18From his dad's bookshelf, he picked out an old copy of The Pnume by Jack Vance, pages orange-edged. It was the cover that enthralled him. A strange, mystical looking figure, in half shadow, floating in mid air as it drifted out of a murky background. It was the perfect inspiration for the art-work he needed to prepare for his exam.
All that morning he worked on the preliminary sketches, changing the setting, the colours, going outside to sketch trees, adding them to the overall concept. By the time lunchtime came, he was feeling pleased with himself at what he had accomplished so far. Even Miss Earle, his Art teacher, cooed appreciably. Stick thin, Jed thought her mildly crazy, but she was an incredibly gifted artist and he could have spent all day, every day, in that art studio.
Later
