Rant warning:

I swore I’d be cool with haters of my art- I totally get that everyone in entitled to like/dislike whatever they want, but seeing as the comments from today’s post in io9 are 80% negative and way harsh Tai I sort of feel the need to defend my honor a bit (in the least obnoxiously-self-defensive way I can)

The poses are repetitive.  

THAT’S THE POINT.  I made a conscious decision to put the characters in similar poses for the eventual character chart because I wanted the monotony, not because I’m not creative enough to think of new poses.  There are quite a few non-chart pieces out there if the intended stiffness isn’t your thing.

He’s ripping off Beardsley.  

I’m ashamed to say that I had never heard of Aubrey Beardsley until someone made the comparison after I had released my first few ASoIaF pieces.  I’m happy to admit that the similarities are uncanny, but I didn’t begin drawing with the intent to rip off an artist that I had never heard of…

He’s just beginning so he’s still finding his voice.

Sorry, but I’ve been drawing since I could hold a pen.  I think 24 years is adequate time to “find my voice”.

Fashion designers can only draw one way, anyway.

I’ve seen some spectacular artwork from fashion designers, architects, dentists, cows…Just because you don’t make a living in art, doesn’t mean you are incapable of grasping the concept of versatility.  Again, it’s a conscious decision.

To make a long story short, please feel free to criticize, but why not be nice and constructive about it instead of ripping a total stranger a new one?

Thank you for your time.

Woke up to an io9 write up :

Beautiful black-and-white illustrations put a gothic spin on Game of Thrones

The Hobbit/LotR: THRANDUIL & ELK, THORIN, KILI, GANDALF, SMAUG, AZOG

Tudor Dynasty: ANNE BOLEYN, HENRY VIII

Borgia Dynasty: LUCREZIA BORGIA, GIULIA FARNESE, CATERINA SFORZA

Norse Mythology: HEL, FREYJA, BRAGI, ODIN, SKADI, LOKI, A VALKYRIE

Greek Mythology: APOLLO, PERSEPHONE, ARTEMIS, HADES, MEDUSA, POSEIDON, A SIREN

Macbeth: LADY MACBETH, THREE WITCHES, HECATE