a really fun recent commission: this custom bookplate for the curator of Judaica at the Museum of the Bible! it’s based on a variety of texts that describe (at least some) sheydim as observantly Jewish - especially the Talmudic stories of Yosef Sheyda, a demonic scholar or possibly even a rabbi himself. the quote in the window is from Psalm 24, “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” which is often written above an owner’s name in Jewish books, but provides double meaning here for the fact that sheydim too are divinely created. Jesse shares my love for sheydim as transgressive, marginalized figures who are nevertheless deeply Jewish, so this was an ideal collaboration & a delight to make!
also done entirely in Procreate, inked with True Grit Texture Supply’s “Rusty Nib” engraver brushes - totally in love with this new process & the relative ease of accomplishing this type/level of hatching vs. traditional media (giving me added respect for the 17th century printmakers I’ve been studying). i will always love working traditionally but adding more digital techniques to my repertoire has been super useful.
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delighted by these tags & reblogs, very happy to say that in fact @kuttithevangu & i have been friends for years & i read some of the earliest drafts of Angels! it’s one of my favorite books.
also, for folks curious about sheydim (@tieflingmonk in the tags) i have a 101-level mini-zine available here & some recommendations for further reading on various aspects of Jewish magic, mysticism & folklore (including demons) here ♥
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