Why Isn't This Person Working Professionally!?

[filkertom]

One of the very finest HP fan artists is caladan_dd. We're talking book-plate quality. (And, as far as I can tell, nothing slashy or anything, so those of you with Manly Eyes are safe. ;) Obviously, the community being what it is, not every picture will be to everyone's taste -- I don't like her Ginny Weasley, who is kind of like Pippi Longstocking but without the latter's silken elegance -- but her style is distinctive, her interpretations of characters unique (I love her Lupin), and her talent undeniable. She's got some new pics up that simply kick ass -- all Dumbledore, all the time.

And, I lied. She is working professionally -- at least, she takes commissions. But, really, she deserves a book company or a fantasy comic or somethin'.

Comments

[dragonscholar.livejournal.com]

I am pretty much experiencing the same things with my contests (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/contests.php). I just discovered one of the entrants, a person who is clearly pro or close to isn't even out of High School. The idea a person of that skill WOULDN'T be pro is painful to me.

The woman you point out is amazing - she's got her own takes on the characters, and they seriously come to life. Combined with her style, it's really amazing stuff.

I've often wondered how I can help promote artists more, to help them get attention, etc. Because the 'net allows us to discover wonderfully talented people.

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

Maybe talk to coppervale perhaps? Don't know if you already know them, of course. I believe they started publishing their own amazing work...swcroll back a ways in their lj to see actual art.

[dragonscholar.livejournal.com]

Just a thought . . . I wonder if she might want to do an album cover . . . ;)

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Not the next one. ;) But I am seriously considering it.

[smoooom.livejournal.com]

WOW! Thanks Tom, WOW is she ever good.

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

Oooh, shiny!

[druidsfire.livejournal.com]

The style reminds me a bit of Joe Madureira before he went seriously loopy, but I /heart/ her Dumbledore pix. :)

[zenturbo.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'm impressed.

[allisona.livejournal.com]

Oh, I -love- her work- her sense of colour and detail, just, wow. I first discovered her paintings shortly after reading "Half-Blood Prince" and I've been linked to a HP art community on LJ ever since so I don't miss any of her new work.

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

She's got talent, indeed. Coloring and inking work is amazing.

If she really wants to go anywhere, though, she needs to get away a little further from the anime style and she need to change up her faces, all a little too simular. She's a little too caught up in the "Tall Thin Pretty Boy" look.

[starfallz.livejournal.com]

Yea, a lot of the faces follow the same lines. There is a lot of promise though. I like the different types of settings and situations for the Dumbledore pictures.

Some other favorite HP artists:

Makani (http://makani.deviantart.com/gallery/)... raging Snape and Malfoy fan girl, but a real good, animation-like style for the characters. She has some hilarious sketches in her Scraps (http://makani.deviantart.com/scraps/) folder.

In general, I like the fan art of Gold-Seven (http://gold-seven.deviantart.com/gallery/). She has done a lot of illustrations of moments and characters from the Silmarillion, but she has some very nice HP fan art as well. This one (http://www.deviantart.com/view/4491139/) is a favorite of mine.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Very nice. On the other end of the scale would be this (http://www.deviantart.com/view/9490893/).

[starfallz.livejournal.com]

Aug, MY EYES! :D

[catalana.livejournal.com]

Wow - those are *gorgeous*. Thanks for linking to them.

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

Character poses are all good and fine (and very well done, I grant you). But what of actual scenes from the book, where there is action occuring?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/caladan_dd/10226.html). And here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/caladan_dd/9309.html). And here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/caladan_dd/8916.html), here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/caladan_dd/8569.html), here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/caladan_dd/8259.html), here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/caladan_dd/4411.html), here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/caladan_dd/2598.html), and here (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18/caladan-atreides/snape-dumbledore.jpg)....

[starfallz.livejournal.com]

Ooh, nice. Much better reference of ability in those. :)

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

I stand corrected. Bravo!