Cloud City

But not where Lando lived. This here is a recent-ish finish for a Cricket magazine cover. There were a few sketches that were thrown around, involving Marduk's dragon. Marduk was the Babylonian name of a late-generation god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon. The mythical Dragon of Marduk with scaly body, serpent's head, viper's horns, front feet of a feline, hind feet of a bird, and a scorpion's tail, can be seen on the famous Istar Gates. King Nebuchadnezzar, and who's name comandeers the giant bottles of Champagne, ornamented the monumental entrance gate dedicated to Ishtar, the goddess of love and war, and the processional street leading to it with scores of pacing glazed brick animals: on the gate were alternating tiers of Marduk's dragons and bulls of the weather god Adad; along the street were the lions sacred to Ishtar. All of this brilliant decoration was designed to create a ceremonial entrance for the king in religious procession on the most important day of the New Year's Festival. Sure beats our lame 2009 goofy glasses. You know, the one's where the zeros are the eyeholes! CLEVER!

ANYWAYS. Here's the progression into the final cover. Obviously, the Babylonian referrence was a bit too obscur, but still cool to research and learn along the way.