Jennifer Kearney Art & Illustration

Treebearer

2012-01-31T18:06:00.000-08:00

For fun... A new version of an old character. :)

ArtOrder Dragon - Side by Side

2012-01-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

Jon Schindehette of ArtOrder announced earlier this month that he was looking for a new illustrated version of the little dragon in the logo (seen here on the left). The image on the right is the illustration I came up with.

It was drawn with graphite, then inked, and finally watercolored. After that, I scanned it into a computer so that I could add the "ArtOrder" bubble digitally, as well as make a few final adjustments to the image.

Mage study.

2012-01-06T14:35:00.000-08:00

The last drawing I made of 2011.

Progress of the Pegasus

2012-01-06T13:53:00.000-08:00

Bethesda - "Skyrim" dragon

2011-11-29T18:42:00.000-08:00

This is just fan art done for fun... not my design. ;)

Follow me on Facebook

2011-11-22T18:11:00.000-08:00

The Art of Jennifer Kearney

Sea Witch in the making...

2011-11-22T18:08:00.000-08:00

Made some changes to the last version. Painting begins after the holidays! Whee!

A more polished version...

2011-11-21T16:05:00.000-08:00

Next up... color!

Big-eyed little dragon guy

2011-11-09T19:09:00.000-08:00

Because I like dragons, that's why. ;)

Abomination (WIP)

2011-10-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

"I found this in my yard again..."

Dragon rider

2011-10-05T19:08:00.000-07:00

Private commission. Preliminary sketch. I Frankensteined the Fae rider into a couple different locations/positions using tissue paper. This is where she ended up. ;)

Night Elf

2011-10-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

Pencil on paper.

Horde emblem

2011-10-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

Ink and watercolor on 140 lb. Strathmore paper.

Murloc

2011-10-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

Ink and watercolor on 140 lb. Strathmore paper.

Murglurlrlrlrlrlr!!

2011-09-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

Murloc (WIP). Watercolor and ink on paper. *Sorry for the crappy pic.*

My lil' dragon

2011-07-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

i <3 dragons.

Feesh!

2011-07-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

My Oscar was kind enough to pose for this one. :)

Cockatrice

2011-07-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

Tattoo design candidate for the back.

Chico man!

2011-06-17T17:59:00.000-07:00

Pardon the shadow. Scanner's down...

Boo!

2011-04-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

Zombie!

2011-04-14T13:54:00.000-07:00

Rawr!

Snake Shaman

2011-02-02T15:05:00.001-08:00

Still a bit rough, but I thought I should post something.

Brute

2011-01-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

Model sheets! Here's character number one. Front - Side - Back.

Looking back...

2011-01-06T19:23:00.000-08:00

I've always had a fascination with the ancients - Egypt being in my top five for obvious reasons of awesomeness (is that a word?). So many great things to draw inspiration from (pardon the pun). Anyway... I especially love the notion of taking bits from different creatures and melding them into new ones. So, I present to you my sketch of a jackal-headed lion. He's one of several creatures I'm making model sheets of. More on that later.

*In case you're sitting there thinking... 'Hey, I wish I knew how to read Egyptian hieroglyphs.' then I would highly recommend this. ;)

Author: Dr. Mark Collier & Dr. Bill Manley

Illustrator: Dr. Richard Parkinson

University of California Press

Temporarily Faceless

2010-12-31T01:23:00.000-08:00

WARNING: Rant.

**The following rant is based on recent false and totally unfair claims made by an anonymous person regarding my artwork on Facebook, which subsequently resulted in said Facebook account being disabled. Reader discretion is advised.

Apparently someone had an issue with some of the artwork I've posted on my Facebook account, and so... without checking the claims for validity, giving me fair warning, or any notification at all, they have disabled my account. I only found out when I tried to log on. Yeah... rude. So... I am in the process of disputing this, and hope to have it back up asap.

*heavy sigh*

It seems that if someone/anyone makes a claim that artwork is obscene or offensive... which violates the 'Rules & Standards' of Facebook, it gets the chopping block without question and apparently, without even investigating the claim. I would laugh at all this if I wasn't so frustrated and pissed off with them. It doesn't seem right that any person could make such a claim as this, without Facebook at least first checking for themselves, but that's the way it is, I s'pose. Anyone who has seen my work knows that this claim is complete bogus. I just hope this headache will be resolved quickly. Until then... you can still follow my art posts here.

Sorry 'bout this.

Untitled

2010-12-23T20:07:00.000-08:00

Just a touch up on a painting I did a while back... because I felt like it. ;)

16" x 20" oil on masonite.

Whoa!

2010-12-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

Here's my finished painting for the Frazetta Tribute Exhibition being held at Gallery Provocateur scheduled for March in Chicago, IL. Now I shall commence with the nail-biting wait to find out from a jury of awesome people in the world of fantasy art (of which I very much wish to be a part of) to see if I'm in. Did I mention they are AWESOME? hehehe

Jury panel consists of:

Jon Schindehette, Creative Art Director of Wizards of the Coast

Simon Bisley, Master Artist

Paul Hellard, Editor CG Society & Assistant Editor Ballistic Publishing

Gerald Brom, Master Artist

Arnie & Cathy Fenner, Publishers of Spectrum Fantastic Art Books

Veronica Kotlajic, Curator of Gallery Provocateur & Art Muse

Art page now on Facebook!

2010-11-18T15:51:00.000-08:00

Here's the linky dink!

The dragon is in the details...

2010-10-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

Hello, my peeps! So here's a close up of one of the head studies I made of a dragon I've been working on. This version is a detailed sketch done in pencil. The finished piece is being inked on hot press illustration board, and will be posted as soon as it's finished.

Frazetta Tribute submission piece - painting begins...

2010-09-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

Phase 1 (approx. an hour's worth at this point) of my painting submission for the Frazetta Tribute Exhibition. 16" x 20" oil on masonite. Actually, before I started sorta blocking things in, I primed my board with gesso (this seals the board), then I laid down a ground of burnt sienna, yellow ochre and some white over that. (A ground color gives you a nice middle value to start with, and gets rid of all that daunting white space... an Old Master's technique.) After the ground was down and semi-dry, I began laying things out... so I guess this is more like phase 3. :P

Below is a pic of it next to the sketch. I tried getting a decent photo, but you know.. when things are wet, tis a difficult thing to do.

Frazetta Tribute Exhibition submission - sketch

2010-09-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

So this is what I'm working on for my submission for the Frank Frazetta Tribute Exhibition, held in December at the Gallery Provocateur in Chicago, IL. This was just a quick snapshot to give a general peep at what I'm doing. I'll be sure to post more as it progresses. Anyhoo... any artists out there who are interested in participating, as well, should click on the link I've provided to get all the details on submitting.

Frank Frazetta was an amazing illustrator whose work captured my imagination as a young girl, and still inspires me to this day. Frazetta's talent set the bar for contemporary fantasy art. He passed away on May 10th of this year at the age of 82 after suffering a stroke the night before.

I got some art in Sci-Fi Magazine!

2010-07-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

Today an issue of Sci-Fi Magazine came out with an article on the Museum of Mythical History featuring a drawing by yours truly! Unfortunately, for some strange reason, Sci-Fi decided to purposely remove the names of the contributing artists... self included. However, steps are being taken to rectify this situation, as the image is not public domain. I'll keep ya posted as things progress. In the mean time... go see it for yourself! Page 11 :)

Octopus sketch

2010-06-29T23:11:00.000-07:00

Wowza! Guess it's been longer than I realized since my last post. Time sure flies when you have a lot going on in a short window of time, I s'pose. Anywho... here's another sketch for your perusing pleasure. Or not.

Summertime = water. Water = octopus. Right? Right.

PS - Forgive the poor cropping job and small size. I kinda posted this in a hurry.

Face sketcherdoodle

2010-05-25T05:01:00.000-07:00

A quick late night sketch... or early morning sketch... depends on what you consider 4:30am.

Random doodle

2010-05-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

A quick doodle I did today on the back of a scrap piece of paper (didn't have my sketchbook on me - gasp!). Oh, well... it was only about 8-10 minutes worth of drawing so...

This is one of those random moments when something just needed to come out and say hi, so I found the nearest piece of paper and started playing. Capricorn is not my sign, but who cares... it was fun to sketch out.

Elf sketcheroo

2010-05-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Yeah, one eye is pale on purpose. ;)

Horse thingy

2010-05-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I've been keeping busy, but have been bad at posting lately. Here's a WIP of a recent composite creature. More as progress continues. I'll get some color on here soon, as well. ;)

As with all my posts... they can be enlarged with just a clicky-click of the mouse.

Birthdays are sweet!

2010-04-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

For my great friend, Pete, Happy Birthday!!!!!

CHEERS!

My Mythical Magical Historical Minotaur

2010-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Here's a critter concept that will soon be used by the Museum of Mythical History to promote it's new online virtual museum. Plans are in the works for an actual, physical museum in the future. Special thanks to its creator, William Hammock, for the opportunity to have my art contribute towards promoting his vision.

Note: Although the site is up now, at this time it is still undergoing construction.

Demon Assassin Girl - color

2010-01-21T23:00:00.000-08:00

So, because I really wanted to participate in this weeks ArtOrder character challenge, but was incredibly limited in time, (boooo!) I decided to add a little color to my Demon Assassin girl with watercolor. I'm leaving for LA tomorrow morning (provided I don't have to swim there due to the massive storm both LA and Tucson are experiencing right now) and won't be back until late Sunday night, so I've submitted her early.

Demon Assassin Girl

2010-01-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

This is my sketch of a female Assassin Devil for the next challenge on ArtOrder. There are a few minor adjustments I plan to make in order to have this character fit the description more accurately... (i.e. making the cloak more cloak-like and posing the face so that I can switch the mask to the other side of the face - oops!). At the time I sketched this out I didn't have the description in front of me. I initially just wanted to layout what was coming to me - sort of like artistic brainstorming.

Here's the actual art description:

6' tall
Devilish humanoid
Female
Indigo skin
Unappealing face w/ left half covered by frightening iron mask that looks like a demonic face
2 horns
Lithe but muscular
Wears dark leather armor w/ iron parts that resemble demonic body parts (iron pauldrom w/ iron horns sprouting from it)
Wears a cloak made of shadows and darkness
Wields a black longsword made of shadowstuff
Has devil feet (reference provided on ArtOrder)
Has a dour look on her face
Holds sword at the ready
Vignette image on white background

The finished piece is due this Sunday by noon, so check back to see it then.

Best of ArtOrder submission

2010-01-17T16:47:00.000-08:00

Here he is, your friendly neighborhood Krampus critter... well, maybe not so friendly. When he's finished, I'll be submitting him as a candidate for inclusion to the Best of ArtOrder book challenge. The book is being organized and published via Senior Art Director, Jon Schindehette, of Dungeons and Dragons - Wizards of the Coast. I hope Krampus makes a positive and lasting impression on the powers that be. *crosses fingers*

This painting is also being submitted to the Spectrum fantasy art annual jury, which I hope will also bring good results. Spectrum is an art annual that provides a showcase for contemporary fantasy artists. I would be ever so happy if I could see Krampus on the pages of either of these books. I have such a fire and drive for this stuff, and I LOVE coming up with creatures! I'm just hoping someone will give me that break I need to prove my mettle. So for now, I'll be waiting with bated breath. :)

Now it's on to my ArtOrder Assassin demon-girl and Beautiful Grim projects.

Beautiful Grim WIP

2010-01-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

So here is the sketched pose I decided to go with for my Beautiful Grim contribution, as well as the WIP (graphite and charcoal on grey Canson paper). And it's definitely still a WIP, as you can see.

To find out more about this wonderful fundraiser, please click on here. The Beautiful Grim event is being organized by Mythic Entertainment concept artist/illustrator Daarken and Dreamworks animator Leif Jeffers.

I'll be posting more as the work progresses. The deadline for this is February 1st, 2010. This is one of several different pieces I'm working on right now (as mentioned in my previous post). I tend to rotate between pieces when I'm working on several at a time. This not only helps keep me from getting bored or frustrated with working on the same piece, but it also helps me to keep a fresh eye on the work in front of me. When I work on the same piece continually, I seem to be more prone to get artist's block. I've found that rotating helps me to avoid that.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

I've sorta been on hiatus for the holidays, but as of today I've resumed working to finish up several projects I've got lined up, (which are all due this month).

1. Best of ArtOrder - Annual art book.

2. Spectrum - Fantasy art annual.

3. Beautiful Grim - Art fundraiser.

4. Museum of Mythical History

Keep an eye out for new work to be posted soon. In the meantime, I'll do my best to put up sketches when I can.

Cheers!

What a nice surprise!

2009-12-21T16:43:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, December 17th, I was invited out as a guest artist to speak at a local K-12 school called Kino here in Tucson, AZ. I had a lot of fun talking about art, sharing what I've done, and answering questions about art, art school, and working as an artist... as well as doing a few quick demonstrations. They were a great group of kids - all very attentive and inquisitive. I felt very welcome there, and I think it's safe to say that we all had a good time together.

Today, I was happily surprised to find in my mailbox the best card ever! Complete with drawings and notes of thanks. It made me so happy that I felt I needed to share it with everyone, so here it is.

Awesome card, you guys! Thank you!

Kelpie

2009-12-20T20:17:00.000-08:00

So, I've been working on a painting that deals with a creature who punishes naughty children (Krampus), and it inspired me to do a sketch of another creature of consequence... the Kelpie.

For those unfamiliar, the Kelpie was a supernatural water horse from Celtic folklore that was believed to haunt the rivers and lochs of Scotland and Ireland. The scenario would play out something like this: a child is lured onto the Kelpie's back, where once astride, the Kelpie's skin would become adhesive. At that point the Kelpie would gallop full speed back into the murky depths of the water, where its victim would then be drown and devoured.

Moral of the story? Things are not always as they seem...? Or, maybe it was simply to say that kids should come in before dark and not play around bodies of water by themselves. Seems like a scary story to tell children, but then again... most folk tales are a bit gruesome. At any rate, they make for some fun sketch ideas.

Krampus - Somebody fetch me a switch!

2009-12-20T09:43:00.000-08:00

Above is:

Krampus underpainting - 10" x 16" - oil on board.

Krampus with some PS color adjustments.

After putting my painting into PS, I made some digital color adjustments to give an idea of what it will look like once I start adding more color to the actual painting. Since Krampus is known to arrive during the winter holiday season, my idea is to have this painting feel cool. By adjusting and tweeking things digitally, I can quickly get an example of what's to come in my oil painting. The only thing not shown here is the snow and suggestion of trees, which I plan to add later on.

I will post the finished painting by January 18th, as this is the deadline for the Best of ArtOrder 2009 book. I also plan to submit this painting to the Spectrum XVII fantasy art annual competition, whose deadline is January 22nd. Wish me luck!

Are you on the wrong list?! (Krampus sketch)

2009-12-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

Meet Krampus... Santa's counterpart to the Christmas season. If you've been a good boy or girl, then you're likely never to meet him. However, if you've been bad, well... Santa may not have a gift for you, but Krampus sure will! The gift of birching - ouch!

This is my sketch of Krampus for Jon's art challenge over on ArtOrder. I'm hoping to get a painting done of this guy done by Sunday (Dec. 20th), but I'm not 100% sure I can, so I wanted to at least post my drawing of him. Happy holidays!

Medusa WIP

2009-12-10T12:41:00.000-08:00

Medusa WIP - Version 1

Medusa WIP - version 2

This image of Medusa is a personal project I started in oil about a year ago, and for whatever reason ended up putting her aside... likely for other paying projects. I was clearing out some things recently and came across the unfinished painting. I decided to scan her into PS and play around with it digitally. This is what I've got so far. There are still some things that I want to do to it, but I don't think I'll push it too much further due to the fact that I do not currently own a tablet, and trying to get details with a mouse is darn near impossible (let alone crazy making!).

Hurakan - Final book cover image

2009-12-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

Well, here's the finished painting (for the Hurakan book cover challenge on ArtOrder), plus the image as it would appear in the book cover format. This project was a whole lot of fun, not to mention the chance to create another portfolio piece and get some free promotion time with some top Art Directors in the industry. Here's the list of AD's that will be judging the submissions:

Irene Gallo, Tor Publishing
Lou Anders, Pyr Publishing
Mari Kolkowsky, Wizards of the Coast (unconfirmed)
Sarah Robinson, Paizo Publishing
James Davis, Paizo Publishing
Kris Aubin, Privateer Press
Brian Glass, White Wolf CCP (unconfirmed)
Mike Vaillancort, Cthulhutech

Centaur sketch

2009-12-05T13:58:00.000-08:00

Thought I should post something I did between the several paintings I've been working on lately.

"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin"

2009-12-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

11" x 14" Oil on board.

Here's the finished painting (Sorry, not the best photo...it's a bit fuzzy and dark.) for the "Buen Provecho: The Art of Food, The Art of Giving" charity group event, which opens this Saturday, Dec. 5th from 6 - 9pm at Lulubell's on 439 North 6th Avenue, Suite 187 in Tucson, AZ. All are welcome to attend. Entry into the opening is a suggested donation of $1 or a non-perishable food item. All the artists will be in attendance during the opening night. For those in the Tucson area, the show runs Dec. 5th through Dec. 31st. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm - 6pm. Hope to see you there!

Calendar candidate

2009-12-01T23:51:00.000-08:00

So here's my submission for a calendar that will be produced through ArtOrder. It was a rough ride (pardon the pun) to get this done in time! I only learned of this call for artists late last week, and have been frantically painting this in hopes of getting it in by the deadline (by noon on Dec. 2nd... today). Scanning was a bit of an issue, as it was still a little wet, despite my use of Liquin and Japan dryer. I also think that I lost some of my details due to the textures I had built up on the surface. *sigh* Murphy's law, I suppose. I would like to give prop's to my awesome designer friend, Eva, who helped me figure out how to create a direct link to the large psd file. Thank you, Eva!!!

Now I have to move on to finishing and framing another painting, which is due to be dropped off by 6pm (later today) for an art exhibit. Whew! I'll be posting that one later.

A compromise

2009-11-27T23:37:00.000-08:00

So I was debating whether or not to post my paintings when they're in progress, and decided it couldn't hurt... after all, I love seeing the WIP of other artists.

For those who don't know already, this is a photograph of a painting I've been working on for an upcoming art show/fundraiser. The photo was taken when it was just in the early phase of roughing out the figure. It caught a little glare on the left side due to the fact that it was very wet (oil paint). I will post the finished piece in the next few days.

Also, I started with the idea of having her holding a tiny seed, which later evolved into having an apple and the addition of a snake. But... that felt too sinister (i.e. eve & the forbidden fruit), so I settled on a compromise of keeping the apple and losing the snake. This way it reads, at least I hope it reads, as an offering.

So... it started with a seed, but became an apple.

2009-11-25T17:04:00.000-08:00

There's something scary and a little exhilarating about making changes to a painting when it's near completion, but sometimes paintings will talk to you and let you know what they need. That's what happened here. I just wasn't feeling this piece, so I made a last minute decision to make some adjustments to it. And so, this is a peek into the changes I've made to a painting I've been working on for an upcoming exhibit (due December 2nd). You'll notice that I've turned the seed into an apple, as well as added a snake. What's not in the sketch (that is in the painting) are the subtle silhouettes of tree leaves behind the figure. You can see my initial sketch version here. Was it a good decision? I think so. I'm feeling much more happy with it this way. The painting will be posted shortly after it's finished, so please stand by.

Ogre

2009-11-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

Yup, that's an ogre... in profile. :P

Daphne sketcheroo

2009-11-23T15:36:00.000-08:00

A sketch of Daphne (from Greek mythology) as she turns into a tree.

It starts with a seed

2009-11-22T21:05:00.000-08:00

This is the sketch of a painting I've been working on for an upcoming exhibit. The idea came to me from a few places. The first comes simply from the fact that all life has a small and fragile beginning, which needs to be nourished and cared for in order to survive and grow. The second being the mustard seed as a metaphor. Because it is among the smallest of seeds, it has been used in many cultural stories. The one I chose comes from its representation as mankind's knowledge of universe in relation to the scale of the universe and all it contains. This is meant to teach humility, which is something I feel we all need a little of, and what many people seem to be losing sight of - especially around the holidays.

A portion of the sales will be donated to a local food bank to help those in need. The opening is December 5th, and I will be sure to post the finished painting around that time.

Flying serpent

2009-11-21T23:31:00.000-08:00

Let the sleeping dog lie...

2009-11-20T00:36:00.000-08:00

I haven't been able to get much done in the last few days artistically speaking, so here's a quick doodle of my dog, Wolfgang, sleeping.

Hurakan challenge - Part 5

2009-11-15T10:44:00.000-08:00

Part 5 of the Hurakan book cover challenge taking place over on ArtOrder.

Due to the fact that I primarily work in traditional oil paint, I am unable to scan at this time. So, in lieu of scanning, I had to resort to taking a photograph. It's not as good as a scan would be, but it does the trick in a pinch. Keep in mind that this is still a WIP. the finished piece will be up next week.

Lounging dragon sketch

2009-11-14T18:55:00.000-08:00

Just something I plan to paint someday.

Pretty woman, wailing down the peat...

2009-11-12T15:37:00.000-08:00

Here's a rough sketch I did earlier today of a banshee. Recently, I've become aware of the fact that I have a tendency to sketch things in profile, (which isn't necessarily a bad thing - I do love profiles), but they are not always as interesting as a 3/4 view can be. Having said this, I have gone ahead and drawn her in profile. Stubborn? Perhaps. However, I did consciously work on several various perspectives, and decided that, in this case, a profile would be the best angle to capture the stretched out gesture and flow of the character. :P

Pegasus painting - color rough

2009-11-10T12:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it's not the best picture, but I thought I'd post some color on here for a change. This is only my start... about an hour into painting.

I've currently got three paintings in the works right now (all of which are being done in oil on masonite - my favorite medium.) This one is 9"x12", by the way - I'm sure you've noticed my finger tips in the shot.

To see the pegasus in sketch form, click here.

Warhorse sketch

2009-11-08T11:41:00.000-08:00

Just for kicks (pardon the pun), I've included the rough structure I made before rendering the horse below.

Hmm, and now that I think about it... I think the head should have been a little larger. :/

A little inspiration from 1977

2009-11-07T17:56:00.000-08:00

My sketch for today was inspired by the faces of these guys (orcs?) from the 1977 cartoon, The Hobbit.

Today, inspiration lay at my feet

2009-11-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

Dedicated to my dog, Wolfgang... because I swear he thinks he's a person. And if he was, he'd be a wise and noble one.

Kirin sketch

2009-11-05T20:52:00.000-08:00

The Kirin, (sort of the Asian equivalent of the Western European unicorn), is said to be a peaceful mythical beast... a good omen that brings serenity and prosperity.

That which is nameless...

2009-11-04T23:14:00.000-08:00

Not sure what you'd call this guy, but I don't think I'm quite done with him yet. It was originally going to be a zombie, but evolved into this birdlike humanoid instead. Funny how that happens. Probably due to the fact that I get a kick out of making anthropomorphic type creatures.

Pegasus

2009-11-02T21:14:00.000-08:00

Witch Doctor

2009-11-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

Hurakan challenge - Part 4

2009-11-01T11:04:00.000-08:00

This is the B&W cover sketch and the (very) rough color character study with color palette (though I'm thinking of adding a few more greens and blues) for my submission to the Hurakan art challenge taking place on ArtOrder.

I think I'm happy with the B&W cover sketch's composition. I think of Hurakan as this chaotic diety who wreaks havoc as he dances wildly across the sky. The sketch has a few kinks, but that will be easy enough to fix in the painting process. Hmmm, one thing I'm noticing is that I think I need to raise him a little higher on the picture plane.

Providing a color palette for the color rough is something sort of new to me. I've always painted with a palette in mind, of course, but never really 'laid down the law' so to speak on color choices. Much of my painting process seems to come intuitively as I work.

Blues and greens are what this cover is going to require, so even though this rough gives samples of what colors I'll be using, I would hope that I will be able to incorporate a bit more variety within those color ranges. Anyway, that is my hope for this color rough's purpose... to provide a color example of what the finished piece will be (nothing locked down at this point).

Corvus Corax or Common Raven

2009-10-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

Sketch of a Raven for All Hallow's Eve... eve. :P

(The term Halloween, and its older spelling Hallowe'en, is a shortening of All Hallow's Even - e'en being short for even, which is short for evening.)

Why a Raven? As a carrion bird, Ravens became associated with the dead and with lost souls.

A Mage for Monday (posted on Tuesday)

2009-10-27T22:49:00.000-07:00

What's fantasy art without a pretty lady every now and then?

A horse, of course!

2009-10-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

I was going through my closet today, and I came across a box of old books - one of which was my favorite as a little girl. The book? Walter Farley's The Black Stallion, which is inspired loosely on the story of Alexander the Great and his horse, Bucephalus. For those unfamiliar, the Black Stallion is about a boy (Alec), and a wild Arabian stallion who become stranded together on a deserted island. They eventually become friends, and at one point the boy rides across the island's beach at full gallop (no saddle or bridle, mind you) with his arms held out to his sides like wings.

Now, I've loved horses since the very first day I laid eyes on one as a young child, and when I turned eight, my parents bought me my first horse. Well, one day I decided to try that stunt from the story, and fell off... resulting in a broken arm. Though it scared the daylights out of my mother, it didn't stop me from getting right back on. Riding was just too much fun, and I loved my horse more than anything.

This drawing is inspired by that love of freedom, power and beauty that every little girl dreams of.

Making do...

2009-10-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

So, while I was waiting my turn at the cable company today to sort something out, I reached into my bag for my sketchbook and realized I had left it at home on my desk. Darn! Plan B - I found my car insurance envelope and used the back of it to satisfy my sudden impulse to draw. Later, while I was making some phone calls, I tried to recapture my semi-manticore (less the human face) in my pocket moleskin. Moral of this story... be sure to keep your sketchbook handy at all times.

A lil' sketcheroo

2009-10-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

Another quick doodle

2009-10-21T23:17:00.000-07:00

I love horses, and I love to draw and paint them whenever I get the chance.

Forest Shaman (two thumbnails + the painting)

2009-10-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

This painting is 9" x 12" and was done entirely in oil paint.

Hurakan challenge - Part 3

2009-10-18T12:05:00.000-07:00

Thumbnails for the Hurakan book cover, and...

the B&W character drawing of Hurakan.

Since Hurakan is the god of storms, I felt like his physical appearance should resemble to some extent the angles and gestures seen in storms: angles similar to arcs of lightning, a wild and unrestrained attitude akin to high winds, and a mouth that can boom like thunder through the hills.

He's one wild and crazy guy!

Goblin Scout (sketch + painting)

2009-10-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

In regards to the painting... it was started in oils, but was finished in Photoshop.

(Note to self: painting with a mouse is very frustrating... get a stylus and tablet!)

Bull Ceradon (sketches + painting in progress)

2009-10-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

These three sketches were my final picks for a painting I'm working on for my portfolio. This creature is based on the one developed by the folks at Wizards of the Coast / Magic: The Gathering. He's big and mean and ready to rumble!

...and here's my painting so far.

Something's fishy...

2009-10-06T23:23:00.000-07:00

A little something from my moleskin... not your typical mermaid.

Hurakan challenge - Part 2

2009-10-04T01:48:00.000-07:00

Part II of V

Thumbnail sketches of the Mayan god, Hurakan, for the art challenge being held on ArtOrder.

Elf sketch

2009-10-03T23:20:00.000-07:00

A quick portrait I did of a Lorwyn elf creature based on a description I found via Magic: the Gathering - Wizards of the Coast website.

Dragon doodle

2009-10-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

Another quick sketch I made on a scrap piece of paper - sucks that I ran out of room at the bottom. I was initially just going to sketch the head, but then got a bit more involved in my drawing and, well... darn! Oh well, I got my general idea down.

I've been wanting to paint a dragon for a while. This is just one of my more favored idea's for its design and pose. Wings? Maybe...

Cookamungus among us!

2009-09-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

Just a sketch of some creatures I call 'Cookamungus'. I'm creating an encyclopedia of creatures whose names are based on old slang, as well as funny nicknames, etc. The idea I had for these guys was to have them be the transporters of the moon through the night sky.

More doodlin'

2009-09-28T23:30:00.000-07:00

Another quick character sketch. I call this guy a Rinky-dink. To see another doodle, click here.

Stella!

2009-09-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

This is a painting I did for a good friend of mine, Dr. Pia Cuneo, who saved a young filly (draft horse) from a Premarin farm (where they collect urine from pregnant mares for estrogen hormone replacement) and from almost certain death. She's such a sweet horse, and BIG too! (Sorry about the glare/poor quality picture.) Here's an excerpt on the subject from the Humane Society of the United States:

...horses used in the production of Premarin are being mistreated. Ellen Buck, a horse expert at the Humane Society and a former veterinarian, says mares are confined to small stalls, have restricted access to water, get insufficient exercise, and are forced into pregnancy annually. Three months into pregnancy, mares are tethered by short ropes in narrow stalls and a rubber collection cup is placed beneath the mare to capture the urine. The mare's movement is restricted and she cannot turn around. This collection process continues for several months, and during this time mares are given few opportunities to leave their stalls for exercise. In addition, many of the foals produced are eventually slaughtered for human consumption in Asia and Europe.

What's old is new again

2009-09-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

I love art and the history of art (it was actually my other major in college - Illustration & Art History) and for kicks I decided to paint a modern day person using a classic pose from art history. Angelina Jolie is the person I chose to use for this piece. It is done in the traditional method using oils painted on a 16" x 20" piece of masonite board. The painting I opted to reference is Johannes Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" - shown below.

Hurakan challenge - Part 1

2009-09-20T12:05:00.001-07:00

Part I of V

Silohouettes of the Mayan god, Hurakan, for submission to an art challenge given by Jon Schindehette, Senior Art Director for Wizards of the Coast and Dungeons & Dragons.

http://artorder.blogspot.com/

I only learned about this challenge on Friday (9/18) afternoon, and the deadline was today (9/20) at noon. After work, I spent most of Saturday night going through my Mesoamerican art history books (glad I held onto them after college) researching Classical Mayan art styles. I then spent all night and into the wee hours of the morning developing sketches. By around 10am, I was scanning what I felt were my best 3 into PS where I frantically filled and set them in their line up. WHEW! I barely managed to finish by the skin of my teeth and submit it.

I have to say, however, that even though it was a MAJOR crunch to get it done, (and ultimately not the way that it should've been done) I really enjoyed doing it. I hope the powers that be smile upon me and enjoy what I've done. I'm really looking forward to the next phase of this challenge, as well as having more time to do it in! ;) Now it's time for some sleep.

Doodlin'

2009-09-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

Just a quick sketch of a funny bunny on the back of an envelope.

scorpion + rat = tattoo

2009-08-31T18:02:00.000-07:00

This is a tattoo design I recently came up with for a local client. (My first tattoo design, by the way... and I'm not the one who will do the actual inking!)
The idea was to depict a semi-realistic rat and scorpion in some kind of interaction, and was based on the client's description of how they should be posed. ('fighting, but not fighting - equal authority - moving, but not moving - and touching each other at their tails') Thank goodness for clear and unmistakable descriptions! Why a rat and scorpion, you ask? Answer: Year of the rat, and Scorpio zodiac signs.

Interview with Whohub.com

2009-05-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

I recently was asked by Whohub.com if I would be interested in being interviewed as a professional illustrator. You can read the interview by clicking on the link provided. My thanks to the folks at Whohub.com for their interest in me and my work.

http://www.whohub.com/jenniferkearney

Hear ye, hear ye!

2008-10-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

I've finally finished my new website and it is now online for your perusing! Keep an eye out for new art to be posted soon!

http://jenniferkearney.com/

Gotta represent!

2008-03-28T17:34:00.001-07:00

Here's something kinda cool! The flyer for our 5 illustrator/group exhibition is being used by the University of Arizona School of Art to represent the Lionel Rombach Gallery. Also, we've been featured in the UA News for our exhibit, so check it out at: http://uanews.org/node/18913

Illustration Exhibition

2008-03-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

5 illustrators - Tucson, AZ - University of Arizona - School of Art - Lionel Rombach Gallery - Be there! If you're in the area and would like to see some great art by some great people, then check out our exhibit at the Lionel Rombach Gallery, but hurry, it's only up until March 28th!

Progress - what a wonderful thing!

2007-10-06T14:31:00.001-07:00

Dragon Tea Party

2007-09-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

A multi-cultural dragon tea party... as you can see.

Character in Search of a Story

2007-09-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

Credit goes to Adam Rex for the whole "Character in Search of a Story" coinage , but I thought it would be fun to post some of my characters in the same fashion. Hope you don't mind, Adam.