Even monsters have to work on their tans, especially ones who are genetically obsessed with their own appearance. This unlucky beholder gets caught in a Coppertone moment when his tanning is interrupted by a hot day's knight.

Just about all of the paintings on this site need a little explanation, but maybe this one more than most. In fact, now that I've finished it, even I'm starting to wonder what I was thinking.

The really fun part of this painting was coming up with the eyeballs to match the beholder's supernatural powers. These two are the eyes for Flesh to Stone and Finger of Death. And just look at the perfect Coppertone tan on those eyelids.

Becuase people are asking about it, going clockwise starting at the horse, the eyeballs are arranged as follows: Inflict Moderate Wounds, Charm Person, Slow (bringing up the rear), Charm Monster, Sleep, Fear, Disintegrate, Telekinesis, Finger of Death, and Flesh to Stone. And if that list doesn't make your geek heart beat just a little harder then you should just turn your membership card back in at the door.

My concept boss wags his finger at things like these two eyeballs and calls it "American design," meaning that I've sidestepped even the illusion of finesse and gone for the most obvious and overstated symbolism possible. What can I say, I'm an American. If this were a more serious painting I would probably have tried to keep things more subtle, but coloring up something like this hideously necrotic eyeball is too fun an opportunity to pass up. Maybe the rest of you don't see the beauty in it, but you know the old saying about that.