Customized desk lamp

Dog not included this time either.

"Visconti" Study

8"x10"

Study for a prospective drawing based on the crest of the medieval Visconti family.

Thermals

36"x36"

Apologies again for the poor photo; as I've mentioned, every surface in the collage reflects light differently, and as a non-photographer myself I haven't figured out yet how to account for that.

This piece hung over my head for a long time, probably three months because of grad school and the  ill-conceived clouds.  But I do think it is relatively successful, if not ideal.

Teeth Study

10"x8"

Another quick study, of an image that came to mind recently, to be revisited later.  Again not satisfied with it, but it's a start.

Scylla Portrait Study

 10"x8"

Portrait study of my praying mantis, Scylla.

Not entirely satisfied with it, mainly because it was very hard to get a good reference photo.  I plan on doing another one when I can get a good, clear, head-on photo, which is very hard to do with a two-inch-long insect.

(I'm taking a break from "Thermals" right now)

Clouds study

Study of clouds for the background of "Thermals."  Not very satisfied with it, but not entirely disappointed.

Thermals process

36"x36"

(Dog not included)

 Because the picture I have in mind relies on some precision, I measured, outlined, and cut out the shapes so I can transfer them well onto the board when it's ready.

 Here they are laid out as they will be in the drawing.

And the interlocking primary feathers, compared to the study.

 After a few hours of work (working between grad school homework and sleep)
(Dog still not included)

 After probably several dozen hours of work, multiple breaks, and a great deal of graduate school homework.  I an certainly not as prepared as I had thought I was to do the cloudscape, but the general flow I had hoped to achieve is present.  There will be significant fine-tuning from this point - the entire cloudscape will need to be darkened, the vultures will need to be unified, and so on.
It didn't photograph very well - it isn't actually nearly so murky, though it isn't up to my standards yet.