Yet another commission piece that I did at a convention.

I have drawn Harley Quinn several times over the years, most notably in the year she first appeared in the Batman animated series and later on in her own book. This piece marks the eigth time that I have illustrated her, but only the second time that I have had her unmasked.

Harley's real name is Dr. Harleen Quinzell, a psychoanalyst assigned to Arkham Asylum where she first met and soon became infatuated with the caped crusader's arch nemesis, the "Joker". Since her first appearance way back in 1992, she has become a fan favorite over the years and often appears in the Batman books.

Whenever I have drawn the character, I usually add her "Bag O' Fun" chock full of dangerous party favors and various explosives. This was my own invention omething that I created as an accessory for her to use at her convenience. I also include a little Joker doll to reflect her mad obsession with the clown prince of crime.

The pose was a little tricky especially her left arm which I tried to position accurately to convey a "come here" gesture, and the fact that she is on her knees also proved a challenge.

Most artists would either have a model or some sort of visual reference to use as a guide, but whenever possible I try to rely on my knowledge of human anatomy and the workings of the skeleton and muscular structure to guide me when creating poses. Even though at times, especially in the comics medium, some poses have to be taken to the extreme.

A thorough knowledge of a living subject's anatomy and general body structure (whether it be animal or human) is imperative in depicting believable posing situations.