftoversandpalettegremlins

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PEEKABOO FUZZIES (1983)
Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 16" x 22"

The Fuzzy Sapiens created by H. Beam Piper first appeared in the early 1960's and they were a welcome contrast to the menacing aliens that seemed to dominate science fiction of the day. 1/2

#sciencefiction#scifi #scifiart #sff #illustration#hbeampiper

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THE DARK TOWER: KA-TET (2003)
Oil on Panel - 28" x 18"

Throughout the Dark Tower series, Stephen King portrayed Roland's group of fighters known as the Ka-Tet as a circle. 1/2

#horror #horrorart #fantasy #sciencefiction #sff #illustration #darktower #stephenking#rolanddeschain #eddiedean #susannahdean#jakechambers #oy #billybumbler

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Worlds of IF (September 1962)

I can't tell if those are ships or satellites and whether they're moving or not, but I love how the planet is above and the empty space is below.

I have searched in vain for a trace of the used book shop whose stamp is on this. I can practically smell the place!

Original magazine: https://archive.org/details/1962-09_IF

#Magazine#MagazineCover#PulpMagazine#PulpFiction#ScienceFiction#Fantasy#Horror#Art#Illustration

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You can peruse the whole book thanks to the Internet Archive, it's truly wonderful:
https://archive.org/details/publicprivatelif00stahrich

#illustration #grandville

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A few more illustrations by Jean-Jacques Grandville (1803-1847) from "Public and private life of animals".

I really enjoy his insects and other animals that are not often drawn anthropomorphized. So much character in these!
#FromTheInspirationFolder

#illustration #grandville