[Artemisia] Sage covers

[Aaron Leach]

I left this list years ago, because of this sort of thing. People talking ill about another member, or that members contributions. I find it very distasteful, and very unpeer like. I have read the previous posts, and I feel that I must defend myself and my Lady Freydis against this.
On the subject of rejected covers. What ones would this be? No covers have been rejected. There was one instance where I did talk to someone over the phone about this topic, and this person wanted to change the logo's on the Sage cover. I told this person that we would love to receive their art work, but changing the logo wasn't allowed. This is due to the fact that Society likes the logo to remain consistent, and changing that is a real pain. I did tell this person to please send in their work, but to please not mess with the logo's. If they took this as a rejection, I'm sorry that they misunderstood the conversation.
Now on the topic of my cover art. For two years I have been doing Sage covers with no complaint. I do enjoy doing them and serving my kingdom. As of this date there have been two pieces of artwork submitted, and two photo covers. That's it folks. 
The women I draw are offensive and portrayed in a demeaning manner, I read. What cover would this be exactly? Novembers cover? Why, because she is showing a little shoulder and cleavage? OH MY!!! Lets get real here. I see that much skin, and more at SCA events. Are you going to run around covering all these ladies showing a little skin up? You see way more skin than I show in a Victoria's Secret commercial shown in prime time hours on local broadcast stations. If the small amount of skin that I show offends you, I would have to say, grow up.
My work looks comic booky/ fantasy I read. Well this one is a no brainer. I work as a comic book artist in the mundane world. This means I work between 12 and up to 20 hours a day doing comic book art when I'm on deadline. You will get pretty good at anything if you put that much time into it on a daily basis like I do. I would also like to point out that any drawing rendered in the " pen and ink " method looks like comic book art. That's because it's the same method. If you go and study what the SCA calls late period art, you will find a lot of artist drawing figures much the same way that I do. This time period for artist is referred to as The Universal Man, The Figure of Passion 1400 -1600. Examples can be found in Vesalius' De Fabrica 1538, and in the Sistine Ceiling, Michaelangelo 1475 - 1564. The SCA does count these dates as being period. The funny thing here is, at no time have I claimed my cover art to be period. Also, on the subject of period work, photographs are not period. I find it odd that the compliant is my work needing to be period, but yet you will allow photo covers which are not period in any way. There are also no restrictions for the art work on a Kingdom newsletter to be period. It just needs to have the figures dressed in period looking garb and/ or armor. I think I've kept to that pretty well. Also I make sure that my cover art for the Sage meets the standards for the Comics Code Authority in 1960. This means that the art is suitable for publication in an all ages comic book published between 1960 and 1970. This means a six year old could buy this comic book in a store, because it met the Federal Guide Lines. The Code is much more loose today. Oh and if you think comic books weren't drawn in as much detail in the 60's as I draw, go look at the work that was done by Neal Adams in the 60's. That mans work back then still blows anything I have ever done right out of the water.
The subject matter is inappropriate for the SAC, I read. Why, because I've used a mythical being from time to time? Are we not recreating a society that did indeed believe in Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, and other mythical beings? Most people back then believed with out a doubt that Saint George actually killed a Dragon. There is a lot of art work out there, from period times, depicting this. They also believed in Arthur and all the magical things that went along with that story as being true.
I find it odd that two years ago when I issued a challenge to the populace to send in cover art, no one did anything. Now that someone has jumped up to rid the kingdom of the vile and evil Lord Aaron di Paladins cover art, you all join that fight with such vigor. Or is it more than that? Is it lets just get rid of that stinking Roman once and for all kind of witch hunt? That's what this looks like to me, a witch hunt. Well I guess someone will pipe off with " witch hunts are period " but that still doesn't make it right.
Have I been insulted and offended by these complaints? You bet I have. This complaint was taken to the King and Queen, and the Kingdom Seneschal before Freydis or I ever heard about it. I find it most unpeer like to sit and talk ill behind someone's back for a long period of time, while lacking the integrity to go talk to the person face to face. To late now, so why bother. Is this what being a peer means? To sit and backstab another person with other people? That's not what I thought being a peer was all about. It is also not what I thought wearing a Crown of any type was all about. I guess I could be wrong in what I thought it really meant to be a peer and to wear a crown. I would like to close by thanking Her Grace Caryn, Lord Godwin, and Lady Auriela ( sp* sorry ) for defending me on this subject. I would also like to add that it was a great day of joy and honor when their Graces Sean and Caryn awarded me with the Griffin's Heart for my cover art. I am still humbled by that act to this day.
Aaron di Paladin