See a couple, post a couple (crop from a larger painting)

See a couple, post a couple (cropped)

“see a couple, post a couple” oh the choices I could make here

preferring physical books and reading fast is my personal idiot hell when it comes to traveling, 6 books might be overkill but it might literally not be and that’s stupid

well I didn’t want to wake up at 5 am but my brain screaming ideas at me isn’t the worst reason I guess

I'm at a point where I feel like I've grown so much as a person since I started my last deck. I know I someday want to make some sort of structured body of work again-- rather than one-offs I don't show anyone lately-- but I'm still circling what the next big body of work will be.

Unbelievably surreal moment when I was browsing videos on youtube for "tarot decks to enjoy this spring" and I just...came across reviews that had my deck in them. The fact that there are people coming across it, buying it, telling other people to buy it. It makes it feel all worth it, every second.

A plea to publishers of modern fiction: save money on fancy page edges and fancy cover effects and please for the love of everything hire and pay good editors

New: 150 unionized ProPublica workers are on strike TODAY over AI, layoff protections, wages, and more. They're asking readers to not visit ProPublica or engage with content on other platforms. It's the first work stoppage of its kind at the newsroom. www.theverge.com/news/908401/...

Had to write about a technically challenging subject for work and had the thought that I know people who would just plug it into the damn AI, but that would also completely defeat the purpose of me wanting to claim any expertise on the subject. 1600 words later in one sitting I’m doing ok.

going from Anime Boston to partner’s Easter family gathering is my favorite whiplash “what have you been up to this weekend” oh cool stuff definitely

I don’t usually do a Con Haul, but Anime Boston had the goods. Made a pilgrimage originally to get an art book by @alexsiple.bsky.social , and ended up with some great art and also listen, I love Resident Evil. And look at those mini paintings! (Business cards included so you can find the artists!)

Anime Boston continues to deliver on the kind of art and merch I care about ( card art by @aiboneida.bsky.social , card holder by chu.charms on Instagram )

Some detail shots. #art #painting #wip #romancenovel #romance #experimental

I think I like these colors best

Hello #portfolioday! My name is Em, I’m a traditional and digital painter who loves the intense, the romantic, and mythical. I’m focusing on high-intensity stories and romantic work, looking forward.

I will not lie, the con this year was very challenging— i’ve been deep in some health problems and walking is not always a sure thing these days. I brought my cane and had to rest a lot. I may pay for it tomorrow, but I’m still really glad I went. Thank you to everyone who was so kind to me ❤️

I don’t usually do a Con Haul, but Anime Boston had the goods. Made a pilgrimage originally to get an art book by @alexsiple.bsky.social , and ended up with some great art and also listen, I love Resident Evil. And look at those mini paintings! (Business cards included so you can find the artists!)

My resolution going forward honestly is to be more forthcoming about how much of a fucking nerd I am, and yes, that might mean you guys end up seeing some Leon Kennedy RE9 photo card art

Anime Boston continues to deliver on the kind of art and merch I care about ( card art by @aiboneida.bsky.social , card holder by chu.charms on Instagram )

#RE9Spoilers I can tell you that watching letsplays while painting otherwise sedate things means that I had to stop for a minute and go "huh. zombie motorcycle chase" and just stop what I was doing for a minute or two

Another quick portrait study. Trying to simplify color fields and then bring luminosity back in.

Quick portrait study

need to get better at painting so I can paint Leon Kennedy Resident Evil effectively I’m not even going to play here

I love painting when my body lets me

Quick portrait study

went to get my hair cut and was like "give me lesbian and 90s boy band vibes" and she gave me the Leon Kennedy, 10/10

the targeting of any art that is "obscene" (terms of obscenity always to be decided at a whim) is fascistic yes but also how the only kinds of art that tends to be penalized is the individual/independent creators isn't lost on me. a patreon TOS would reject anything that can be streamed on netflix.

From Turgenev’s “Virgin Soil”— area man hears a harpsichord for the first time and is *horrified*

Being an artist at a family gathering when there are young kids about is really something because you can just draw Spider-Man at any time, and wow they really like that

Devoured @simonestjames.bsky.social ‘s The Broken Girls today (yes, the whole thing) and then immediately took out my sketchbook to draw the lead characters as I saw them in my mind’s eye

Devoured @simonestjames.bsky.social ‘s The Broken Girls today (yes, the whole thing) and then immediately took out my sketchbook to draw the lead characters as I saw them in my mind’s eye

Mountain study

Photo study in acryla-gouache. Practice.

Study, full painting.

Not pictured: Haruki Murakami’s wife, or indeed whoever is cooking, cleaning, paying bills, running errands, doing the laundry, answering emails, etc like yea his routine is goals, but let’s not lie to ourselves about all the invisible work others are doing to enable him to have that routine

One of my core beliefs about villainy - real evildoers among us - is that it almost never looks as comically wicked as we would expect; it's a kind of reasonable-looking guy standing in front of a podium saying very soberly how he had no choice but to do the evil things.

This painting study by the way felt way more possible after taking Julie Beck’s color boot camp at ARA Boston last year. It’s the most structured color class I’ve ever had, I feel like I’m moving towards understanding color technically now as well as just instinctually

I swear I must have some kind of subconscious thing about painting things in dimensions that are hard to post on social media

Photo study in acryla-gouache. Practice.

thinking about this piece because I was trying to figure out why I'm struggling with footnotes in a different book and it's because this fucking spoiled me on how effectively footnotes can work in specfic for grounding and contextualizing worldbuilding choices it's really fucking elegant here :]

you can just make your own tokens in Magic the Gathering

When things are bad and you want to help, good to keep in mind that food banks basically always need donations.

not an art post, but Dimitri really liked the first two episodes of Heated Rivalry

Tried plein air this weekend, got snowed on (unfinished sketch)

Hello #portfolioday! I'm taking 2026 work for February onward. 🎨 Please feel free to email/DM with any questions or if you'd like a quote for a project!

hey #portfolioday! i'm otava, a visual artist from finland who specializes in comics, and i'm currently open for illustration jobs to bring to life your weird, hot, melancholic and dramatic projects. let me illustrate your album cover or magazine spread: www.otavaheikkila.net

ID laws can be struck down as we saw in three states already. Washington State residents please make your voice heard

Hello #portfolioday! My name is Em, I’m a traditional and digital painter who loves the intense, the romantic, and mythical. I’m focusing on high-intensity stories and romantic work, looking forward.