Tuesday, November 14, 2006


No one was certain how fat little Toady Crackbone,
the class clown and shortest kid in school, became
The Most Honorable Theodore Crackbone,
High Judge of Arcturus. The only thing that was
completely clear, was that no one was laughing now.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

is this from Lee Master's "spoon river anthology?" ...any way great illo,very very expressive. really i'm impressed by all the details!

tlchang said...

Gorgeous stuff! Can you, will you tell about the process? :-)

Caroline said...

What a fabulous portrait - you do have wonderful things in your head!

Chuang Shyue Chou said...

High Judge of Arcturus!

I was going to say that this could easily be a medieval cleric of some sort!

Hehehe. Your work is simply breathtaking. Is this a composite of several types of mediums?

carla said...

I should say not! I'm sure he has some nasty revenge up his sleeve. I really, really like the texture of the bacground...like stone or oxidized copper, and the hat is amazing! Is this a watercolor?

BTW - the trees here in CT are mostly bare. I miss the pretty colors, but i enjoy being able to look up to the ridge behind my house and see the deer. That's always a treat:>

LDahl said...

Aynaku, na, it's from LDahl's "Monsters, Fiends and Other Friends" :)))

Tara... On this one, I found a little piece of software called Easy Character Generator(Written by Shuta Miyawaki)I played around with it for awhile(it's a bit like a cross between an Etch-a-Sketch and a Spirograph). Made a few things, liked how one looked and started playing around with it...
Here is the URL:
http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~mcs/
Try it, it's fun!

Oh, if you would like to see the "sketch" that I started with, go here:
http://windynights.homestead.com/test.html

Caroline, you make me feel so good! Thank you!

Hi Chuang.. As you can tell, I am a fan of Sci-Fi, have been since I was six and found my fathers' collection of science fiction books. I would sneak downstairs in the middle of the night and get one to read under the covers with my little flashlight. I still remember the name of the first one, it was called Dune Rollers... Now I live in a science fiction world...we all do.

Carla, I'm sure he does too! Nasty little bugger!! The apple tree is still clinging to a few of it's leaves.

Cream said...

Really beautitul detail and colours! I like the marbled background!
Sounds like His Honour is gonna get his own back on all the bullies!

Brian the Mennonite said...

He probably turns out to be quite a softy in the end doesn't he?

I would like to see a series of sketches from his current hard looks to where he has a softened appearance, full of grace and understanding.

You do great work, Lilah. I've never grown tired of visiting here.

Todd Harris said...

this is incredible lilah! great job, i want to know more of the story!

LDahl said...

Thanks Cream...the background is watercolor. His Honor is a stickler for the law, perhaps too much... in his zeal, he may have forgotten the intent of law... something he may yet come to regret. He may find he's lost more than he's gained. But the thoughtless bullies will have their share of ruefulness and sorrow too:)))

Brian, but of course, he always was a softy, that is why the bullies could hurt him so. We'll have to see what we can do about those sketches. Tell Joyce hi for me, I've read her latest and wish(oh, how I wish I could come to the party, I'll be there in spirit. Hopefully I can come up with a truly dreadful sweater:)))
Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment!!!!

Todd, You made my day! I am a big fan of Gorey(Edward) I am working on some story ideas, to be presented rather as he did... not like him of course but in the manner of telling without spelling everything out... which is what I love about his work(and his dark drawings that are neither overworked nor simple, but somewhere right down the middle). Wish me luck!

valerie walsh said...

wow there is a much deeper story to this!Beautifully done and love all of the details, the face is magnificent! Ditto my friend, you are the gem!

Anonymous said...

The rendering of the headwear is absolutely superb, great sheen to it. And lovely vibrant colour selection.

LDahl said...

Thanks Val! His story is a combo of two people I knew... Both of them small and darlingly(is that a word?) cute ... both of them growing up a bit(understatement)twisted because of the smallness and cuteness. Something I find interesting. My mind sticks in odd places:)))

LDahl said...

Detlef, thanks, it was fun to do!

joyce said...

Now, THAT guy needs a party!

Chuang Shyue Chou said...

"Now I live in a science fiction world...we all do."

Yes, you are indeed right. The future is now.

You make it seem so effortless. All your compositions, your renders...

Anonymous said...

wow what an amazing piece of work to greet when visiting; the detail and colours in her hat are so vibrant; making the beauty of her face really shine -- exactly what hats should do. Beautiful beautiful work!

merlinprincesse said...

OOOOH! What a nice hat you have, Sir! :)

LDahl said...

Joyce... speaking of party, how was your USP??! Inquiring mimes want to know!

Chuang Shyue Chou, I learned not to watch myself work along time ago... so mostly it's just fun:))) I like to let them sit for awhile and come back later. That is when I take a hard look, and do some hard revisions. And that is usually the most fun because all the begining stuff is out of the way.

Ascender,thank you so much for all your comments:)

merlinprincesse...do you think Cookie would like it? It doesn't have a 'Roo on it but it would probably make a great birdcage.

merlinprincesse said...

LOL! I think Cookie would prefer that one. As Anon said, the other one is very flamable! :)))

albina said...

Look at that face! Love your stories that go with characters – do they evolve first, or you tell them to yourself while painting? Ah, reading books under the covers… Lovely work, really nice seeing you back and in full force!!! Always a pleasure!

LDahl said...

Merlinprincesse... Burnt Cookies aren't very tasty now are they? Somehow I think Cookie should have a Tophat. Hellooooo! And maybe a little cane too... and a deck of cards.


Albina... I 'recognize' characters when they come floating out from pencil(etc). They're quiet until I open their eyes then they talk talk talk.... heh, they tell me I don't tell them, but I can ask questions.
Sometimes they lie:)))
Thanks for your comment...it really and truly means alot to me:)

modroom said...

I never laughed, honest!!

LDahl said...

If that's true, then you have nothing to fear.
Where were you on the night of April 18th???

HARDWAX said...

Wowee, I think he wears his magic in his headdress, or it might be from whence it came.
A stunner!

LDahl said...

Hardwax, thank you! The mind-zotting electric headdress! Not something you would want someone who has "issues" to be wearing:)))

Chuang Shyue Chou said...

"I learned not to watch myself work along time ago... so mostly it's just fun:))) I like to let them sit for awhile and come back later."

Drawing should be fun, right? Illustrating something? I don't know. As a professional, you probably have a very different viewpoint than I do. I probably can't put myself in your shoes because it would be extremely alien? I don't know. Saying is one thing and understanding is another.

I seldom plan a piece. It's almost always spontaneous, even when I commit to paper, I would sometimes not have a vision in my head believe it or not. I really should do a bit of thinking and planning. At least on the composition aspects. I have been somewhat overly indulgent. Sometimes, I guess I doodle instead! When you said that you learned not to watch yourself work, what does that mean? Does it mean that you plan and work every piece? I fail to understand.

LDahl said...

Chaung, most of what I do, I have a pretty good idea what I want it to achieve before I begin. The pro stuff I do, I plan it in detail in my head before I ever start working. If I'm playing around I just let whatever happens happen.
What I mean by not looking is, I truly am looking more at what I have in my head and not what is appearing with the medium... It is just something I noticed I do... I don't look until I'm about done, then I start focusing on what is before me. I know that probably sounds crazy, but that's how I work.... if I watch what I'm doing, then I start wandering off where 'drawing/painting' leads me, instead of what I want it to look/feel like. And yes that can be fun, but so is looking at what is in your mind and making it happen so you can show what you "have in mind". If you are working for a client, it is your job to show what is in their mind.

Anonymous said...

I love his collar and hood pieces.

Great expressive face. Just wonderful, all around.

LDahl said...

Thank you Cat!

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

WOW!