the Botanist

mcquaid, 2 months ago

The earthy feel of this compliments the figure of the botanist.Regards.

karldenton, 2 months ago

I really like this one Thomas, a very dark feel. Well done!

vonne, 2 months ago

Very Dark, I want a closer look. what is she holding? Love this..LOTS of detail and textures for the eyes to get lost in. I will be back to look more = )

butchart, 2 months ago

i think the botanist may have eaten her own poison… she has that look about her…....... love the back of her head and where it goes…. my her left hand is big…......... wonderful work as always Thomas…....b

Thomas Dodd in reply to mcquaid’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you kindly McQuaid!

Thomas Dodd in reply to karldenton’s comment, 2 months ago

thanks Karl!

Thomas Dodd in reply to vonne’s comment, 2 months ago

Thanks Vonne -I spent a lot of time on this one so it’s nice to know that all the little details aren’t lost….

(and it’s not too dark on my monitor – maybe I should post an Adobe Gamma settings tutorial!)

Ann Garrett, 2 months ago

Fantastic work

Thomas Dodd in reply to butchart’s comment, 2 months ago

or she’s just high on the tincture….
the crazy “Bride of Frankenstein” effect on the hair was an overlay of 2 photots – one was an elongated rust stain and the other was a bird’s nest!

And yeah – Halley does have some mannish hands (and I suppose the way she has her right clenched and her left outstretched does make her southpaw look humongous…)
Thank you s always for your attention to the details Butch!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Ann Garrett’s comment, 2 months ago

Thanks Ann!

annacuypers, 2 months ago

This is really beautiful ! Love the sad feeling about it. The severe look in her eyes looking at her tender- self… You are such a master in telling stories and using colors and light !
I will have a look at it again later on.

giovanni, 2 months ago

fantastic as usual…

paul boast, 2 months ago

one of the best as i love plants , beautiful work

Amanda Hammock, 2 months ago

Poison ivy song defined!

Beautiful texture and images. The infinity knot is an interesting touch.

Splendid work, dear.

Laurie McClave, 2 months ago

Ok! I do so love the hair/ head effects on this piece and all the colors interspersed throughout. It has a very organic feeling, which I appreciate…

Mark Peterson, 2 months ago

Dark, powerful, and outstanding!

RosaCobos, 2 months ago

I love it Thomas..
I had to view it larger.. and then I noticed that she is wearing a heada outfit that it called my attention… this sort of hats…or likely are very typical of the Vasque Country…. here in Spain..
with elaborated and twisted cones with laces and all.. It is very funny..She seems to be rather a beautiful “witch” (we have a strong cultural background of witchery here in the Basque Country… with prosecution and all) sustaining a potion in her hands. May be she is having a sort of “trip”... and she herself “twinned” in an organic enviroment… changed by the effect of the drug… But she know what she is doing… so the trip is just affecting her inward vision… while her superficila expression is calm and self.containing.
Rosa

Karin Taylor, 2 months ago

love this Thomas…
very drawn to it :)
nice rich colours and textures
so appealing :)

Charles Winslow, 2 months ago

Excellent work as always Thomas! So what is it she has in her hands? And about that gamma settings tutorial, PERFECT! Bring it on!

Mister, 2 months ago

Very, very cool.

Theresa Rankin, 2 months ago

Bravo…You never fail to please the eye! Great concept and the elements you have chosen!

Roz McQuillan, 2 months ago

Rich, dark and mysterious!

jlynn, 2 months ago

Amazing work! The textures and details are outstanding! Intense:)

Jewd, 2 months ago

WOW..how deeply mysterious and imbued with another time, reminds me of the movie”Perfume”..

Lyra, 2 months ago

Wonderful job, Sir. ;)

Ariane, 2 months ago

Fantastic- rich,fecund,mysterious – darkley beautiful.

Thomas Dodd in reply to annacuypers’s comment, 2 months ago

Anna – thank you for the kind words – you weave some incredible stories in your art as well my dear muse….

Thomas Dodd in reply to giovanni’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you giovanni!

Thomas Dodd in reply to paul boast’s comment, 2 months ago

Paul – thanks so much – I appreciate it!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Amanda Hammock’s comment, 2 months ago

It’s been a while since we exchanged song references Ms. Hammock – thank you as always!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Laurie McClave’s comment, 2 months ago

And looking at this now, I think it is somewhat influenced (subconsciously) by you …... your work has invaded my dreams it seems…
;D

Thomas Dodd in reply to Mark Peterson’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you kindly Mark!

Thomas Dodd in reply to RosaCobos’s comment, 2 months ago

Rosa – I knew vaguely that I was creating a certain witchy or timeless look to her head/hairpiece – I was thinking of the conic veils that medieval women wore, but your reference really gives this a powerful interpretation
Thank you as always for your insightful and intuitive commentary!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Karin Taylor’s comment, 2 months ago

Karin – thank you so much!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Charles Winslow’s comment, 2 months ago

Charles – thanks my friend – the object may be plant food…or a magic potion…. or atearful tincture (which was the working title of this piece)
I will definitely post some tutorials in your new group… I joined today and am looking forward to contributing and learning!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Mister’s comment, 2 months ago

thanks Mr!

Laurie McClave, 2 months ago

Invading dreams is my evil plan Mr Dodd…..... Among other things;0

Thomas Dodd in reply to Theresa Rankin’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you ma’am as they say down here in the South – “We aims to please!”

Thomas Dodd in reply to Roz McQuillan’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you Roz!

Thomas Dodd in reply to jlynn’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you jlynn!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Jewd’s comment, 2 months ago

Thanks Jewd (for all of your comments tonight!)
I haven’t seen that movie yet – might have to Netflx it in the near future…

Thomas Dodd in reply to Lyra’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you kindly Madame…

Thomas Dodd in reply to Ariane’s comment, 2 months ago

Ariane – thanks so much!

Sylvia Karall, 2 months ago

Great work.

mklau, 2 months ago

Thomas.. I always marvel at the amazing effects you create. This is captivating .. rich, old almost medievalesque and superb

darkestartist, 2 months ago

Thomas, beautiful textures. I have started to count them sometimes in your work, just for fun. I can’t imagine having patience to that amount, to sit and do layer upon layer…i’d go mental! beautiful haunted expression she’s wearing, and somehow i don’t think that’s an essential oil in her hand ;) love the textures. just love them.

darkestartist, 2 months ago

oh and i forgot to mention, on the right hand side, your three-circled/knotted icon totally reminds me of a biohazard symbol :)

aglaia b, 2 months ago

great work Thomas. just love all the layering, “one was an elongated rust stain and the other was a bird’s nest!” and all the dark qualities about it. ;-)

Liesl Yvette W..., 2 months ago

you seriously blow me away every time!

gypsycaster, 2 months ago

Absolutely my favourite of all your pieces. Really fantastic!
I love getting lost in these!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Sylvia Karall’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you Sylvia!

Thomas Dodd in reply to mklau’s comment, 2 months ago

mklau – thanks so much for the compliments – I was most definitely going for a medieval feel in this one!

Geoff Coleman, 2 months ago

Such highly skilled and interesting texture and layer work Thomas and instead of overwhelming the image it accentuates its strangeness and complexity. Oddly compelling this I think.

Kurt Tutschek, 2 months ago

interesting technique – love your style, thomas.

Marny Barnes, 2 months ago

man I love your work!!!!
I could really stare for hours and just keep seeing more.
THis reminds me of a book called Abarat…the book was written by Clive Barker…and it’s a childrens book to boot…lol
The drawing are seriously …well…”creative”!!!!!
This pic fits the theme of that book perfectly…I LOVE IT!!!

Krisso, 2 months ago

I wish I could think of better words to tell you how good I think your work is, but you technical ability far exceeds mine, so I just never no what to say! (I am working on that though). Great work mate and thanks for sharing it.

Thomas Dodd in reply to darkestartist’s comment, 2 months ago

Well DA – you’re a painter so that certainly requires a lot of time, patience, AND attention to detail… but you are right – there were a LOT of texture overlays on thsi one (around 8) and it did take a long time to get right…

The bottle was actually a photo I took of a “tincture” at an old Apothecary in downtown Decatur

Always a pleasure to hear from you madame…

Thomas Dodd in reply to aglaia b’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you aglaia b – it’s always a pleasure to see your lovely avatar on my page…
;D

Thomas Dodd in reply to Liesl Yvette Wilson’s comment, 2 months ago

Liesl – how very kind of you to say… Thank you!

Thomas Dodd in reply to gypsycaster’s comment, 2 months ago

Thank you gypsycaster – I am pleased to hear when people get lost in the images (that’s why I put so many hidden things in them!)

Thomas Dodd in reply to Geoff Coleman’s comment, 2 months ago

Geoff – that is a wonderful compliment – I really worked hard on this and yet still tried to not overdo it with the layers etc. so it is REALLY nice to read those words!
Thank you very much my friend!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Kurt Tutschek’s comment, 2 months ago

you aint no slouch yourself Kurt!

Thanks man!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Marny Barnes’s comment, 2 months ago

Marny – wow – I didn’t know Clive wrote any children’s books – I’m sure they were rather nightmarish… I’ll have to keep a look out for that one
Thank you for the kind words and I love your work too!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Krisso’s comment, 2 months ago

Krisso – your words always do much more than suffice – I appreciate it man – thank you kindly as always!

gypsycaster, 2 months ago

The Abarat books are wonderful. I’m re-reading the first one now actually. They’re not really nightmarish, more like Imajica for teens. Or Weaveworld.

Marny Barnes, 2 months ago

I don’t know about not nighmarish…lol
some of those pics are a little disturbing…I’ll have to scan some of them and show you all…lol
They really are amazing pics…some are cool but some are a little bizarre…which would be why I love them so much!

Marny Barnes, 2 months ago

http://abarat.madnosity.com/images/carrion_abarat.jpg
this is one of the pics from that childrens book…very cool drawings!

Thomas Dodd in reply to Marny Barnes’s comment, 2 months ago

wow – cool illustration -thanks for the link!

pinkyjain, 2 months ago

Frankenstein. She looks like she is looking lovingly at a being she just perhaps created, maybe from the potion in the bottle. Beautiful & magnificent work Thomas

Mugsy, 2 months ago

Impressive!

Damian, 2 months ago

Gorgeous work Thomas, love your stuff!

Puneeta Shukl Rai, 2 months ago

AMAZING !! how do u cum up wth such things…..love ur style…

Maria Murphy, 2 months ago

DARK AND BEAUTIFUL !!