Still on sick leave. Just been to the vampires again to see how the new medication is treating me. It's hot and sticky weather atm, we're in Autumn (Fall for you US people ) which means it should be getting colder, not still being 30C. Last night we had what I class as a "summer storm" blow through. I had friends sitting in the dark texting me last night, I switched off my computer while it roared through and started jotting down ideas for stories, which I'll probably be enthusiastic about for maybe a few weeks, before putting them aside again.

What have I been up to?

Nothing too exciting. While I'm not critically ill, there are much worse off people than me, feeling tired, nauseous and just worn out on a regular basis gets to be wearing. So mostly I take it easy, ride out the sickness, try and stay ahead of emails, work on my final few commission pieces, and consider what the heck I'm doing with my art.

Sketchfest is a good example of the duality I feel when it comes to painting.

I love digital illustration (I also love acrylics and oils) - mostly I love the highly refined realism that transports me to another place. I want to paint dragons, space ships, mythical beings, cover illustrations, card art. This tends to be the art I'm mostly commissioned for.

I also love watercolours. There is magic in this kind of illustration. I find myself wanting to paint goddesses and myths and fairy tales. This is often the art that sells prints, gets shared, gets the most interactive responses.

I feel like I come to this crossroad every 12 months. It matches the artist vs computer programmer. I'm beginning to think there is no easy way of choosing one over the other, simply to paint what works when I'm inspired, gear a portfolio for the kinds of commission work I want to do, and for the moment, just paint.

Maybe the rest will just come.

Sketchfest from last weekend
   

Some of my latest commissions (though currently closed, still finishing off scheduled commissions before I take a break again)