About fall of 2005, Ladylace (Lynette Torres) commissioned the first of two very large series of Senshi, from the Naoko Takeuchi created series Sailor Moon. The idea was a fan-based variation by Andrea Readwolf and Usagi Carter. The first series was the “Senshi Families”, which included 14 paintings of family portraits of all of the inner and outer Senshis, plus the Starlights, and, Luna and Artemis (in human form!)

The second commissioned series, the Senshi Zodiacs, began in Sept. 2006. By this time, I’d become more proficient with Photoshop 6, the digital medium which all the art seen here was done, and the emphasis shifted more towards astromonical and fantasy settings, of which I looked very much forward to doing!

I don’t know what it is about Sailor Moon Senshi, but I’ve never once tired of doing these commissions, and these represent over 50 illustrations done since the first crude CG attempts were posted here in the fall of 2003, when I first used Photoshop. It’s probably the combination of the girls, the spacey settings and, of course, the beautifully designed ‘fuku’ and costume by Naoko Takeuchi.

There are 25 Zodiacs in this series, of which as of 7/08, 15 have been done. Represented here are Senshi of different ethnic types-something I got complaints about here in the past- I’d done different types of people in illustrations years ago as a Sci-Fi cover artist, but didn’t have the room to post, and didn’t think it was a big enough issue. The 15 works shown here are the in largest sizes shown yet. (Some of these are only a third of their original sizes)

Only two of the illustration are based on real people (actual live models). Advances in the proficiency of using virtual models and photographic cross-referencing, and the time factoring (these were all commissioned for $100 each) make it easier to get these paintings done in a timely manner without much cost to me. It’s very time consuming and hard to search, find, and shoot models, let alone different ethnic types! I do however, encourage anyone who is interested, in having me use their likeness, for this series, to contact me if interested. You will be featured as Sailor Sagittarius and Virgo have been done, with full credit, links, etc.

Check out my website at [link] for more Senshi art, in my Sailor Moon Fanart Gallery, plus other characters, like SM Demons, pinups, and villains. Also, other anime characters in realistic style.

Finally, I’m always open to commissions, which is why I set prices low, to allow most people to afford these works. Contact me at alan@alangutierrez.com. Prints of most of the art are available at Podgallery