Daniel F. Walthall
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axebane.bsky.social
Daniel F. Walthall
@axebane.bsky.social
910 followers 690 following 1.2K posts
He/him. Hi! I love to paint, draw, and design stuff (like Axebane's Deck of Many Dungeons). My art is 100% human-made! Addicted to popcorn. Reposts art. Moved by poetry, and dazzled by dance. #painting #poetry #comics Tip jar: https://ko-fi.com/axebane
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axebane.bsky.social
Become obsessed with painting for long enough, and you start thinking:

"should I make this gargantuan fish monster thing at the bottom of the ocean? or perhaps paint it as mix of organic and metal as a huge starship in a nebula??"

also you can see my messy craft table

#art #painting #triptych
An unfinished set of three paintings (a triptych), oriented horizontally for a total of 48" x 24" canvas panel area. At this stage it's just gray-ish blue with areas of white canvas showing through. An unfinished set of three paintings (a triptych), oriented horizontally for a total of 48" x 24" canvas panel area. The piece now has dark outlines and shadows, depicting some kind of long, somewhat bloated, ancient deep-sea monster perhaps? An unfinished set of three paintings (a triptych), oriented horizontally for a total of 48" x 24" canvas panel area. In addition to the outline, the paintings now have more color: a de-saturated pink/red, almost a gray or reddish brown color. An unfinished set of three paintings (a triptych), oriented horizontally for a total of 48" x 24" canvas panel area. There is a large amount of light-brown on the long fish-moster shape, and a decent amount of de-saturated green has been added to the background.
November 25, 2025 at 2:06 PM
axebane.bsky.social
Check it out, I improved the design for the prototype. What about this?
#art #cardgame #prototype
prototype design for a card game about making paintings, with the art itself taking up most of the space. prototype design for a card game about making paintings, with the art itself taking up most of the space.
November 25, 2025 at 2:18 AM
axebane.bsky.social
Would anyone even play a trading card game about making paintings ?? 😀
#art #tcg #prototype
A mock-up of a card game prototype, with a painting, the name of the painting (The Artist and the Blade at the Studio), four icons, and the text: "Starting Price: $400".
November 25, 2025 at 12:07 AM
axebane.bsky.social
Moonlace / Realm of the Lost

by Daniel F. Walthall, 2025
casein on canvas panel, 18" x 24"
#art #painting #abstract #surrealism
A large casein painting, of a strange wavy form of light gray, that has a very animal-like skull shape for a head, but only flowing smoke, webs, and seven rectangular forms for it's "body". There is a light gray crescent moon in the upper left of the painting. The painting is very low saturation overall, much more than perhaps any other painting I've done this year.
November 24, 2025 at 3:26 PM
axebane.bsky.social
Self Portrait #15 / Alacrity

by Daniel F. Walthall, 2025
casein on canvas panel, 12" x 16"
#art #painting #artistsofbluesky #contemporaryart
An abstract casein painting of a large organic form that is much wider at the top, that looks a bit off-balance, with dark brown outlines and shadows. It is mostly a light cool green, but also gray, with some drips of gray paint within the form, and below it. The background is mostly brown and tan, and there is a vertical stripe of dark brown to the right side of the painting, going all the way from the top of the painting to the bottom. Overall the painting is somewhat low contrast, which makes it look more faded and weathered.
November 24, 2025 at 3:07 PM
axebane.bsky.social
The Artist & the Blade at the Studio

by Daniel F. Walthall, 2025
casein on canvas panel, 18" x 24"

Sometimes I think of painting like a swordfighter with a blade, except mine is a 1" flat brush, and my opponent is something I love, so it's like a dance, not a fight
#art #painting #artistsofbluesky
A large abstract casein painting with many vertical forms that resemble tattered strips of cloth, and also red currents of energy or abstract flames, plus a sword with the blade pointed downward, and vaguely, the side profile of a person's face, and just the hint of an eye, but the face is in shadow or smoke and mostly obscured. There are also five very pale abstract flower shapes near the center of the painting, arranged in a curve, like the letter U. Just to the right and behind the face is a vibrant bit of energy/flame. The background is dark gray with lots of medium gray swirling smoke or energy or abstract haze.
November 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM
axebane.bsky.social
Without the Moon at the End of Time

by Daniel F. Walthall, 2025
casein (and my heart) on canvas panel, 16" x 20"
#art #painting #abstract
A strange abstract casein painting with a fiery, smoky, vibrant orange haze in the upper part of the painting, that casts highlights of bright orange onto many other elements and areas. There are nine upright forms that resemble birdhouses, out-houses, or wooden planks with slanted "roofs" on top. Three of them are somewhat large, and are clustered on the left. Five of them are much smaller, and are clustered on the right, plus there is one more that is small, short, and appears to be leaning, nearly falling over, near the center of the painting. The moon is nowhere to be found.
November 24, 2025 at 12:48 PM
axebane.bsky.social
Flywheel of Creativity / Momentum

by Daniel F. Walthall, 2025
casein on canvas panel, 5" x 7"
#art #painting #casein #artistsofbluesky
A vibrant abstract casein painting with a blue oval form in the center, a smaller irregular circle shape inside it that swirls with colors like dark gray, dark purple, deep red etc. The background is mostly bright orange, and stripes of dark red and dark gray on the right side of the painting. There is a lot of texture in many parts of the painting, especially with the lightest color: a tan that is just a bit darker than usual. Overall the contrast of the painting is low, making it look aged or weathered in appearance.
November 23, 2025 at 6:20 PM
axebane.bsky.social
The Old House in Dream

by Daniel F. Walthall, 2025
casein on canvas panel, 5" x 7"
#art #painting #abstract
A vibrant abstract casein painting of a vaguely house-shaped form, except taller than most houses, and missing many of the typical details of a house, like a front door, and only a few hints of window-like details. It is perched, alone on a hill. The sky is a mix of orange, coral, and a light purple, in entirely abstract patterns. There is a small pale blue crescent moon in the bright sky.
November 22, 2025 at 5:02 PM
axebane.bsky.social
Valley of the Brave Moon

by Daniel F. Walthall, 2025
casein on canvas panel, 12" x 16"
#art #painting #contemporaryart #artistsofbluesky
A high contrast semi-abstract / surrealist casein painting, of a narrow canyon/valley, from the point of view of being in the canyon, looking toward the horizon. There are seven bright yellow-orange flowers in the canyon, the landscape is highlighted in the same bold color, and there is a low and small crescent moon also in this color. The flowers are huge, more like bushes than typical flowers, and they have no leaves at all (as is the case with almost every flower in my paintings). The sky is dark gray and rust colored, and the darkest shadows in the painting are a very dark reddish purple.
November 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
axebane.bsky.social
finally, because I felt that now the skull inside the face-like form was a bit too flat, and so that I could add more highlights of a different color: I mixed a very bright orange/peach color and nearly went overboard with it (haha!)

but I became extremely happy with how it looked at this stage
An unfinished casein painting of a huge featureless face, plus flowers, swirling energy/flames, and skull shaped forms, caverns, and the crescent moon.
November 22, 2025 at 2:02 AM
axebane.bsky.social
I still felt like the painting had a darker feel than I wanted, so I allowed it to keep some of that darkness, but tried to bring in more blues and highlights to shift the tone a bit

also, my favorite character, that shows up in the majority of my paintings: the crescent moon 🌙

I love the moon ❤️
An unfinished casein painting of a huge featureless face, plus flowers, swirling energy/flames, and skull shaped forms, caverns, and the crescent moon.
November 22, 2025 at 1:48 AM
axebane.bsky.social
but I chipped away at the painting, next adding more flowers, and this time I tried doing a flower with pedals instead of the rose-like forms I usually do, to try something different

trying something different, but only when I want to instead of forcing myself out of my comfort zone, is energizing
An unfinished casein painting of a huge featureless face, plus flowers, swirling energy/flames, and skull shaped forms, caverns, and the crescent moon.
November 22, 2025 at 1:36 AM
axebane.bsky.social
I was not struggling with ideation while working on this painting, but the theme was becoming very strong, and I have struggled with it sometimes in the past, including at times this year (I'm okay, in fact I'm much better!!)

I was even a little scared to show anyone the painting at this stage 😢
An unfinished casein painting of a huge featureless face, plus flowers, swirling energy/flames, and skull shaped forms, caverns, and the crescent moon.
November 22, 2025 at 1:23 AM
axebane.bsky.social
of course I do direct the flow of a painting, and even cover up elements or change them if it doesn't look interesting, but if I get an overall "vibe" or "feeling" from one of my paintings, I try to keep that vibe as much as I can

next I added more colors and toned down the light blue areas a bit
An unfinished casein painting of a huge featureless face, plus flowers, swirling energy/flames, and skull shaped forms, caverns, and the crescent moon.
November 22, 2025 at 1:08 AM
axebane.bsky.social
next, I introduced more colors, and tried to keep my brush moving loosely, even closing my eyes at times (especially if I feel myself hesitate too much, I force myself to just go blindly at it), and I try to work quickly

I choose colors almost entirely based on whatever I'm drawn to in the moment
An unfinished casein painting of a huge featureless face, plus flowers, swirling energy/flames, and skull shaped forms, caverns, and the crescent moon.
November 22, 2025 at 12:53 AM
axebane.bsky.social
then honestly it took me a long time to get the courage to actually start on this canvas panel

partly because I'm poor and it cost me $18

but also because I knew from decades of being an artist, that it was going to feel uncomfortable the first several (many many) times I tried any new canvas size
An unfinished casein painting in the very earliest stage, with only a background of colors (red and purple) and the outlines in a dark wine-red color depicting a large featureless face, with a large skull-like form within it, three large flower-like forms in the foreground, and there are many places where the paint composing the outlines has dripped.
November 22, 2025 at 12:27 AM
axebane.bsky.social
How I made the largest painting I've ever made in my life, Fearless Echo / Painless Dream:

All of my paintings this year started in the same way, I shatter the possibility of getting stuck at the "facing a blank canvas" step by putting down some color without thinking about what I will paint
A very large canvas panel with thin red paint in a large oval in the center, and thin purple-ish paint around the edges and corners, all blended together for a soft transition between the two colors. Plastic bananas for scale. :)
November 22, 2025 at 12:06 AM
axebane.bsky.social
Fearless Echo / Painless Dream

by Daniel F. Walthall, 2025
casein on canvas panel, 24" x 36"
#art #painting #artistsofbluesky #contemporaryart
A vibrant surrealist / semi-abstract casein painting, of a huge form that resembles a blank human face, with a large opening that is roughly skull-shaped, and that allows the viewer to see inside of the huge form. Inside is a red human skull highlighted in bright orange, surrounded by seven pink flower-like forms, and there is a distant opening behind these that suggests a red cavern going into the distance, complete with stalactites and rocky spires that shimmer with highlights of light blue. Outside of the huge face-like form that dominates the composition, are swirling flames, smoke, or energy that are bright orange and light blue. There are also three large blue flowers in the foreground, and in the top-right corner of the painting a very small bright blue crescent moon.
November 21, 2025 at 11:38 PM
axebane.bsky.social
This is one of the unfinished paintings I'm gonna try to finish today. It's also the first of my paintings that features an apple and apple seeds. The apple is becoming a powerful symbol for me, representing the duality of growth and decay.

I have a good feeling about this one.
#art #painting #WIP
An unfinished abstract casein painting of swirling cyan energy, with a large featureless face that dominates the composition. In the upper right is a shape that resembles an apple, the bottom of the form is jagged and broken open, and nine apple seeds are below the form, as if the seeds are falling out and downward.
November 21, 2025 at 4:06 PM
axebane.bsky.social
It was a print of this drawing I did all the way back in high-school. Years ago, my dad asked about it (it's based on a photo of an old-ass cabin near where I grew up) and suggested I make some prints so he could try and sell em for me

when he came back he had $400 for me

I was fucking stunned
An ink drawing, designed as if it were a postage stamp, of a dilapidated cabin. Part of the rusty tin roof is gone, and the flimsy door is partially open. Behind the cabin are a couple of trees that appear to be shrouded in fog or mist.
November 20, 2025 at 3:07 PM
axebane.bsky.social
Song of the Blades, 2025

by Daniel F. Walthall
casein on canvas panel, 16" x 20"
#art #painting #swords
A semi-abstract painting depicting swirling red forms, five pink flowers, and three different swords, two of which are pointing downward and the largest of which is pointing upward. In the center of the painting is a pale shape that resembles a mostly featureless face that is shedding a single black tear, but the pale form is mostly obscured by all the other elements in the painting.
November 20, 2025 at 1:48 AM
axebane.bsky.social
Fool's Gold Gleaming, 2025

by Daniel F. Walthall
casein on canvas panel, 16" x 20"
#art #abstract #painting
An abstract casein painting of wine-red shadows, blue boxy forms, and patches of pink that drip down the painting. Near the center is a bright shape that shines like gold.
November 20, 2025 at 1:44 AM
axebane.bsky.social
did some painting, and then I wanted to do something different, so I made a drawing with pressed wax crayons and posca paint pens

I drew it on a heavy cardstock "DIY Frame", which you fold the edges of after you're finished so that you can hang it like a stretched canvas!
#abstract #art
Abstract mixed media piece depicting a field of purple, golden yellow, white, and brown, with three blue flower-like forms and a crescent moon.
November 18, 2025 at 6:49 PM
axebane.bsky.social
Self Talk, 2025

by Daniel F. Walthall
casein on canvas panel, 16" x 20"
#art #painting #abstract
An abstract casein painting of a large grey and purple form that resembles a tree or twisted weathered wood, with a slanted roof. The sky is a chaotic mix of orange and red, and there is a flat gray crescent moon in the sky.
November 16, 2025 at 9:03 PM