J. L. Barnes
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fishwithatophat.com
J. L. Barnes
@fishwithatophat.com
I draw gentlemen animals. I write sci-fi and fantasy. And when I'm not preparing for the zombie apocalypse, I run DragonCrest Studios, 'cause it pays for kibble.

www.fishwithatophat.com
https://www.instagram.com/fishwithatophat/
I've no idea if I've already shared this, but here, have a portrait of what's probably my only child character from my books! She's a former orphan who's aggressively cheerful and very pleased with this new concept of "paying for food."
#art #characterart #NoAI
February 11, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Made some little clay ravens! Her eyes glow in the dark. 🌟
#art
February 8, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Today I discovered polymer clay plus the plastic on this light create a very unfortunate chemical reaction.
February 7, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Ah yes, "Under the Dome," the famous reality TV series... in which a town is cut off from the world by a magical dome.
January 23, 2026 at 11:27 PM
Odd thinks car rides are for dog piles.
January 20, 2026 at 11:10 PM
Baz does not need long legs

He has... flying ears
#dogs
January 9, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Art vs. artist 2025! I didn't draw as much this year because I was busy writing... Whoops. Still got some awesome dragons done in Inktober, though!
#pathfinder #fantasyart #humanartist
December 31, 2025 at 8:29 PM
December 19, 2025 at 12:41 AM
I HAVE ROLLED THREE NAT 20s IN A ROW

Please mark this occasion, because this has never happened to me in 20+ years of rolling d20s.
December 13, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Day 31: Award. Here's your trophy--you made it to Halloween!

Congrats to all who made it through (or even did some of) Inktober, too! You rocked it!
#Inktober #dragons #art
October 31, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Day 30: Vacant. How's this for a vacant stare?

(Side note: She got a little drippy and I went with it. 😅 )
#Inktober #dragons #art #cats
October 30, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Day 29: Lesson. Today's guest speaker will be lecturing on the art of telekinesis.
#Inktober #dragons #art #magic
October 29, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Day 28: Skeletal. When you're dead but still festive!
#Inktober #dragons #art
October 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Day 27: Onion. An ogre dragon.
#Inktober #art #dragons
October 27, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Day 26: Puzzling. This fellow is very confused as to why someone's made a stuffed version of his best friend.
#Inktober #art #dragons #puzzling
October 26, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Day 25: Inferno. I need to stop doing fire in ink. It takes sooo long!
#Inktober #art #dragons #inferno
October 25, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Day 24: Rowdy. Look, you might not know what the fox says... but fox dragons say "LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!"

(They talk in all caps, clearly. They have to make up for their cousins' silence.)
#Inktober #art #dragons #foxes
October 24, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Day 23: Firefly. Just a lil fren doin' their best!

I love how this one turned out--it kind of looks like part of an animation, almost.
#Inktober #art #dragons #firefly
October 23, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Day 22: Button. A little button mushroom dragon! He is as confused about your appearance as you are about his.
#Inktober #art #dragons #mushrooms
October 22, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Day 21: Blast. Energy blast? Snow blast? Look, I'm not sure, but I don't want to be on the other end of it...
#Inktober #art #dragons
October 21, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Day 20: Rivals. Who do we think's winning this fight?
#Inktober #art #dragons #fantasyart
October 20, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Day 19: Arctic. I had D&D today and still decided it would be a good idea to do a complicated blizzard dragon. 😅

No regrets.
#Inktober #art #dragons #blizzard #DnD
October 20, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Day 18: Deal. He's kind of a big deal.
#Inktober #art #dragons #cards
October 19, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Day 17: Ornate. A little prince- or princessling dragon. They're very certain you've never had a fancier friend.
#Inktober #art #dragons #ornate
October 17, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Day 16: Blunder. Just a little moment of inattention while flying through the trees...
#Inktober #art #dragons #blunder
October 16, 2025 at 11:34 PM