This began as a loose, quick test of a brush-load of some sepia color [actually alizarin crimson mixed with sap green] on a scrap of canvas while I was working on one of the new Tad Williams covers.

Seen out of the corner of my eye, it started to look rather like a face to me. I went back into it and cleaned up the outside edges with white gesso and left it as a silhouette for a few hours. Later I went in and filled in the features—such as they are—with colors I was using in my palette at the time.

After spending hours painting finicky little details on swords for the DAW covers it was a nice break to apply myself to something more organic and loose.