Brushing aside the crackled leaves and old dust, I saw a mark etched into the bronze. It was a gryphon, wings outspread. In its talons it held a bow, arched with living oak boughs at each end. In its beak it pulled back the blood-fletched arrow, ready to strike.

I had seen this symbol before...somewhere in a dream. A vision? A great beast rose before me, a billowing length of red behind. A protector, guarding the forests below...

A few years back I had the image of a gryphon with a bow in my head, and actually made something like this (simplified, of course) in metal. The image has always stuck with me and finally came out in paint. It is the symbol of the Maichach, the gryphon riders.

Part of this was a way to practice with acrylic. While I like the way it came out, I'm still incredibly slow with acrylic D: Oh well, more practice, then!

Acrylic on illustration board, 11 X 14 inches