Red Sonja #5; Against the Prince of Hell Paperback Cover 1983

Boris Vallejo made this paperback cover for Red Sonja sometime after 1941, conjuring a world of dark fantasy with oils. The green and black palette really gives it a certain mood, doesn’t it? I imagine Vallejo in his studio, layering thin glazes of color, building up the textures of scales, feathers, and muscles. I bet he used tiny brushes to get those fine details in the eagle’s face. It must have taken hours! I wonder if he was listening to heavy metal while he painted this? There’s a raw energy in the composition, the way the eagle and serpent are locked in mortal combat, the sheer scale and drama of it all. That green glow in the background—is it otherworldly, toxic? I love how he’s given us just enough to spark our imaginations, inviting us to enter this strange land alongside Red Sonja, sword in hand. He brings so much vitality to the painting. Artists are always talking to each other, even across time. It's pretty amazing to consider.