An attempt to capture a moment from a story I read recently that has become an instant favorite. It's based on a a scene from The Enchanters Branding by  ADF

A young man finds himself at the mercy of his own powerful magic, which projects an absolutely convincing reptilian appearance. It's just an illusion. His human form remains unaltered, as revealed by special photos.

The surface of the "illusion" begins to provide raw pins-and-needles sensory feedback. It even hints at actual tangibility. A handkerchief dangles from his imaginary tail -- the tail that was previously content to phase through walls and chairs. Today's photo also reveals that his human hands and feet aren't actually touching the floor. In answer to his virtual growth, the magic has seamlessly begun employing levitation to maintain the illusion. He's none too pleased at the lab technicians passing his naked photo around, whispering in fascination and interest.

All attempts to suppress the dragon have failed. It's unclear how far things might go, or how he'll address the needs of his human body when it is rendered inaccessible by the steadily developing facade.
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Some big-time experimentation here, and an unprecedented level of effort from me. Those scales were um... interesting. More than once I stepped back and had to wonder what the hell I was doing.

He's a little less anthro than he ought to be at this point in the story, but I took what I could get from my original concept sketch. Honestly, I SUCK at original sketches and anatomy in general, and that makes it really hard to see the final product at times. Don't believe me? Check out the first few stages in this progression overview. Apparently with Photoshop, a decent sense of spatial lighting, and enough time, I can even polish crap. :)