Adventurous Art

A fog has rolled in and you've become lost in the woods. What seemed like a nice place to hike and see a bit of wildlife has turned into a scary dark forest full of danger. A rustle in the leaves nearby grabs your attention. You turn to look as three pairs of menacing yellow eyes emerge from the mist. You find yourself face to face with some very dangrous animals. Three black wolves stare at you hungrily. Wolves aren't suppose to live in this region...perhaps you've stumbled accross something worse...werewolves. Thanks for looking, Daniel Eskridge FineArtByDaniel.com

A white Asian elephant stands on a green grassy hill before a blue sky. The great animal, a symbol of luck for some, but of cost for others, faces you. The white elephant is a symbol of luck among southeast Asian cultures. As a result, monarchs once kept them; however, to do so cost a lot of money. So, in modern business terms, a white elephant represents something that is worth less than it costs to maintain. Related to that, there is also a holiday tradition known as a white elephant gift exchange where the participants exchange impractical gifts.

Crashing water inundates a dark forest. Foamy white rapids cover rocks and trees everywhere as mists rise in the background. This flash flood has turned this once peaceful wood of fir trees into a raging fury of nature. Inspired by the works of the Hudson River School and Albert Bierstadt as well as long hours of playing Skyrim.

A red-tailed hawk spreads its wings as it perches on a pile of rocks. The bird of prey gives a stern look in your direction, looking a bit angry. Perhaps this raptor has just missed a meal on the ground is about to take back to the air. No, it's not the name of a drink, but I liked the way the title sort of sounds like one? I was working out in a gym one morning. The elliptical I was on was next to a window that looked out into the room for the indoor pool. I wasn't really paying much attention until there was a loud thump against the glass. At first, I thought someone was in there mopping the floors or something, but when I looked I saw a hawk sitting there on the tiles by the pool. I'm used to seeing hawks perched on branch...

Looking up to a rocky hill top, a dark form appears at the crest. A black wolf stares back at you and block your way forward. He and looks down at you with white fangs bared and ears back. You've just run into the big bad wolf. You are in trouble. A few weeks prior to creating this work I made an image with a peaceful looking black wolf on a trail. For this work I wanted to contrast that with one that is much more menacing. Thanks for looking, Daniel

On a hillside somewhere in the American west, a powerful gray horse gallops over a hill covered in deep green grass. This animals coat is so light that it is almost white. Its light mane and tail whip in the wind as it runs through the wilderness. Dark fir trees rise all around and clouds fill the sky. From the artist: I always like to create white coated animals. The fun thing about white it that it's rarely actually white on on the canvas. Rather it's complex in how it subtly picks up the colors all around it. Technically this horse is a gray as it does not have blue eyes and has that black nose. Thanks for looking! Daniel Eskridge P.S. Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheArtOfDanielEskridge

In this fantasy landscape scene, a rough river flows through the land full of foam and white rapids. The banks of this savage water way are lined with dark fir trees. In the mist filled distance, tree covered hills rise into the dark cloudy sky. Upon one of these, almost lost in the fog rests a great castle with pointed spires. Inspired by the works of the Hudson River School and Albert Bierstadt as well as long hours of playing Skyrim.

A terrifying apparition emerges from behind a huge twisted tree. It's a dark rider on a darker horse. He carries a flaming jack-o-lantern raised and ready to hurl at you. Most terrifying of all, he lacks his head. Meet the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow. This is an image I've wanted to create for a while. So, for Halloween 2022, I felt time was ripe. The Headless Horseman is a ghost of folklore that can be found in many parts of Europe and America. Usually, the specter is carrying his head in the saddle, but the most famous version is that of Sleep Hollow, made popular by the short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. This version of the Headless Horseman carries a jack-o-lantern (or maybe a pumpkin)....

In this fantasy landscape scene, the last remains of an ancient stone structure stand in a forest clearing. Huge trees give shade to the remaining bricks of a broken road and columns of what was once a proud civilization now lost to time. Inspired by the works of the Hudson River School and Albert Bierstadt as well as long hours of playing Skyrim.

In this fantasy landscape scene, the last remains of an ancient stone structure lay hidden behind trees along the banks of a small river full of rapids. Green fills this land with moss, bushes and trees. Nature is reclaiming this valley for its own. Inspired by the works of the Hudson River School and Albert Bierstadt as well as long hours of playing Skyrim.

A mysterious figure wearing a dirty, tattered and torn cloak glances in your direction. He walks among dust and smoke. You don't know who this is, but you feel an overwhelming sense of fear. His proportions seem off somehow: he's too tall and you can't tell if even has arms or not. Is this really a person, the god of dust, or some strange ghost. This nightmarish being is something I came up with while experimenting with AI generated art. I like the way it struck me as so creepy. I feel like he could be an interesting character in a story or legend. Thanks for looking, Daniel Eskridge FineArtByDaniel.com

Lightning forks in all directions from swirling clouds in a dark sky giving the appearance of a winged angel. It illuminates a pastoral landscape below dotted with trees and through which runs a river. It was a ton of fun making this artwork. This surreal work of art is an example of an AI (artificial intelligence) generated image. It's my first attempt at using such a thing. I fed the system text instructions on what to create and it output a dream like image that used my instructions to guide it. I did a bit of work enhancing the output in post production to create this moody work. Thanks for looking, Daniel

In this moody landscape scene, an angry river full of rapids spills over short rocky falls. Forests of dark green fir trees fill this land, and, in the distance, mountains rise towards the sky. Under the moody sky, the savagry of nature is on full display. Inspired by the works of the Hudson River School and Albert Bierstadt as well as long hours of playing Skyrim.

You're on a path in a strange, surreal forest where the trail disappears into the sunlit depths. Flowers of blue, purple, and red dot the undergrowth among dark spindly trees. You can't seem to focus on any particular thing. It all seems kind of hazy. Have you entered some magical enchanted woods or are you lost in a dream? This surreal work of art is an example of an AI (artificial intelligence) generated image. I directed the system text instructions on what to create and it output a dream like image based on what I told it to do. I did a bit of work enhancing the output in post production to create this illuminated forest scene. Thanks for looking, Daniel

Two horses wearing Native American war paint graze on among the tall golden grass on a hillside somewhere in the plains of the American Wild West. A gentle breeze blows through their manes. At the top of the hill rests an old abandoned wagon, holes appearing in the canvas and its wood beginning to darken with rot.

Looking up ahead on the trail, a dark form interrupts your hike through the forest. A black wolf stares back at you and block your way forward. The animal seems calm enough, yet you can't help but remain frozen under its gaze. I had a request for a work featuring a black wolf before. I've depicted such an animal once before, but it was sharing the scene with a white wolf. This is my first work where a black wolf appears alone. Thanks for looking, Daniel

A dirt bike path dissappears into the trees in this Impressionist artwork of a north Georgia landscape. This work is based on a photo that I took while hiking on the Palisades West Trails in Atlanta Georia near the Chattahoochee river. I applied a bit of digital magic to it to give it a more artistic feel. Thanks for looking, Daniel

In this landscape, a mysterious boardwalk disappears into the woods to create a classical nature scene. This is a digital painting, done in an impressionist style, and based on a photo I took while hiking along the Chattahoochee river on the Cochran Shoals Trail just to the north of Atlanta. This particular boardwalk trail was one of the side trails for hiking in the wetlands to the side of the river. Thanks for looking, Daniel

In this fantasy landscape scene, the last remains of an ancient stone structure lay strewn about a green valley along the banks of a small river full of rapids. Forests of dark green fir trees fill this land, and, in the distance, mountains rise towards the sky. Atop one of those mountains is the hint of tower, but it is too far to tell for sure if it is the stronghold you seek. Inspired by the works of the Hudson River School and Albert Bierstadt as well as long hours of playing Skyrim.

A Seraph flies just above a rock before the cloud filled heavens. It holds a flaming sword and wears armor. The Seraphim are a six winged angel of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 3D Rendering

In this scene from the American Wild West, one of the women of the brothel blocks your entrance after throwing you out. This feisty western prostitute in a rather revealing dress faces you down with an angry look. With one hand she blocks the door, and, in the other, holds a rifle. Whatever you said, it was the wrong thing. Perhaps you should move on to the saloon down the street. I've used this saloon front in a few works before. I made it probably ten years ago and like to work with it now and again ever few years. It's always a fun setting. Thanks for looking, Daniel (FineArtByDaniel.com)

A Native American woman cautiously approaches a wild white horse in the shallows near a rocky river bank. As she holds out her hand to try and keep the mustang from bolting, the animal gazes at her with its blue eyes. Her efforts seem to be working as the majestic equine stays in the water and appears to be remaining calm. Based on a request. Thanks for looking, Daniel (FineArtByDaniel.com)

A mighty griffin, a beast of mythology and legend, half eagle, half lion, perches high among snow capped mountains. Wings spread, this fantasy creature cries into the wind. Griffins are found in many ancient mythologies including Greek, Egyptian, and Persian. They also appear in medieval heraldry. They are often associated with treasures and were said to guard them, and, in some legends, to have gold nuggets among the eggs in their nests. I created this image as part of my Greek mythology series. While I have lots of images of dragons and unicorns, this is my first image to feature this well known fantasy creature. Thanks for looking, Daniel

A monster emerges from a sea side cave to threaten any sailors who come near. This is the cyclops, the one eyed giant of Greek mythology. This legendary creature looks angry. Sail away! 3D rendering Thanks for looking, Daniel (FineArtByDaniel.com)

Amidst the boom of thunder and the crack of lightning, a gigantic bird of prey streaks from dark storm clouds. With huge wings wide and talons spread, it seems to bring the lightning with it as it descends. Below, a Native American warrior on horseback salutes the mighty creature from the rocky and fir tree covered shores of a lake. This is no ordinary raptor, but a creature of legend: the Thunderbird. The Thunderbird is a common aspect of many American Indian mythologies, but it is also a well-known cryptid with purported sightings occurring up to the modern day. Descriptions vary wildly with some having it large enough to snatch up a small child and others big enough to fly off with whales! When I started this scene, I di...

You were cautioned about the wildlife but disregarded those warnings and went on a hike anyway. Now, the mists have rolled in, and you have lost your BEARings. It's so foggy that you can BEARly see ten feet in front of you. Suddenly, you hear something big approaching, and you have this unBEARable sense of dread. You wish you had exercised your right to BEAR arms and brought a firearm along. You turn to face the sound. Out of the fog emerges one of North America's most dangerous predators: a huge grizzly bear. You strain you memory trying to remember what you are supposed to do when faced with a brown bare: play dead, run, yell, fight?...all you can really seem to accomplish is wetting your pants. I've made a number of artw...

A woman in a nightgown wades in shallow water in the middle of a dark forest. She recoils in fear as giant black spider approach her. Is this real or just a nightmare? Thanks for looking, Daniel

A blue roan coated horse prances through the long golden grass across the plains of the American west.  In the distance, a snow capped mountain rises above a hills covered in forests of spruce trees.  The wind across the fields picks up the horse's long dark mane and tail and whips them around. This is actually my first image to ever feature a blue roan which is a somewhat uncommon coat for a horse. Thanks for looking! Daniel Eskridge  P.S. Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheArtOfDanielEskridge

On a late autumn day, underneath a moody dark sky, your hike through the golden grasses in the plains of the American west has been interrupted.  Like a ghost, a huge white wolf has appeared out of nowhere and stands on pile of dark rocks.  This predator of the North American wilderness gazes at you with a hungry look.  Perhaps he's hunting or, maybe, he's just a spirit here to tell you that soon the fall will give way to winter. I like creating art featuring wolves.  I've had a few depicting while wolves before, and, for this one, I wanted him to have a really intense gaze, so I gave him icy cold eyes to look at you with. Thanks for looking! Daniel Eskridge P.S. Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheArtOfDanielEs...

A lone bison stands on a grassy hill in the plains of the American west gazing over the rolling hills. Menacing clouds fill the sky, and the coming storms announce their approach by sending lightning forking to the ground and thunder roaring over the grasses in the hot afternoon air. My goal in this work was to present a really intricate sky. Originally, I had just the grass in the foreground, but I decided that the sky needed a subject to be looking at it. So, I added the bison to act as a kind of observer of the incoming storm. Thanks for looking! Daniel Eskridge (FineArtByDaniel.com)

In a cold wintery landscape, somewhere in the wilderness of the American Wild West, a powerful warrior horse stands atop a snow covered hill looking across a valley to where smoke rises in the distance over thick fir trees. Dark clouds fill the overcast sky, and the winds of winter blow harsh through the painted appaloosa's dark mane and tail. From the artist: I created this in December of 2021. The weather in Atlanta, however, was not at all wintery and was warm enough to go outside in short sleeves. I guess I missed the cold a bit, and it put me in a mood to create some real winter scenes. Also, for this work I had some fun an created an animated version for which I created an NFT ( https://bit.ly/3sU2Wn4 ). A guide to the...

The Wampus Cat is a cryptid of American folklore. Said to terrify campers with its cries, it's been blamed for livestock deaths in the south since the early twentieth century. It comes from a Cherokee legend where a woman disguises herself with a panther skin to spy on a sacred ceremony but winds up cursed to become a cat-like creature. The is my take on another of the cryptids of the southern states of the U.S. There are very many descriptions of the Wampus cat ranging from lycanthrope half human half cat walking on two legs to the six legged version with, regular shaped big cats in between. I liked the six-legged version myself as it made this creature very different from other cryptids. Also the six legged version has gained p...

In a deep forest, a red deer stands among the trees by a small stream. Rays of sunlight breaking through the dense canopy cut through the darkness to illuminate the stag. This majestic king of the wilderness with a huge crown of antlers stands still looking directly at you. You may have startled him, but he's not running away. Perhaps he's warning you to leave his domain. Red Deer are one of the most common types existing naturally in Europe, Asia, and even Africa. They have also been introduced in Australia and the Americas. A distinctive feature is that the males may have a neck mane depending on the season. Thanks for looking, Daniel (FineArtByDaniel.com)

Is that a unicorn? No...it doesn't have a horn, but this Indian pony's ears ARE glowing a purplish white. It's not magic but a natural phenomenon: St. Elmo's fire. Covered in Native American war paint, this dapple gray warrior horse stands atop a grassy green hill surrounded by boulders. A storm is brewing and lighting streaks down from the dark sky . A harsh wind blows through the horse's mane and tale, yet the animal stands strong. I've had a few fans request an image featuring a horse with St. Elmo's fire on it's ears. The electrical phenomenon is well known by sailors for appearing on the masts of ships in stormy conditions, but there have also been several reports of it happening to the ears of horses as well. It definitel...

A demonic creature with big claws and teeth stalks through long grass soon after nightfall as the moon rises. This black dog shaped beast is a Barghest, a hell hound of English folklore. 3D Rendering. The barghest is said to be a shape shifter that can take one the form of an elf, a headless human, a white cat, or a rabbit.  It can also turn invisible and rattle chains like a ghost. Often considered an omen of death, the Barghest is said to prey on lone travelers.  Its claws can leave wounds that never heel, but this beast has a weakness: it cannot cross over moving water. I know of quite a number of cryptids said to roam North America.  Many of those, of course, are based on European legends brought by immigrants to the new world....

On a warm autumn day, in a tree filled valley alive with the colors of fall, a majestic animal stands on the shores of a calm lake.  An all white stag with a massive set of heart shaped antlers gazes directly at you with a dark eyed stare.  The white hart is a symbol of the English king Richard II.  In English Folklore, the white hart is often associated with Herne the Hunter and many pubs bear the name "The White Hart".  Hart is actually an old term that is now rarely used for a mature stag. This one really started as just a landscape scene, but I felt it needed a point of focus.  I tried a few different animals, whitetail deer, beer, mountain lion, but I found that the super bright foliage of the trees swallowed them up.  I land...