A Confabulation of Dragons

A chance to experiment led to one of Scott’s favourite pieces

Scott was approached by a private collector for a commission that had only three requirements: it should contain three young women, a Huskie dog and at least one dragon. “Here was a chance to see what I could come up with within a very wide set of guidelines,” he says.

“I had been looking for a word that I could use to refer to a group or gathering of dragons, much like a pod of whales or a pride of lions, and I felt that I found what I was looking for in a ‘Confabulation’ of Dragons.

“I envisioned the scene as a great meeting of dragons – a sort of draconian summit, where representatives of the diverse world of dragons would gather and confer. What I liked most about this idea was that it lent itself to a group of dragons of all shapes and sizes.”

Scott decided that the dragons would meet at the base of a large tree, with the three young women representing some sort of human liaison, perhaps priestesses. On the ground and nearby boulders are ancient runes, which were carved by members of earlier ‘confabulations’.

“Soon, I began designing dragons as well as setting up a photo shoot for the young woman who would pose for all three of the young women in the finished picture,” he adds. “Fortunately, they were supposed to be sisters, so it was okay if the characters all looked similar…

“The final painting measured 46x34 inches, and took several months to complete. The biggest challenge, as always with a complex piece, was trying to balance all the elements so that the overall effect was one of harmony, yet with a variety of shapes, contrasts, colours and details. This one offered challenges on all those levels.”