Saturday, November 22, 2008

Odin

(much better)

(precarious)

Here is my cat, Odin. I have another cat, named Daisy, but Odin is the only one who likes to climb on to my lap while I'm trying to do something. He invariably falls off and scratches my leg in an attempt to stay put. Always fun. Especially if I am drawing. Oh, and the Wacom is my arch nemesis. I don't use it much but for touching things up. I'm a hands on kinda guy and the Wacom is a little too sterile for me. A buddy of mine said that you can put a piece of paper over the pad and draw on top of that and it's supposed to feel like a pencil. Haven't tried it yet, so we'll see...

Friday, November 21, 2008

The Sad Serpent of the Swamp


I did this when I was inspired by a new project I am a part of. It is I think a little too friendly for the project, but it makes for a nice piece and I can put it here for you all to enjoy. So... enjoy!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Dungeons and Dragons

For all of you who enjoy(ed) this series, check it out on You Tube! I have attached the first part of the first episode. Each one is in three parts of about seven (7) minutes each. You might have to search for them a little, but it's easy cause they usually show up in the related movies section to the right of the viewer. Plus, I have attached a very well scripted and acted short film featuring Hank and Sheila, and an episode guide:

The guide can be found at:
http://www.tv.com/dungeons-and-dragons/show/5499/episode_listings.html

There is another episode called, "The Last Illusion."



Undead Barbarian King


I can't show the one I like cause I gave it to Triple Ace, but here is another that is similar to it. Enjoy!

Bearing Fruit

Oh, and any of you who are interested, check out my new digs at the Celtic Myth Podshow!

http://celticmythpodshow.com/Galleries/JustinRussell/JustinRussell.php

And while you're there, catch a magical podcast from Ruth and Gary! The mists of magic flow from their mouths and from it step the strange and sudden heroes of yore.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Storm King, Stomrkingr



This was fun. This is the brush cleaning sheet from my latest illustrations. Compare. Cool? You betcha. Couldn't do that again if I tried. Now I'm going to be all self-conscious when I clean my brushes.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Triple Ace Games

Well, we'll see how this goes. So far they are pleased. I was hired to work on a few pdf publications by the awesome gaming company Triple Ace Games. Check them out at:

http://www.tripleacegames.com/Home.php

Look forward to some great writing and gameplay from them. They're a UK based company and are responsible for a series of pulp adventures and several other amazing products. To name a few: Necropolis, Sundered Skies, Daring Tales of Adventure and the brand new Hellfrost. Also, keep an eye out for my artwork. I would post it here, but I can't :( Guess you'll just have to buy the books.

Check out this podcast from The Game's the Thing, a great resource for gamers:

http://www.thegamesthething.com/index.php?post_id=400000

It features a detailed rundown of the awesomeness that is Hellfrost. Plus, they plug my best friend and fellow illustratour, Chris Kuhlmann, who is responsible for all of the cover and interior art for the first book. So whatever you see there for Hellfrost thus far is Chris. Check him out at: www.chriskuhlmann.com, or link to him on the right under "Inspirations." It's worth it, he's awesome.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Epic Werkes Logo Sketches




Here are some sketches for the Epic Werkes Logo for the blog. It's also a tribute to the late Keith Parkinson. There is an image that I will post here, without permission, that I loved as a kid. I love dwarves. They're my favorite race. If I could be anything, it would be one of them. I tend to play them in roleplaying games. Anyway, I wanted to do something to honour him, after seeing a wonderful youtube videothat someone had posted as a tribute to him and to some of his werke. It only seems right. Keith Parkinson's werke has touched my life in so many ways and helped define fantasy for me over the years.

A wondeful Parkinson tribute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od8jpCQuycE

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Cyrtene's Watch


Here is an image I have laboured over for days. It's a good study, but that is about all. It's an exploration of a concept I have been toying with for a story. A woman, Cyrtene, watching the Ghosts of the Sea, the Narwahls. Not sure why, just that I had this image of her perched on the lip of a tower. I had begun it a few days ago and I was much happier with it then. I almost don't want to put this up here. But it's an idea and it might inspire someone else. So, without any more ado...

"Of Gold and Morning Light" Project - Inside Image 5 Value Study


Here is the value study for the 5th image. I tweeked the image as well.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

"Of Gold and Morning Light" Project - Inside Image 5 Sketch 4


Here it is, the final image. finally, sheez. I might tweek it a little, like figure out the perspective a little but more on the castle. Maybe remove some... SHRUBBERY! But that might be difficult. The only way to do it is with a herring. I never could grasp that...

I've been playing with landscape a lot. I have this thing about putting Characters in landscape. Letting the natural world reflect the mood and atmosphere. The wizard brings a great deal of change to the castle. Thus the landscape is very active and compositionally points to the castle in an almost aggressive manner. The wizard is very active, as if he is hurrying to do his evil will upon the denizens of the castle.

"Of Gold and Morning Light" Project - Inside Image 5 Sketch 2

Yet again. I can't leave it alone, but I think I am going to opt for something less obvious. I keep adding to this image. However, I think it needs something more emotive.


Here are another couple of concepts. I like these, but I know me and I am not happy with it. Something needs to gel here that is not gelling. The pieces are not quite fitting. The bottom one is the original. I changed it, loosening up a bit, getting closer to what I want for this piece. It's amazing how control ruins a piece of artwork. It's good to have control, restraint. It's just better if you have a little of both. If you can let the ideas come, freely flow out of you, then temper them with the knowledge you have, then the piece will be better than if you had simply insisted on one idea without letting your intuition have a say.

In the end, I will probably re-draw it. I think I get into the trap of laziness. Wanting the process to be faster. I remember a great quote from "Art and Fear." "It's not that the art making process is slow, it's that the artist imagines it to be fast." It went something like that.

"Of Gold and Morning Light" Project - Inside Image 5 Sketch


Here is one concept I liked from a thumbnail. I blew it up and realized it from a more rough sketch. I realized later that it is not copasetic. It did not match the story. So I am going to abandon it for other shores. I wanted to focus on the Wizard anyway. I wanted to some more work on the guy in the middle ground. He's too small and I don't want him to be wearing that armour. He's the king, and I wanted him to look like a warrior, but more stately, not so much grizzled. It makes me sad because I really wanted to show the dworf in agony, betrayed, led away to captivity. I might still, but that would mean editing the story to fit the image. Which, in this case, would only be the rearranging of a few small words, nothing too drastic. Sheesh!