This really came out beautifully. Thanks so much for putting so much effort into this one for me! You're easily the best artist I've ever had the pleasure to work with on my characters. :D

Thank you so, so much, it's really great working with you :) I really appreciate it <3

*jaw drop* ...hhhaff.... that's a heck of a way to announce you're still alive! That's incredible - such detail and realism. Amazing lighting work on this, and so very beautiful. That could be the sort of thing you hang up proudly in a living room for all to marvel at!

*chuckles* Thank you very much! It makes me a little sad I can't post a larger sized image, but hopefully this and the closeup will do ;)

You can if you want - what you do is click on the "change submission file" option and then you can upload a larger image than the normal limit. ;)

Really? That used to work, but last time I tried that, it didn't :b Huh!

Oh... shoot, maybe they "fixed" it. :/ I haven't tried for a while. There's always Weasyl - it certainly allows for larger pictures.

Seems to work now :V Maybe they "fixed it" but it broke again? :V

*laughs* Who knows anymore? Every day that FA is actually here and working, I consider a gift and a miracle. XD

lol, true.

Do you think you could take another commission?

Not right now, no. Sorry!

No problem ^_^

Astounding's all I can say. The work on the character is amazing and the background is gorgeous. I've seen alot of work in museums that doesn't hold a candle to this.

Thank you very, very much <3 I really appreciate it :) I'm happy I put extra time into this one - I think it paid off :)

Wow, that's an amazing job!

Thank you very much :)

Incredible!!

Thanks! <3

those wings are absolutely stunning! you did a wonderful job on this.

Thank you very much <3 For once, the wings came pretty painlessly, which surprised me XD

Wow!!! Just, wow!!! Pure epicness!!!

Thank you so much :) <3

This is incredible!

Thank you very much!

Exceptional piece! Realistic and wonderful, but I've grown to expect that from you! Perfect!

Thank you kindly, it's very much appreciated :)

Thanks! http://sta.sh/0jg20gog94s Here you go :)

Wow, beautiful!

Thanks a lot <333

*sits here with his jaw just dropped* wow.....

<333

This is so beautiful !
Could you upload re-upload this in 1920x1080 please ? I can't open sta.sh. It said "The page you wanted to visit doesn't exist!"
Thank you.

Thank you very much :)

I don't intend to leave it up in my Stash, so be sure to grab it! http://sta.sh/08u1ctfv41v Here you go :)

Thank you

<333

What methods did you use on the clouds including the lightning, and the field and rock he's sitting on?

Heck.. I'd love to know your methods on the detail on Dawnstar himself. :3 I'm... trying to improve myself.. ^^;

Don't mean to sound like I'm stealing secrets. ^^; If you.. wouldn't mind my asking... What classes or videos did you study from?

It's hard to say what "method", really - I'm self-taught and while I keep an eye open, checking out other people's tutorials and whatnot, I don't follow any particular school or artist's way of doing things.

I'm one of those people who's drawn since I could hold a pencil (so, like, 1986/1987), although I started focusing on digital art more in 2003/2004. I went to university studying animal biology, so art isn't one of those things I have a formal education in - I took two life drawing classes as electives, but that's it.

I generally start with the sketch, then the background, starting off with main colours and blobby shapes. I look at photos to see the sort of colours I want, since I've always been sorta bad at colour. And then, on top of that, I start building detail. The rock started off mainly as a blurry blobby shape with some texture brush on top, and then I just went back over it again and again, adding more detail as I imagined it. Dawnstar started off as a plain white block, then a plain white block with a shadow layer, then that shadow layer got more and more detailing. I merged those layers, then added in more fur detail, then a final layer of super fine fur detail.

That's generally how I go - I start with a sketch. Then I block, using big blobby/blocky colours, often blurry or messy. Then I start adding more detail. Then I go back over it again, and again, adding more and more layers of detail and/or colour until I'm done.

I have a number of tutorials linked on my main page if you're interested!

Oh yes! :D That would be awesome! ^^ Youtube as well? :3


Sorry.. ^^; Meant to be a reply... ^^;

No, I don't have any videos posted, I'm afraid.

Awww : < Still... Would love to see your tutorials. ^^ Are they like links that show examples or pics that show the progress with description? :3

Yes, they're linked to on my main page.

Thanks again. ^^ And keep up the amazing work. : 3

Cheers :)

So beautiful, your art is impeccable and perfect.

Wow, thank you kindly <3

Mammal in the middle and bird on the ends.

Heheh, yeah, basically :3 Except his tail, I guess? It's fluffy rather than feathery :3