Vase of Argiope. Oil on canvas. 12 x 16 in.
08.03.2026 04:04
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Vase of Argiope. Oil on canvas. 12 x 16 in.
“The thing that drew me in the most wasn’t the character classes, spell lists, or monsters. It was the shopping.”
open.substack.com/pub/patternw...
I can’t stop drawing mourning doves
From the digital sketchbook
Behind the scenes at the Enchanted Table software engineering office
The owl in your neighborhood wonders about you
Drawn from life at @appletondrawing.bsky.social
Red Mage (Familiar, Barred Owl)
Sanguine on paper
11 x 14 in.
Available
My tarot and oracle deck web app is gradually coming together!
“If I’m not gentle with myself, that feeling can stop me from moving the pencil at all, so I have to give myself plenty of encouragement. The main thing I have to rely on is small inklings of desires or curiosity that hint toward possible next steps.” open.substack.com/pub/patternw...
Cursed to touch all the stones open.substack.com/pub/patternw...
(On the encouragement of friends, this is my first subscribers-only newsletter. I’m experimenting with a behind the scenes studio journal, and more regular public posts on creative practice and art. Hope you’ll join me!)
The cherry / pear orchard is very nice in the spring! I was surprised the farm existed when we moved nearby and saw it on the map.
"This is my favorite tree. I love it for its visual splendor, the way the branches twist and flow out and I have to spin around to follow them. Its canopy creates a room, and its double trunk creates a chair."
open.substack.com/pub/patternw...
apple photos decided to make a slideshow of protests I’ve gone to for the last 10 years so that’s nice
Congrats!!!
We met some deer in the wetlands today!
Warming up my YouTube channel with a video sharing one of my favorite drawing exercises! youtu.be/XV7S5ux9b1M?...
Portrait study, charcoal pencil on newsprint
Mutual appreciation society!
Standing stone in West Penwith
Gun Rith.
Standing stones in West Penwith
All we want is the winged victory
Figure study in Procreate with Lane Brown’s charcoal brush pack
I’m writing a life drawing book! It’s a companion to bring with you to life drawing to find inspiration and exercises to keep your practice fresh, grow your observational skills, and get encouragement in your creative practice. Want to help? Send me a DM! Looking for folks to test draft exercises 😄
A few life drawings from the last few months
Figure drawing on thrifted Pier 1 stone tile
i like how all art forms are basically humans organizing stimuli for their senses into pleasing structures and flows
Read more about Red Mage and see more pieces from the collection: open.substack.com/pub/patternw...
The Red Mage knows when to be still and heal, and when to take action with a sharp sword, which is a hard earned wisdom. I also think the Red Mage represents clearly what I believe is the underlying practice of any creativity, becoming fluent in opposite modes and blending them into a new whole.
Similar to the Green Man living in the boundary between the human realm and the dark woods, the Red Mage is a liminal figure who lives in the threshold between the internal and external worlds, between action and stillness, spell and blade.
The red mage feels impossible. How can one character blend such extreme opposites on their own and in combination? They synthesize seemingly incompatible opposites into a unified flow, and seem to have no problem shifting between modes.
Spellsword classes in role playing games are also examples of the archetype, equally comfortable with both the mundane sword and the arcane book. In the Legend of Zelda series, Link carries some of these qualities, and might exchange his green tunic for a red one.
