Daughter of the Fire Breathers

My illustrated book of female monsters has been drawing to a finish. The text is complete with just one last illustration to go.

Nearing the end of a long term project always becomes a challenge for me not to rush those last bits and pieces needed for completion. There is something about almost smelling the finish line that often makes me begin to abandon the clear headed, detail oriented work that I began with.

Such was the case with this last project. I tried to hold back but ended up rushing through the illustration for the poem Every Goddess Burns. I sent it to my graphic designer with a comment something like, "Here it is, I don’t like it." She concurred that it was not my best work.

After letting the dust of my eagerness for completion settle, I made a new illustration as well as a new poem. Both were more in keeping with my earlier styles in my text, especially since I drew upon resources in classical art.
  Above is the new illustration for the new poem, "Daughter of the Fire Breathers." The so-so illustration is at right.