Bits and pieces and some news

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.

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

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......

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

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

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...

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....