A complete book: 'Necklace of Skulls' ... all the pictures.

Back from Trolls and Legendes 2013, in Mons, Belgium, and an appearance at  in Lille, France. In hindsight the later proved a 'convention too far' and I'm a bit run down now recovering from a chest infection  But that's life. Can't laugh, I just start coughing.

 Here are a some of the pics showing me chatting and signing while there. The first two show me at the Le Grimoire table, and the others at the Scriptarium table the following day.

Finally, me talking about my work to two fans at another games convention in Lille.

Dave Morris, in his excellent Fabled Lands blog, mentioned a book, The Necklace of Skulls, that we worked on together many moons ago. Including, if I'm honest, a couple of  pictures that I was made to make changes too that I'd rather forget about. For the full story check out Dave's blog. So in its entirety are those pictures, in no particular order, that I did for Necklace of Skulls. Again, my thanks to Dave who sent them to me. 

So there you have it for this post ... hopefully I will feel better soon, and again ready to post once more.

70'S AND ON ...

I promised a quick[ish] blog post and here it is, all before the up and coming Trolls and Legends convention in Mons, Belgium where I will be visiting a couple of tables for signings and showing off some original work  as well as, like last time, adding some pieces for display to the artists gallery.

For those interested here is a link for more details.
http://www.trolls-et-legendes.be/index-en.htm

Now onto some old pieces from the 1970's in no particular order [organised as I am].
The first is a 'sketch' [it was done on tracing paper with a felt pen in 1974, according to the date].

You'll guess the subject if you think about it [grin].

Next comes an interior illustration, which like the next two, has a Science Fiction theme.
Sorry about the quality but I only have a faded photocopy to show.

Below is a slightly cropped copy of the original art for a Graphic/Comic fanzine called 'Graphic Sense'. 

It shows one of my robot designs of that period. 

It dates, thanks to a coloured version I found on ebay [see link below] to August !979.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Graphic-Sense-no-5-comic-strip-fanzine-VF-condition-Aug-1979-/200905633541?pt=U

 Above is the cover for a fanzine called 'Border Ruffian', which is dated 1978.

Finally, for this post from the 70's [or early 80's] is a more comic version of 'The knight and the dragon'. From what and why? No idea, but maybe somebody can help out like before.

 Before we leave [cough] the 1970's, {Heavens, I'm beginning to sound like an old film travelogue [grin]} and mentioning ebay I will remark that Anduril 6, from August 1976, is available there [again]. Personally I doubt the inclusion of original art, but what do I know?  For those interested [or not] here is the cover [again] ...

and of course, the art was shown in an earlier post. What I do know is the original art is not available, mainly because it's lost or misplaced [read stolen].

Now I did promise a fan on Facebook another Games Workshop Space Marine picture and here it is.

Next, a picture I forgot [sigh] to add on the last post

The French version of  'Heroes of Magnamund' has been proposed by Le Grimoire which will included new work by a variety of artists and maybe some work by myself. If your French is good and you've an interest check out http://legrimoire.net/ and the kickstarter version ...

http://fr.ulule.com/loup-solitaire/

Lastly, and in connection with Blackbird Raum and their latest album, False Weavers, sold by the the Silver Sprockets Cycle Club [link below] is there up and coming T-shirts.
http://silversprocket.gostorego.com/blackbirdraum.html?limit=all

The first is the design for Blackbird Raum.

 Next the design for the record company.

So that is it for the present. Next will be a complete set of the illustrations for one of Dave Morris's books.

Before the 'cold' returns and my brain seizes ...

A quick 'oldie set of posts thanks to stuff being place on the Internet.

I noticed recently that Games Workshop tried to register the term 'space marine' as belonging to them and tried to use bullying tactics to quash others using the terminology  Frankly, I think a lot of SF writers [and artists] will be writhing in their graves, but it appears they 'failed'. 

Anyway, here are a few of my Space marines done for them many moons ago.

Here now are some other bits ...

Above one of my covers for Rosemary Pardoes's excellent small press magazine about M.R. James.

A recent post on Facebook reminded me of how much I like to draw skeletal figures...

As mentioned before, Dungeon World [French version] hired me last Summer to produce some work for them found a few other bits which contain my work. 

They did kindly offer me a copy of the T-shirt [above], but the rest [below] is totally new to me.

Rather have been sent this T-shirt, or the promised copy of the game [box] but then I saw neither. But still, I did get paid [laugh]. 

http://www.story-games.com/forums/discussion/16694/dungeon-world-french-version-in-a-box-jessica-hammer-principles-in-action-/p1

More recent projects about to come out are for Kobold Press and the French Scriptarium group and I believe that launches soon. I have agreed to appear in Lille but still no idea where [laugh] at the end of March, and of course at the magnificent [if it is anything like the 2011 event] Trolls & Legendes 2013 in Mons, Belgium,  where I will be at the Le Grimoire table for signings and showing off some of my original artwork pieces. If you can get there please stop and say hi.

http://www.trolls-et-legendes.be/   http://fr.ulule.com/loup-solitaire/    http://www.koboldquarterly.com/

 http://www.legrimoire.net/store/fr/loup-solitaire-rpg/161-loup-solitaire-les-heros-du-magnamund.html

http://scriptarium.fr/aff/  

Finally [to size], a re-draw commission of the Death knight I created for The Fiend Folio,

One of my initial sketches for 'The Sorceress',

 and two female character sketches for the original 'Heart of Ice', [not to be confused by the new version].

till the next time ...

First of the year... with hopes it'll be a good one for all!

So, it's bloody cold outside and there's at least four inches of snow, the car is frozen and the kitchen is cold, ,but at least our one main fire works and I can survive a few minutes at the colder end of the room to bring you the first post of 2013.
[I'd actually typed 'cod' instead of 'cold' then remembered switching the light on helps, I will warm up eventually :)]

 So what news, well I've now finished a few major jobs, including for the French production of Advanced Fighting Fantasy - Défis Fantastiques-Le Jeu de rôle which contains work from many artists including me [I'll post a 'new' picture to wet your appetite later]; for the music group Blackbird Raum [see cover and map last post] and the their record company - the Silver Sprocket Bicycle Club [for whom I'm working on a T-shirt design], and for Kobold Press, which is a bit hush hush at the moment. 

But first a few oldies from a variety of sources. Work first published for the BFS Fanzine of old [mostly spots], Games Workshop and a couple of other places. 

Do not look into the 'cat's' eyes.

A fighting Dark Elf.

                                                                  A Spectral knight

Here you can see an early piece of monster creating, where I was still experimenting with pen, and trying not to be 'pigeon holed' .... [laugh] As if!

 

 

Here [above] we have a 'credits' page for an old copy of a related British Fantasy Society publication, and on the left, a sketch for a disgruntled warrior dwarf.

 

 For the 1988 World Fantasy Convention I was asked to create a few spot pieces each linked to the theme of a vampiric Jack the Ripper.

Below is part of a larger picture drawn for Games Workshop where the performance of a play is effected by a gibbering Chaos moon.

 

 More recent work includes the following ... First from a few years ago where we find Wizard Elves fighting back the world of Chaos.

This one [below] shows shows our warriors menaced from the denizens of the forest.

 

Now for more recent pieces. First a Dragon Warrior, and below a new piece for Défis Fantastiques-Le Jeu de rôle. I could show more but why not buy the book?

To finish; on the previous posting, Chuck commented how much he liked the map and if I'd show a section of it. So for Chuck, and anyone else who'd like to see that below is a couple of sections. 

Th...Th...That's all folks. Till the next time ;).