The Gallery: Russ Nicholson

Something old and something new...

2012-01-30T08:40:00.000Z

A short post of something old and something new...

Have just finished a small commission and a couple of pages for Goodman Games.
Check it out for a classic Role Playing Game [OGL] to see a few pieces of work I was commissioned to do last year and where they now features in his latest game:

http://www.goodman-games.com/5070artpreviewnicholson.html
..and of course the game itself.

Here below are my scans of the work.

Since then I've been commissioned for another couple of pages, which Joseph has kindly said I can post now. So here is a preview of work for his latest game project.

So that is it for the present, I've done a couple of small spots ala Fiend Folio of days of yore but still awaiting feedback. I hope he's away as silence is distressing, and I'm back on a larger project that I set aside. If all goes well it will feature soon.

Do keep those comments coming as they are much appreciated, but remember I'm a fragile flower [cough] and do cry.

All Quite Quiet on the Eastern Front .....

2012-01-16T16:59:00.000Z

Well, the year of the Dragon is about to start and we can wonder what it will bring. At the moment things are quite, but I am finishing tasks which I'm late with [gurgk sorry :)] so my apologies to those with such patience.

Martin Gooch, director, producer, and all round nice guy, who let me do some bits on his latest film has had the first poster produced which features some of my drawing and the logo image, and I thought it right to post it here so those faithful of you [and my sincere thanks to you all] can see it first. Well more or less first as it's gone on Facebook.

For those interested in the film itself .....
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Death-The-Film/152994018076706

Last, but never least, a small pic I did for someone a few months ago ... never heard if it even arrived, but here is a small copy, which is a re-working of an even older piece.

Who knows what the year will bring ..... fingers crossed no more deterioration of my health :). Take care, till the next time.

A very simple message....

2011-12-25T10:35:00.001Z

Wishing all of you, especially you who follow my blog, a very special day and a terrific 2012!

Take care, and looking forward to hearing from you in the New Year!

November came .... did I notice?

2011-11-30T09:54:00.001Z

Flu is a blank, blank, blankety blank, and a residual chest infection even worse ... it has slowed me to a near stop, and though I feel better now it wont pass. Go to the doctor you say? Ah, there's the rub .... at present, for reasons I'll not discuss, I cannot. So November came, and is about to pass, and I have failed to keep up with some tasks as promised. That's not to say I've forgotten, far from it, rather I don't want to commit to certain tasks which will take a week or so without having given [I'd hope] my best. Or, at least, my best at the time of starting and delivering, that is something I'm happy to put my name to.

Anyway, enough of that. My intention was to make this post my 'Space Time' post, but I haven't finished the last piece, which was to do with Space Marines, but the month ends and I realise I want to post at least once before this month passes. So a couple of pieces are variations of the same picture .... but its my post. So there! He He.

So here goes .. some may recognise a few Space Spurgers, old spacecraft, etc.

To conclude ..for as I mentioned the last two pics I intended remain unfulfilled. A piece I've done as a cover for a very nice client and follower of this blog and who has kindly allowed me to post before publication. But just to clarify ... the copyright is mine and hers.

Well equipped mutants peer down upon a band of adventurers as the humans enter their domain amid the ruins of the Ancients.

Kyrinn S. Eis of URUTSK: World of Mystery RPG wanted to state the following ....
This is the image I had promised myself would grace the Urutsk Referee's Manual years before, and when I read that Russ Nicholson was available to produce it, knew that it was a great subject for an artist who had inspired me so much during my earliest years of gaming. I am thrilled by the piece and look forward to the day the Referee's Manual becomes a reality.
http://thegrandtapestry.blogspot.com/2011/12/dont-tell-us-what-you-are-going-to-do.html

The image is not the final draft, but close enough to give all an idea, and I thank Kyrinn again for allowing its posting.

So that's it .... November .... a memory .... What's next? Even the shadow doesn't know.

Bits and Pieces .... but not the Dave Clark Five

2011-10-06T08:23:00.004+01:00

Right, as mentioned last post, here are a few bits of more recent stuff for a variety of clients, friends, and .... no, that never happened [at least not in this universe]. No boring chattering babbling .. just pics. Hope you'll enjoy.

The Maker

The happy Hour ...

Based on the 'the Druid' metal figure.

The Elfin Sorceress


Mermaids


The Lady and her Dragonet

So there we are till next time when we're back in Space.....Sadly due to circumstances beyond my control I cannot attend Dragonmeet this year as I had hoped.

Before September end.

2011-09-29T11:38:00.000+01:00

Just a quick post this time round before September ends of a few pieces that have recently been printed. First up some work Le Grimoire's latest excellent entry in the Lone Wolf series. Sadly my French is even worse than abysmal and my attempts to learn highlight my ...dare I say, 'forgetfulness'? But Sebastien [editor and publisher] is ever helpful, and so I muddle bye as they say .... thanks to his English :).

The book 'LOUP SOLITAIRE' : Livre D'adventure [http://www.legrimoire.net/default-grimoire-english.htm and http://www.legrimoire.net/store/ for more information] primarily features the work of Gary Chalk and If you're a fan do check it out as he has excelled himself. But there also a few pieces by yours truly and here are some of those.

So these are a few pieces from the French edition of NOUVEAUTE : LIVRE D'AVENTURE - Ouvrage inédit disponible (Août 2011).

Next time [and probably next week] some recent commissioned pieces.

A Bit of a Crit ...

2011-09-13T22:25:00.002+01:00

Well, I said, after a victim [sorry, volunteer] asked for my thoughts on a recent piece of his work that I would do just that. So, I will get round to the piece he asked me to look at, and for which he wanted my critical appraisal. But before that a few words in general.

One of the characteristic phrases about being a teacher is, 'Having a duty of care'. In educational terms, related to the law, this implies that one should ensure 'your' students should be protected from injury and harm. I have no intention of going into this matter in any detail except to say what, over the years as an art teacher and lecturer, what it also came to mean to me.

Being Grumpy ... Bah Humbug!

To me, and many other teachers, it also came to mean not just protecting from the physical, but also the mental injury and harm that can come about through the careless action, word, or words used that can cause some form of mental distress. I am not going to claim I was perfect, or that I always got it right, or that I wasn't guilty of such, but I always tried [I believe] to avoid saying, or doing, anything that could result in causing unwitting distress through any critical action on my part. So I have approached this 'crit' of the work below with a little trepidation.

Being deathly ... he he

With that pontification out of the way .... and recognising that my thoughts on others artwork is not going to rock the world of fantasy Illustration, here are my comments on the work from my two ''volunteers'', that of Andy and Matt.

First - Andy ATOM Taylor. I'm not going to say to much here [sorry Andy :)] as the work I want to highlight is based on his interpretation of some of my own pieces. For example, the Dragon from 'The Warlock of Firetop Mountain'. First mine [copied by someone from the book I suspect] then his.

Andy ATOM Taylor

There has long been a tradition by artist's to copy from others work, from the 'learner' to the master, [and I'm not calling myself anything other than someone who is in essence 'still learning'], it not only acts as an excellent training ground to examine technique, but also allows the 'copier' the freedom to explore the original work and interpret the piece, in turn, through their own ideas. What is nice about Andy's pieces is he has not just 'copied' but also 'interpreted' by adding his own individuality 'twist' to the work he has been examining. An even better example of what I mean can be seen in how he has 'added' to the original. Again, mine first, then his.

Andy ATOM Taylor : Wandering Monsters

Note, again how he has added, and refined, as he has explored my work to give a freshness and vitality that makes his on a true homage, and not just a copy. Andy, who has decided [thank you] to become the 'curator' of my 'on-line' library, through down loading much of my work as he can find [wait till he starts looking for my work for 'Tracy' and 'Bunty' comic. lol] has told me how much he finds himself inspired by my stuff. Has to be told, in turn, how I find his 're-interpretations' refreshing, and to say how honoured I feel that he's taken the trouble to do all he's doing on my behalf. Thank you Andy.

When I first started out as an illustrator the computer had not yet revolutionised the whole concept of printing reproduction, most work relied on either film positives, PMT's [ Photo Mechanical Transfer], or engraving. In order to ensure good reproduction line work [in particular] the original had to be drawn [traditionally] one and half times the original size. You can see this on, for example, this piece from 'The Warlock of Firetop Mountain'.

The most important factor was to ensure good line without 'break up'. Now you might be fooled into thinking ...wait a minute there is obvious line 'break up' evident to be seen here, which is even more evident in this next example.

So what is going on? Was the original like this? No, it was not, nor the original printed version. What these examples suffer from is 'newer' printings, on not always good quality paper stock, which were not necessarily based on good quality copies of the original artwork. I've been lucky to see Warlock printed in many different languages, and on many different types of paper, all which show clearly how copying from copies effects the quality of the printed images.

Now, I'm not implying that a sketchier appearing illustrative look would not reproduce, as you can see from this piece by the master English Illustrator Edward Ardizzone, but my contention that care should be taken to ensure the line used by the artist [illustrator] should hold in reproduction.

Edward Ardizonne

Let us look at the work sent me by Matthew H. Damon for my next critical appraisal and compare it with, again say, a piece by Edward Ardizonne. First the piece by Matt, then by Ardizonne.

Matthew H Damon

Edward Ardizzone

But they are different in style so what's my point? Well, let us look at a close-up from each, but remembering that Ardizzone's is a reprint from the original and Matt's is a high quality jpeg. With Ardizonne you can see, even with poor reproduction, the line weight still 'holds' but with Matt's I'm tempted to think some of the finer lines will not.

Of course computer generated imagery has made some of my points irrelevant, but I'd still like to see even the 'sketchier' line work used by Matt drawn a little more carefully with more thought to eventual reproduction. See the same piece by Matt reduced as it might appear through reproduction.

Now I may be cheating a little here [actually I am Matt], but I hope we get my point, and recommend that Matt, who bubbles with ideas, tries to slow down a little so his work benefits from a little more considered care, which is much more evident in that of Andy's pieces.

But back to Matt and his drawing. Looking compositionally at the original there are other things that can be highlighted for some improvement, and as Matt, who is the first to claim he cannot draw, but is in fact a writer who has to do his own illustration, wanted me to help I have tried to be constructive.

First let me state that you can draw Matt, but like all of us you can still learn, and you can still improve. So here are a few visual pointers about the original piece. Mainly based on normal pictorial criteria such as composition, perspective, shading, visual decoration to create the illusion of a reality, and so on.

First, as a reminder, the original drawing.

Next, my analysis of some key points in the work, that I feel would benefit from fresh compositional consideration, with emphasis on perspective, shadows, shading, and textural mark making.

The perspective analysis in red line was to highlight a common error of not using one horizon line [or eyeline].

Now examine my 're-draw' where by adding a few key changes: such as only changing one stack of the boxes perspective; changing some of the shadow; the position of the body; some of the scaling involved in the body, including he head; and some bits of shading, the picture now looks the 'same' yet, I think, different, with the hope that my 'changes' will prove helpful.

So, if we compare the two versions, the original and the adaption [see below] ,we, hopefully, can see what I meant, and that my 'short' critical analysis will prove of help to some.

Catch more of Matt's work, and ideas, at his website:http://www.roguedreampress.com/
where you will also find how the original work came into being before I 'fiddled' with it.

So there we are, and as mentioned, I hope some of my pointers may prove of value. Finally, to finish, thanks once again to Andy, an oldie but a goodie from my past.

A Question: To crit or not to crit ...

2011-08-31T20:28:00.000+01:00

I have had a couple of queries over the weeks about giving advice, and one intrepid has sent me a piece to crit. I'm happy to do this [once] as I've a couple of pointers to offer, which might be of help to the artist. But, and here is the Question, do I do it with my next post, or later? Feedback please, including anything you want answered .. this is a one off offer guaranteed to not survive its sell by date.

From the redoubtable Andy a couple more scans of my work.

Three spot pieces

Swamp Monster

So there we have it for this post ...I'll leave it to the weekend to see what comments or questions, etc. arise and [lol] assume if nothing is forthcoming to hold my crit. Be warned it could be as dry as old toast.

Bits and pieces and some news

2011-08-25T20:36:00.003+01:00

I have been happily, health permitting, working on various commissions of late, though the future lies in shadow, when today,I had a nice email from film maker, writer, director, and producer Martin Gooch, of Death Ltd. about progress with his film 'Death'.

You may remember I posted a couple of bits about my involvement before.

Martin would like more people to get involved, especially if they ever dreamed of being linked to a film. Think of drinking champagne at Cannes, for example, as an associate producer .... and plugging your own projects.

As he points out, 'Filmmaking is very hard in this country. The only way you can prove that you are good enough to make a movie - is to make a movie - it's a classic Catch 22.
There is no funding in this country to speak of (especially if you wish to make slightly off the wall movies like this one).
When this film is complete it could open the gateway to a whole future for everyone on the movies in doing the thing we love - making movies.
You will help us actually make a movie. And your immortality will be achieved with you name on the credits.' So for a few pounds [if you have them :)] you can help an inspiring creative finish of his film and get involved into the bargain.
Please check out his link.http://www.sponsume.com/project/death-martin-gooch-movie

As for me, well I see some of my work up on a big screen. As well as some illustrative work for the production, I also contributed to to the films titling. See an examples below.

from the titles of the film Death.

production piece with my work included

So, their you have it for now, though apparently there will be a poster that includes work by me too. can't wait to see it.

Maps have also come to the fore of late, so here are a few, done a long time ago, for 'The Fabled Lands'.

My reworking for the last books of the original piece

These were found on the web as was the following.


Abraxas, the Lost Continent Note: the original was huge.

Abraxas, the Lost Continent has now been put onto Amazon as a game, which can be down loaded via kindle:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abraxas-The-Lost-Continent-ebook/dp/B005FZ26MK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1314463301&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Abraxas-The-Lost-Continent-ebook/dp/B005FZ26MK/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=

As I have no access to luxuries, [yes, I know that sounds sad], like Kindle, I cannot comment, but if you were [are a fan of The Fabled Lands] and do have kindle, do check it out.

Finally, an oldie from White Dwarf that was linked to a Games Workshop box set.

The Void came back ... keep your fingers crossed I can withhold the Shadow.

2011-08-17T21:26:00.002+01:00

I had intended to continue my exploration of Space 'things', but have been busy with work [which is nice:)], and getting involved [boy did I wish I'd kept my mouth shut ....well....] about what I thought about the nature of the term 'drawn by' [on Facebook] in reference to something I was once involved in. Of course, my comments were in part due to it being very early morning, I was not really awake, and I failed to put my point across well. lol [Now that's true], and my leg hurt, and a magpie went past, and the clouds darkened, and ...
ah, now, feel sorry for the boy. he he.

Anyway such is the saga of life, or as Andy said, [to paraphrase] 'What is Facebook for but to bitch!', and it's to Andy I have to thank once more for his dedicated scanning of my old work from such as White Dwarf Magazine. So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here are a few from those days of yore. It's amusing to think [see] some of them that I have no memory of, and a few look a tad 'rushed'.

What about a couple more?

So that will do for now. Thank you again Andy ...you are a star! I need to return to the drawing board. However, back with more, if the Shadows hold of; or the frog that's hopping about my feet doesn't turn into a vampire, in just a few days.

Beware the Curse of the DSL ....it leads to gibbering time [eat your heart out Thing].

How to rough it ... an example

2011-08-07T23:25:00.006+01:00

Thanks to Atom, I'm going to post one of my rough sketches for an image I did for Le Grimoire's Lone Wolf .. http://www.legrimoire.net/images/russ-nicholson.htm though the rough went through various changes, including 'corrections' from the client it was actually completed using a graphic tablet.

development of rough sent to client before changes made primarily to street detail and size of central heroes

Below is a copy of the final piece the original and the final piece used.

Other little jobs included this 'Kurtok', for New Zealand, and a few more Spurgers for Space madness.

A harbour from ye old Fabled Lands ...and a Kabuki theatre.

Now some real old pieces, that last appeared in the American fanzine, Copper Toadstool 5, published in 1979.

For those that missed it [cough] you'll also see I can now be found on facebook but don't expect anything to exciting. Blogs are it see....

Finally, a couple of Spacey bits to add to my space posts ... and to whet any appetites for such ... added again, because he wanted to see roughs. Though no claims the final work will be much of an improvement. lol

Till der next time .... before I moves to Gobsville [oooh, dats a secrets]. Don't sent roun' der bozys, please.

Addition ... Sebastien Boudaud, editor extraordinaire [Le Grimoire] , friend and other titles to numerous to mention, has kindly posted on facebook an interview I had at last years Monde de Jeu . Having listened to it after a year ... I realise it leaves a lot to be desired [cough] and memory is not my strong point as me ol' mother would say. But for those interested who have not heard it ....hear it is: http://www.scifi-universe.com/fiche_actu.asp?id=10234.

ALSO ... Do check out http://www.ancientblades.com/ where David Chandler has set up his own web page and which features the work I did for his Free City of Ness project.

lastly ... Amused to see that http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110723238706&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT has had no takers.

10/9/11 ... Now it has ..... don't know what to think, to a private amusement. Though in one respect it's nice.

Before I'm consigned to the void......

2011-07-27T21:52:00.000+01:00

It's been a poor month in terms of getting connected to the internet and trying to blog. twice I was about to and my dsl link 'crashed'. So without further ado and with special thanks to ''Atom'' who helped me out, plus some news and maybe other bits ... here goes.

For a few years I was pleased to produce work for Games Workshop and contribute to their house organ White Dwarf. This sadly ended a few years ago but it was fun, on the whole, while it lasted. For those not so familiar with that work, and liked the previous post I made, here are are a few more examples [with a special thanks to Atom who kindly scanned and emailed them to me to post .... then my dsl went again [sigh].

This first {from WD 22} is actually dated '77 and is a very early picture, also, from the patterns on the fabric dates from round the time I did a series of pictures related to ''The Hobbit'' which I did A3 size [landscape and portrait] and thanks to another friend sold as as posters. Interested? Sadly all mine were destroyed by flood, when part of my roof collapsed, after one of the great storms that ravaged southern England I lost of stuff that day.

This is from WD 12 and was probably drawn quite small. The one below is a female ogre from WD 16 and may fall into the Fiend Folio category.

The next two are from WD 17 and are also Fiend Folio in style.

The last of these found in WD 19 is from the 'signature' style used actually older, but after all these years it sometimes difficult to tell. LOL.

For White Dwarf I also worked on space marines as part of the Warhammer 40000 [etc.] mythos and these three all appeared in WD 105.

Now this all tied in with a little piece [actually pieces] about the Regulan [or Vleshgu] that I did for IX [and the game Humanspce] and if you cannot wait till my next [very fast ...honest Injun] post then check out his blog.

http://ixians.blogspot.com/

till a few days from now ..... dsl permitting I'm not sent to the void again where only silent screams are not heard.

lost in a small box

2011-07-18T14:31:00.002+01:00

Quick update I was going to post this weekend past but lost my dsl connection [aaargh] but I'll be back!

SORCERY & WIZARDY & DWARFY BITS

2011-06-23T22:43:00.004+01:00

I recently did a small commission based on a Sorcerer and a Sorceress and coincidentally a piece for Blackgate, the online magazine, who have been running a series called ART EVOLUTION where RPG artists have been highlighted. Along with some background information and a critical overview of their oeuvre all have been asked to create their interpretation of a Sorceress [WIZARD] called LYSSA. It all started in 2010 and has continued this year, where my little efforts have been featured in the June 'issue'. I have to confess that even as I think it well written write-up by Scott Taylor, it frankly says such nice things about myself, and my work, that I have no hesitation in highlighting it here.

http://www.blackgate.com/2011/06/22/art-evolution-2011-russ-nicholson/

As I too was asked to create my version of LYSSA here it is.

LYSSA

As mentioned, I also completed two others. A male and a female Sorcerer.

For Laminations of the Flame Princess I also did a Sorcerer [wizard]. Here we see him trying to use more mundane methods of finding power.

Now for a few Dwarfy bits. White Dwarf Magazine that is. I was asked to illustrate an adventure called 'Night of Blood' [imagine thunder peels and Hammer films screechy music]. I wasn't given a lot of space, except for the colour demon, and was in a phase of trying to experiment with picture 'telling' and where I was allowed [that is nobody said anything] to indulge in a sort of homage to Albrecht Durer, which, if you read the Blackgate piece, you'll know was [is] a favourite of mine, as is a lot of Renaissance art. Anyway from WDM 87 here are those pictures.

And finally ... the Demon.

That's it for now ... and I haven't forgotten about Warhammer, just that I can only find one pic at the moment. But you never know.

Oh, age beckons; where's my depression when I need it?

Post Troll...

2011-06-07T08:34:00.000+01:00

Right have to admit it's been a busy time at the moment ...busy that is in other aspects of my life and not illustrative work related, though I have a couple of commissions to 'start'. Sometimes of course you get enthusiastic queries and then .... nothing. No explanation ...just nothing, but that's the way things are I suppose. Also,I owe to other who kindly got in touch... replies to their emails, but haven't had the time [as yet to do them justice] ...So my apologies to them. I do try, or is that ..I am trying :).

OK. A few pics most old, some new, to see the month in. This work are all based on scans put on the web by others so apologies for quality.
This first is a real oldie ... and it was a little 'rushed' if I remember.

This next [above] is slightly similar to stuff I used to do for Warhammer. I've found an old White Dwarf magazine where another piece exists and [hopefully] will post next time.

This was obviously scanned directly from its source book and I was asked recently to use it as a similar theme to a new illustration for the lastest work [coming] from Le Gimoire and their work on the Joe Dever's Lone Wolf Series [Loup Solitaire]. See link in earlier post if you want more info. Or, if your French is 100% better than mine then visit their website where you will also find some lovely links to Gary Chalk's work.
http://www.legrimoire.net/lone-wolf-loup-solitaire-JDR.htm
Hopefully I'll be able to show the new piece in the not to distant future, but no promises, some work I've done in recent months has still not seen the light of day for lots of reasons.

The next post will also feature a Sorcerer and a Sorceress and as a poor link .. there was this.

The next is a Fiend Folio 'oldie'.

This next, links to 3 of the pictures posted a little while ago. Cannot find my scan .. but found this ... of my Dwarf.

This last is an old favourite that has appeared in many guises over the decades [sigh].

Till the next....

The last Troll ....

2011-05-30T20:26:00.005+01:00

This will be the last post of my lovely time as a guest at the "Troll and Legends" festival, just a couple of pieces of work I showed, along with a 'couple' of photos I took in Brussels.
I will start with Brussels .... and maybe end there ... we'll see.The following pictures are just 'snaps' no real manipulation except a little slight cropping or, like here, converted to B/W.

Castle found in Brussels where it was very hot!

Brussels has some interesting architecture. All the buildings, even ordinary houses, appear different in stark contrast to 20th century architectural England, though recent modern architecture does show more interesting variety. Of course Art Nouveau does 'rule' as with this example with what appears to be an ironic "title".

The markets too had some interesting artefacts on sale, as these examples show.

Brussels is also renowned for its 'comic trail', we didn't follow it as such but did come across these parts as we wondered wilting in the heat.

Tintin in the heat ...


La Porte de Hal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halle_Gate

Lastly, in the photographs of Brussels ... the wabbit, the Purple Wabbit, in my first shot a young dwarf wandered in and sat down ... but he does help us 'see' the scale!

A young Elmer dreams of his first gun


'Who needs a Bugs, when you has a Purple wabbit!' says Elmer	.

Purple Wabbits Rule!

Now for a few pics I took to Mons .. I didn't have time to join a couple together so I hope you'll forgive....

From DW 6

Magus Tor of Krath

http://calific.com/yezmyr.html

The following Goblins, which some may recognise from the Calific website, are hatching plans, but that is in the future, as is this ...a draft version of a new cover for a future Calific publication [check their website for details later in the year].

''Wheze haz plans as soons as we can read der maps''.

Draft for title page for Calific future project

Think that's about it from the Troll's . I did ask last post if anyone wanted to see more of the picture 'dedications' I did ... and there was a resounding silence. Ah well, fair enough. I do try and listen so no more will be posted .... except one last Photograph.

Then a roar went up.... a roar for Troll Beer!!

Troll Beer Rules!

[eff off wabbit]

next time no more rules [grin] just a couple of new pieces I hope. Till then.

It's the 22nd and the planet is still........

2011-05-22T21:19:00.003+01:00

If you haven't heard [or read] the world ended yesterday ....my worry with that sort of thing is ...maybe it did. But then I've experienced it before [but that's another story].

Still, I feel the need to do something .. not much, but something to mark such a non [sorry] momentous event ... at least a volcano did explode [just in the wrong country]. Personally, I'm more concerned by the continuous deforestation especially in Brazil. But back to my little bubble, so here are a few of the sketches I did for fans who visited me at the Le Grimoire table, while in Mons at the Troll and Legend festival, along with a few photographs I took at the time. First the photographs.

didn't manage to capture what I wanted .. the glasses which were most interesting

Everybody wanted ears ...very fetching too, but on me I'd look like a Troll

Just about to leave and we had a lovely send off!

I was asked to draw the 'Wizard' and of course it had to be from memory.... Excuse the quality but they were all drawn without preliminary pencils, though I may have added a couple of little 'tweaks' since [grin].

This last, the Githyanki, was for a new friend we met there, and also drawn from memory, but is it ....? What if .... naw, it doesn't bear thinking about. What does bear thinking about is that I've more sketches that can be posted, but only if I have requests [but that can be reversed too ... lol].

Till the next time....

Trolls bits ...a little more.

2011-05-18T11:51:00.004+01:00

Busy on stuff but felt as I've a bit of Troll material still to post I should get on with it.

Some more stuff I took with me [and thanks to those whom I met there, especially those who've posted a comment].

The first are from Fighting Fantasy 51: Island of the Undead. Originally I'd been offered FF 50:Return to Firetop Mountain, which I had looked forward to, but it was given to another instead.

The following are from one of the Advanced FF books [posted on someone else's blog but not credited [as far as I could see] to me. So excuse quality of picture size/quality.

These last were part of a private commission.

Right, that will hopefully do for the moment, though there are still a few bits to come....

Oops, how could I forget .... the Githyanki.

Time cloppers and asides

2011-05-09T10:06:00.000+01:00

It's at it again ...Time. Why cannot time be more like it was when I was young [sigh] and SLOW DOWN. Enough Rants. Setting aside Troll stuff and posting about a few asides.

First. My copy of the LofRP [Grindhouse edition] came this weekend and a lovely package it is, from the comments it would appear that the deluxe edition [with a pencil ....] was even better, but I cannot comment except about the production values I've seen which are excellent. Of course it also contains a few illustrations from me, but that is by the bye. If your interested ....recommended, and I cannot fault the Swedish post which appears to function faster than our internal UK mail .....ha ha! But that may just be a time clopper illusion, or .... magic.
http://lotfp.blogspot.com/?zx=acf71a0f7c9cb4f5

Other bits ... Martin [Gooch] has kindly sent me a link to a draft trailer of his new film Death which features a little bit of the work I showed in my post 'Time clops on'.
http://vimeo.com/22618055

More to follow ....

May Day [But not a cry for help]

2011-05-01T17:15:00.000+01:00

So the days march on and all the grand plans are slightly stumped by 'losing' a piece of kit...duh. Still, several of friends present have sent some pictures of the Trolls & Legendes event, which I can at least add, plus a couple of old work examples.

The Trolls and Legendes weekend, as mentioned, was a fun affair and enjoyed by all who attended the event. Though some of the pictures appear as if few attended, trust me, at times it was hard to move, and even If I had a steady stream of people wanting a signed sketch, which I was happy to do, I had to feel for the star guest Robin Hobb.

She had a queue so long each day it seemed never ending. As she remarked during a break, normally at signings she would be at a table for one to two hours, but here it was closer to eight or more each day, [I suspect longer]. She proved a very nice lady and a pleasure to have met.

My main 'station' for signing was at the Le Grimoire table, where as part of the team I was pleased to see that they one one of the awards given out, in the different categories, at the festival.

The team Le Grimoire

The Trolls & Legends award

Here I am chatting with Olivier Joiris, one of the chief organisers of the festival

Below a couple of pictures sent of me sketching and signing and one of those said sketches.

For those interested I've added a couple of links so you can see other photographs taken at the event.
https://picasaweb.google.com/as.rimorini/TrollsEtLegendes2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCM6sm77oyZDkIQ#

http://www.legrimoire.net/trolls-et-legendes-2011.html

Finally, a couple of work pieces that were on display there, either in the exhibition or in the small folder I took for people to look through.

Now it's back to the drawing board ....I'm working hard [honest gov'] but trying not to 'rush' anything.

Interim [tired at mo]

2011-04-25T21:05:00.000+01:00

Hey, this is just a very short, quick, mention to say we [Jacqui and I] are back from Mons and the Trolls and Legends Festival and its friendly atmosphere where we had a great time, were well treated by the organisers who were kindness personified; the team Le Grimoire and those guests we managed to chat with. My small display of original art, from various sources, and the small portfolio I carried, was, I think, well received. I certainly did a lot of signing [and sketching] for those who came to the Le Grimoire table.

I took a lot of pictures on my trusty old camera ... but have to see if I can get them to down load :) [technologically ... I'm getting worse as I age .....AARggh!. Still, I add here one picture I was sent ...where I'd just signed a book for a new fan and where I despair of my weight [sob].

from Plague of the Demons [FF 51]

So, that's it for a little while, for those whose expecting work be assured I'll have my nose to the grindstone by tomorrow.

Time clops on...

2011-04-13T19:57:00.000+01:00

First apologies to those who tried the Trolls & Legends festival link I posted last time ...as it failed. It has been 'corrected' so if still interested in what the event is about please try again. Links are funny things, I had posted another, related to the same event, that gives some info about myself and it 'disappeared'. Most strange ... so below my second and final attempt to post a link to it.http://www.festivalenjeux.be/Russ-Nicholson-a-l-honneur-a-la-fantastique-convention-des-jeux_a93.html

Now at the moment, I have been busy with this and that, and trying to finish off, and start, projects and it's getting a little ahead of me at the moment so apologies to any who are waiting to see 'their' commissions ... honest injun [can I write that now? if I've stepped on any toes then please forgive]. One thing that I feel is so important is to be in tune with the job [as they say] as the quality needed is always paramount where ever possible. I'd be a liar to say everything I do is my best work but I strive for it to be as good as I can manage at that moment in time and space wherever possible and, of course, where the client is happy with the result. Why am I saying this? Well, it's the reason why some jobs seem to take a little longer to complete than others ... I always want to "feel" it's right. Corny, but true.

Now one project I've recently been involved with is a film, Death ..It's A Mystery, by Martin Gooch, where I've been doing a few pieces that appear in one of the sets as background and some 'portraits' that are to be used in the opening title credits. This below is a promotion piece and the title has not yet been confirmed but I'll post more information as and when I get it.

The material for the scenes was to show the idea of pages 'torn' from a sketchbook highlighting the doodles of the inventor father. Below I've posted one of the original doodled pages and how it appears in the film.

http://www.martingooch.com/

Here are a couple of other pages also based on 'doodle' sketchbook pages, some of them are actually based on my own doodling.

So that's it for the moment, something a little different, now back to sorting out the few pieces for the exhibition in Mons.

Well, the Goblin decided to come back...

2011-04-10T12:27:00.007+01:00

Alack, alas and gadzooks [he said in mock Arthurian] things are becoming bizarrely murky in Dinglyrussiedell it would seem. The missing Goblin came back and the naughty zombies, [err...can zombies be naughty?], ran away ...or I forgot to scan a copy, [Sounds more like it, dim-bat.], he 'said' with gnashing and grinding of teeth and a tearing of remnants.

Ah well, such is life.

So, the Goblin came back, still asleep too it would appear.

Once again we have to question the standards of the Goblin NHS..... ["Disgraceful", said Ol'Thunderblogs in the Telegraph].

For you who care, this picture appears [more or less] slightly larger than S/S.

News. Well, Mons, Brussels and the Trolls and Legends Festival approaches. A small blurb has been added about my good self ... link below.
http://www.trolls-et-legendes.be/2011/index-en.htm

More bits and blobs will hopefully be posted on my return.

To finish this short post a few oldies but goodies [well, if you squint, while standing on one leg in the left corner [as you look over your shoulder] when the moon is in the seventh Quadrant of Kiquel].

Dave {Morris} has been adding a few oldies ...on his own excellent blog. The first from The Hearts of Ice.

The second from a proposed strip, The Dying Trade, about vampirism, that went into limbo. It was done with brush rather than pen, and was supposed to be in colour.

In a similar vane a part from The Heart of Harkun, that was done with Jamie Thomson [only the dummy draft layout sketches really survive. The colour [here] was reproduced by poor photocopying before the advent of cheap computer generated colour printing.

Finally, a version of one of my maps ... this for, The Lands of Legend.

Next time, the movie adventures .... or something :).

On the third day...

2011-04-03T21:12:00.000+01:00

Last of the robots....

So, before we leave robots et al, let us look at a quick sketch I did for one of the ladies who form the 'real' Manga BoyZ.

Other bits now. First concerning those pesky Goblins. It has come to my attention that the competence of the Goblin medical fraternity is as adequate as our NHS these days. I've remarked before that they not only use what they can get but cannot always tell their left from their right, remarkably rather like me. Take this 'new' example of a sleeping Goblin.

What!! The file has been removed ...it's a sneaky government cover-up. But his 'friend' has not escaped.

While extensive, and exhaustive searches are made to find this dasterly crime of Goblin sneakery we will take a short break, but don't [or do despair] no rock will be lifted to find the culprit.

On the seventh day...

2011-03-29T20:58:00.058+01:00

"Heavens to Murgatroyd!", and where does the time go? Down the rabbit hole methinks. Now, if only we can reverse the process.

Lots of news and stuff, mostly bits and pieces but if I don't mention [post now] I'll be 'late' again. So, more robots, as I promised last time. This time Insectodroids or as my better half remarked, 'Bugbots' and Dave {Morris} said last time, 'scorpion/saurian/insectscorpion/saurian/insectoid robotsoid robots'. Votes will be counted:).

Now these are just a selection, but they should give you an idea of what could be seen 'scurrying around the jungles of the Abraxas MMO...'

Now bits of news, I'll try and make links to each for those interested who want to follow up.

End of the month I will be in Mons, Belgium to be an invited guest at the "Trolls & Legends" Festival of Fantasy , where I will be showing a few bits of original art.
http://www.trolls-et-legendes.be/2011/expositions.htm

So if anyone would like to say hi, please do so. Not sure yet what I'm involved in but will be at the 'Le Grimoire' table when I can. Have been completing work for Le Grimoire's latest book [see last post for more details] "Loup Solitaire - LE LIVRE D'AVENTURE" due out in May.

Also coming out soon is the "LotFP Weird Fantasy Role-Playing Grindhouse Edition", which has gone to the printer, in which I have contributed four of my pictures, below is one example.

see: http://lotfp.blogspot.com/

This was also raised by http://mikemonaco.wordpress.com where he says, under a heading of - Russ effing Nicholson, ' So I mentioned a while back that my idea for an illustration for the LotFP:WFRPG was selected to be used, and I was stoked about the prospect of a free boxed set. Now I’m even more stoked because I found out that the artist who did the illustration was Russ Nicholson! I first saw his work in the Fiend Folio. Since then I’ve come to appreciate his work even more, although I always loved the FF illustrations.
Mr. Nicholson now has a blog so you can see some of his stuff there. I can’t wait to see what did with my suggestion. I’m honored that idea was picked at all, and even more honored that someone as talented as Russ Nicholson created an illustration based on it. One more thing to look forward to in the “Grindhouse edition” of the game.'

Praise indeed, and as I posted on his blog, I hope he likes what I did, but you'll have to wait a bit to see it.

Some more bits soon [err....fingers crossed :)]

More Robots and a little promotion.

2011-03-07T13:27:00.000Z

Something I never get to do much is Science Fiction, so when Dave [Morris] gave me the 'Heart of Ice' book I reveled in it so to speak. Last time I posted pictures of some of the roughs I drew to establish character ...for example the Robot, Gilgamesh.This time see the final picture used and another scene from the book, The Lost City.

Robots now ... a few more roughs from draft ideas for 'Abraxas', Dave and Jamie [Thomson's] other Fabled Lands Project.

All drawn a very long time ago, and only seeing the light of day now.

Now a little bit of promotion of a new title coming out in France soon, why my promotion, well it does contain a few of my illustrations and I like the 'promoter' [grin]. It is called "Loup Solitaire - Livre d'Aventure" and relates to the world of LONE WOLF [Joe Dever's magnum opus].

The preorder price is 25 euros only (instead of 34 euros in the shops when it will be published) and shipping costs are totally FREE for European countries until 31th March !

As these are usually heavy books that's a good price I think.

Name of the book : "Loup Solitaire - LE LIVRE D'AVENTURE"
Available : May 2011

Number of pages : 208.
ISBN : 9782917730041

Final price : 34 euros

Language : French

Size : large book

I can add here that the Le Grimoire publishing standards are very high and they print their titles on good quality stock.

To preorder we accept Paypal, Blue Card or check (from any French bank) also, fans must take a look at the dedicated & official website home page : http://www.loup-solitaire.fr

FACEBOOK
Le Grimoire is on Facebook too :
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=96520627194

I hope some of you will take a look, though it helps to be able to read French [grin], but then, I cant even speak it let alone read it [sad Russ], but I do like the pictures [grin].

Now a couple of coloured pieces of my work [not coloured by me but nice work] and the Sleeping Goblin has been the subject of a new private commission which I hope to publish soon. As the work I've been doing [am doing really] for a British Film. Actually if i can get permission maybe even sooner.

Oh and finally a 'curiosity', this last Picture, is my work, and was uncredited as such on Coopdevils excellent blog [http://fightingfantasist.blogspot.com] That's not a complaint, by the way [grin] and I was wondering if anyone could remind me as to when and why I did it?

Take care till next.

PS: Welcome James, you just became a 'follower' just as I was about to post, I do hope you find stuff to like [as I do all those who privilege me with your interest in this blog ... many, many, thanks!]

Shock! Horror! No. Just an other post.

2011-02-21T01:45:00.000Z

Yes I know... an other post and not a year to wait ... lad can't be busy, cause that don't seem right [repeat aloud in cod north English voice ..... or not :)].

Found a pile of old bits ... related to the 'Heart of Ice', courtesy of Dave Morris sending me some copies of the original character drawing roughs, and 'Abraxas' and its world.

http://fabledlands.blogspot.com see there to find a link to free interactive novel.

and from Abraxas ... a taster [rest to follow in next post]

And finally a Brain Eater,and a mention of the next post where I hope to chat a little about rejection [sigh] and my tiny involvement in a film [exciting! To me anyway.

Where has all the time gone?

2011-02-17T22:55:00.000Z

Blimey ....it's been a while since my last post .... good news is because I've been busy with work, bad news is because I've been under the weather [literally]. I hate Winter ....why can't we hibernate ...but after thinking that for more than 50 years ... I become convinced it wont be something I'll be doing [lol] much as I'd love to.

But that's the thing about time ... it always seem to 'vary' depending on what we do, and as I certainly, get older, it becomes difficult to find more when you need it. Where are those halcyon days of long summer days that stretched on for ever it seemed when I was a boy? Although correctly the halcyon period refers to the Winter time. But not this period where Winter lingers and spring waits to be sprung .... and waits, and waits. I know, probably a warm house would help. Lol.

I had an email about a past event and thought, because it amused me at the time, that it might amuse some others ... well, I hope so.

Jim [Fleet] emailed and asked,

May I ask you about something in one of the pictures you did for the game book The Warlock of Firetop Mountain in 1982?

I copied this image from the book off the internet, but what I wanted to ask was why you illustrated the whip hand of the tall goblin in the way you did.

Jim continued, 'the only reason I ask is because the raised hand of the Goblin creature with the hat is drawn as though it were a left hand; so it's the wrong way around for a right hand!Just out of interest, I've always wanted to know if this was deliberate or a mistake?'

My reply was as follows ...

As to your question about that particular drawing done so, so long ago... is answered as follows:

Well, This is a clear case of notorious Goblin surgery going wrong [again] and resulted in the replacing this fellows hand, struck off in an earlier fight, the wrong way round. The wrist band clearly hides the scars. Goblin surgery isn't what it was sadly, as is our present NHS, if reports in the paper's are to be believed.

Or .. it might have been because...

I'm left handed and just cannot tell my left from my right [sigh] and often get things back to front .. but luckily till now not upside down [or do I speak too soon ....].

Or..

it might have been because...

This particular illustration although 'created' for The Warlock of Firetop Mountain and first printed in 1982, was in fact based on a similar drawing that I'd produced nearly 10 years before which I did just after I left college .. So you see, I was young; I was foolish; I was dim [grin]. Also when sent for checking and editing ...nobody at Penguin spotted the error [grin], unlike in other later books when there were later gaffes [grin] and I had to do redraws. I had noticed this 'error' myself afterwards .. but liked to think of the 'otherness' of Goblins ....at least, that's my story.

Be proud though Jim, as you're the first to point it out! Though not necessarily the first to notice it [grin]. As in the days of old Marvel .. definitely worth a No Prize!

Someday, if I can ever find a publisher I might produce the 'Book of Goblin'.

To conclude, another 'blast from the past', having been contacted by James from darkest Hamilton who,as he remarks, serendipitously stumbled upon my blog last night and thought he'd email as I'd posted on my blog already a small section of a painting that he'd commissioned from you many moons ago!

So here it is.... Thank you James!

Next time I'll discuss my latest rejection [sob], show off a 'new' Brain eater, and begin to show off some old robots and beasties .. the original 'roughs' that is. Promise it wont be too long [grin].

Also wondering if I should revive [if that's the right term] my old sex comic strip ... which also saw light of day many moons ago and which I'd forgotten about till recently when I found an old copy.

Oh and don't get excited ... it was mostly dreadful puns.

Only connect.... links to other news and stuff

2010-12-27T08:36:00.000Z

OK, This post is just a little delayed it should have happened a few weeks ago, but other stuff [as happens] got in the way.
Still better late than never. Lots of things out from listening to me prattle on at 'Monde de Jeu' in Paris earlier this year with Lone Wolf creator, Joe Dever, and a Le Grimoire, of whom I was a guest, who posted a YouTube clip which among other things, shows me signing books [I know you can't wait... but, on the other hand, if you want to see me draw...]. To stuff about The Fabled Lands 're-launch' in book form, and also, as a new iPad game from Megara Entertainment.

http://fabledlands.blogspot.com/2010/12/fabled-lands-players-call-to-arms.html

http://megara-entertainment.com/

http://www.scifi-universe.com/fiche_actu.asp?id=10234 Features Russ rabbiting ...

Interview with Joe Dever and Russ Nicholson [part 1/ 2/ 3] by the excellent Paul Gresty and Sophia Ehrsam at Monde du Jeu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68JxOPBTJqE&feature=related Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm7leSTI9-o&feature=related Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0V18Q5xkUc&feature=related Part 3

No dialogue on the next, but you can watch me scribble ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41XtLrAFO7E

I'll add a disclaimer to some of my chatter ... I had nothing prepared [almost] and having cringingly watched some of this, after some passage of time, I realise my memory, et al, is based on what I thought at the time and nothing else.

Also available from Dragon Warriors ....
http://dragonwarriors.wetpaint.com/photos/album/184028/Golden+Dragon+4
http://dragonwarriors.wetpaint.com/page/Illustrators
Which also features really nice new colour artwork from Jon Hodgson - see more at his blog: http://jonnyhodgsonart.blogspot.com/

There are of course other projects I've been busy with but till they are printed, etc. cannot say much at the moment.

To finish, this is an old experimental piece for one of the British Fantasy Society zines a good number of years ago.

I'll try and post a few more pics, etc. before the week is out, and the year ..sigh [doesn't time fly]. Now, if it would only warm up or I could buy a Lottery ticket that means we could have central heating installed... [all say ..aah]

Hope you all had a good time over Christmas .. my best wishes to you all and to your families.

The Christmas Seasons Greeting that I forgot!

2010-12-26T18:55:00.000Z

So the day has come and the day has gone and what do you know.. I forgot to post my 'Ye old Seasons Christmas Greeting' but ...sorry you'll still have to suffer. Most people [of sense] would blame me ...I blame this bloody awful cold weather; freezing snow and burst tap ends.... luckily that was in the garden that made an interesting sideways 'fountain', which nearly cost me injury as I slipped drying to reduce the gush .... ah. the fun.

This is a quick post of that picture card mentioned as a Greeting and thank you for all you who follow me and my work ... luckily I've been busy too [that takes time as well ... lol ..but in the nicest possible way].

I'll add a few more bits ..tomorrow. Shock ! Horror!

COMPETITION: answers

2010-11-17T23:10:00.003Z

Right, the answers to the competition.
First realise my answers are based on my knowledge [as it is], and memory [poor as it is].

Picture 1.

The village is Dunning, and is listed as having architectural interest as it covers a range of historical features throughout its buildings. One house was the only real 'undamaged' survivor of a highlander attack during the first major Jacobite rebellion of 1715. Apparently it's now been restored. It is one of those annoying fallacies that these rebellions [it and the Bonny Prince Charlie one of 1745] were Scotland rising against the English - a load of twaddle.

The well itself stood at the top of the street where I lived and actually worked giving fresh spring water when I was a small boy. the village featured two such wells for many years [the other being in Tron Square]. At the back was a hill, the land then was 'empty' common land, and under the grass the hill was made mostly of sand - in fact, a 'sandpit' existed near the top and the steepness of the hill [from the old wood at the top down to behind the well] was the scene of many a sledging accident when young. lol.

Picture 2.

The oldest church [there are two] in the village and its tower is an example of Norman {Romanesque} Architecture of about 1200 [though not the clock lol], and is called St Serf's. It stands by the edge of Tron Square in the so called 'centre' of the village. The tower has very narrow stairs and it has a lovely view from the top of the surrounding village where the bells are housed. Once, whilst sketching up there, and concentrating on what I was doing, I was caught by a peal of bells and alarmed nearly fell out one of the windows.

St Serf, who established the church in Dunning was, according to legend, where he fought and killed a Dragon that was terrorising the village. Part of the upper village is still called The Dragon [pronounced dreygon], and close by runs the Dunning Burn where people believed its lair [the Dragon's Den] still existed even when I was a boy. I was never convinced, but it was a nice myth.

Picture 3/4.

This famous Celtic Cross - is the Dupplin Cross.

Forteviot, which is close by, was once the last Pict capitol in Scotland, and the cross stood nearby in a field, near the River Earn, protected by an old fence but otherwise overgrown when I was young. It is a beautiful example of Celtic work, and now, after a lot of wrangling, stands in St Serf's church which stopped being a place of worship in 1972. It also has some lovely examples of late Victorian/Edwardian stain glass [see picture below].

For those interested - Forteviot, was also where Edward II had a hunting lodge and he was said to have been there, hunting the valley of Strathearn, the summer before the Battle of Bannockburn 1314 [near Stirling] . One of the great defeats of the English by the Scots, and an interesting aside, in 1513 at the battle of Flodden nearly 200 years later the Scots suffered their worst defeat against the English. In each case, in my opinion, the result of being led by puffed up arrogant fools. War does promote such, doesn't it.

Picture 5.

Happy penguins in front of St Mary's, Dundee by the Nethergate, apparently they are 'marching' towards the Discovery, Captain Scott's ship which is now berthed on the River Tay.

Picture 6. which features the infamous second Q.8 [AArgh!!]

DC Thomson, is the most famous company in Dundee, and has been responsible for a whole range of comic titles. Having left Art College in Dundee, and having moved to England, I later freelanced for DC Thomson as a comic artist [this was during the early 80's]. The company has always been famous for two 'big foot' comics in particular - The Beano and The Dandy, who featured, among other great characters, Minnie the Minx and Desperate Dan [Dan's statue actually carries a copy of The Dandy].

Picture 7.

This cloud picture of a 'dragon' was seen over the village on our last visit. Often patterns, and combinations of objects, and surfaces, can help trigger imaginative ideas for creatures and other things. Such methods reach back to the ideas of Leonardo da Vinci as a source of artistic inspiration.

The final question was about the local legend of a monument which can be found outside the village on the back road to Auchterarder, which itself is more famous for the Gleneagles Hotel and its golf courses.
This monument is dedicated to the burning of a witch, called Maggie Walls in 1657. but no records can be found [they say] so it must be a myth. I beg to differ, when a student, I did a lot of research on the village, and, yes, there is no record of a Maggie Walls [witch or not]directly related to Dunning, but in the records of Perth, the city nearby, there was a record of a Maggie Walls accused of witchcraft at around that time. Yet no mention on the Internet; curious.

So there we go. A little about a Scottish village called Dunning, once a thriving market town with around 200 pubs [now 3]; with a Roman marching camp nearby; a standing stone commemorating an ancient battle [legend said], which where, as it was ploughed around, I watched it over the years 'shrink'. Dunning was also where I spent most of my better formative years as a young boy, where living in a house, [near the well in Q.1], that had originally been three three old weavers cottages joined together, strange events often happened.

In finishing, I realise there were not many entries actually sent in, but thank you for all those who tried.
I kind of suspect the time of posting was 'poor' and I should have planned it better, and if I ever do another, the competition will stay open for a week and all 'correct' entries will go into a hat, then the winner selected.

The Competition

2010-11-14T09:34:00.001Z

Well,it's come around to that dread day when I said I would have a competition.

It's a thank you for all of you who have joined as followers [nobody else] and the prize is a wee original drawing of my choice [or not ].

OK. The first step is to explain the rules [as such] and how the competition will run.

As mentioned in a reply to a comment - I'm aware that some might have an unfair advantage because of the matter of time zones.

So the competition will run for a few days, if there is one fast outright winner then they will be declared the winner, but if several correct entries come in more or less at the 'same' time then all will be put 'into a hat' and a winner drawn.

If no 'fast' winning entry is made then clues will be posted each day.

The judgement is final.

As you'll see, there is a set of photographs, each which has a question or questions attached. All you have to do is answer the questions. All the answers are linked to stuff about me on the Internet or related sites.

Some may seem obscure, but the information is there if you do the research on my homeland of Scotland. [Clue no. 1 ].

Clues will be posted each day if necessary.

The first Question is a stinker!
But the picture clues may be related [Clue no. 1 ].
PICTURE 1. This well can be found in the village I spent most of my younger life in.

Q.1 Name the village, which has architectural interest.

PICTURE 2. This is the oldest church in the village.

Q2. Name the style of architecture.

Q3. Name the church.

PICTURE 3/4. This is a famous Celtic Cross.

Q4. Name the cross.

Q5. Name where it originally stood.

Q6. Name where it is now.

PICTURE 5. These penguins can now be found where I went to art college.

Q7. What is the name of the city.

Q8. What is the name of the church behind.

PICTURE 6. These statues represent two famous British Comic Book characters.

Q8. Name each character.

Q9. Name each comic they come from.

PICTURE 7. Cloud dragon over village [another clue].

Q 10. What is the mystery of the witch whose monument is found near the village.

Right 10 questions. Nothing more to add [though bribery? Naw, can't allow temptation ], Look forward to entries!!

Best of Luck to all. Russ.

New boys and old fellows [Part 2].

2010-11-09T18:25:00.000Z

Well,for the first time the last post had no comments at all; everybody must have been busy at bonfire parties.

But I said there would be a part two, and here it is. So let's start with a few pics done to describe characters soon to appear in a game, but I'll leave it to him to add more on his own blog which I also follow.

So there you go. Now to add a few oldies but goodies in no particular order.

Why not another two.

And finally, the date of that competition, which will be Sunday 14th November.

Details of the competition will be announced then and as I'm aware people live in different time zones that will be taken into account.

New boys and old fellows.

2010-11-08T21:49:00.061Z

Brain eater

Right, you make promises and things happen. This post will include some new work and some old. Let's start with new, most of which are private commissions and only shown here because of the kindness of the owners.

An eight headed beast

The Yellow Ogre Sorcerer

The Ogre's Lair

So that's some of the new work I've been keeping busy with.

Now for a few oldies. First up a couple of oldies from The Fiend Folio, and a few rough ideas for 'Mechaniods' a part of the Abraxes World.

Now some of the "Mechanoids" designed for the futurist world linked to Abraxes.

To finish this time,a few more real oldies from The Citadel of Chaos and the Fiend Folio.

Gark

This is part one, part two [within two days] will contain some more selected oldies and give the date of the competition post.

Emmanuel and his story strip.

2010-10-29T09:30:00.004+01:00

Wow, I'm horrified to see how long it's been since my last post, so first, as promised all those weeks ago, I'll be posting the work of Emmanuel [no relation to any illustrator] whom I met at the Monde du Jeu. Not only a long time fan of my work, but as you'll see, one of my illustrations inspired him to create a 'comic' strip [or should I say - a 'storyboard'] of what happened before and after the picture I drew for that Fighting Fantasy Book.

I will follow this post very quickly [cough, cough] with two others.
One will feature some new work and to make up for the long hiatus in posting, the other will be a first for me, a Christmas Competition.

The competition will not be easy, but hopefully the prize will make it worthwhile! It will be open to all of my blog followers only [by the time of posting] and those who have ordered private commissions. More details during next post. This [the next post] will probably be done during the first full week in November, which is, oh yes, next week and the competition will be posted soon thereafter.

But now back to Emmanuel's lovely work, which I think deserves a wider audience. Even if my original post date was missed [cough, cough!].

and finally all the panels [as pages] created by Emmanuel.

To finish, a photograph taken at the Monde du Jeu [by Stefan] of myself [careworn and tired and thus all my wrinkles - that's the one seated on the left] and Emmanuel deep in conversation. My lovely partner, and rock, was beside me on that Friday, and in that photograph, but I had to 'crop' her from the picture because if I showed her face I'd have to die! Why do you women act so? Still, on reflection, and thinking of how [sad git] vain I can be... and looking at my mush ....I blame my father.

Till next time, and I promise it will be very soon.

Mainly photographs

2010-09-27T09:44:00.001+01:00

A quick post of mainly photographs. Since my last post I have been fighting and losing a battle with the 'lurgy' [an insidious increasing poor throat, that develops into a cold, then a severe cold, then a 'chest' complete with cough], and can I through the bastard off? Ah you guessed, but I am on the mend, and it was only a debilitating cold and I am not as badly effected as my poor suffering partner who came down with bronchitis.

But to more cheerful matters. For those not bored at looking at someones holiday snaps, and having found my ancient camera [by digital standards] here are a few. For those who are bored by such - look away now before you're damned!

First the hotel views - from each of its windows [the second was shot through a glass window]

Next from our visit to the Lourve


Walking towards the Pyramid


In the courtyard aliens walked

From the Louvre you can clearly see the Eiffel Tower

In the gardens nearby, as we sat exausted, a young lady fed the birds

As we left a Lion, on guard, distainfully looked on


Hard to see but the face in the tree trunk knows its roots

At the Monde du Jeu, as mentioned I and Joe Dever did a lot of signings. With most of my signings I did little 'doodle' freehand sketches. I recorded a few and have assembled them 'together' so you may see 'what I was up to', as they say.

Paul and Joe look on as Russ uses his ancient digital camera

Having signed I thought it sensible to record a few - most suffered camera shake, but a few turned out reasonably.
So here [below] are a few examples, neither the best nor the worst, of what was done over the three days I was there. A very tiring but also stimulating and enjoyable experience.

So there you have it - some holiday snaps and samples of my 'signing doodles', with thanks to all those who came up to say 'hallo'. I have one more post that I want to do about my time in Paris, related to someone I met at Monde du Jeu. I think his take on a piece of my artwork deserves a wider audience. This will be featured in my next post if the scans arrive on time. Sample below.

If you like this, then wait to see what 'follows'! Till next time.

Update - Monde du Jeu: Paris

2010-09-16T05:08:00.009+01:00

Being Mr Efficiency [cough, cough] I've yet to find my camera in my bag and attempt to retrieve the pictures I took. However, others have been been able to send a few more and I'll add some of these below.


Sebastien [Le Grimoire] Angelique 'Rebel' [Manga BoyZ] and Pierre

Authors [Gabriel Feraud, Manga BoyZ], and [Joe Dever, Lone Wolf] while the poor artist slaves on...


Gun toting Manga Boyz model gets my attention, and all she wants is a little drawing

One of the things Joe Dever and I were asked to do was a presentation and talk, supported by a PowerPoint presentation about the Lone Wolf series and examples of some of my work. Not all went to plan, even though Sophie and Paul did an excellent job trying to smoothly interpret my mumblings, for not all the pictures in the presentation were shown. Below are some that were missed [or not enough time was allowed to show them of].


From the Goldhawk series by Ian Livingston

Below are two illustrations supporting a major new fantasy series by horror writer David Wellington. He's best known for his book "Zombie Island" and his vampire series. The website will be a "multimedia-rich interactive site to support his new series, featuring maps, videos, an interactive glossary and much more".

http://www.davidwellington.net/

City map for David Wellington's new project

Below are two related pieces for Calific.com. First for the 'Sickly Purple Death Ray' blogspot and the second is the half page backcover for 'Marooned across Space and Time' book1 - the first installment in the forthcoming 'World of Yezmyr' series of science fantasy themed adventure modules.

http://calific.com/


Banner for the 'Sickly Purple Death Ray' Blog

Back cover illustration for 'Marooned across Time and Space' first in a series for Calific.com

Went back to my roots with this private commission, which shows a 'reworking' of the Githyanki and Githzerai who first appeared in TSR's 'The Fiend Folio'.

Interim update : back from Paris and the 'Monde du Jeu' convention.

2010-09-14T21:08:00.001+01:00

Now, just back from Paris. Very tired. Royally treated by Sebastien of La Grimoire and his team who made my partner and I very welcome, and I met some lovely people and some very loyal fans - and did a lot of signing and drawing. I was glad to have accepted the invitation. Thanks 'guys'! and a special thank you to all those fans who especially came to say hello and shake hands with me.

Here are a couple of pictures from the event.


Myself, Olivier Roux [with his 'Russell' T shirt] and Joe Dever, fellow guest and creator and writer of the 'Lone Wolf' series.

From left to right [facing] Pierre, myself, Paul [both of whom ensured I never got 'lost' each day] and two other dedicated role-playing gamers. Apparently this game was considered curious as it was the only one played in English over the weekend - can't think why?

This was the first role-playing game I'd played in years and - the first where I didn't end up dead. Which was nice.

I'll be writing more about the event and posting more pictures over the next few days.

Update: Calific.com now has a website 'home', and is decorated with various items of my work. Please check it out.
See: http://calific.com/index.html

Update: Kobold Quarterly Magazine is now out and is a very handsome production. Well worth catching if you're into games and role-playing. http://www.koboldquarterly.com

Till the next time!

A Wordy Post

2010-09-03T21:03:00.159+01:00

The work inserted into this post is the result of two recent commissions - see bottom of post for more details.

I previously mentioned that I lost a particular post, one that I'd spent some time on when it 'disappeared'. Ah well, thus is life.

It had three purposes originally, first to reminisce about the gap in my period of working on the FF series. Secondly, to announce that I'm away in Paris next week appearing as a guest at a Games Convention 'Monde de jeu'. Thirdly, to reprint an email reply I made about the 'recording' of my appearance at said con. as I was informed it was worthy of 'broadcasting' I'm not so sure. Mmmmm.

First. I had a very nice email from a fan reminiscing about his Fighting Fantasy collection. He said, "The first one I got was the Citadel of Chaos in the 1980s. Great book and your art really made it shine. I always liked the chaotic style of your fine-line drawings. Great stuff and a fond reminder of my childhood!" This in turn had me thinking about that period and the reason why after finishing book 2: Citadel of Chaos I never did another book until book 30: Chasms of Malice. Originally, in the 'lost' post, when I wrote about this period and being 'dumped' by Puffin I was full of ire [and malice ]. Mainly because thinking back, and being handsomely praised for my work, I was told by the then editor, that they couldn't afford to raise my fee. Also, as I'd announced I was taking up a 'new' teaching post, which I never regretted, in Papua New Guinea I was told Puffin Books did not hire artists who lived and worked abroad. As I was enjoying then enjoying working on the series this was a bit of a blow. Stay in the UK and continue to work on the series leave and that was that.

It came as no surprise to learn that other publishers were happy to receive work from abroad, and I learned on my return that a artists agent I had known had two artists working on the series soon after I left and they were earning twice the fee I had been. Useful things artists agents.

But there was, and is, an upside. I also learned years later from a teacher friend, when attending teachers conferences, that these first two books in particular, "Warlock" and "Citadel", had a profound effect in helping boys with reading and learning difficulties to engage in reading and the primary motivational 'trigger' was as a result of my drawings.

Second. I had intended to 'announce' this earlier but things have been a little hectic of late. I have been invited to be a guest at 'Monde de jeu' a Games Convention in Paris to be held next weekend. It should prove to be an interesting experience as I know no French. Anyway, this leads to the email I mentioned earlier.

Dearthwood Orc

Third. I've been doing a bit of work for Ramsey Dow at Calific and I wanted to add at least one picture to the PowerPoint presentation for which I was organising pictures that was from his new Fantasy Science adventure that he plans to launch shortly.

[See his blog http://sicklypurpledeathray.blogspot.com for more information.]

But when he heard I was to appear at this Convention he immediately thought of my presentation and discussion being recorded by video streaming then being 'posted'.
This was my sad reply which he thought both funny and worth posting, and so here it is.

"First I'm sorry Ramsey for the 'double' send.

I was concerned when I tried to leave my email on a site and it wasn't 'recognised ' and wondered if the email address was 'playing up' as one politely states on such occasions, and of course you are usually swift with your replies. Still, I hope the busy was a 'good' busy and not a 'bad' busy.

Now this message does so alarm me!! Being recorded? Streaming video? Video file?
I'm the person who cannot even get a simple mobile phone to work properly. I managed once and then the phone just stopped and the local shop where I bought it was suddenly not there. So a few years went by and I bought another in a local supermarket, but made the mistake of not getting it operational there and then: so it still sits forlorn by my desk in bits
and some of the bits seem to have gone on walkabout. Most strange.

So asking such questions of me... Hell, they probably wont understand my accent. I used to have new students every year say, 'What's you sayin' sir?' Is that a' accent, sir? Is dusz yuz Scottish, sir?' The playful little monks couldn't even say 'scots' not 'scottish'. I'm not a marmalade, for heavens sake! Ah, the sweet memories.

MM this might appear on my blog - or is that too sad git :)

OK - this techno Q. I'll ask if it is happening? Why do you want to hear me rabbit? As an ex mature student said to me today with a grin, and I'll shorten her reply, " PowerPoint presentation? Can you handle that? Succinct was never your strong point." Bah, who invented students?

So there you have it except to mention a couple of new commissions. The 'originals' have been inserted into the post elsewhere as you will have seen.

The Invincible Overlord

First for Kobold Quarterly Magazine [ http://www.koboldquarterly.com/ ] and second for Scott Driver [see his blog http://hugeruinedpile.blogspot.com/ ].

Next post will be after my return from Paris. Is it me or I the only one who hates organising trips and thinking of a all the things that can go wrong?

Commissions [a short post].

2010-08-17T19:58:00.003+01:00

Occasionally, I'm commissioned to do personal work. I've been approached over the years by a few people to do private work but many never reply after I've told them my fees. Whether original artwork, which they expect for a pittance, or newly commissioned pieces, there are some people who appear to think such drawing takes no time at all, and involves little or no work. It's just a drawing after all. I beg to differ.

My rant, but enough, let's press on. Below see a few examples of personal work.

The first is the second part of a vertical diptych, I'll add a 'version' of the bottom part of the diptych, which was done a few years ago, but the only version I can find, at present, is sadly of poor quality. I've tried to 'rescue' the image as much as I can. Still you'll get an 'idea', and see how the two parts, produced years apart, are meant to work together.

The bottom part was an original creation, but the latest part, the top part of the diptych, has a link to the original 'entrance' to Firetop Mountain. When FF book 1, 'The Warlock of Firetop Mountain', was originally published, the entrance was not one of the illustrations asked for as such although a drawing of a cave entrance was used. After the books first printing, I was asked to create a picture [see below] using the drawing of the 'cave' entrance as a starting point, that showed a more dramatic 'entrance' to Firetop Mountain, but as far as I know, it only appeared in a Puffin Magazine [but, as is usually, I may be wrong].

This 'new' version [seen above], showing some hideous entrance to the lair of its 'owner' [see bottom part of the diptych shown above], was done at the behest of a client, and as you'll see, is not the same, but has similarities. Below is the original entrance created for Firetop Mountain.

Next, below is a small whimsical picture of Faerie, and has, like the diptych above, it has never been printed.

The following below, is my 'Cyclops', but it is a poor scan, from a photograph, of part of a larger picture, and was originally produced in watercolour and ink pen.

Below is a promotional 'map', which was produced back in 2003 for a local company in Kent, England, and that was never actually printed for public distribution to my knowledge.

Next, a caricature sketch I did for someone [see the one on the left], which I later coloured as an exercise [see the one on the right].

Finally, for this short post, a final personal piece that I 'knocked' together from two other cartoon pieces of work as a basis for a Greetings card.

The Basset's name was 'Arthur' and if anyone is aware of how self serving, stupid and greedy Bassets can be, then they will know what a prime number [expletive deleted] Arthur was to me. But Arthur had his public, who all adored and loved them, and they could never understand when I would say, 'Right, take him, he's yours.' There are Basset Hounds and there was Arthur; you might think a dog on a roof? If he could have reached it, Arthur would have done it.

His favourite form of recreation was seriously rolling in all encompassing fox detritus; many is the time he had to be fetched at 1.00am from another jolly escapade when he had to suffer the indignity of a BATH, followed closely by me having a bath for fear that people would think I had been rolling in fox detritus. Ah, happy days.

example of a "style".

2010-08-13T18:40:00.004+01:00

I've been meaning to post some work, for some time, where I have tried hard to create, in my illustrations, an 'identity' that matches, or rather mirrors, the written content.

One such example is my work for the sixth, and sadly last, of the printed versions of 'The Fabled Lands' series: 'The Lords of the Rising Sun: Imperial Akatsurai, land of samurai and ninja'. Where I think, though some may disagree, such an identity is apparent, showing, as Dave [Morris] wrote, 'One of the things I like is that you used a slightly different style in each book, so they really do have the feel of depicting different nations and cultures.'
[Dave Morris comment - added to my last posting.]

See what you think, here are some examples from that book.

and finally, a little pastoral scene.

I had also been working on a draft post, after having a nice related email, that was related to the original FF 'Citadel of Chaos', telling some 'history' of that period of work, and add some 'fresh' news, a related email, and a little more, when it VANISHED!

One moment typing the next - all gone! Tried 'undo' no joy, and after a lot of trying to 'find' the draft and checking, etc. have come to the conclusion, that apparently a lot of other bloggers have found in the past, that the material is 'lost' for ever. What a shame as this was the greatest blog I was ever about to post. It had everything: facts, pathos, bravery, humour, comedy, tragedy, brilliant insight, intellect and rabbits.
What can I tell you? For you'll, sadly now, never know.

I will try to 'rebuild' it at some point, but it will never be the same.

In the interim, although it's been posted before, as requested and an old favourite of my own from Book 6 - Dragon attack.

news

2010-08-09T19:51:00.003+01:00

The 'link' to an iPhone version of 'The Warlock of Firetop Mountain' as mentioned in last post, makes me mention a 'new' iPad and iPhone version of the the first book in 'The Fabled Lands Series' - 'The War Torn Kingdom' produced by Megara Entertainment in France.

My Maps and some of my original illustrations have been converted into colour by other artists and the results are certainly unique as you'll see from those I've posted below.

First the new title [opening page] for 'The Fabled Lands' - 'The War Torn KIngdom' created by Megara Entertainment and its artists.

next my version of the Maps now coloured and with borders added by others.

Here are some of the original pictures that have been recoloured. First 'places'.

I especially like what has been done with this one [above]. Now for 'character' scenes.

Of course Megara Entertainment's artist's have created, for this new version of Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson' s epic game, artwork of their own.

Below are a few examples [the rights belong to Megara Entertainment and cannot be copied without permission].

This version iPad and iPhone version of 'The War Torn Kingdom' is due for release around Christmas [I believe] from Megara Entertainment.

If you can afford, or have, one of those beasties then do check it out. I sadly cannot - now altogether as the violins reach a crescendo in the distance - 'AH, shame!' .

Right to finish, a couple of related pieces from other books in the series. Dave and Jamie gave me a free hand with the illustrations which were usually more vignettes than large works, but this format allowed me to 'show' panel views, coinage, and so on. As Dave put it, if memory serves , more like a travelogue than scenes from the traditional even conventional game that was prevalent then.

so that's about it for now.

PS - With Dave's nice comment [that he added below] still ringing in my ears - I add one more picture. The original B&W of 'the shops of Conflass'.

Experimental stuff {and scribbles} and other pieces

2010-08-02T10:49:00.006+01:00

Continuing with my examination of art media I've used, [and have a 'postable' version of], see the following.

To start, occasionally I scribble and doodle [though my doodles are a tad different, often reflecting what I'm listening to and often used when I had to attend droning meetings, to stay awake]. But I digress, as I often do, from the main point which was to start with some experimental bits.

These were done primarily in pen, felt pen and fountain pen ink [a medium that delights in interesting results after being exposed to air], and produced much like a 'Rorschach test', that is starting with a few interesting marks and then 'looking' for the picture within. It's a method as old as the hills and first mentioned I believe by Leonardo, although, in my opinion, Cave Art owes a lot to this method of working.

They were done [in two stages] as a demonstration for some of my students a few years ago. The idea being to show them how if they felt artistically 'blocked' then ideas can be 'found' if one is prepared to play with materials and an 'open mind'. Stage one saw the initial beginnings where 'we' searched for something in the initial blobs and marks accidentally created. Stage two was the follow up - the tightening of the image to elaborate more details. Of course using such a method can lead to a lot of 'dead ends', but occasionally... So from such, a more developed piece of work may yet evolve.

Occasionally doodles are more traditional as these next pieces.

I have found that somebody had collected a few pictures of mine on the Internet from Steve Jackson's 'The Trolltooth Wars' and other similar works. The Trolltooth Wars' was a short lived series of books meant to accompany the FF games books, and the first, 'The Trolltooth Wars', was itself an interesting book for me in particular in that, for the first time, I was allowed to not only choose what was to be illustrated from my reading of the manuscript galleys, but also to be allowed to create the layout of how the illustrations would 'fit' the pages in the book. It was a one off experiment by the editor for the book at Puffin but was never [in my case] repeated.

My intent, as I believe all good illustration should be, was to try to enhance the reader's experience. So I sought to create a more interesting visual experience with the limitations of a small paperback format. I split some of the illustrations across two facing pages, I ran them across the top, across the bottom and even was able to create a double page spread.

Not all of it succeeded. It was a noble experiment in my mind, which saw me put a lot into the pictures [sometimes too much ], but I felt seriously let down with the reproduction and paper that was used, which in my opinion, was very poor indeed. In short - it was shit. Or would crap be better? Never mind, here are three examples, plus two other pieces.

That's about it for now folks but more coming soon including some never before seen work [or nearly ]

Update: Quick link to FightingFantasist who has posted an old 'The Warlock of Firetop Mountain' illustration that proved quite controversial at the time. Oh Happy days, He He.

Pencils, other old stuff and a couple of doodle experiments.

2010-07-28T08:17:00.000+01:00

So other materials. The next set of pieces are from really early days, they were done for a variety of Fanzines and small print magazines.

The first two show pieces I did for a British small press magazine in pencil. They are not 'perfect' as they were drawn more or less complete without major changes. Any redrawing created some deterioration in the paper/card surface, which was something I wanted to avoid. These were done about 20 years ago, and of the two, I prefer the second. 20 years, sigh, I do feel decrepit.

The next two show pen work examples done for fanzines. The first dates from 1978 for a magazine called 'The Border Ruffian No 2'.

The second was done around the same time, and was one of a small 'series' published in a German SF Fantasy zine.

To finish a couple of more typical pieces, including one of my favourite beasties.

I had intended to add some 'experimental doodles' but that will now keep for another day... instead let's sail into the sunset for now.

Brush and ink

2010-07-14T11:51:00.003+01:00

Time does fly, and as I see it's been a while since my last post I thought I'd 'catch up' as they say. This feature is primarily about brush and ink work rather than that done with a pen.

As I remarked in my last post, I was comic artist for a while in the UK. I did not work for boys comics [mainly because I wasn't asked] but girls both weekly and in annuals. The comic market for a long time in the UK was dominated by two companies: DC Thomson [of Beano fame] and IPC, formally Fleetway, [of 2000AD fame]. I was introduced to the world of drawing comics through a comic artist, Ken Houghton, who ran a comic artist evening class at a school where I taught Art & Design. He was a lovely patient man, a very good teacher, who died too young, and is missed by those who knew him. One of his other students at that time was a very young 16 year old called Sean Phillips who has since risen to be a well known comic artist working these days for for Icon, an imprint of Marvel Comics [Criminal], and Marvel Comics [Marvel Zombies]. {updated thank to Dave Morris}.

Most of my comic work was done for DC Thomson, which although it still exists with its headquarters in Dundee, does not have the comic output it once had. Titles that I worked on included Bunty and Tracy [I've yet to meet anyone who actually admits to reading such comics]. For IPC I had the chance to work on a couple of pieces for a comic called 'Misty', including, in full colour, one of their annuals. Although in the case of the annual strip I had the same problem as I had with the Robin Hood game book, to make the creatures 'recognisable' as Hammer Horror 'types', but not so much anyone could sue. Still it was fun.

The actual comic process involved being given x amount of pages [usually three] and what was called a 'panel' script detailing scene setting and dialogue spoken, they were similar to radio and film scripts in many respects. You had some freedom about layout but always had to leave space to accommodate the 'speech' balloons. You were given roughly two weeks to complete each weekly segment and not expected to miss any deadlines. If possible it was sensible to create a backlog in case of accidents or incidents. The worst was while I was working in Papua New Guinea, when six pages were lost in the post and I had to redo them fast. I've often suspected it was wasn't the mail that lost the work but a counter clerk at the post office, who just took the stamps as a 'finders fee'. After that incident I always ensured to watch the parcels being franked, and funnily enough, nothing like lost artwork ever happened again. Strange.

In those days, none of the original artwork was ever returned and I only have a few comics, which I bought myself [now somewhere under piles of other stuff ] and poor photocopies that were given to me for 'character continuety' to remind me of the work I did. At the moment I can only find a a couple of bits of photocopies, and they're in poor condition, to show examples of that working period. I've 'cleaned' them up as best I can without too much loss of detail, but they're not great, however, as examples of brush work they at least show the difference from dip and technical pen.

From the look of the strip parts shown below, the first was done for Bunty and the next two forTracy [but I could be wrong [as usual].

So, there you go, a couple of examples of brush work. For those who like more detail they were drawn with an HB pencil and brush inked [except panel borders] with a Windsor & Newton series 7a sable brush size No. 2. A brush that is sadly no longer available, yes they still sell a Series 7 but it's not got the hair length or handling of ink quality of the 7a series.
By using ink of course, even with careful cleaning, you went through brushes like a dose of salts. Well I did . Why do companies often 'cancel' excellent tools for a weaker variant? Barmy I'calls it.

On an aside.
I did do one item, in brush and ink, for a competition run by Marvel Comics, involving the Hulk where you had to write, draw and think of an idea of a 'what happened next' scenario, in their [now defunct ] magazine called FOOM. I'm very vague on the detail now, but the prize was lots of Marvel 'goodies' and I considered it might act as useful 'try out' as it was supposed to be judged by an artist and an editor back in the States. I had thought my entry had come to nothing until a year or so later, when a friend remarked in a letter about how pleased I must have been for 'winning' that competition. This was a real surprise as I heard nothing since I posted of the art page, so he sent me the relevant copy of FOOM, where I read how excited [?] I was to have been the winner of the competition, and to have received all those 'goodies' as prizes. So I contacted Marvel and asked about where all my prizes were as I'd never heard from them at all - I received a cursory note from some editor minion and four old copies of FOOM [including the one that said what wonderful prizes I'd received]. Even to this day that shoddy behaviour rankles. [Altogether now.... Ah, sad little you.] My opinion of Marvel has remained little changed since such treatment. [Ah].

Time to wynd ye comments up, adding - next time, some seriously old work and stuff.

Scene on the Road

2010-07-01T06:55:00.002+01:00

First, a big thank you to all who have decided to follow my blog about my artwork.

I have 'cracked' the 100 followers, wow, and I feel like a jet pilot of yore when the sound barrier was first broken [little tear in eye!] a momentous event at the time.

What twaddle - I do however wish to commemorate the event in some way and have dug out a parcel of stuff for future posts, but in the interim - I thought, what can I use to 'mark' the event [and my birthday]?

The following post is to mark that event and 'show' an example of work that I couldn't find a reason to post. I found this piece had been posted online by someone and I always wondered what became of it, and the other work I did.

Many moons ago I was not only a fantasy artist, but a general commercial one, and worked on lots of stuff most of which is long forgotten. Among those 'jobs' was my being a comic artist in the UK, of which I'll soon post a couple of cobbled together photocopies of originals [as examples] for you to see. It's not exciting, but it will give a 'flavour' of the sort of work I did.

I also did work for the occasional magazine. One of these was a magazine called Penthouse, if you don't know what Penthouse was, or are under 16, please cover your ears now!

The feature was called 'Scene on the Road'. It was to be a saucy piece, ala Donald McGill, which showed each month, a different 'Scene on the Road' - each which would feature a different UK road sign. It was fun, but didn't last long [not raunchy enough].

Donald McGill was for many years the 'King' of the British seaside 'saucy' [some might say vulgar] postcard, who was actually put on trial as a purveyor of pornography [in the early 1960's I believe]. Although he was prolific in his output I doubt he made any 'real' money from his work. There is a 'quality' about his work that says it was as much a labour of love, and I know from an Australian friend back in the 80's who thought he'd design some traditional cards for the South Pacific market that for each card he sold he would receive about 1.3 cents [and that's Australian dollars not American].

Anyway, here it is ...

If anyone is interested in the work of Donald McGill I've made a link to an excellent article by George Orwell on the subject of McGill and his work http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/essays/donaldmcgill.htm [and hopefully got this right] .

For those interested, this is an example of Pen, Ink & Brush, coloured using Dr Martins concentrated watercolours.

That's all folks, till another day.

Pen & Brush

2010-06-26T07:33:00.004+01:00

So, what about pen and brush? The problem is as much about where to start.

What is relevant? I suppose the best way is to 'show' examples of different work, in different mediums, and on occasion, different genres. Certainly different Fantasy RPG genres.

This post will appear in 'parts' as I find time to show work examples over the coming days.

Over the years I have used a variety of media in both black & white and colour, but the mediums I intend to discuss are mostly to do with print reproduction. In days of yore, pre-computer generated art the most common tools for B/W artwork was traditional dip pens, brushes, pen and brush combined or technical pens and occasionally felt pens. The artwork was generally done at 1 and a 1/2 times reproduction size [though their were exceptions] and on good quality Bristol board of various types. In some ways it was the board used that could make the difference to the quality of the image and it was something everybody strived to find. Today, a lot of those boards, and the companies that produced them [certainly in the UK] appear to have 'gone', mores the pity.

Of course the paper chosen for the books also has a huge 'effect' on the quality of reproduction. No matter how 'good' your work, if it's printed on upgraded toilet paper ...

OK. Let's look at a few pieces - it is not necessarily what I'd qualify as 'good' work but it does 'show' examples of different types of B/W work. Here we have traditional 'dip' pen and ink.

This particular illustration was produced for a 'different' game book by Puffin back in 1987. There were two books produced in the series Robin of Sherwood and each book tied in with the television series. The most amusing thing I can remember from this particular job was Puffin wanted any character that appeared in the Television series to be drawn as accuratly as was possible in the illustrations, but at the same time, also made me sign a contract with a disclaimer that basically stated I was not allowed to show an accurate likeness as I could be sued and in the wording of the contract Puffin denied all responsibilty. Simply put - match any TV actors likeness [if they appeared in any illustration] but not so anyone would say, 'that's so and so!' Luckily, they hardly featured in the pictures I had to draw.

As an aside - note [if you're not already aware] the choice of scene to be illustrated is very rarely the choice of the illustrator.

A couple of examples of technical pen now. Over the years I've used a variety of makes, and pen sizes, My favourite pen [sadly long gone] had a nib that was so 'worn', it had a bevelled point, which made using it a pleasure.

In the following, each of these examples show a slightly different approach to the use of pen though some would say, 'in your dreams'.

This first was done for a short story in a Fantasy anthology. The next for one of the FF fiction titles I worked on.

The next for one of the later FF game books.

Next another game book.

And the last [for present] two showing different 'styles' from The Fabled Lands series.

Lastly, a quick mention about Citadel Miniatures, which had a nice little mention, or at least a 'dwarf' figure did, in Daddy Grognard's excellant blog. The mention of the figures reminded me that some of the earliest figures are actually based on my some of my drawings. They kindly sent me a sample at the time and somewhere in my 'attic' there they still sit.

Next post will contain some old pieces .... and other stuff.

Worlds 2

2010-06-13T07:31:00.000+01:00

It had been my intent, in this post, to show examples of different types of pen and brush work, but I came across some more visuals that I did as background to the world of The Shadow King and thought it sensible to post these first.

My task, outlined by Dave Morris, was from his original scenario, to [roughly] visualise images to represent London at the turn of the 19th Century, not of our timeline, but one where the world had been changed by a series of events resulting in a city not as written about by such as Dickens, or Verne, or seen by that master of line Dore but a darker world one where our legends and myths have some credence. This ultra-Gothic world, as envisaged by Dave, is a place of death and dread, its background one where a vampire blight had hit the world with it's 'centre' in London - this was to be the world of the Shadow King.

Most of my visuals are fairly crude, drawn in felt pen with added wash, my intent was to give atmosphere as much as 'show' different aspects of the place.

But as I became immersed in the idea of this London, I began to imagine the world beyond, what methods of transport, by rail; by river; by sea; and by air would apply - what differences would have come about, especially as a result of vampire domination?

Where possible, it was my intent to rationalise this world, and to make links through scientific and engineering progress that had their historically similar antecedents mirrored in our world. But here, in this timeline, where the date is roughly 1896, things had, in some areas, progressed faster and in a grander scale. I suppose it's really a variation on steam-punk, thus we 'see' the development of airships, which stuttered to a halt in our own world. It's hard to read [sorry] but the airship docked in the picture below is named the 'Santos Dumont' an early enthusiast of airships.

Of course their had to be costumes: next - a couple of example 'pages'.

Those of you who love gaming might wonder why you've never seen this game, especially as it was conceived nearly twenty years ago [how time flies], though I've seen similar ideas since. Dave Morris, is the man to ask, and if I've got anything wrong Dave, such as when we worked on this, I apologise.

Worlds

2010-06-06T05:36:00.005+01:00

Worlds. One of the interesting aspects of drawing is to attempt, when possible [as some illustrative tasks demand otherwise], to 'flesh out' the subject of the picture to show something of the 'world beyond'. I'm not professing to be good at it, but it's something I like to do.

After the Fabled Lands series was cancelled by Macmillan [Pan Books] after only six titles, instead of the planned twelve, Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson decided to look for other directions. Dave has since gone on to, among other things, work, with Leo Hartis, on his graphic novel Mirabilis - Years of Wonder, and his Fabled Lands blog site.

One of the earliest creations that Dave and I worked on as a possible game scenario was The Shadow King, and I was given the task of roughing out [and they are rough, lol] a few scenes to show the world of the Shadow King, which was to be set at the turn of the 20th Century in an alternate London.

The other world scenario was that of Abraxes, the Fabled Land. Abraxes was, as you'll see from the map that I drew from Dave's rough, a large island where different peoples lived. The key cities of each race had its antecedent's in races that once inhabit our own world. Thus there are hints of Egyptian, Assyrian, Toltec peoples, among others.

Here is the map of Abraxas - The Fabled Land, and a few of the sketches I created to try to visualise the land of Abraxas.

I also had to come up with the creatures [from Dave's written descriptions], and create my own costume designs, and so on, that would inhabit this world.

Before finishing, a special mention for Andy, who has gone to all the trouble of identifying the published source of the illustrations I have posted on line to date.

Flaming June.....

2010-06-01T23:10:00.006+01:00

Flaming June; it's raining outside so that sounds about right. Nobody has taken me up on my offer of showing 'other' work, such as non Fantasy [I don't have much ready to post anyway] so let's see what's still in my art file at present. From Fabled Lands a couple I missed out.

From the Fighting Fantasy series.

Update: thanks to Andrew [see his post] he's been able to identify where the following three illustrations came from. Much appreciated! All I can add is, well, one was from the FF series.

The Dragon of course comes from 'Warlock'. I liked him, still do but of course his wings. Just a wee bit short, or small, really. But here's the real lowdown. You heard it here first. He comes out of his cave, he pumps his wings full of blood, and a dash of magic, and they swell and spread, like a butterfly. After all, it would be really dangerous to have fully developed wings in a cave. Don't believe me? Check out Renaissance paintings, they knew.