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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · 12d

A weird power outage on #portfolioday kept me away, and an annoying cold has been incapacitating me since! I'm naturally disinclined to use social media, so it has been hard to get back on this horse, as they say.

I am an author and illustrator, book cover maker, doing fantasy art. Comms open!

Book cover for The Prince with Six Faces by Anna Holmes depicts the face of a male elf, eyes closed, face drawn down. The background looks like green cracked glass. Arrayed around him are five other faces with matching facial expression and similar features, except the other faces are: 1. a gray-purple skinned woman, small, with white hair done up in a bun; 2. a burly red-skinned man with horns and long gray hair; 3. a blue-skinned man with gills and fin-like ears; 4. a glowing blonde woman with an undercut with long hair on one side, sporting some small wings; and 5. a plain woman with wavy red hair and freckles.

Digital illustration depicts J.E. Holmes character Celani, a pretty young woman with a plus-size body and long blue hair. She wears a purple dress that flares out as she whirls, wisps of green magical energy trailing behind her fingertips. She has a serious expression, focused on something out of frame.

A square comic panel split in half. The top half shows a petite dark-skinned woman with glasses and a long swinging braid named Flora, hand on her chin and head cocked in thought as she says, "Hmm. That's interesting. That to me suggests that the hormone isn't present in your body—any of your bodies. You say there are six—is there one for each lineage?" Just the top of the head of a horned man peeks out, eyeing the bottom portion of the comic, and he says, "You are correct." His name is Max. What he's eyeing is an infographic, depicting each of the six lineages Flora mentions, with small drawn faces of Max in each of the six forms. 1. Elf: sharp features, pointy ears; 2. Underkin: soft features, attuned to the dark; 3. Fiend: horns, tail, and hooves; has innate magic; 4. Fey: varied as the natural terrain; has innate magic; 5. Celestial: angelic, wings, glows; has innate magic; 6. human: come in all shapes and sizes and colors. There is an asterisk and a footnote that reads: "Humans are assumed the original form of all people prior to Solasthalas's divergence—everyone used to be human until long, long ago, Solasthalas messed everything up by altering reality and reorganizing people into six lineages. Without anyone's consent.

Digital illustration shows a Dungeons & Dragons party gathered around a table at a tavern. On the table, a bottle spews fog, which seems to be filling up the whole place, and the party at the table are having a variety of reactions. From left to right: Ezra, a blue-skinned tiefling in a wheelchair, slender and wearing a fine purple robe, reaches forward with trepidation, clearly hesitant about the situation. Val, a pale human woman in a dark red sleeveless under-tunic, open-collared, with a handsome swoop of black hair with a red highlight, leans back on an elbow, assessing the situation. Theryn, a burly gnome with a trim beard and a tight braid, has jumped up onto his chair and leans over the table, clearly excited. Granny Goodberry, an elderly silver dragonborn wearing a shawl and a simple brown dress, works on her knitting while everything else goes on around her.

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · 26d

Only the best Lego unicorns for you ♥️

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Oct 2

No. 4 in my OC lineup is Kira. She's easily disgusted but also morbidly drawn to gross things, so I tried to capture that expression. Her magic can teleport her to any point she can see, which can be very dangerous! She's also only 16, so no creeping!

#oc #fantasy #characterdesign #sketch #teen

drawing of a girl standing, leaning over toward the viewer with her hands braced on her knees, with a disgusted look on her face. She has dark hair in a ponytail draped across her shoulder and wears a pale pink sweater and brown pants. There are vertical effect lines across her and a blur in the background that resembles her with similar effect lines, implying that she has just teleported closer to the viewer. Her name, Kira, is drawn and circled in the corner with a heart over the letter i.

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Oct 2

4th coming up!

J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 30

No. 3 is Saskia. She has a very distinct, very "fantasy" character design, so I wanted to make sure I got all the details right. I referenced art by @loish.bsky.social to get the "hair floating as if underwater" vibe.
#OC #fantasy #characterdesign #genasi #sapphic #novel #illustration

An illustration of a warrior woman with black skin with a marbled look, with glowing red rivulets running through it. She is wearing a gray top shaped to her body and a purple skirt. Her hair floats as if underwater and emits a candle-like glow. Her name "Saskia" is written in bold red in the corner.

The same illustration but with darker lighting.

J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 30

No. 3 is Saskia. She has a very distinct, very "fantasy" character design, so I wanted to make sure I got all the details right. I referenced art by @loish.bsky.social to get the "hair floating as if underwater" vibe.
#OC #fantasy #characterdesign #genasi #sapphic #novel #illustration

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 30

3rd incoming soon!
#oc #fantasy #characterdesign

J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 28

No. 2 is Anja!

This is exciting because I have a better image of Anja than I've ever had. I have aphantasia, I can't see images in my mind, they're just ideas. I knew Anja is: 18, skinny, black hair, gothy, Attitude, pissed at everyone; but they hadn't coalesced into a LOOK. Now they have!

illustration of a girl with palpable attitude, dressed in black with black hair half hanging over her face, arms crossed, leaning against a wall with one leg kicked up. She is thin and pale, with a pretty face and prominent clavicle. Her name, Anja, is in the corner in a punkish style.

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Reposted by J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN

Tyler, from the Internet @tylerfromtheinternet.com · Sep 28

🧵 UPDATE FOR MY BIRTHDAY:
Hi, so AI killed my career(s) and I'm still barely holding on. Some people tried to get me to start a fundraiser, but that felt weird, so I thought maybe if I was contributing something? So I started making shirts. Can you share this and maybe think about grabbing some?

Stuff, from The Internet

tylerfromtheinternet.com

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 28

No. 2 is Anja!

This is exciting because I have a better image of Anja than I've ever had. I have aphantasia, I can't see images in my mind, they're just ideas. I knew Anja is: 18, skinny, black hair, gothy, Attitude, pissed at everyone; but they hadn't coalesced into a LOOK. Now they have!

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Reposted by J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN

Darren and Poley @darrenandpoley.bsky.social · Sep 28

for those who don’t know, and I don’t blame you since it hasn’t been on the news, last night Trump posted a now-deleted AI-generated video of himself on a Fox News segment hawking a medbed miracle cure that many gullible folks believe the deep state is suppressing to protect hospital profits.

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 28

Completed commission! A D&D party of 4 having an animated discussion at a tavern. This was tricky, and while I like how it turned out, I think I would have gone about it a little differently.

Looking forward to the next.

#d&d #dnd #commission #adventurers #ttrpg #tavern #art #amdrawing #ampainting

Digital painting of four adventurers gathered around a table inside a tavern. Fog spills out of an item on the table, filling the tavern around them. The party consists of: a blue tiefling wearing a purple coat with gray sleeves who sits in a red-padded wheelchair; he is reaching forward with a concerned look on his face; a pale human woman with short swooping black hair with a red streak near her brow, in a sleeveless tunic, leaning back with a bemused expression; a buff gnome perched on his chair, leaning forward excitedly, hands up on the table as if he will spring out of his seat at any given moment; and an aged silvery-blue dragonborn with a red shawl and brown dress who knits a green scarf seeming to be unaffected by the hijinks around her. The atmosphere is dim, with light coming from a stairway opening at the back of the room and a blueish glow coming from the right.

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 27

Going to do some art of all my secondary characters who reside at the Dusklight Tree (upcoming novel #hype), and the first up is

Atheya

A hardened warrior who is also nurturing, patient, and incredibly sincere. Of all the residents of the Tree, she's the only without magic. She has muscle.

A stylized drawing of an incredibly muscular woman with a long mohawk tied into a loose braid, she is shaded bronze and is thrusting a spear in the viewer's direction. Her expression is focused but calm, with almost a little smirk.

J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 24

Every time a piece of news like this comes out, this is my reaction. Also glee.

#anti-ai #aideath #bubble #thingsnobodysawcoming #meme

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 21

I haven't heard anybody talk bad about wikipedia in ages. It's the best.

Micah @rincewind.run · Sep 21

we have gone from a world in which we were told not to cite wikipedia because it was unreliable to a world where wikipedia might be the only reliable source left on the internet and we all owe a lot to the pedantic nerds who got us there

Dr. Samantha Hancox-Li @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com · Sep 21

for all people mock it wikipedia is genuinely one of the wonders of the modern world

J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 21

In addition to a sale on commissions and gratefully accepting any coffees and clues bought, I've put out my ebooks on kofi for just $1 each for a limited time. :)

I promise I'll post actual art soon. Promise.

50% discount off Clueless Luca's Shop

Visit Clueless Luca at Ko-fi for 50% discount off Shop

ko-fi.com

J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 21

I'll be back around later, but we are in need of short-term funds—even a tiny donation helps tremendously—so I am chopping my commissions by 50% for a limited time.

I'm finishing up a bigger commission of a D&D party, so I'm looking to get to work on some new ones! Fast turnaround and flexible.

50% discount off Clueless Luca's Commissions

Visit Clueless Luca at Ko-fi for 50% discount off Commissions

ko-fi.com

Reposted by J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN

S. Morgan Burbank @anotherindiewriter.com · Sep 20

I am going to be annoying AF about this the next 7 hours or so if people are serious about this boycott. I don't want yet ANOTHER thing to go wrong money wise this month.

S. Morgan Burbank @anotherindiewriter.com · Sep 20

Anyway. Go get 40% off most everything on my Ko-fi using the link below. This is (one of) my thank you for folks funding @bailswrites.bsky.social's Kickstarter for Plot Twist Cafe. Help me deplete my stock, please.

🌈🚀💫 🌈📚
ko-fi.com/anotherindie...

(I know the preview says commissions. it's wrong)

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 19

Thank you so much! ♥️ I think this was the first piece of your art I was exposed to, in 2017, and I just loved her intensity the moment I saw it. I’ve been a fan ever since.

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 19

not even untrue tho

The Onion @theonion.com · Sep 19

Fearful Americans Stockpiling Facts Before Federal Government Comes To Take Them Away https://theonion.com/fearful-americans-stockpiling-facts-before-federal-gove-1819579589/

Reposted by J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN

Space Witches, Esq. @popelizbet.bsky.social · Sep 19

$350 still needed to get her a moving truck paypal.me/MsSoniaD or cashapp $spunkylilminx #UrgentNeed #MutualAid 💸 💕

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 19

@magalivilleneuve.bsky.social thank you so much for the encouragement! This was a joy to complete, and I'm so glad I picked Chandra for this learning experience.

I look forward to doing another!

#mtg #magicart #magicthegathering #magic #fanart #chandra #illustration #mtgart #planeswalker

An illustrated fanart of the Magic: the Gathering character Chandra Nalaar in front of her home of Kaladesh, wielding streams of fire. She is wearing red and gold armor with a swirling bright red skirt. Her hair is ablaze, and her goggles are up on her forehead. Original art is by Magali Villanueve.

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 19

😱 thank you!!

J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 18

reposted to remember alt text :)

J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 18

Another MTG fanart, this of Chandra, Torch of Defiance by Magali Villanueve
@magalivilleneuve.bsky.social

Still a WIP, because I wanted to honor the level of detail that goes into all of her art. This one couldn't be a sketch like my others, it just wouldn't be right. #magic #magicart #chandra

An illustration of Magic: the Gathering art in the style of Magali Villanueve, this work in progress shows the character Chandra with her trademark hair aflame, with a swirl of fire above her head.

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 17

this one's free 😬 🐸

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J.E. Holmes - COMMS OPEN @elyssiabooks.bsky.social · Sep 17

New goal, and it's urgent! Any help—big or small—goes a long way toward meeting it and keeping us going.

Thru tomorrow ONLY, 40% off commissions.

I'll try to be online as much as I can during that period, and I'm offering *free 1-minute doodles* for a share. Just name it, and I'll do my best.

40% discount off Clueless Luca's Commissions

Visit Clueless Luca at Ko-fi for 40% discount off Commissions

ko-fi.com

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