Art

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Happy Independence Day, for my fellow US friends (and for everyone else!) While we’re on the subject of independence, do you know about Patreon? The company bills itself as the best way for creators to build a sustained income. From what I’ve seen from many Patreon accounts, it’s succeeding. 35 creators each earned over $150,000…

Read More Patreon Ahoy!
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Playing with bits of art I’ve collected or created over the years, to give myself another visual image-set for THE PURIST, a big fantasy novel currently out in Queryland.* Yes, this is SINGER IN RHUNSHAN revisited, massively revised, and (I hope) getting closer to being fit for outside reading. For now, I’m so happy the…

Read More ‘The Purist’ mood board 3
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On a writer’s forum, I read a recent discussion of different storybuilding tools, among them the Snowflake Method. This existed long before there were alt-righties and GamerG4ters whining about ‘liberal snowflakes’, so settle down. Randy Ingermanson’s method shows writers how to start small, with basic but sturdy frameworks, and build ever-increasing detail. This can help…

Read More Accidental worldbuilding
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I get approached by advertisers more than than I expected, for a blog that has too many words, not enough pictures, and a very low (but loyal!) readership. So far, none of those advertisers have made a compelling case for value-added vs annoyance factor…so, no ads on Blue Night. I’ll happily review products and works…

Read More Now on Ko-fi.com!
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Here is an American flag. I shot it a couple of weeks ago, looking west in Central Phoenix, outside a modest strip mall with a bakery, a pizza joint, a taco shop, a Buy Your Gold store, a cell-phone store, a nail-art salon, and some other little businesses. That’s as representative a slice of modern,…

Read More Memorial Day 2017
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That’s right folks, the madness that is Phoenix Comicon starts in just a few hours! I probably won’t attend this year because of schedule conflicts with other work and art stuff. If you’re brave enough to deal with the heat and crowds, I can promise there will be lots of insane, wonderful, awe-inspiring moments for…

Read More Phoenix Comicon 2017
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Americans are so myopic, sometimes. In the rush to ‘teach to the test’ or advance our science and math education (well, until Betsy DeVos became Education Secretary), we’ve forgotten that art can involve some high levels of math and science, too. Follow this Racked.com and Twitter thread for an in-depth look at the MetGala dresses…

Read More STEM and art
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I’ve had this piece of fiber book art in mind since 2011-2012. I’m glad I held off until now: even Mitt Romney’s version of the GOP has been eclipsed by the current crop of corrupt, venal, sanctimonious, and utterly incompetent politicians gracing the Republican Party. (And I say that as a former GOP member!) ‘Politics…

Read More First Look: Politics As Usual
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It’s April, and I’ve been so busy with my own art and writing I forgot one of April’s cherished traditions. It’s Hugo Awards nomination time! And that means another Pie Fight GIF, this time courtesy of the very topical film Dr. Strangelove. I love how stoic and dignified this poor guy looks…kinda the way most…

Read More 2017 Hugo Awards List!
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Typically, it’s April and I only just starting to upload 2017’s book arts pieces! Here are the roughly 1.5x3x.25″ faux-inlay covers (outside and inside) for BREATHE. I showed a first look at the pages last year. They’re a gathering of Latin mottos I thought were particularly appropriate for the current state of the world: Dum…

Read More BREATHE covers
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Because it’s now illegal to show this image in Russia, I thought I’d feature it here. Added 8/22-2017: Actually, I’m debating about taking it down. On the one hand it will certainly infuriate Putin loyalists and Putin worshippers among the US Republican Party (because Putin’s predominately white Russian ethnostate is their Disneyland.) On the other…

Read More Gay Clown Putin
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Since I’m no longer querying manuscripts to literary agents, large publishers, or query pitch contests, I’m removing my bio lest it confuse current pitch researchers. In the meantime, here’s something pretty.

Read More Not my RevPit bio
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To keep my mind off #pitmad and to get ready for #revpit in two weeks, here’s another mood board I cobbled together for my high fantasy mms SINGER. Art credits include: Michael Whelan, cover for Tanith Lee’s ‘Night’s Sorceries’ Renaissance gold chain, Incollect https://www.incollect.com/articles/revival-jewelry-looking-to-the-past-for-inspiration Venezuelan thunderstorm, The Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/southamerica/venezuela/11728250/Catatumbo-Venezuelas-everlasting-lightning-storm.html Blue Planet, BBC advertising St. Herman’s Cave, Belize http://www.vivabelize.com/tours-activities/land-activities/st-hermans-ceremonial-cave-exploration/…

Read More Mood board for Singer
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Technology is wonderful. Especially when bright but otherwise bored people say ‘Hey, these zirconium ceramic ball bearings and whetstones are nearly as tough as sapphire. I bet we could make jewelry out of this stuff!’ Jewelry wonks are already familiar with Cubic Zirconium, the relatively cheap and readily available diamond-substitute gem, usually faceted and sold…

Read More Black Ceramic Chain