Creative Director
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At that point, why bother calling her Tiamat and getting into baggage with WOTC?Wayne, I wonder if you'd ever like to take a shot at a brand new Tiamat depicted more along the lines of her ancient babylonian mythological roots and completely forgetting about her D&D five-headedness...
:) :) :)
Exactly why we went with Dahak as our evil dragon god in Pathfinder and not Tiamat.
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I'm sorry, but something dating back to the Ancient Mesopotamian religion is not owned by WOTC. Make her completely different, as she should, and I really don't see the problem. WOTC would be vindictive and pulling at straws if they want to make a fuss, and any outcome of that would be in favor of Paizo, win or lose. There's no such thing as bad publicity, except if you're the bigger guy and work in a byzantine corporate environment that also has to deal with public perception on what the next Megatron will look like.
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Wayne, I wonder if you'd ever like to take a shot at a brand new Tiamat depicted more along the lines of her ancient babylonian mythological roots and completely forgetting about her D&D five-headedness...
:) :) :)
As a freelance artist, I'm asked to depict many different things. It's largely down to the publisher who decides what visual elements is going to be in the product they create.
So if my art editor gives me an art description with a powerful -looking griffin - like creature based on Babylonian mythology......
Great.
Similarly, if Sarah gives me an art description which features Dahak...
Great, also.
There are many cool things to depict in a fantasy setting. I'm happy at having the opportunity to work on the setting and getting to depict a whole bunch of cool things.
I see the subject of Tiamat has been discussed on another (More appropriate) thread. I'm gonna leave it there.
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Was the "timeline" of adventures embroidered on Hakon's cloak part of the notes you were given, or is that something you came up with that the story team elaborated on?
They were something that I came up with. This is a good example of how the design team create something out of a small detail in the art.
What class is Art?
I beg your pardon ?
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The cover image for Adventure Path #101 - The Kintargo Contract (Hell's Rebels, part 5 of 6 was recently previewed.
The cover features my rendition of a Strix Slayer. Here are some of the notes I made whilst designing the artwork;
At the time I started working on this one, there were only a couple of reference images for Pathfinder Strix. It seemed that both versions varied slightly. One had triple jointed bird legs the other human legs with talons. I took a bit of extra time to work on variations – trying different things out and messing around with body shapes and proportions. The racial description mentions that they’re quite light and slim so I’ve elongated their limbs a bit and given them slightly oversized hands and feet (Slightly talon – like too. You can’t see their fingers in this sketch but I imagine they’d have sharp talons there too. I elongated her neck and trapezius to accommodate her wings. Her shoulders are hunched forwards – reminiscent of a bird with folded wings. I experimented with the angle of her head and wanted to put it at that odd sideways angle that birds have, but it didn’t quite work. Instead I went for a thrust forwards position.
The dark skin, combined with white tattoos and corvid wings suggested the concept of “Magpie” to me. It kinda fit with their background too. From the images I found, they seemed like a primitive culture. They obviously have the ability to make things for themselves (I gave them a visual aesthetic based upon the African Mursi) but I figured that they’d do a heck of a lot of raiding, considering they’re a winged race who live in a really remote place considered to be especially inaccessible to flightless creatures. Consequently, most of their clothes and equipment consist of items that they’ve stolen from lots of different Golorian cultures. I guessed they’d also wear a lot of jewellery (Going back to that magpie concept)
This particular character wields two magical shortswords. One is constantly shifting. The other glows red. I am unsure what their magical properties might be exactly. I’m sure all will be revealed in the Adventure Path.
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Man... you just got me onboard with the Strix. That critter looks like bad news.
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Could we get this as a 'headshot' for forum handles, please?
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Could we get this as a 'headshot' for forum handles, please?
Apologies. I'm unsure on what the procedure for requesting avatar images for the forum is. I'm guessing that you'd make the request to one of the forum moderators maybe?
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Man... you just got me onboard with the Strix. That critter looks like bad news.
Thanks Cole. I'm really glad you like the artwork. :)
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Only recently discovered this thread and wanted to thank you for sharing all the minutiae of your designs with us here! The insights into your research and process have been fascinating, and have only cemented how much I dig the iconic character designs. (Currently playing a pregen Harsk in PFS and am having so much fun with him. Kudos for the teapot idea!)
A question or two about the recently revealed Lazzero. I really love the blend of cassock and armor that he has going, as well as how thoroughly ridiculous his headpiece looks, as well as his facial expression. It positively oozes with contempt.
I was wondering about the bladed weapon hanging from his waist. What is it, and what influenced it's design? Also curious about the crosses on his wristband and if the sigils on his buckler/stole have any real world influences. Cheers!
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I also have to say that better be a magic shield, because it's the dumbest design for a buckler ever. A star design like that would actually channel blows inwards to the thinnest points on the shield, repeatedly, rendering it far more fragile and susceptible to breakage then a round shield.
But the goofball never liked fighting, so I can assume he wouldn't care about physics like that. Maybe he thinks he can use it to bind a demon on the fly...
==Aelryinth
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Only recently discovered this thread and wanted to thank you for sharing all the minutiae of your designs with us here! The insights into your research and process have been fascinating, and have only cemented how much I dig the iconic character designs. (Currently playing a pregen Harsk in PFS and am having so much fun with him. Kudos for the teapot idea!)
A question or two about the recently revealed Lazzero. I really love the blend of cassock and armor that he has going, as well as how thoroughly ridiculous his headpiece looks, as well as his facial expression. It positively oozes with contempt.
I was wondering about the bladed weapon hanging from his waist. What is it, and what influenced it's design? Also curious about the crosses on his wristband and if the sigils on his buckler/stole have any real world influences. Cheers!
Thanks for the kind words Twigs.
I'm glad you like the design for Lazzero. I wanted to do something completely different with this character. I'd already illustrated a Cleric of Asmodeus in the last adventure path (Barzillia Thrune from PF #97 - The Kintargo Contract)
I wanted to create something different from the previous character concept but still retain some similarities in design. Whilst Barzillia was more combat orientated, I wanted Lazzero strengths to lie in a more cerebral direction.
I was fortunate enough to be able to discuss some initial concept ideas with the character creator F. Wesley Schneider. We both liked the idea of having a more bureaucratic character whose evil lay in control over rules and restrictions. This concept fit in well in with Asmodeus's sphere of influence. We decided to go with a character wearing layers of very stylised and ceremonial robes and equipment. The robes had to look slightly restrictive (Without having to resort to straps and chains)to reflect the stifling tenets and laws a priest of Asmodeus might preside over .
The dagger is based upon a Tibetan ritual dagger known as a kartika - used for "cutting through demons".
The Sigils have no real - life meaning that I know of. They're random shapes from my imagination designed to look like some sort of magical demonic script.
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I also have to say that better be a magic shield, because it's the dumbest design for a buckler ever. A star design like that would actually channel blows inwards to the thinnest points on the shield, repeatedly, rendering it far more fragile and susceptible to breakage then a round shield.
But the goofball never liked fighting, so I can assume he wouldn't care about physics like that. Maybe he thinks he can use it to bind a demon on the fly...
==Aelryinth
Check out my previous post for information regarding the ideas behind Lazzero.
The concept was to create a very "ceremonial" character. His buckler is likely magical, considering the demonic script inscribed upon it. It's designed to represent the five - pointed star of Asmodeus.Whilst I base a lot of my designs on real life objects, I like to use my imagination to create fantastical elements that in turn inspire the imagination of the viewer. It's application in a real life situation is not really a prime concern in a setting where people shoot ice out of their fingers and hexapodal reptiles fly through the air.
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Whilst I base a lot of my designs on real life objects, I like to use my imagination to create fantastical elements that in turn inspire the imagination of the viewer.
Thanks for being so polite; I don't think you need to justify your art, especially to posters that come across as jerks. It's art. Really good art too.
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The concept was to create a very "ceremonial" character. His buckler is likely magical, considering the demonic script inscribed upon it. It's designed to represent the five - pointed star of Asmodeus.
Whilst I base a lot of my designs on real life objects, I like to use my imagination to create fantastical elements that in turn inspire the imagination of the viewer.
It's a very striking design. I was pondering a star-shaped mace-head, myself, but the pentacle-buckler is even more dramatic, and looks like a portable summoning circle (for imp-sized summons only!).
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Thanks for being so polite; I don't think you need to justify your art, especially to posters that come across as jerks. It's art. Really good art too.
Whilst I base a lot of my designs on real life objects, I like to use my imagination to create fantastical elements that in turn inspire the imagination of the viewer.
Thanks Purple Dragon Knight.
I think people are passionate about the game they play. I really like that players are so into the Pathfinder game setting that they think about the different aspects that the visuals present them.Whilst comparisons to real life elements may be valid, sometimes players can forget that in the context of a high fantasy setting those parameters can be easily pushed into the realms of the fantastic or unbelievable - Because that's partly what the games all about. Creating fantastic situations and adventures where the unbelievable happens.
From an artistic point of view there is a balance between creating something fantastical but trying to give it a connection to what we're familiar with in real life.
There are plenty of times when creating a new design of a weapon, armour or monster that you know it wouldn't work in real life. However, the trick is to get that balance to make it look like it might work in real life. And if you can't quite make it look like it'll work in real life, then one visual option is make it so over the top so that a player might use their imagination to envisage what that would be like in real life.
Sometimes something that just looks cool doesn't need to work in real life. It just needs to look cool.
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The concept was to create a very "ceremonial" character. His buckler is likely magical, considering the demonic script inscribed upon it. It's designed to represent the five - pointed star of Asmodeus.
Whilst I base a lot of my designs on real life objects, I like to use my imagination to create fantastical elements that in turn inspire the imagination of the viewer.It's a very striking design. I was pondering a star-shaped mace-head, myself, but the pentacle-buckler is even more dramatic, and looks like a portable summoning circle (for imp-sized summons only!).
Thanks Set.
The spiritual weapon shown in the background image is a mace with a 5 - pointed design. It's what I imagined Asmodeus's mace would look like. (I'm not sure if it's ever been illustrated?)|
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Sometimes something that just looks cool doesn't need to work in real life. It just needs to look cool.
Exactly. And people tend to forget that you don't really go overboard: the guy's mace and shield are of a reasonable size! I mean, there's an entire industry / artform that thrives on weapons like this and it doesn't seem to be a show stopper for the readers/gamers involved. Your artistic license is more than reasonable. And superbly well thought of to incorporate a guy's religious iconography into his gear. Tip of the hat from me, Sir.
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Exactly. And people tend to forget that you don't really go overboard: the guy's mace and shield are of a reasonable size! I mean, there's an entire industry / artform that thrives on weapons like this and it doesn't seem to be a show stopper for the readers/gamers involved. Your artistic license is more than reasonable. And superbly well thought of to incorporate a guy's religious iconography into his gear. Tip of the hat from me, Sir.Sometimes something that just looks cool doesn't need to work in real life. It just needs to look cool.
Amiri's two - handed sword is pretty big. ;)
But it's a good example of the kind of concepts that can be possible within a high fantasy setting. :)|
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Amiri's is about a third of half the size of the one I linked. I can find bigger if you want! ;)
But my point is that I find that you have at least some sense of proportion. Your neutrality and self-moderation is overwhelming! You seem to have some kind of active Protection Against Compliments, which appears to extend into the Ethernet dimension... :)
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Vendor - Fantasiapelit Tampere
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I really like the art you have done fro Hell's Rebels and Hell's Vengeance so far! I have two questions:
1)Is Lazzero's hat inspired by the spanish hat capirote? Those that has erring similarites with certain KKK hats.
2)In Turn the Torrent's cover the hellknight (Or so I presume) has one of the greatest armors I have seen. Is there something close to that which inspired it, either in armors or in natural world? It's piscine in theme surely, but is there specific things?
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I really like the art you have done fro Hell's Rebels and Hell's Vengeance so far! I have two questions:
1)Is Lazzero's hat inspired by the spanish hat capirote? Those that has erring similarites with certain KKK hats.
2)In Turn the Torrent's cover the hellknight (Or so I presume) has one of the greatest armors I have seen. Is there something close to that which inspired it, either in armors or in natural world? It's piscine in theme surely, but is there specific things?
Thanks Rosgakori.
1) A ceremonial item like the Spanish capirote was the basis for Lazzero's headgear. To make it fit into the Golarian world setting I made it open-faced so that we can see the character. I also imagined what headgear would look like if someone worshipped a demon. Hence the horned shape at the top instead of a single point to echo the shape of a demon's horns.
2) The Lictor of the Torrent from Adventure Path #98 is based upon a few different jousting harnesses from 14th/16th C Medieval Europe.
The helmet is based upon a Frog - mouthed helm with integral gorget. By adding design elements I was trying to create an helmet that was evocative of a deep sea creature - like an angler fish. I used extended scalloped and bat-wing design aesthetics to create a Piscean look for the armour. I also wanted to give the impression that the armour is aquatically ergonomic, hence the fins and extended pauldrons (Shoulders).
I've seen a few comments suggesting that the armour would be impossible to move in real life. However, (As an armour - wearer myself) I assert that a real life human being could move and fight in that armour. The additional plates act like rebraces (Reinforced plates). Each are either "floating" items like a besegew (discs covering the armpits) or are attached by sliding rivets to allow articulation when the limbs are moved.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Is this awesome goblin from the recent blog one of yours? Can you tell us ANYTHING about him/her?
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Is this awesome goblin from the recent blog one of yours? Can you tell us ANYTHING about him/her?
Tup is illustrated by Dmitry Burmak, actually.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Is this awesome goblin from the recent blog one of yours? Can you tell us ANYTHING about him/her?Tup is illustrated by Dmitry Burmak, actually.
Ah, well then, WHERE IS THE "ASK DMITRY BURMAK ANYTHING" THREAD?? :-D
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Concept sketches for Lazzero - Cleric of Asmodeus (featured on the cover of Hell's Vengeance part1) can be seen on my Facebook page here;
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However, (As an armour - wearer myself) I assert that...
In what capacity do you wear armor, Wayne? (longtime SCA fighter, here...)
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However, (As an armour - wearer myself) I assert that...In what capacity do you wear armor, Wayne? (longtime SCA fighter, here...)
I belong to a few different medieval re-enactment groups in the UK (Since 1990) as well as doing independent combat demos.
I have different sets of armour and weapons depending on the time period or combat demo I'm participating in.Short - sleeved maille (Haubergeon helm & shield for 5th - 11th century, (Helmet and shield differs depending upon time period)
Long - sleeved maille (hauberk), coif, chausses, helm & shield for 11th - 13th century,
Coat of plates and helm for 14th century (Though I can interchange bits for this time period)
Full plate harness for 15th century.
My experience in historical re-enactment and research helps with visualising fantasy artwork images. Knowledge of what historical items look like in real life gives a good starting point at which to illustrate items, before imagining what they might look like in a high fantasy setting.
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Ah, well then, WHERE IS THE "ASK DMITRY BURMAK ANYTHING" THREAD?? :-DIs this awesome goblin from the recent blog one of yours? Can you tell us ANYTHING about him/her?Tup is illustrated by Dmitry Burmak, actually.
It's not ask anything thread, but here's his DeviantArt page.
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If you were asked to, how would you design Arshea?
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If you were asked to, how would you design Arshea?
Arshea; "Arshea is androgynous and has been depicted as both male and female, but in either case, always dressed in many-colored veils of gossamer. Arshea has a perfect face, a lithe body, and wings of gray and blue"
In the interests of continuity, I'd follow this text description and depict Arshea along the lines of how they're shown in Chronicle of the RighteousThe artist here has gone for a slightly 'Classical Greek' look which I think really works for this deity. I'd probably add a number of multi-coloured veils that swirl and move around Arshea's form.
If no specific gender was mentioned in the art description I would attempt to convey that Arshea can switch gender by illustrating them in an androgynous form that has both feminine and masculine qualities.
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The artist here has gone for a slightly 'Classical Greek' look which I think really works for this deity.
I do too! But...how can you tell Arshea was given a slightly Classical Greek look?
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The artist here has gone for a slightly 'Classical Greek' look which I think really works for this deity.I do too! But...how can you tell Arshea was given a slightly Classical Greek look?
Her clothes look similar to a two-part Ionic chiton, as worn by women in ancient Greece.
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Her clothes look similar to a two-part Ionic chiton, as worn by women in ancient Greece.The artist here has gone for a slightly 'Classical Greek' look which I think really works for this deity.I do too! But...how can you tell Arshea was given a slightly Classical Greek look?
This is pretty much an excuse for me to talk about Arshea more, but...why do you think lightly Classical Greek looks good on em? I'm not a clothing connoisseur, so I think it simply goes well with Arshea's body.
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This is pretty much an excuse for me to talk about Arshea more, but...why do you think lightly Classical Greek looks good on em? I'm not a clothing connoisseur, so I think it simply goes well with Arshea's body.Her clothes look similar to a two-part Ionic chiton, as worn by women in ancient Greece.The artist here has gone for a slightly 'Classical Greek' look which I think really works for this deity.I do too! But...how can you tell Arshea was given a slightly Classical Greek look?
You kinda answered your own question there. :)
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Would you make comic strips of the Iconics' backgounds/backstories if someone asked?
Anything you love to draw, but lack in opportunities to do so?
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Like any commercial commission request, it would depend upon;
How quickly does the client need it?How much art does the client need?
And how much does it pay?
Though considering that I've not accepted any comic art commissions in quite a few years, the answer is likely no. But I don't rule out the possibility.
I'm very content illustrating fantasy games as it offers a wide variation of subject matter that constantly keeps things interesting. Occasionally, I get yearnings to illustrate certain things when inspiration takes me. Such as a snow - scene, angels, undead, gladiators, etc. I'll sometimes do small thumbnail sketches if time allows. But the ideas usually get put on the back-burner when the next deadline looms.
Maybe one of my projects will materialise one day soon.
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Ok, I have to ask, how much would you charge for;
1 - Bust character portrait - full page pencil sketch, with brief description of the character for your reference but otherwise your interpretation.
2 - same but in ink.
3 - same but painted.
4 - Full body character portrait - full page pencil sketch, with brief description of character for your reference but otherwise your interpretation.
5 - same but in ink.
6 - same but painted.
Time frame sometime in the next year, no real hurry.
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Mr. Reynolds, thank you for being on these boards and answering questions!
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Ok, I have to ask, how much would you charge for;
1 - Bust character portrait - full page pencil sketch, with brief description of the character for your reference but otherwise your interpretation.
2 - same but in ink.
3 - same but painted.
4 - Full body character portrait - full page pencil sketch, with brief description of character for your reference but otherwise your interpretation.
5 - same but in ink.
6 - same but painted.
Time frame sometime in the next year, no real hurry.
You're probably not aware, but...
It is somewhat inappropriate, unprofessional and slightly unethical for me to discuss commissions and art fees on a public messageboard. Especially one hosted by a valued client.Sincere thanks for your interest in my artwork. However, I must respectfully decline to answer in this instance with apologies and no offence taken. :)
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Mr. Reynolds, thank you for being on these boards and answering questions!
Thanks for your interest in my artwork Terevalis. I'm really pleased that you find the thread interesting. :)
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Mr. Reynolds, thank you for being on these boards and answering questions!Thanks for your interest in my artwork Terevalis. I'm really pleased that you find the thread interesting. :)
I just love your art. I bought the book that came out like last year. You are one of my favorite fantasy artists up there with Easley and Stawiki. It is too bad you never got to do anything for Dragonlance.