The Hermit represents our inner spiritual guide.  This picture is the result of a commission.  I thought it might be interesting to show some of the steps a picture undergoes before it's ready to hang on a wall.  Please ignore the various photographic artifacts around the picture itself as well as flash white spots in the final result:

This is the source picture -- a card from the Rider-waite Tarot deck.

Step one is to convert it into a black and white picture.

Here most of the big pieces of veneer have been installed in the background.

The picture is almost ready for the next step of filling in all of the cracks...

Here is the picture is smudged by the filling material of charcoal and glue.

The picture has been glued to the backing and the process of removing the paper tape that held everything in place has begun.
Notice that the picture is the right-way around now.

The picture is completely cleaned and is ready for varnish coating.

The picture has received it's varnish and all fine details have been inked in. The background is walnut burl, the cloak is Mahogany, the lantern and staff are satinwood with a oyster shell for the lantern light. The mountains are Seppelle. The final picture is 10" by 16" unframed.