Color pencil on black illustration board, 32″ x 32″. Om Namah Shivaya translates as “I bow to Shiva,” though it can also be interpreted with each of the five syllables (na mah shi va ya) corresponding to the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, space), Shiva having dominion over them.

Color pencil on black paper. This image depicts a fantasy character I’ve been developing for some time.

Color pencil and metallic watercolor paint on black paper.

Color pencil on black paper. The Christmas before last my partner gave me a pad of black paper and it’s really opened things up for me.

Nearing completion on this piece, which I’ve been planning for many months and working on in earnest for the last three or four weeks. It depicts Shakyamuni in the earth witness posture (bhumisparsha), with the earth goddess rising up to call forth the waves of understanding to wash away the army of Mara, the forces of delusion.