Figuring out overcast light, and seeing how the MASTER of overcast, Denis Gordeev, does it. I made some teeny tiny mastercopies of two of his LOTR paintings. Putting 'em in B&W really shows you he's VERY aware of his tones (obvious considering he works a lot in just pencil, but still).

Artists, quote a blonde. 🌾 Six blond(e)s, a redhead, and... I guess you could call Ms. P. uncia a platinum blonde?

Final Fantasinis. (Can you guess which game I've played the most?) #finalfantasy #finalfantasyix #finalfantasyx

If you're a member of the FULL MONTY tier, you can now read part 2 of FIRE IN THE HIGHLANDS two weeks early before it releases on the first Friday of good ol' #smaugust. But here's a little teaser, and the link below's got a tiny tidbit of info on three species of dragons...

Today's my birthday. You can give me a present by reading FIRE IN THE HIGHLANDS (for free!) or my latest story about the DOMESTIC COCKATRICE, 50% off the first month of the Encyclopedia Tier today only—that's two bucks! You gotta enter the code "CALCATRIX" to get it. Link below!

The etymology of the word "Cockatrice" bedevils linguists... but Jonquiljoy Raintree, gnome & Professor of Philology, believes he has found the source of the problem in Nimius the Elder's account of three very different animals... (Read more FANTASY ECOLOGY at the link below!)

The DOMESTIC COCKATRICE, a brood parasite tamed for its usefulness as a livestock and gamefowl guardian, has been bred over the centuries into a variety of colors. (You can read their ENCYCLOPEDIA ENTRY—and read the 1st part of FIRE IN THE HIGHLANDS—at the link below).

It's #portfolioday again, eh? Instead of the usual "best ones", here are four pieces for different times of day. Morning / Midday / Sunset / Night 🦓 Website: andreslmignucciart.myportfolio.com 🦘 Patreon: www.patreon.com/cw/andreslmi... 🐢 Email: andreslmignucciart@gmail.com

This time, your address book connects you to: crocodile-controlled territories, forests, mountains, lakebed temples, realms of friendly dragons and unfriendly princesses, a tower of chessmen, inside a whale, and... Australia. #mario #zelda #metroid #pikmin #banjokazooie #crashbandicoot #spyro

Hmmm... kind of want to draw all of these Wizardry guys... but I've got too much graphic-design-heavy-old-videogame-magazine-style fanart already... shouldn't get distracted... hmmmmm...

Evenly spaced throughout Capercollia's fields are ballistae, upward-facing and easily swiveled to protect the country's precious livestock. Guards are still posted to most, but there's rarely cause to fire them nowadays... (Read more Fire in the Highlands at the link below...)

Featuring:

Made a little graphic to promote the Patreon on Instagram... might as well post it here!

Gaith is a mountain town whose houses cascade down the slope of Ben Apthair, Capercollia's highest peak. Even at night you can see the mercat cross (denoting the market square) where in daylight sheep and cattle are traded. (Read more Fire in the Highlands at the link below...)

Now: Chieftains, inventors, gravediggers, the undead, princes and princesses, parrots, pirates, water-rangers, spiny-throwers, event coordinators, swordfish, beach babes, and heavy infantrymen. In your rolodex. #supermariobros #donkeykongcountry #thelegendofzelda

For the past three years, I've been writing & drawing FIRE IN THE HIGHLANDS, a fantasy novella with 48 full-color illustrations; in it, a pair of naturalists study the ecology of a rare & dangerous creature. Each month, you can read a new part for FREE on the Patreon: PART 1 is up now! Link below!

The poor sap on the receiving end of the acid blast is a baškuč, a relative of the lion-sized griffin, clouded-leopard-sized opinicus (AKA tree griffin), and cheetah-sized hieracosphinx. Like foxes, stoats, and hawks, they're a common threat to chicken coops on the Southern Continent.

July's creature is the DOMESTIC COCKATRICE—it lays its eggs in the nests of others; lucky for farmers, it has the useful instinct to protect its foster family with acid vomit. But you'll have to wait till Friday after next (Jul 10) to read it, as I've got a BIG announcement for you this Friday!

Can you maybe, possibly guess which one I might have had

In the far future, there is a land... a LAND OF UR! I had a LOT of fun drawing @trl-landofur.bsky.social / @landofur.bsky.social's guys. Ur are wonderful creatures.

Oh yeah, and now with the new ‘more images’ function I can do thiiis. Wait that’s still 4. Oh well! Now you can see ‘em all together. #mario #zelda #donkeykong #pikmin #banjokazooie #crashbandicoot #spyro

I particularly like how these magic guys turned out. I’ve been trying to differentiate “magikoopas” from “kamek” for years, and a good wizzrobe design is hard to nail down… there’s something here.

Do you like: dubious cure-alls. Intercontinental maritime silk roads. Pre-industrial veterinary surgery. A pangolin with a light on its head. Then this might be the story for YOU (you can read it here on Patreon, FREE till next week): www.patreon.com/posts/carbun...

Wait, should I have posted the tiers and such? I don't know the protocol. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA tier has Fantasy Ecology stories and info (though a lot of encyclo stuff is up for free!). THE FULL MONTY tier has everything PLUS behind-the-scenes concept art, process, etc.

Haven't reposted this one in a while: guys from some of my favorite games. Abe & a Slig from Oddworld, Steiner & Vivi from Final Fantasy IX, Rayman & Globox from Rayman, and Guybrush Threepwood & Elaine Marley from Monkey Island. #Oddworld #FinalFantasyIX #Rayman #MonkeyIsland

I find this frustrating but fun. For the FIRST TWO SENTENCES of this story I had to spend 20 minutes researching whether "orchestra" and "concert hall" should be used in a renaissance-ish world... I ended up replacing them with "symphony" and "choir hall". Only for the purposes of a metaphor!

I've just uploaded the carbuncle's behind-the-scenes post to the Pat-re-on's $9 FULL MONTY tier. I've got SOOO much cool sketch and process stuff over there like you wouldn't belieeeve. And if you like narrative stuff, remember that the carbuncle story is up this week for free!

Carbuncle stones neutralize poison and cure disease; this has caused a "carbuncle craze" in the Southern Continent. Reminder that the 4-page Carbuncle story is up on the free tier of the Pat-re-on till the end of the week! Go give it a read! Link below!

The carbuncle's crest is composed of a "lid" scale and a "mirror" scale. The lid can flip forward onto its snout; on the back of this scale grow bioluminescent fungi. The mirror then reflects and scatters this light, and so the carbuncle attracts nocturnal insects to slurp up.

Quote your art with fire! 🔥 Through selective breeding, humans have modified Pseudodragons' natural hunting patterns to emphasize desired "steps" and diminish unwanted behaviors, allowing them to harness the dragons' fire for myriad purposes...