THE PAINTINGS OF DAVID B. ELLIS

GUILD NAVIGATOR

2011-06-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

An oil on canvas painting of a navigator of the Spacing Guild from the Dune novels of Frank Herbert.

PORTRAIT SAMPLES

2011-06-26T06:15:00.001-07:00

CONVERSATION WITH AN ALIEN

2011-06-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

11x14 inches. Oil on canvas.

Currently up for auction on ebay.

DUNE

2011-06-08T10:43:00.001-07:00

8x10 inches. Oil on canvas.

A landscape painting of the deep desert of Arrakis.

CTHULHU

2011-05-16T14:43:00.001-07:00

SOLD

TREE BY THE LAKESHORE

2011-04-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

Watercolor and gouache painting on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Image area: 8x10 inches. Unframed. Available in my etsy shop (link in the sidebar).

Tennessee Winter No. 2

2011-04-08T13:59:00.001-07:00

Watercolor and gouache on 140 lb acid free cold press paper. Image area: 5x14 inches. Unframed. Painted this past winter during one of the many snowfalls. Available in my etsy shop.

PORTRAIT OF AN ALIEN NO. 2

2011-04-07T13:41:00.001-07:00

Watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper. Image area: 8x10 inches. Unframed.

SOLD

PORTRAIT OF A ROBOT

2011-03-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

Oil on stretched canvas. Unframed. 8x10 inches.

SOLD

OLD TREE, GRAY'S LANDING

2011-03-29T16:06:00.001-07:00

Watercolor painting on 90 lb acid-free cold press paper. Image area: 8x10 inches. Unframed. Painted on site at Land Between The Lakes state park (mostly, I did some additional detailing when I returned home).

I plan to spend as much time as possible camping at LBL and painting the landscape on site. This is the first of what will be a large series of paintings.

SOLD

INTO THE WILD NO. 3

2011-03-23T15:46:00.001-07:00

Oil on hardboard. 9x12 inches. Unframed.

Available in my ebay store ($55).

Studying The Masters

2011-03-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

A watercolor copy I did recently of the famous GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING by Vermeer---one of my favorite artists. It's available in my etsy shop (link in sidebar). SOLD

DRAGON'S PERCH

2011-03-22T14:20:00.001-07:00

Oil on stretched canvas. 8x10 inches. Unframed. SOLD

2010-12-14T16:20:00.000-08:00

Watercolor on paper. Image area: 8x10 inches. Unframed.

SOLD

CONVERSATION WITH AN ALIEN

2010-07-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

8x10 inch watercolor painting on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Unframed.

A science fiction illustration that I created on the theme of interaction with aliens.

SOLD

KENTUCKY LANDSCAPE

2010-07-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

Watercolor on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Image area: 8x10 inches. Unframed.

SOLD

CTHULHU

2010-07-11T22:14:00.001-07:00

Watercolor. 8x10 inches. Unframed.

SOLD

DARTH MAUL

2010-07-03T18:25:00.001-07:00

A watercolor portrait of one of my favorite villains from the Star Wars films: Darth Maul.

SOLD

CAPTAIN KIRK

2010-07-01T20:20:00.001-07:00

A bit of practice at painting portraits in watercolor.

SOLD

SUNSET

2010-06-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

Opaque watercolor on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Image area: 5.5 x 10 inches. Unframed.

SOLD

CTHULHU

2010-06-26T15:14:00.000-07:00

Opaque watercolor on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Image area: 5.5 x 10 inches. Unframed.

SOLD

JOURNEY TO ARRAKEEN

2010-06-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

Watercolor on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Image area: 5.25 x 10 inches. Unframed.

Another of my paintings based on Frank Herbert's DUNE novels. This time depicting the surface of the planet Arrakis with the spires of the city of Arrakeen seen in the distance through the heat haze.

SOLD

Watercolor Portrait Study of H.P. Lovecraft

2010-06-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

Watercolor on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Image area: 6.25 x 10.25 inches. Unframed. A portrait study of HP Lovecraft---creator of the Cthulhu Mythos.

SOLD

Watercolor copy of Vermeer's GIRL WITH A RED HAT

2010-06-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

8x10 inch watercolor (with acrylic highlights) painting on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Unframed.

SOLD

Copy of Vermeer's THE LACEMAKER

2010-06-11T05:43:00.001-07:00

8x10 inch watercolor painting on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Unframed.

STUDYING THE MASTERS 2

2010-06-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

An 8x10 inch watercolor on paper copy of the painting WOMAN IN BLUE READING A LETTER by Vermeer. If I had to pick a favorite artist, Vermeer would be the first name that comes to mind.

SOLD

Studying The Masters

2010-06-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

SOLD

Lately, as a way of studying in depth and learning from the works of great artists of the past, I've been painting copies of the works of some of my favorite painters. Above and below are a couple of watercolor studies based on oil paintings by western artist Frederic Remington.

SOLD

BOOK COVER COMPLETED

2010-05-09T06:25:00.000-07:00

In two versions. I lean more toward the one below.

Miniature Watercolor Landscape Painting

2010-05-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

4x5 inches. Watercolor on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper.

Book Cover Rough Sketch No. 2

2010-04-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

NEW DIGITAL PAINTING

2010-04-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

2010-04-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

Book cover concept sketch.

DIGITAL ROUGH SKETCHES

2010-04-15T20:29:00.000-07:00

A couple of preliminary studies for a digital painting I'm working on.

I'm not sure which I prefer.

LANDSCAPE STUDY NO. 3

2010-04-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Watercolor on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Image area: 5.75x10 inches. Unframed.

Available on ebay.

CTHULHU

2010-04-12T20:33:00.001-07:00

A variant on one of my earlier Cthulhu paintings in watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper. 9x12 inches.

SOLD

COUNTRY ROAD

2010-04-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Watercolor on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper. Image area: 4.25x10.5 inches. Unframed.

Available in my etsy shop.

WATERCOLOR OF A PORCELAIN BEAR

2010-04-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

Watercolor and colored pencil on 140 lb acid-free cold press paper.

Image area: 4x6 inches. Unframed. Available on ebay (link in sidebar).

APPROACHING MT. DOOM

2010-04-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

5x7 inches. Watercolor and white chalk on 140 lb. cold press paper. Currently up for auction on ebay (link in sidebar).

FRANKENSTEIN'S MONSTER

2010-04-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

A watercolor, conte and white chalk sketch from the famous photo of Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster. Done as a bit of practice at watercolor---a medium I haven't used much in the past but am finding both challenging and enjoyable.

CONCEPT ART: SPACEPORT

2010-04-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

work in progress

2010-03-28T16:40:00.000-07:00

ASTRONAUT

2009-12-13T05:34:00.000-08:00

8x10 inches. Oil on stretched canvas. Unframed.

SOLD

CTHULHU

2009-11-25T08:02:00.000-08:00

A new, larger version of one of my previous Cthulhu paintings. 11x14 inches. Oil on stretched canvas. Unframed.

SOLD

Prints now available.

SPACE WESTERNS

2009-11-22T07:12:00.000-08:00

I did the illustration for a new science fiction story NO CHILD OF MINE appearing in the ezine Space Westerns.

SPACE CADET

2009-11-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

8x10 inches. Oil on stretched canvas. Unframed.

Currently up for auction on ebay.

SPIDERMAN

2009-11-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

The digital color sketch for a 20x30 inch oil painting of Spiderman that I'm doing on commission.

ELECTRIC SPEC

2009-11-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

My painting The Explorer is appearing as the cover art for the current issue of the science fiction and fantasy ezine ELECTRIC SPEC. Check it out and read some excellent stories while you're there.

RIVENDELL

2009-11-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

An 8x10 inch oil on canvas painting of Rivendell from Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS that I just completed as a private commission.

Drawing Results

2009-11-01T09:13:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all the subscribers to my ebay store newsletter. I've contacted the winner of the drawing and given him the option of selecting another painting than the Thor portrait if he preferred. He's chosen the painting above, titled CONVERSATION WITH AN ALIEN.

Thanks again to all my collectors for making October my most successful month so far this year.

Mindflights Cover Art Contest

2009-10-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

One of my astronomical paintings won honorable mention in the Mindflights Cover Art Contest. Check out the stories and articles on their website while you're there.

SHOGGOTH original painting based on H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos

2009-09-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

A painting in acrylic on hardboard. Unframed. 5x7 inches.

This concept rendering depicts a massive shoggoth which has extended tentacle-like pseudopodia to move more quickly and easily through the wooded New England countryside.

2009-09-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a series of paintings over the next several weeks related to H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos (including the elaboration its received from subsequent authors). Mostly I'll be painting the various creatures, alien species and transdimensional monstrosities that populate the Cthulhu setting (and I won't be ignoring the RPGs either, including both the Call of Cthulhu rpg and CthulhuTech).

My first, near completion and which will probably be up on ebay over the weekend, is a 5x7 inch concept rendering of my interpretation of a Shoggoth.

And, if aliens, science fiction and fantasy are you're thing, don't forget to sign up to receive my ebay newsletter and have a chance of winning the painting of Thor from Stargate SG1 in the sidebar.

A BIT ABOUT MY CREATIVE PROCESS

2009-09-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

When creating a science fiction or fantasy illustration, the thing that I find useful, more by far than anything else, is creating rough models and sculptures (maquettes) which I can then arrange into various compositions, photograph from a variety of angles and use to experiment with lighting.

For one of my favorite of my recent small studies of a fantasy subject, this 5x7 inch painting of H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu:

I first sculpted this small maquette, about 5 inches tall, to use as visual reference:

As you can see its very rough, very quickly executed (probably took about half an hour to 45 minutes to make) but nothing helps me more in achieving a more realistic, believable effect. I'd be helpless at illustrating these sorts of subjects without this first step in the process.

I'll be starting a larger, more detailed version of this painting this week. It should be up sometime in the next few weeks (though probably not for sale).

APPROACHING MT. DOOM

2009-09-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

Oil on stretched canvas. 8x10 inches.

This painting is one of my illustrations of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and depicts Frodo and Sam nearing Mt Doom.

SOLD

CALLING THE WORM NO. 4

2009-09-13T06:45:00.001-07:00

5x7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard.

SOLD

Cthulhu

2009-09-07T06:11:00.000-07:00

Acrylic on hardboard. Unframed. 5x7 inches.

SOLD

GREEN DRAGON

2009-09-06T12:30:00.000-07:00

8x10 inches. Oil on stretched canvas. Unframed.

DRAGON RIDER

2009-09-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

An oil painting on stretched canvas. Unframed. Size: 11x14 inches.

Robert Heinlein's FRIDAY

2009-08-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

8x10 inches. Oil on stretched canvas. Unframed.

Cthulhu

2009-08-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

11x14 inches. Oil on stretched canvas.

Yet another of my illustrations of H.P. Lovecraft's most famous creation.

SOLD

Work in progress

2009-08-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

stage 6

stage 7

Earlier stages of my painting of Frodo and Sam approaching Mt. Doom were insufficiently dark and gloomy in the depiction of the setting so I've worked a bit on correcting that.

Daily painting no. 12

2009-08-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

5 x 7 inches. Unframed. Oil on hardboard.

Available in my ebay store.

Dragon -- original oil painting

2009-08-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

8x10 inches. Oil on stretched canvas.

$50. If interested in purchasing this painting visit the listing on etsy. International orders accepted.

Daily painting no. 10 --- Pear

2009-07-31T11:22:00.000-07:00

A painting in acrylic on hardboard. Unframed. 5 x 7 inches.

Available in my ebay store.

Daily painting no. 9 ---Tennessee Landscape

2009-07-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

A painting in acrylic on hardboard. Unframed. Size: 5 x 7 inches.

Work in progress: Approaching Mt. Doom

2009-07-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

I've decided to document the progression of this oil painting of Frodo and Sam as they approach Mt. Doom from rough preliminary sketch to completion (which is still probably weeks away---the painting is still at a pretty early stage, no more than 25% of the way to finished).

More updates to follow as the painting progresses.

cthulhu

2009-07-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

5 x 7 inches. Unframed. Acrylic on hardboard.

Currently up for auction in my ebay store.

Daily painting no 7

2009-07-26T07:21:00.001-07:00

5x7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard. Unframed.

Available in my etsy shop.

Daily painting no. 6

2009-07-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

5x7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard. Unframed.

Up for auction on ebay.

Daily painting no 4

2009-07-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

The Batman

5 x 7 inches. Unframed. Acrylic on hardboard.

Currently up for auction through my ebay store.

Daily painting no. 3

2009-07-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

5 x 7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard. Unframed.

Available in my ebay store.

Daily painting no 2

2009-07-22T05:25:00.001-07:00

5 x 7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard. Unframed.

Available in my ebay store.

TREES ON THE HILLSIDE---daily painting no. 1

2009-07-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

A painting in acrylic on hardboard. Unframed. 5 x 7 inches.

Available in my ebay store.

I'm going to make a commitment to doing daily small paintings starting today. My goal is to have a new one posted every day for the next year (at least).

MORDOR

2009-07-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

An original painting in oil on stretched canvas. Unframed. Size: 8 x 12 inches.

Up for auction in my ebay store.

TWO OAKS IN WINTER NO. 3

2009-07-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

Oil on canvas. 16 x 20 inches. Currently up for auction on ebay.

THE ROSE

2009-07-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Watercolor on paper. Image area: 8x10 inches.

Available in my ebay store.

THE NIGHT

2009-05-29T12:25:00.001-07:00

9 x 12 inches. Oil on stretched canvas.

THE COWBOY

2009-05-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

9 x 12 inches. Oil on hardboard. A copy of the painting by western artist Frederic Remington.

$40.

SOLD

FLIGHT OF THE DRAGON

2009-05-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

11 x 14 inches. Oil on stretched canvas.

SOLD

APPROACHING STORM

2009-05-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

11 x 14 inches. Oil on stretched canvas.

Currently up for auction on ebay (minimum bid: $55).

CTHULHU SKETCH

2009-01-05T10:05:00.000-08:00

5 x 7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard.

SOLD

CALLING THE WORM no. 3

2009-01-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

Acrylic on hardboard. 5 x 7 inches.

My third variation on the subject of a fremen calling a sandworm. Based on Frank Herbert's DUNE novels.

SOLD

TWO OAKS IN WINTER NO 2

2008-12-21T17:58:00.000-08:00

11x14 inches. Oil on stretched canvas.

SOLD

CONTEMPLATING THE INFINITE NO. 2

2008-12-19T16:02:00.000-08:00

5x7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard.

Available through my ebay store.

SOLD

ZUUL

2008-11-24T17:22:00.000-08:00

My most recently completed commission. A 16x20 inch oil on canvas painting of Zuul---one of the creatures in the movie GHOSTBUSTERS.

SOLD

SANDWORM

2008-11-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

5x7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard.

A quick study based on Frank Herbert's DUNE.

SOLD

CTHULHU

2008-11-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

5x7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard.

MALFOY'S CHOICE

2008-11-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

The completed oil painting for my commission to do a painting of a scene from HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE.

SOLD

CALLING THE WORM

2008-11-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

A small quick concept sketch of an idea for an illustration for Frank Herbert's DUNE books. Working time: about 2 hours.

5x7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard.

SOLD

TOROSAURUS

2008-11-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

A portrait study of a torosaurus--a close relative of the triceratops

EXTRATERRESTRIAL LANDSCAPE

2008-11-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

SOLD

SHORES OF MIDDLE EARTH

2008-11-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

6x8 inches. Oil on canvas.

One of the few paintings I've sold to a buyer outside the U. S.

CTHULHU AWAKENS

2008-11-13T15:39:00.000-08:00

5x7 inches. Acrylic on hardboard. A small, quick study currently for sale on ebay. I may do a larger version soon.

YODA

2008-11-05T04:48:00.000-08:00

Acrylic on hardboard. 5x7 inches. Unframed. Up for auction on ebay.

SOLD

CHEWBACCA

2008-11-03T15:27:00.000-08:00

An 8x10 inch oil painting of the Star Wars character.

SOLD

DRAGON RIDER

2008-11-03T10:06:00.001-08:00

Oil on hardboard. 5 x 7 inches. A small preliminary study for a larger painting I hope to start soon.

2008-11-01T18:52:00.000-07:00

This painting, not quite finished yet, is being done from a magazine photo just for practice at portraiture. A little more refining and detailing and it should be finished.

CONTEMPLATING THE INFINITE

2008-10-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

MORNING FOG

2008-10-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

A miniature landscape painting I did several months ago. Not available for sale.

2008-10-22T06:45:00.001-07:00

Another watercolor study of a Frederic Remington painting. This time of the painting THE LUCKLESS HUNTER.

Available in my etsy shop.