New Pathfinder art and tricks of the trade

I can now show some art I made in the summer for the just released Pathfinder game module "Ruby Phoenix Tournament"  This book has the adventurers take part in a martial-arts style tournament in an Asian-type fantasy setting.

Making these half-pagers is usually a balance between providing exciting art for the client and planning where to put your efforts to maximize the results in a short time frame. Often an art order can be 5 images requested on a relatively short deadline, so you need to have certain tools and tricks to get the job done fast.  I happen to have a very literal, rendered style at the moment, so I'm constantly employing 3-d models and other bits of reference to get the perspectives and realism needed for a consistent level of detail.

Below we see a quick 3-d modeled "set" that gives me the correct perspective and lighting for this multi-tiered fighting platform.  This may take an hour or so to build in the computer, but its way faster and more accurate than trying to draft the structure out in pencil.

The structure is then worked into the drawing of the 2 characters fighting.

 Similarly below, I've got a character running at us drawn without reference just using comic book construction techniques.  Since he's mostly clothed, I just need some information to flesh the head structure out at this angle...

Which is obtained by holding up a foam planar head model and snapping a quick photo.  It just worked out the character was bald and fairly generic anyways, so my foam head does the trick nicely.

If you've got a more graphic, cartoony or otherwise efficient style, I salute you.  If you're like me and have to "get it right", then employ whatever tricks you need to get the job done as a professional in your allotted timeframe.

Concept & Costumes

Shortly before christmas I finally got the permission to publish work I've done more than a year ago for Frogster Online Gaming. I did countless sketches and drawings, here is a selection put together in my gallery over at Behance - just click here:

CONCEPT & COSTUMES

Supergenius Brew Label

Finally something to post!  I'm working full-time for a game studio in Oregon City these days, called Supergenius Studio.  I'm putting together some art for client gifts, etc.  This year one of our staff members is home brewing amber ale to give out (which is delicious).  I whipped up a label to put on the bottles and thought I'd post it up.

The Book of Vile Darkness

Here are a few images I did for The Book of Vile Darkness for D&D (I worked with Mari Kolkowsky as AD. As a side note, I have to say, I feel that all the work in there is absolutely fantastic.  I keep picking up my copy and looking at all the great art inside!). I had loads of fun with this set, and I think these are still some of my favorite illustration pieces to date.  I struggled most with the Cultist (the last image).  I find that if I don't nail the colors to start, I usually wrestle with the piece until the end.  If the colors are working, it makes all the other problems with the piece much easier for me to handle.  Color is one of the things I enjoy the most out of making art, so usually a piece does not click for me until they do.

ImagineFX issue #77

If you are outside the US this is may be old news, but since issue 77 of ImagineFX is just hitting the shelves here I thought I would mention I have a two page spread in this issue. I was approached a while back to have my work in the EXPose section of the magazine but I was not expecting a full two pages! If you haven't seen the issue, here you go...


A big thanks to the folks at ImagineFX for the interest in my work! Thanks to Eva as well for letting me know last month that I was in the issue!

Talon of Umberlee

Recently I created a cover/ad materials for D&D's organized play release called Lair Assault: Talon of Umberlee.  Unlike any other project I have worked on, I was tasked with creating an image that would be used not only for the print materials, but also for any other needed advertisement for the release.  This meant, all the element in the image needed to be movable so that marketing could place items where they needed for various banners and things of that like.  So, I had to paint everything on separate layers.  I have never done anything like this before so I was some what at a loss on how to even approach it.  I normally paint flat in Photoshop and Corel.  I decided I would do an overall sketch of all the elements together as a composed image and then break them down and paint them out separately.  It certainly took a lot of time but it was really fun.  I worked with AD Kate Irwin on this one.  Always a pleasure.


Here is the result:

This is a breakdown of how it all went and how each layer was placed in.  It was really a challenge keeping everything in order and in the right place. 

...and here is the final booklet.

 

Heart of the Scar - Dungeon Issue #197

Issue 197 of Dungeon Magazine is out and I am on the cover. This is my first cover piece and I am very pleased that it is for Dungeons and Dragons. I was tasked with designing and illustrating the big bad monster featured in Heart of the Scar, the final chapter of the Chaos Scar adventure. They asked for a horrific mass of tentacles and eyes that came from beyond time and space and I was more then happy to deliver! This is how it turned out...

Heart of the Scar - Shoth-Goragg
© 2011 Wizards of the Coast

Dungeon Issue #197

Here is a little process progression of this piece from drawing to final painting. This was one of the lowest stress, easy to paint pieces that I have ever had. Let's hope there will be more like it in my future!

Heart of the Scar - Shoth-Goragg - Process
© 2011 Wizards of the Coast

The Hengeyokai and other Characters

Recently, I was asked to design/update, some creatures for D&D called Hengeyokai.  The particular ones I worked on took the form of a Badger and Hare.  I also did some small illustrations showcasing these characters in October's issue of Dragon Magazine (404).

This brings me to some other characters I have worked on for D&D over the past year or so.  Jon Schindehette has put me to the task of creating a number of heroes the latest D&D Character Option books.  You have probably seen some of these guys popping up in the D&D products and if you are illustrating for D&D then you have probably received them as reference.  So I thought I would share them all.  Here are a few from the Feywild as well as some Elemental Characters

Many more to come at a later date....