Friday, November 03, 2006


Not all the smoke of Autumn
comes from burning leaves.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

very nice indeed.

Caroline said...

Yes very!

MD said...

This is lovely.
MD

Cream said...

Great illustration. Puzzling quote...

carla said...

This creature looks very furtive...either because it is trying to sneak away unnoticed, or it is going to pounce on some unsuspecting person. I so admire your wonderful control of the darks and lights, and the amazing textures you create. This is way wonderful! (I'm so happy to see you around again!!!!)

Unknown said...

I love this guy!! His legs and feet look like mine though and that look on his face like...get away, this is all mine is the same as mine when I'm guarding my chocolate each month. hehe

studio lolo said...

Great work! What's the medium? I read your profile and, not only are we both Leos, we have similar taste in movies and music, and your favorite book is my husband's all time fave. He buys it for everyone who hasn't read it!

Heartful said...

Excellent work, really unusual. Plus I love the quotes in your profile.

Valaine said...

Looks wonderfully old! Like a traveler had an encounter with this awesome creature and had to draw it in his/her journal before the image left his/her mind! It has depth that pulls me in ^_^

LDahl said...

Thank you for your comments Detlef,Caroline and Marie-Dom!

Cream, we used to play 'fire breathing dragons' on cold autumn mornings:)))

Carla... You know I'm a texture junkie... I really admire people that can do smooth velvety work, I just don't have the knack for it.... I get lost looking at the gnarles.

Deejay...thanks, that is just exactly what I was after... that dog with the bone look.

Studio Lolo....Greetings fellow Leo! That book divides people into people who love it and those who have never heard of it.
(the third group doesn't count...hehehe!)
Oh you asked about the medium...just a #2 pencil. Nothing exciting.

Heartful Blogger...(Artful Dodger??) Thank you. I'm going to have to do something less monsterous soon...they get addictive in their own way:)

Valaine, thank you, thank you... exactly!! I'm so pleased how everyone is 'getting' this. Fun!

tlchang said...

Oh! I'm enjoying the monsterous! Autumn is the perfect time to explore that, I think. Your work has such atmosphere and mysterious depth - you might be tempted to explore more deeply, but it doesn't look altogether safe to do so. :-)

These pieces are great - I love them. Are they for anything in particular, or just for fun?

Jeannetto said...

Very cool. I like his feet & the rocks.

Anonymous said...

great illo! I relly appreciate your b/w control and balancing...and puzzling words, also! (tnx for putting aynaku on your blogroll...)

Unknown said...

Wo! this is beautiful! It would fit into Tolkien's world, no touble at all! I especially love how you've done the foliage behind... The whole thing has an aura of 'wild'... Great job! Its perfect as it is, but are you planning on colouring it? I'm interested in knowing what colour you visualize the dragon's skin as...

steve said...

Wow, this is one wicked dragon. Great job!

valerie walsh said...

Amazing and you have a way with demons and dragons!!!

LDahl said...

Tlc
Hehe! So am I. I am enjoying my Autumn more than I have in years. I'm feeling stronger and more creative than I have in a long time, and I must say, it makes me so happy to feel that way:)!
***These pieces are great - I love them. Are they for anything in particular, or just for fun?***

Both! As with all happy work, they were a bit of this and a bit of that. I tend to recycle*giggle* you know, waste not, want not!

Jeannette
Thank you. I was really focused on the sounds of this drawing. The crunch of rocks as the viewer ascended, perhaps the sound of some of them tumbling down... heavy breathing and perhaps a gasp as the dragon is discovered........

Aynaku thanks and you are very welcome! If you lived where it was colder the words might not be so puzzling, the crisp morning air has us breathing out puffs of smokey steam, much like the breath of dragons.

Tj
Thank you, thank you!! I'm not planning on coloring it at this time... too many other projects are in the works... what color would you make the dragon? I would make him dragon color... *giggle*

Thank you Steve. Wicked like a wild dog!!!!!

ValGalArt
It worries me about myself...Haha! No really, as I have said before, I was horrible at doing "scary for the longest time" I had to take monster lessons from my sons... after much struggle I began to understand my enemies and conquer them!

Unknown said...

great mood, love the creature!!

Dave McClellan said...

Thanks for your nice words on my blog. I like the textural quality of your work.

andrea said...

This is creepy. I love it!

LDahl said...

Alina thanks!! I need to do what you do and wander around with a sketch book, I love seeing your world through your eyes.

Thanks Dave, I am a texture freak. Is Avalanche in Salt Lake City? Have you heard of Snow Basin. My aunt lived in Ogden and we would go to Utah for a couple of weeks most summers when I was a kid.

Andrea *giggle* should I ask? Good creepy or bad creepy? Nope, I shouldn't! We'll just be happy that you liked it at all:)

trowbridge chronicles said...

I really enjoyed looking through both of your sites. One thing I noticed right off the bat is your keen sense of humor. And how well you draw. I laughed audibly at your response to the Degas quote, and I got a kick out of your text in your title banner. I'll keep my eyes peeled for your work. I wonder how that cliche originated.

Todd Harris said...

you still amaze me! great work and blog and thank you for all of your comments.

Medusa Azul (Zuli) said...

FANTASTIC!!! REALLY GREAT WORK! :)

LDahl said...

Bron, wow, thanks!!! My sense of humor has gotten me into more trouble... I've learned to watch that *cackle* of mine..it's usually a sign of me brewing up more trouble than I can swallow later:)))
It's too early in the day to even contemplate where the 'eyes peeled' saying originated. I pray it had something to do with potatoes; not a clever war game!

LDahl said...

Todd, well...well... *blush* wowthanksman!
You're more than welcome, you are hugely talented; I do try to keep most of the drool contained:)))

Medusa, thank you! Your work is very interesting and thought provoking.

HARDWAX said...

This creature looks like a prehistoric goat [not sure goats existed in prehistory] who climbed too far up the mountain and lost his way, or maybe hasen't found it, looks almost depraved. Mesmerizing, beautiful work!

Ellen said...

This is a fantastic approach to the topic! Lovely illo!

LDahl said...

Hardwax, I wonder if there were prehistoric goat-ropers...they would have probably depraved too:)))

Thanks so much Ellen!

Chuang Shyue Chou said...

Your versatility continues to amaze me. This piece has a hint of darkness, mayhaps, evil about it. I don't know, you seem to be able to bring great feel to all the pieces that you embark on. And with those, you bring the appropriate technique and medium. I can't stop admiring your creations.

LDahl said...

Yep, this isn't a family pet. I think he would even smell bad!
I keep wishing for a new paint... one that would work with me not against me... maybe "me" is the problem? :)))

Mad Guru said...

Nice texture. He looks pretty evil.