Ah there it is, I was wondering when it would show up officially 
I can only echo Nick’s comment. You know how much I love your style Michael <3
Shameless hijack, Bao: What is that in your avatar? Is that a painting or a picture? That squid thingie just looks super awesome 
so when you do an article for IFX, do they throw in a life subscription?
haha I wish - that would be awesome 
LSKnight - I think they throw in a free issue - but it’s been a moot point lately as it’s such a great magazine, I have my own subscription. Anyhow, good luck with that painting!
Tascha - Thanks again for your help and input while I was working on this, it was much appreciated. Glad you like how the final piece turned out!
[b]Wow!!
Excellent use of a secondary color palette, Michael :)[/b]
Love the slightly shortened focal length of the composition also 
Thanks for sharing!
cheers
Chris
I love images like this. I’m so over the ‘perfectly beautiful people in skimpy clothing’ type fantasy art.
Now I want to read this story! Wish there was one.
Wow, nice work walrus. I love all the details you put in, and it is indeed a great color palette.
How much time did this take you to finish? (from the first brush stroke, sketching not included)
Hi Michael, that is correct, you should show utter contempt in the face of evil. Such a great piece, thanks for sharing.
CML
I love the expressions on their faces. So cool in the midst of everything around them.
Oh, hey, look, my thread got moved to the choice gallery and I got front-paged! Thank you, CGSociety powers-that-be!
And thank you, everyone else, for your kind notes and comments.
guanoLad and Gjampa - Yes, I wish this were a story too! I have names for the characters - Jaden on the left and Bree on the right - but absolutely no other story except for the very instant portrayed here. But that’s the purpose of a good book cover - to make you want to read the rest of the story - so I guess I was successful in that respect!
Paintbox - Ahrgh, I’m terrible at estimating time spend on paintings, especially as I don’t work on them straight for any length of time, it’s all just little snippets here and there. And it also depends on what you mean by the start of painting: If you see my process, I spend hours and hours just setting up different layers, blocking in colors, rendering out a lighting pass, doing work that heavily effects the final piece but doesn’t have an immediate visual impact while I’m doing it. From the very first work on Photoshop after I scan in the final laine art, I’m going to guess 30 hours, but I could be off by 10 hours in either direction! :shrug:
Anyhow, thanks again, everyone, and thanks, mods, for the plug!
Fabulous piece Michael! And congrats on making it to the front page and choice gallery! Well deserved !
Can’t wait for the issue to arrive! (I can’t remember the last time I used so many exclamation marks! I must be hyped! :bounce:)
Ohh, those poor trolls, they have only wooden sticks to defend themselves
Very cool picture!!
Eight words A W E S E O M E
Great work Michael, you have a great style and I`m looking forward in my mailbox to see all in the upcoming IFX
