Log Monster Concept

This is a digital WIP and some sketches that I've been working on for a bit. It was created for the Log Monster challenge for Art Order. I'm also working on a traditional painting of this concept. 

graphite sketches and Photoshop

Battle Scene

This piece was created for the "Gotta Have a Hook" challenge from Art Order. Participants were given a brief description of a D&D art commission and were required to submit thumbnails, a detailed sketch, and finally a finished piece of art. Read more about the challenge on the Art Order blog, here. Visit the Art Order Ning to see the various threads containing all the work.

Gouache and Ink on Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper

Volithar: Mutant Lionfishman

This is the final version of my entry for the Mutation Nation challenge over at Art Order. Check out the specs for the challenge here.

While brainstorming ideas for this guy, I began to build a story about the behavior and culture of these mutant humanoids. Lionfish and humans share a few traits (as far as behavior), so it wasn't too difficult to merge the two together.

The Volithar are slow moving, yet incredibly strong. They use their strength to swim through the turbulent post-apocalyptic oceans to scavenge and pillage from weaker species (like humans). They generally travel in tight knit family groups, usually no more than twenty individuals. Volithar are fiercely loyal to their own families, and will often fight or kill other creatures perceived as a threat. Because of this, vast areas of ocean may be devoid of large predators if a Volithar family has claimed it as their territory.

This species is opportunistic and will make use of any material for weapons (even their own bones and spines) and will consume just about any organic matter for food. They have an extremely high tolerance for radiation, pollution, and other toxins and will often live in areas where other creatures can't survive. A unique feature of their metabolism allows the Volithar to safely absorb toxins which are then secreted as a potent poison from glands at the base of their dorsal spines.

The hide of the Volithar is extremely thick and tough. Sharp objects are often used like needles to secure clothing to their bodies. Colorful bits of cloth and trash are added in layers to create a crude form of clothing. Although Volithar have a basic form of culture, their language is complex. Comprised of guttural rumblings as well as body posture and position of dorsal spines, Volithar can communicate audibly as well as visually over great distances. 

Gouache and Watercolor

Lionfish Man WIP

This guy is something I've been working on for a bit. I've always liked lion fish and I thought it would be really cool to imagine what a mutated anthropomorphic version would look like. I'm entering him in the Mutation Nation challenge over at Art Order, which is due April 11.

There are several other sketches I've done, and I have a few other ideas for compositions, so my final image may change. Right now, he's naked and has no bad-ass weapon to pillage and plunder with - other than his venomous spines, of course. I'll have to remedy that in the next post.

Photoshop

Sketch Meat 07

This is what you get when you leave your spaghetti with clam sauce in your refrigerator too long:

 This is based on the concept of the "Beholder" from D&D, by the way. It's for a sketch contest over at the Art Order Ning

Demon Assassin Final

You may remember the WIP I posted a while back of the Demon Assassin inspired by an Art Order challenge. Well, I finally got around to finishing it. It's mixed media - gouache, watercolor, ink, graphite, and Photoshop.

This was quite fun to work on. I've got a bit of free time coming up, so I plan to enter the next challenge for Art Order (Mutation Nation). There is no way I could resist the urge to create horribly mutated creatures in a post apocalyptic setting - nothing but win can come from this. Sketches and WIPs will be posted in the coming weeks.

Bromide Final in Color

Alright, I finally finished it. I ended up working much larger than I normally do, so it took a bit more time. It was a challenge to choose the color palette for this piece. I wanted something that would be plant-like, yet I also wanted to suggest that this guy is a bit alien. I looked at a lot of orchid and insect photos and eventually developed the palette from those references.

Gouache on hot-pressed watercolor paper

Bromide Concept WIP

I know it's been a while since I've posted any art so here is something new:

Some of you may remember the Art Order challenge about the Bromide race. Well, I've actually had a bit of free time lately and I started working on a color illustration based on the initial graphite sketch, which can be found here. I'm using mainly gouache with a bit of watercolor on hot pressed watercolor paper.

This is a few hours into the painting:

And this is after a few more:

I'm only working on this in between other obligations, so progress is slow. I hope to have this completed before the deadline of the "Best of Art Order" book submission deadline in January. Read more about that here.

Catastrophic Dragon

Time has been quite slippery lately, and as such I have neglected the blog. Here's a dragon:

This guy is my entry for the Catastrophic Earthquake Dragon challenge on Art Order. Check out what's happening on the blog here.

B&W Vampires

Here is my latest entry for the Art Order blog. We were to illustrate two vampires in black and white according to a short description. View more about this challenge here. To make this contest even better, the pieces will be sent to various art directors of several well known publishers for judging. Be sure to check Art Order on Tuesday to see all of the entries.

Also, there are a lot of really exciting Art Order events ahead and I've already begun sketching for the highly anticipated Dragon Challenge. Jon has pulled together a stellar panel of judges, including Todd Lockwood! Check back frequently, I'll be documenting my progress.

ink and photoshop

Chimera Familiar

Art Order had us illustrating an "Unfamiliar Familiar" this week. Of course, I couldn't decide on just one animal and why should I when I can combine several different ones into one awesome Chimera Familiar? Well, that's exactly what I did and I think he could be quite useful in many situations. He has all the attributes of the normal familiars (cat, raven, snake, etc.) but with their powers combined (just like Captain Planet) he becomes a creature capable of much greater power than that of the individual familiars (but without a mullet).

Boll Deevil Concept

I'm having fun over at Art Order again. We were to use the tiny, yet highly destructive Boll Weevil as inspiration:

The concept behind this critter is that he is a weapon and armor eating beast. These guys roam around searching for unsuspecting humans that just happen to carry their favorite food - metal. They use their long frontal dexterous appendages to seek out and procure edible material. Because of their size and strength, fighting back proves futile and the unfortunate humans are robbed of all armor and weapons. The beasts eat the objects, metabolizing the metal, which is then secreted as alloys to form a nearly impenetrable exoskeleton.

Watercolor, Gouache, Colored Pencil, Graphite

Really Big Weapons are Neat

This is yet another concept for the Art Order blog. This time, Jon had us designing a huge weapon that would strike fear into the hearts of any advancing enemies. Well, I had a lot of fun with this one. Of course, my initial inclination was to make a weapon so massive it would have been downright ridiculous. Instead, I settled for a size that was only slightly ridiculous.

Urvogel Dinogloth

This sketch was originally intended for this week's "Art Order" concept sketch, but I just didn't have enough time between projects to finish it before the deadline. Anyway, the idea was to create an undead demon dinosaur, which quite frankly is the best concept idea ever.

My favorite dinosaur is Archaeopteryx, so naturally I chose to model my idea around it. In the end I think it looks more like a cross between a phoenix and a dragon, but it was fun.

On a side note, zombie demon dinosaurs would be the most disappointed among the undead. It would take an incredible amount of energy to bring down a living dinosaur and they would only be rewarded with walnut-sized brains. What a pity.

"Bromide" Concept

This another sketch for the "Art Order" blog based upon the concept of the "Bromide Race". Basically, the idea was to create a plant-based humanoid character. Since I love gardening and have many different strange plants at home, it was quite fun to combine several influences to create this guy - or girl. Actually, I think they would be asexual.

Construct Concept

Well, after some major computer problems that took most of a month to sort out, I am back on the internet and able to post! I have a bunch of new stuff in the works that I won't be able to show until the end of April, but in the meantime I've been doing some sketching:


I like the idea of mechanical creatures, especially ones inspired by crustaceans or insects. This guy reminds me of a mecha nautilus mixed with a bit of giant squid and some crab. It was created for a weekly activity on Jon Schindehette's blog "Art Order".