Dwarf

Many dwarves hide below ground, but some stand high above it.

With this I was mainly just having fun, trying a different technique. 

That's a wrap for 2011, not a bad year!

Green Grass Goodbye

Parting ways.

Apple Studies

There is much to learn from a piece of fruit.




I've added a new page of resources to my blog >here<. It's a lengthy list of links that I find useful. They're sources of much information and inspiration.

Isometric Game Art

These are graphics I've created for isometric game: Hartacon. I find it interesting how a small sample of tiles can be repeated to form an endless variety of landscapes.

See more of Hartacon:

https://www.facebook.com/HartaconTactics?ref=hl
http://www.indiegogo.com/hartacon-tactics/x/1985060

Below is an isometric block. The challenge is in creating repeatable textures that will seamlessly align.

...
Update April 2014
...
Currently, and for the past year, I have been working on CasinoRPG, which involves a ton of isometric art.

Check it out at CasinoRPG.com

http://casinorpg.com/

Mellow Fellow

A simple old fellow walks the dirt trails, friendly and mellow with a nose for sweet smells.

The Dancing Dagger

This story is related to my previous illustration >here<

"The Wild Lands are not kind to strangers who linger beyond our protective walls. The beasts there have mercy neither for the lost, the weak, nor the young. However there is a tale, surely just a myth, of a girl who was orphaned deep within the forest. She belonged to a family of traders on route between the kingdoms. Depending on whom you ask, the family was slaughtered by a band of highwaymen or ravaged by a pack of dire wolves. In any case, the girl survived and they say, and I’m not saying it’s true… but they say she befriended a young bear. Ridiculous, I know! But the legends say she grew as wild as her companion and as agile as the prey they hunted.

I recall a few years back of a hunter that shot an arrow at a bear down in the grasslands. He created a lot of ruckus throughout town about it. Apparently he feared for a young girl who was alone in the same area. Of course he was probably just seeking attention, as many do these days.

Now I’m not saying that I believe this, because I don’t. But recently there was word of more sightings along the roads that pass through the deep wood. Apparently both traveling bandits and royal guard alike have been attacked by a mysterious wild girl. Hah! I mean I truly do laugh at the mere thought! Still, these so called survivors often refer to their sighting as a “savage beast girl,” a “shadow of death,” or a “crazy *&#@!” However, as word of this girl’s combat prowess passes from town to town, she is most commonly referred to as the “Dancing Dagger.” This started after our king’s champion swordsman came retreating into the city gates one cold morning, all bloodied and maimed. You would figure him mangled by a pack of wolves. With a sputtering tongue, he confessed of his encounter with half-naked girl with feet so swift they appeared to never touch the ground, and with a blade so furious he could parry no strike. Personally I think he just took a tumble and hit his head, but other folk seemed to believe him.

Now it seems like every self-proclaimed master of combat has journeyed into the wilds in hopes of challenging the illusive girl. Apparently the king has promised gold and glory to the one champion to bring him the head of the Dancing Dagger. That’s all just hearsay to me, but there is one thing that I know for certain… The beasts beyond the walls have mercy neither for the lost, the weak, the young, and certainly not the foolish."

Golems

Forest Golem

Stone Golem

Forest Golem Process

larger image :here:

Rumpelstiltskin

This is a poster illustration for a youth theatre play. I normally would have focused on the darker themes of the story, but in this case it was necessary for the design to be very lighthearted and friendly.

Shadow of the Brook

At the edge of the sunlit hills, I gazed into the shadows.

Lava Loops

Most charred, lava encrusted environments have the same generic look. This one is no different, apart from the lava loops.

Bouguereau Study

After about 7 hours of looking deep into a William Bouguereau painting, you begin to see subtle colors and and temperature shifts that were once imperceptible.

Camel, Dog, and a Girl

A quick painting without a purpose.

Life Drawing

40 minutes

Color Study

Damsel

The Emperor's Nether Gem

The emperor has always been influential, however his newly acquired gem insures that his every wish is your command.

Casual Sketches

My Friend, Boo

“Boo wasn’t like the other bears. He trusted me from the start, perhaps because we were the same in a way. You see, we were both alone in the world. So we grew up together, though I must say he grew a lot faster than me! Oh I remember those warm sunny days when we played in the fields of tall grass. Boo grew so big and strong! You should have seen how he scared off that pack of wolves one time! Nothing in all the forest could touch me with Boo at my side. We were a great pair actually. Boo would catch fish from the streams, I would light a warm fire. Though I suppose I needed him much more than he needed me.

One cool and misty morning, I was riding atop Boo as we came upon a quiet stream. I hopped down to for a quick drink. All was silent and calm, when a fluster of quail sprang from the meadow a few paces upstream. Suddenly a tribesman leaped out with his bow drawn. That hunter, that ignorant fool! He let free an arrow at Boo, just one grave arrow before he turned his scrawny tail and ran. He fled in fear of being chased. He must have seen the beastly rage in my eyes! Boo however, was stunned, limping in circles over the mounds of mud and grass. After long minutes in agony, his weight collapsed to the ground.

Now here I wait with Boo. I can hear his pain within each shortened breath. With each exhale his mighty strength is drained. There is no rage now, just the ache of my gaping heart. I can do nothing as my friend’s life slowly fades before me.”

The Brave Little Tailor

Illustrated flyer

This and That

This has been an interesting month. There's a lot of work I can't post, but here are some random things..

Three quick environments as studies and practice:

Concept plants for another world:

This is a concept based on an exotic spider. Feathered rods extend from the back of the headdress to represent four additional legs. Perhaps when the warrior is moving wildly about, these would confuse an opponent.

This is a Richards Frank master study. I recorded the process with LiveStream -here- just for fun.

Koval Defender

Few would desire a planet as hot and as barren as Koval, but those who wish to stake claim of this proud rock will counter sharp retribution. The reptilian defenders stand high amongst the land’s natural barrier- come now, come take what is theirs!

River Illume

This was fairly quick, just focusing on light and atmosphere.

I am a Freelancer

It's that time of year again when I do an outlandish self portrait.

That Day on the Rocks

This painting came together quickly. The abstract objective for this piece was to create a focal point of light on an object that recedes into mysterious shadow. In this case the object is the woman's leg. I tried to paint only the most necessary details and render only to the extent that it looks finished.

Studies

Here are a few quick screen studies from the movie IP Man. I'll certainly be doing more of these.

...and some master studies:

Rembrandt

Gerome

Sargent

The Fairy Catcher

There's nowhere to hide anymore. Word has traveled throughout the Great Forest that the fairy catcher and his talented sniffer are on the hunt. It has proven to be a lucrative business for the goblin, as fairies and fairy bits have all sorts of potent uses.

My original focus for this image was really just to create an interesting character, though as is often the case, I felt like I could push it further and further. The critic in me feels like there may just be too many elements, all fighting for attention. I am often drawn to art that shows restraint, almost a minimalist touch, which this certainly does not. In any case, I learned a lot from the experience.

I've posted my process on DeviantArt: http://wildweasel339.deviantart.com/#/d3re5ph

The Fairy Catcher WIP 1

Drawing of a fairy catcher. WiP to be continued.