Say

Flashy art now composes the majority of advertising, we're practically drowning in it. So it is significant when our eye is caught by a piece of art and we stop to look closer, to see beyond the shiny veneer. Riana you have the rare ability to create art of that caliber. Stylish is an apt adjective to describe your work, but style is hardly a scarce resource in the world of commercial art. Personality is your trump card. Even the lesser work in your gallery is highlighted by your unique sensibilities.

Few people can blend opposing styles in such a seamless way. Highly stylized realism is littered with pop-art and cartoon iconography. This isn't revolutionary, but remains fresh because not a drop of pretense can be detected. You simply draw what you love and don't care if anybody looks down upon your adoration of cartoons and gory movies and heavy metal. All of this is delivered with an unrepentantly punky attitude.

But you also have adept skills with the technical aspects of drawing.

"Say" is a great example of this. The composition is simple, a smart choice for the cover of anything because the viewer gets an instant idea of who the characters are and the what the story is about. Depth is established by placing the giant machine(robot?) behind the characters, but this giant contraption is kept from dominating our attention by carefully coloring it with hues similar to the sky. Speaking of colors, you again have shown a studied control of color. A muted palette is appropriate for the subject matter. The armor looks suitably rusty and battered from heavy use, the sky a calm, but dour haze of gray. The monotony is broken by patches of blue, the most brilliant of which are located just below the middle of the picture keeping our attention anchored to the center where our two heroes reside.

And what heroes they are! With a single image you have suggested loads of information about these two. The two appear grizzled and nonchalant. I suspect they are either bounty hunters or soldiers who long ago became inured to extreme violence (what else could explain casually holding a severed head?). The man wears an expression of detachment, he has plenty of experience. His female compatriot exudes youthfulness. I gather she is aiming her gun just for fun, not to deal with a nearby threat.

Of course all my assumptions could be completely wrong, what's important is that you got me to think beyond what's simply laid out on the page. I believe these people actually have personalities and histories. If this is ever published as a comic book I would want to buy it, a sentiment I'm sure is not unique to me.