Gateway Journal Day 03: Gondolas A-Plenty

Quick journal entry today. Decided to draw a variety of the gondolas that one sees in the waterways of Gateway's Canal City... I was just struck by the variety and elegance of them.

Many of them are "taxis" essentially, ferrying folks from one place to another for a modest sum, but others were personal vehicles or delivery vehicles. The personal vehicles tended to be a little more lavish, or festooned with designs and lanterns. I had fun trying to catch glimpses of the eccentric characters that rode in these as they zipped past me on my perch.

So, a little info about propulsion: Gateway is a very magical city, but not always in the way you would expect. Magic has become very common, ever since the invention of Leystones, often referred to as "stones". They are essentially crystals or gems infused with magical energy that can then be, for a lack of a better term, "programmed" to do different things.

Easily 80 - 90% of the watercraft I have seen thus far utilize Leystones as their primary mode of power, though they often vary in the exact way they are employed. Some are mounted on poles that the gondola steersman puts into the water and uses to steer. Others are mounted on the rear of the craft and essentially push them forward. Apparantly there are varying arguments as to which method is the most efficient or proper... I will stay out of it for my part.

As you will hopefully see in my journals in the coming months, these stones are used everywhere, for many things.... and people usually walk around with them either hanging on a chain around their neck, or floating just above their head (they have become something of a fashion accessory too, given that you can purchase a variety of styles and shapes of Leystones).

They are also used as power sources for massive "machines" or "Constructs", as they call them. For instance, the trains here in Gateway use massive leystones to hurdle from one end of the city to the other.

There are people who don't use them, either out of stubbornness, or because they feel they are a waste of money (Leystones apparantly have lately become subject to serious inflation, there are certain manufacturers of Leystones that are favored by Gateway's ruling council, making it increasingly difficult for the "mom and pop" Leystone maker to compete with rising costs).

Anyways, I think I am going to buy one tomorrow and see what things are possible... I am a little apprehensive about it, but I will be sure to get some instruction first before I accidentally turn someone into a wombat or something.

Street Scene with Bird Fail WIP 02

I posted the sketch and the first WIP of this piece a while back, but now I am back on the train and ready to put the finishing touches on this one, although I think there is still alot left to do.

I have struggled with this one a bit more than usual because I have been working from a loose drawing as my base. usually, I like the drawings for more finished pieces to be a lot tighter and more detailed before I start the color, generally because I rely on the drawing to help with texture and detail. But with this one, I am actually painting over much of the drawing because it was very loose.... soooo, we'll see how it turns out, I am a bit nervous.

And yes, this is a streetscene in Gateway, but you will have to wait for the appropriate journal entry to find out any more.

Check it out, Andrej Dugin and his wife Olga Dugina (amazing illustrators) have a website! http://www.duginart.com/

Gateway Journal Day 02 Part 2: Exploring Canal City

Today I explored the neighborhood around my lodgings. I am in "Canal City", which, as its name unmysteriously implies, is criss-crossed with many canals and waterways.

All of the boroughs of Gateway have simple names, like Canal City, Harbortown, Fishtown, etc., a system devised after "The Unification"... Apparently Gateway used to be a conglomeration of several smaller cities a few centuries ago, each of which had their own governments and were constantly at war with one another. Occasionally, someone will use the "old" names for places (adding to my confusion), but for the sake of this book, I am going to stick to the simplified naming system...call me a tourist.

The Canals vary in size and usage, and all manner of boat and ship can be seen on them. Obviously, the wider avenues are used by small cargo ships and touring boats, while the narrower ones are mostly local traffic. In some places there are pipes which dump what appears to be sewage or waste water of some sort into the alleys, which dulls the charm, but i've seen worse.... Of course, this is a more residential area, we will see what the industrial sections yield.

Overall, though, the effect is a pleasant one, the area around where I was sketching the first image was fairly quiet, a few people going about their business. Every now and then a head will pop out of a random window and look around, or call down to a wayward pet, or the sounds of playing children or arguing merchants will echo through the narrow alleys. The seductive smell of corner bakeries meets you around every turn, and I have to admit I found 2 of them to be absolutely unavoidable. I don't know what I ate in the second one, but it was delicious.

From what I have read, Canal City encompasses some of the oldest sections of Gateway, which is very clear when you observe the various architectural styles as well as the sense of newer structures stacked on top of the foundations of older structures. The elevated train lines are later additions that in many cases had to be built right up against or even through existing buildings, which I imagine is somewhat of an annoyance to those who live in said buildings.

However, I get the sense that almost no amount of annoyance can drive away residents around here, this is likely some of the most coveted real estate around, and I imagine most residents represent several generations worth of ownership.

More Canal City drawings tomorrow.

Interview on CGTantra.com

The fine folks at CGTantra.com (a CG website based in India) have posted an interview they did with Yours Truly. I will be one of the judges in their upcoming CG art competition: ArttWar 5. Thanks to everyone at CGTantra!

LINK TO INTERVIEW

Gateway Journal Day 02: The View From Here

So, before I went to bed last night, I decided to sketch the view from my window in the pension. I think it's a pretty good snapshot of the typical Gateway skyline, at least as far as I can tell thus far.

The pension is at the end of a short little dead end street, just off of a major thoroughfare with lots of shops and cafes.... There are also a few shops on this street as well, including a barber shop and, conveniently, a hat store... In case the haircut isn't so good.

So far, Gateway seems to be the bustling beacon of commerce and diversity it is reputed to be. Obviously, I have only scratched the surface, and my guess is that in the year to come, I will see many sides of this city, including its darker corners... a fact I suspect my benefactor is well aware of as he has requested that I move around and try to stay in each of the major neighborhoods of Gateway during the course of my visit here. As far as I can tell, there is no agenda on his part other than bringing images and stories of Gateway to the people of our world. Then again, everyone has an agenda, don't they?

In the distance, you can see some of the spires of Tower City, the next borough over. Most of those towers are the homes and workshops of the world's most powerful sorcerers and alchemists, or renowned schools for magical arts. They don't all appear to be occupied though, which seems odd, especially for a city as full of magic as this. I plan on visiting there for sure, but my path will lead me in another direction tomorrow.

After breakfast, I am planning on heading towards one of Gateway's many canals. The closest one to where I am is about 5 blocks, and is a major thoroughfare, so I am hoping to see some interesting boats, etc. You can never go wrong with a lovely shot of a canal.

My morning meal was prepared and served to me by the humorless Szerta, pictured here. I was able to convince her to stand still for 2 minutes so that I could sketch her. She claims she was smiling too. Don't ask me what was in the bowl, it's on my plate too.... I am trying not to look at it. She tells me it's a fruit, and quite delicious, but I have my doubts. She must have known where I was from, though, because the rest of the food seemed fairly conventional: peppery fried eggs, toasted bread with powdered sugar, black pudding, and a very sweet and smoky sausage...not too shabby.

Maybe I can muster up enough courage to try the "fruit", since I am going to have to try new stuff anyways.... Gateway has a greater variety of foods than anywhere else in the worlds, so I need to summon an adventurous pallette to participate in the whole experience. Well, wish me luck.

Gateway Journal Entry - Day 01 : It's the Little Things

A drawing of a lamp. Hardly seems like an exciting way to start off my travel journal of Gateway, but when I saw it, it seemed oddly appropriate.

I guess it's because so many things in this city are more than "just a lamp", like they often are back home. The uncommon is common here in Gateway, a city that teems with creatures and beings and people from an unknowable variety of places.

This lamp is in the lobby of the pension that I checked in to this morning after a very long and "tricky" journey here. The old lady who runs the place, her name is Szerta I think, tells me her grandfather bought it from a travelling junk salesman in the Nathru-Val. She says they used to be very trendy a couple of centuries ago…. I don't know if you can see it in my drawing, but when you turn the light on, a bit of smoke comes out of the cigar on the little face in the middle… there were, apparently, a variety of lamps like this that had little smoking faces…. I guess it's no weirder than the wall-mounted singing fish that were popular back home several years ago…

It's just one of the many bizarrely intricate and fascinating things that I seem to be finding around every corner here. I consider myself very lucky to have been given this opportunity to come to Gateway and draw what I see.

My mysterious benefactor/client has made sure I have enough time, money, supplies, and resources to really dive deep into life in Gateway, and record it for curious types back home. Although I have planned to be here for about a year, I can see how it would really take a lifetime to truly explore this unbelievably vast and intricate city, maybe two lifetimes.

So, I am going to unpack, study some street maps (no easy task, I assure you) and plan my route for tomorrow. I will try to post these as often as possible, but, as you can imagine, it's tricky getting information back and forth. Wish me luck!

A falconer-monk, and some domed monasteries....

"The Offering" Framed!

So, the great Gregg Spatz, fantasy art collector extraordinaire, sent me this image of "The Offering", a piece that he commissioned me to make, in its shiny new frame... and I DO MEAN SHINY: according to Gregg, this frame actually has STERLING silver in it, and was "damned expensive"! Wow, how about that!

Horizontal Format Sketching

Doing more sketches in a horizontal / film-aspect ratio format. I noticed that I almost always impulsively start my work / sketches with a very similar vertical rectangle. I think making some of my pieces look like little scenes from a (for now) non-existent film is kind of a neat idea. What do you think?

I am also going to be concentrating a lot more on environments as the main subject matters of my pieces, with figures occupying the space and providing a frame of reference instead of being the main focus.

Thanks for checking them out!

The Offering

Here is the piece I have been doing as a private commision for fantasy art collector extraordinaire: Gregg Spatz. Hope you like it! I have also included the line-drawing as well.

CYBER-MONDAY DISCOUNT!!!

Hey everyone! I am offering a Cyber-Monday deal on my Etsy Print-Shop! All you have to do is enter the coupon code: "FISHPERSON" and you will get 20% off! Don't worry if you don't do it on Monday either, it will be valid for 2 weeks, until December 10th!

Woohoo! Amateur capitalism!

Here's a few sketches from older sketchbooks that I haven't posted here:

"Wizard Alley" now available in my printshop!

Just in time for the Holidays! What better way to say "MERRY HOLIDAYS TO THEE!" than with the gift of a print by yours truly depicting a group of mysterious wizards, warlocks, and male Wiccans meeting up outside of a seedy tavern where they have just been binge drinking and discussing the return of the Great Old One!!!! HOORAY!!! Get yours today!

2 Class Demos - promising pieces?

Last night I did a digital painting demo for my friend and co-worker Colin Campbell's digital illustration class at MICA. These are by no means finished, but I think they are showing promise. As always, they started from sketches from my sketchbook, as you may recognize the images from previous posts.

I especially think I may continue working on the street scene image.

Both done in under 2 hours.

Fantasy Mega-structure sketch, plus: Spectrum News!

OK, sorry I have been absent for a while, a few things to report:

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1. I am working on my first personal commission! I will be sure to post that when it's done, but I only just started so it may be a while. Plus, it may also depend on whether the buyer is OK with me posting it right away.

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2. Spectrum 17 comes out soon, and my piece "Oops" is featured in the Unpublished section. But ALSO, they use a portion of my piece on the inside front cover, which you can see a sneak peek of on this youtube video (it's the second page they flip to and it has 6 horizontal strips of various pieces from the book, part of "Oops" is the top one!). The book hits the shelves on November 1st (ish).

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3. Finally, I am working on an ambitious, and likely very time-consuming personal project, which, for the moment, I am going to remain fairly mum about, but once I feel that it is progressing in a satisfactory way, I will start dropping some hints and some visuals to see what you guys think. So, my posts may be a little more scarce (although they have been scarce already, haha), but I will try to post things when I can.

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For now, here's a quick sketch from the old sketchbook, kind of a fantasy super-structure idea.... plus a fancy-lookin dude to the right of it.

Cheers.

A single page of sketch

A quick post. The upper right drawing was inspired by a drawing Alan Lee did of a twisted looking mill that he did for LOTR..... I think it was for the burning of the Shire sequence. Anyways, what I liked about it was that the building felt very organic, like a creature crawling along the ground. I think it is important to visualize buildings and architecture less like blocks and rectangles, but rather as organice forms... even if they have straight walls. Rarely do you see a structure that is just a plain box with no other features.

"Wizard Alley", finished

OK, so I finished "Wizard Alley". Finally! Let me know what you think. Got two more pieces in production as we speak... stuff I have posted WIPs of before, but am going back to now... I will keep the Blog updated when I have more progress on them.

Couple O Sketches, and Thanks!

Here are just a couple little sketch pages for ya.

Pretty much done with the Wizards in the Alley piece, just had a few minor finishing touches I wantred to put on it, then I will post it.

I also wanted to thank everyone who came to my booth at Baltimore COmic-Con, it was great! I had a blast, and I sold almost 40 prints! WOOHOO! I am thinking I might try to do a couple more conventions next year, it went so well.

Anyways, enjoy!

Come see me at the Baltimore Comic-Con

Yes, that's right, I will have a table at the Baltimore Comic-Con tomorrow and Sunday, so be sure to stop by if you can!

My table is A85 in Artist's Alley, and I will be sharing it with Tim Coman, my Art Director at Big Huge Games.

Also, I will be selling copies of the one and only "Robots 'r' Cool, Zombies 'r' Jerks!" Issue #1!!! A rare collector's item, yours for only $1.75!!!!! You may even spot the one-and-only Devin T. Quin, who is even rarer!

Wizards in an Alley WIP

Hey everyone, here is some progress on this piece. Really trying to nail the mood here. Tell me what you think so far... is it too dark? Not dark enough?

Finding the Light in the Ordinary

So, I recently did an interview with a Chinese magazine called simply: Fantasy Art. It was a pretty cool experience, and a distinction I share with a lot of great artists and illustrators, many of whom I am not worthy to be amongst.


To make matters more surreal, they put my piece "Globechaser" on the cover! Check it out below!


Anyways, a big thanks to the good folks at Fantasy Art magazine, especially editor Lizzy Carft, and my interviewer: Winney! Thanks guys!

Comic-Con and the unveiling of BHG's new game!

So, as you all know, I have been working on a very secretive RPG project at BHG/38 for some time now. Well, 2 weekends ago, at the San Diego Comic-Con, we unveiled our game! Yay!

You can check out the official website for the game here! (There's some concept art to be seen from Jeremy Enecio, Daarken, and myself)

Below are a few pics I took of the event itself, which I attended, including images of 2 of the creatures from our game that we made into giant toy sculpts, both of which were based on concepts by yours truly.

Blog Exposure, with interview and CONTEST!

The nice folks at Zip and Ruth have kindly featured me on their blog this week, which includes links to my work, an interview, and a contest! The prize is a free print from my etsy printshop. Check it out!

Weekend Sketches, and Upcoming Events!

Spent a long weekend at my family's vacation house on the Chesapeake Bay. It's located in an area that has a long fishing industry history, and there are all these crazy looking fish-processing factories, as well as the ruins of older ones, hence the the sketch below.














I really love drawing factories and industrial stuff. I realized that it's even more fun to do without any reference at all, just doing it based on memory and speculation. This is something I do now and then, and want to start doing more: memory life-drawing.

I did it when I went on a trip to Ireland, we were in this ebus and wizzing by all these beautiful scenes so I had to try to take a mental snap-shot then draw what I remember afterwards. It's fun, try it sometime!

















In other news, I will be attending the San Diego Comic-Con this week on Thursday and Friday, so if you see a weird, bearded dude with a crazy look in his eyes, it is probably me, so say HI, won't you?

I will only be there as an observer, BUT, in late August, I will have a table in the Artist's Alley at the BALTIMORE Comic-Con, where you might also catch a glimpse of my very famous co-worker (and the executive art director of 38 Studios) Todd McFarlane!

Also, more progress on this drawing:

Robo-feelings.

Here's another WIP. I am trying to draw more robots. Hope you like it, let me know if you have any thoughts about it before I take it to finish.

Bowl-Full-o-Sketch