Take a Break and Relax!

Interview on Fantasy Artists of Etsy Blog

A brief interview with me has been posted on the Fantasy Artists of Etsy blog. Interviews are posted each Monday, and an archive of interviews is available here. Check out the blog to discover some of the talented fantasy artists that sell their wares on Etsy!

One of These Things is Not Like the Others

Last month my friend, author Susan J. Morris, and I visited a local elementary school to talk to students about writing and art and, most importantly, dragons. After our presentation, I was cornered by clever kids that (quite easily) convinced me to doodle some dragons for them to take home. Time ran short and I finished up some of the drawings at home. These are some of my favorites from the group. One student was a bigger fan of foxes than of dragons.

Animal Archive Process

My apologies for the long hiatus!

I mentioned in my previous post that the Animal Archive cover painting was one of the most complex I have ever done. I read over the art order for the job, thinking, "This is going to be awesome!...This is going to be hard!" I would need to tackle a high level of detail, rendering dozens of creatures in the scene, and still make the illustration readable. 

Balancing out the composition began at the thumbnail stage. I did numerous thumbnails for the illustration. I narrowed them down to the five I felt were the most successful.

We went with number three, though I liked numbers one and four as well.

Often, when working with a complex scene, I will draw important characters separately, so that I can put as much detail into them as I would like, and then I'll collage them together in Photoshop later. I used this technique (if you can call it a technique) for Animal Archive, as well as for the cover to my book.

I did the drawing for the hero character, Lini, at a larger size than needed for the final composition.

After drawing all of the animals either in my sketchbook or on tracing paper, I grouped like animals on their own layers in Photoshop. The rough drawings below show how I experimented with those layers before settling on a final composition. I had to make sure there would be room at the top and bottom for text without the image being so busy as to make it indecipherable.

I spent lots of time drawing that leaping boar in the bottom right and ended up having to sacrifice him for the title.

The fox on the left would eventually be eliminated as well.

The final drawing. I found a way to get that boar back in there, at least partially!

I don't usually have progress shots of my paintings, since they are mounted to a board as I work, making them very difficult to scan, but in this case I took a couple digital photos along the way.

This is usually the stage where I start to panic because I feel like I've forgotten how to paint!

The final gouache painting.

I was asked to change Lini's magic to fire magic, which I painted in Photoshop to complete the cover image.

The cover with title and Pathfinder logo.

During the course of working on the illustration, I feel as though I lost some of the forward momentum of all of the animals and the compositional punch of the lines converging on the troll's face, both more apparent in the thumbnail. (James Gurney coined a great term for this compositional device: spokewheeling.) I was happy with what I was able to accomplish with this painting, though there is certainly room for improvement next time.

Animal Archive

Lini and her forest friends attack a belligerent troll.

Last summer, after returning from Gen Con inspired by all the amazing fantasy art I had seen during the convention, I immediately (well, after unpacking, of course) set to work on my own attempt at an epic fantasy painting for Paizo Publishing's Pathfinder RPG. I don't say "epic" lightly. The painting was one of the most complex I had ever done: an action scene involving more than a dozen individual figures, most of them animals.

The Player Companion I did the painting for came out this month, so I can finally share my cover art! The book is called Animal Archive and it has been receiving many positive reviews.

Sketches from ECCC 2013

Thanks to everyone who came by our table at Emerald City Comicon last weekend! Here are some of the sketches I did for people who purchased my sketchbook:

 

Elves ahoy!

As I posted on my website after ECCC 2011: Many freelance artists tend to live reclusive lives, and sometimes it feels as though we work in a void. Feedback about our work frequently only comes from a small circle of art directors, editors, and close friends and family, and while all of that is much appreciated, it's very different to hear from the general public. Good response to an artist's work is one of the best forms of encouragement, so to everyone that took the time to chat, buy stuff, or even simply say hello, thank you. I look forward to attending the con again next year.

Flower Hat

Upcoming Events

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow I will be speaking on a panel at FaerieCon West at the Renaissance Hotel in Seattle at noon. The details are as follows:

The Realm – Madison Ballroom – Level 2

12:00 – 12:45 FAERIE: Krabjab Studios Artists

FAERIE, a show curated by local artist Julie Baroh at Krab Jab Studio in Seattle, highlighted some of the worlds best and brightest fantasy artists. At this panel we’ll get a chance to hear from talents like Echo Chernik, Heather Hudson, Tara Larsen Chang, Emily Fiegenschuh, and Todd Lockwood.

Next weekend, I will be exhibiting with Vinod at Emerald City Comicon's Artist Alley, table Q-02. We will also both have artwork in the new art show ECCC is holding this year in the gaming area at The Conference Center, which is across the street from the Washington State Convention Center, and  easily accessed via a covered sky bridge. Please check Emerald City Comicon's website for more details.

Emerald City Comicon 2013 is Almost Here!

 ECCC 2013 exhibit floor

Emerald City Comicon is less than two weeks away! The convention has grown in size each year, and it looks like 2013 will be the biggest ECCC yet. Three-day and Saturday-only passes have already sold out online. The exhibit floor has nearly doubled in size. And one of the most exciting art-related developments this year will be an art show organized by Julie Baroh from Krab Jab Studio. Stop by the gaming area of the show to view and purchase work by professional artists, many of whom will also have tables in the exhibit hall. Some of the art from FAERIE:Contemporary Fairy Art Group Show, which is currently hanging at Krab Jab Studio through February 28th, will also be making an appearance at the ECCC art show.

Vinod and I will be sitting at booth Q-02 in Artist Alley. We're on a main aisle, so hopefully we'll be easier to find in the crowd. The goodies I'll have available include copies of The Explorer's Guide to Drawing Fantasy Creatures, posters, prints, and sketchbooks. Though they're not likely to fit on the table, I plan to bring some original paintings to sell, so if you're interested in seeing what's available, please ask. This year I have an illustration printed in ECCC's limited edition Monsters and Dames 2013 Art Book. If you buy the book (available at the ECCC Merchandise booth), stop by our table and I'll be happy to sign it for you. The proceeds from the book go to Seattle Children's Hospital.

Emerald City Comicon will take place at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle from Friday, March 1st through Sunday, March 3rd. More information about the show is available at the Emerald City Comicon website. Hope to see you at there!

100

It's my 100th post! I'm celebrating with a sneak preview of a personal piece I hope to complete by summer convention season.