There is a "Safe For Work" version of Technomage Uncloaked available at my gallery and Fine Art America now. Why? Several reasons. For instance, you may be interested if you wanted to send a greeting card that doesn't prominently feature cyborg butt.
I didn't really notice how much of my stuff was science fiction-related until recently as I started sorting through my Works in Progress hard drive. It doesn't seem to matter what style I do, it crops up everywhere. I had forgotten about his piece starring Ensign Fraidy.
There are also several thousand other science fiction paintings by several hundred other artists at the Fine Art America gallery in a variety of styles to browse through. I've just lost about two hours there.
This started out as one of several studies of contrapposto and S Curves. "Contrapposto" is a stance used in classical sculpture wherein the subject puts his weight almost entirely on one leg; "S Curve" is a more stylized pose within the contrapposto family. They are still used in fashion modeling.
I was playing with them both when I read this book on Technomages based on a character from my favorite TV universe.
A Technomage is a type of science fiction character who uses technology to create the illusion of magic, in this case through cybernetic implants. The details of this piece were loosely inspired by the "Passing of the Technomages" series by Jeanne Cavelos, which was based on an original outline by the creator of Babylon 5, J. Michael Straczynski.
I used my husband as a model because Peter Woodward and Michael Ansara aren't sitting eight feet away while I'm painting. (Everyone will be able to tell it's him, of course, because his right big toe points up a little.) I based the implants on the design of the Shadow ships because it seemed more fitting to me, even though the Technomages would have to be pretty stupid not to know they were Shadow Tech if they looked like this.
I think it makes for a better painting. The final image is almost five feet tall, available in print form or on canvas, so you may wish to click the image below for the option to magnify.
I think I've finally put out enough warnings. The people who want the cartoons and the people who are comfortable with me going back to grownup art are in two different camps, as far as I can tell. If anyone hasn't seen me warn them I'm going to be posting nude paintings, they probably haven't been watching anyway. I finished Two by the Fire an hour before midnight.
Or rather, I abandoned it. As usual after I was "done" I found a ton of things I could have done better. But here it is.
I'm a big fan of unusual lighting. I went through a phase several years ago wherein I did a series of backlit paintings like this (mostly vampires), and decided to pick it up again for this romantic little number. It's taken a few months of nearly endless frustration to get their expressions right; I wanted to show two people who are comfortable with each other and very clearly absorbed in each others' eyes.
I was hoping to get at least one painting finished before my next work day, and of course I failed because as DaVinci says, art is never finished, only abandoned.
So I set deadlines. Two by the Fire will be abandoned tonight at midnight and uploaded tomorrow. That only gives me an hour and a half after work to touch it up, but if I don't set a deadline, 'll be working on it ANOTHER three months.
That one features two regular humans. I think I should start with that.
Tomorrow night is my deadline for Technomage Uncloaked. Naked cyborg. Teaser below, but you'll have to wait until Friday to see to his toes.
