Sunday, June 21, 2009

Vikings. In space.

There was recently a "challenge" posted on a art forum I've been known to haunt and the prompt was simply to draw a viking. Unfortunately due to various circumstances beyond my control I missed the deadline, but I knew I was going to want to finish it at my earliest convenience. My plans all fell through on Friday, so I spent a few hours in my studio banging this number out. I didn't have any prep work on hand past a small thumbnail, which made painting feel a little like flying blind, but I think that made the experience a bit more reactionary and... fun.

I don't know what's been with me and my space kick lately, but I just had to have a viking in space. As the vikings of myth did, this viking would have a helmet (though to fend off asphyxiation more so than hostile projectiles) complete with horns. And naturally, as an explorer of outer space, they'd be fighting tentacled creatures instead of the Britons or other more "civilized" men.

Vikings were Nordic and by no means German, but I figured our hero here would be sporting dachshunds on his shield. I think they might have approved of these Germanic little badger hounds. I can think of one or two dachschunds that would have been helpful in an all out monster fight.

Oil on canvas. 12" x 24".

3 comments:

Stephany Benbow said...

I love the new banner! But the "space" behind him seems to have lost it's colour

Unknown said...

It looks like you're starting a series "{nouns} in Space" I look forward to the next installment, maybe there'll be Maxfield... in space, or, Chameleons in space, or Bird chicks in space!

Nathanael said...

That's an awesome pair of hounds he's sporting on his shield I have to say. Why does Black Dog by Zep come to mind...?