Dragonmeet and V & A

I went to Kensington for Dragonmeet this saturday. My portfolio generated a good response, so hopefully there will be a few things to follow up. After that went to the V & A to look at the cast of Trajan's Column, having been at the real thing earlier in the week...

Rome Trip

Have just got back from a little vacation/research trip to Rome. Saw a sunrise above the clouds as flying out last Monday. Arrived in time to see Trajan's Column, the Forum and the Colosseum, among other things, the ruins bathed in luminous evening light. On the Tuesday (which was a bit wet) we did the Vatican- St Peters (which had visited before a few years back). Still very grand needless to say. Also went to the Castle St Angelo, the views from the top of which justified the entrance fee. Yesterday we saw the Pyramid of Cestius, the walls, the river, the Temple of Hercules, the British WWII cemetary, the Piazza Navona, the Pantheon with its impressive dome, the Spanish Steps and the Trevi fountain. This morning we did the Roman museum at the Therme di Diocleziano, and S. Maria Magiore.

I highly reccomend the Restauraunt Aquila Nera on the Via Principe Amedeo, 49/51/53, by the way. Nice nice nice!

Fantasy Book Cover Process

I've made a YT video giving a peek at my latest project, a cover for the fantasy novel 'Retours'. It gives an insight into my process.

Witchfest

I went to 'Witchfest' in Croydon today, chiefly to check it out as a possible venue for selling pictures that might appeal to pagan and wiccan types. It was an interesting day and I met a few outher artists who do stuff comparable to what I do, who had stands there, including dark777fairy whose work I'd long admired on deviantART and Chris Down, whose work I'd only recently come across on there.

It was also interesting to learn more about paganism, with various lectures and demos going on, though they've not made a convert of me. Another highlight was the talk by historian Prof Ronald Hutton on ancient religion and monuments in Britain up until Roman times.

I have quite a lot of work on presently, hence my neglect of this blog. One of my more recent works has a witchy flavour, an album cover commissioned for heavy metal band 'Brutal Temptress'.


Brutal Temptress by ~dashinvaine on deviantART