The Goddess Demeter Waits in Eleusis for Spring's Return

This illustration depicts Demeter, the goddess of the harvest who presides over the bounty and fertility of the earth, waiting in her temple at the ancient city of Eleusis for her daughter, Persephone.  

The tale goes that Hades fell in love with Persephone and abducted her, taking her to the Underworld to be his wife.  Demeter searched relentlessly for her daughter and the seasons came to a halt.  With the earth at the brink of starvation, Zeus sent Hermes to fetch Persephone.  Hades would only release her if she had not eaten anything while in his domain.  Alas, poor Persephone had eaten a few seeds of a pomegranate and so was partially bound to the Underworld and Hades for certain months of the year, hence Fall and Winter.  The arrival of Spring means that Demeter will be reunited with her daughter and so she waits anxiously in anticipation of that meeting.

Here is the painting in progress:   

  

   

Medium: Oil on Crescent™ Cold Press board    
Dated: 2020
Original size: 20"x 30"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Nyx the Primordial Goddess of the Night

This illustration of the Greek primordial goddess of the night, Nyx.  She was born out the chaos of creation and mated with Erebus, the primordial deity of darkness. Together they created: Aether (Brightness), Hemera (Day), Moros (Destiny), Keres (Destruction), Thanatos (Death), Hypnos (Sleep), Oneiroi (Dreams), and several more children.

She resides in Tartarus and is considered to be a deity of such exceptional power and beauty that she is feared by Zeus himself.

This illustration will be painted in oil on masonite panel.  Work in progress.  

Medium: Graphite
Dated: 2020
Original size: 14"x 11"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Divine Irony

This illustration of Lucifer Morningstar was inspired by DC Vertigo's comic book series Lucifer, a spinoff of Neil Gaimon's The Sandman series and by Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy.  Lucifer is a handsome devil dressed in a tuxedo shown reading and being amused by Dante's first volume, Inferno.   

Medium: Oil on paper on masonite panel
Dated: 2020
Original size: 10"x 8"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

The Witcher Geralt of Rivia

In November of 2019 I purchased the Xbox One video game called The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.  I never played the prior two games, however, I fell in love with the setting, story, and especially the characters.  I discovered that the game was based on a bestselling book series by author Andrzej Sapkowski and that Netflix had just adapted the series into a tv show.

I binge watched the first season and started reading the first novel, The Last Wish.  I really love the main character, the witcher known as Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf and Butcher of Blaviken.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Henry Cavill, the actor who plays Geralt on the Netflix show, is also in love with the witcher.  He played the games, read the books, and advocated for the role.  His dedication to the role and brilliant performance inspired me to create this painting.  

Medium: Oil on Crescent cold press illustration board
Dated: 2020
Original size: 12"x 9"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Divine Irony - Final Sketch

This illustration of Lucifer Morningstar was inspired by DC Vertigo's comic book series Lucifer, a spinoff of Neil Gaimon's The Sandman series and by Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy.      

Lucifer is a handsome devil dressed in a tuxedo shown reading and being amused by Dante's novel.  Not sure yet what will be going on in the background.  I may show his angelic wings, his leather wings, or fire.  

This illustration will be painted in oil on masonite panel.  Work in progress.  

Medium: Graphite
Dated: 2019
Original size: 10"x 8"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire

This illustration of Louis is a recreation of Joe Phillip's beautiful art in the comic book adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire.     

Medium: Watercolor and Prismacolor on sketch paper
Dated: 1994
Original size: 24"x 18"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare

This illustration was done as an extra credit assignment for my English class during my sophomore year of high school.  I was one of the few students who loved reading Shakespeare and I jumped at the opportunity to illustrate one of my favorite poems.  I also used Patrick Nagel's style to draw the woman since he was a huge influence for me during these early years.

In case you didn't know, the opening line on this illustration is also a lyric in Sting's song Sister Moon from the album Nothing Like the Sun.  
  

    

Medium: Ink and prismacolor on sketch paper
Dated: 1991
Original size: 14"x 11"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Divine Irony - Concept Sketch #2

This sketch was inspired by DC Vertigo's comic book series Lucifer, a spinoff of Neil Gaimon's The Sandman series and by Dante Alighieri's novel The Divine Comedy.  

Lucifer Morningstar is a handsome devil dressed in a tuxedo shown reading and being amused by Dante's novel.  

This sketch was the second one I did while trying to figure out the composition I wanted for the final painting.

Medium: Graphite on vellum
Dated: 2018
Original size: 14"x 11"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

The Goddess Demeter - Watercolor Underpainting

This illustration depicts Demeter, the goddess of the harvest who presides over the bounty and fertility of the earth, waiting in her temple at the ancient city of Eleusis for her daughter, Persephone.  

The story goes that Hades, the younger brother of Zeus and Poseidon, fell in love with Persephone and abducted her, taking her to the Underworld to be his wife.  Demeter searched relentlessly for her daughter and the seasons came to a halt.  With the earth at the brink of starvation, Zeus sent Hermes to fetch Persephone.  Hades would only release her if she had not eaten anything while in his domain.  Alas, poor Persephone had eaten a few seeds of a pomegranate and so was partially bound to the Underworld and Hades for certain months of the year, hence Fall and Winter.  The arrival of Spring means that Demeter will be reunited with her daughter and so she waits anxiously in anticipation of that meeting.

Here is the original watercolor.  I am repainting this in oil.   

  

  

Medium: Watercolor on  Crescent™ Cold Press board    
Dated: 2010
Original size: 20"x 30"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Eric Northman's Most Treasured Possessions

In the Fall of 2011 I discovered HBO tv series True Blood and The Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.  I fell in love with the relationship between Eric Northman and Sookie Stackhouse in the books and decided to create an illustration about them.  At this time I was also taking a Drawing I class and this became my final assignment.

Here is the original sketch: 

Here is the current progress shot: 

Medium: Charcoal and pastel on Artagain® paper
Dated: unfinished
Original size: 20"x 30"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Divine Irony - Concept Sketch #1

This illustration was inspired by the character Lucifer Morningstar in Neil Gaimon's  The Sandman series and by Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy.  Lucifer Morningstar is a handsome devil dressed in a tuxedo shown reading, and being amused by, Dante's novel.  

This illustration has been revised and will be painted in oil on masonite panel.  

Medium: Graphite on Vellum paper
Dated: 1998
Original size: 12"x 9"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty

Since I was a child, I have always read and collected books.  Lots of books.  One of my earliest fascinations in literature was Greek Mythology.  I love to read the ancient stories detailing the adventures and dilemmas of Zeus, Hear, Athena, Apollo, Dionysus, Hades, Aphrodite... on and on.

Of course that means that I love to draw them!  This is an illustration of what the goddess of love and beauty might look like.     

Medium:  Graphite on sketch paper
Dated: 1998
Original size: 10"x 8"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Lilith the First Succubus

The succubus has a long and ancient beginning.  According to one of the creation stories Lilith was Adam's first wife.  God created both Adam and Lilith from the clay of the earth making them equals.  However, they didn't get along when Lilith refused to be submissive to Adam.  He complained to God and Lilith was promptly exiled from Eden.  She wandered the Land of Nod and encountered several of the Fallen Watchers and seduced them into imparting to her their forbidden knowledge.        

Medium: Graphite on sketch paper
Dated: 1996
Original size: 14"x 11"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Sorrow's Passing

This illustration was a tribute to both the anniversary of Bram Stoker's classic tale Dracula and to the man himself.  I have always loved the story of Dracula and I have always wanted to draw a ghost, so for the 100th anniversary of Dracula, which was first published on the 26th of May in 1897, I combined the two concepts. 

The tomb stone to the left reads "Abraham Stoker, 1847 - 1912, Beloved Husband", however the tomb stone to the right starts to read "West.." which was the start of "Westenra" as in Lucy Westenra who was Dracula's first victim. 

Is the ghost Stoker's wife?  Or is it Lucy? 

Medium: Pastel and Prismacolor on Artagain paper
Dated: 1998
Original size: 12"x 9"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Sting as Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat

"That night the vampire returned to work the dark gift on Louis." We see the vampire known as Lestat consider the consequences of the act, but only for a second! 

My illustration was inspired by Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire and the idea of what Sting would have looked like, had he played the vampire on Broadway as it was proposed many years ago.  

In November of 1999, as fate would have it, after listening to Sting play at the Jones Hall in Houston, I crossed paths with the man himself in an elevator!   He invited me to have drinks with him and his band and I was able to give him one of the only two artist proofs of the limited edition print series.  The other Artist Proof was a gift to Anne Rice. 

Medium: watercolor and ink on sketch paper
Dated: 1995
Original size: 14"x 11"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

The Fall of Camelot - Sketch

Since I was a young girl I have been fascinated with the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.  While Sir Mallory established the mythology of King Arthur, there have been many interpretations of the story in books, plays, and on film which have given some new light and creativity on Camelot's mythos.

The element I decided to focus on in my painting will be the fall and decline of King Arthur's court, when Sir Lancelot arrives on the scene and steals Guinevere's heart.  It is the time when Mordred, the bastard son of Arthur, makes his claim to the throne and goes to war with his father.  In the heart of it all is the mysterious druid, Merlin.  What follows are my sketches and layouts for a 20" x 30" painting.

Here are my previous designs:

    

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1999
Original size: 30"x 20"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Little Miss Muffet

This image was commissioned by Art Against Aids for an interior illustration in the 1997 edition of Fractures in Rhyme.  All proceeds from the sale of the book and the original art went to children’s charity.

Medium: graphite on bristol paper
Dated: 1997
Original size: 12"x 9"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Poseidon's Pride - Concept Drawing

This illustration was my first design/concept for a merman based on a lionfish.  I love the look and beauty of the lionfish so I incorporated some of its elements into the design.

I redid this and it is currently in my works in progress.       

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1995
Original size: 9"x 12"
Original Art: NFS

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Merlin

This illustration was my second concept and pencil study for Merlin in my Fall of Camelot painting.

Here is my first concept drawing for Merlin:

My first concept of Merlin

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1999
Original size: 11"x 14"
Original Art: NFS

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Adonis the Greek God of Desire

Since I was a child, I have always read and collected books.  Lots of books.  One of my earliest fascinations in literature was Greek Mythology.  I love to read the ancient stories detailing the adventures and dilemmas of Zeus, Hear, Athena, Apollo, Dionysus, Hades, Aphrodite... on and on.

Of course that means that I love to illustrate them!  This is an early concept sketch of what the god of beauty and desire might look like.     

Medium:  Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1994
Original size: 8"x 10"
Original Art: NFS

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.