December Entry: Yuleblood

[Ghostman]

I like the trees; they look simple yet very real. Must have been quite a work to draw all the branches. The Moon gives a strong 'feel' to the picture.

[Gamerprinter]

Plate 5: a pair of halflings...

This one is a bit gory, but hey, did you really think this was a children's book? Its just supposed to resemble one - more like an orcling children's book, if you get my drift... I'm still havin' fun, here.

I do draw in more realistic fashion if I try - and spend more time at it, but this is supposed to be a cross between cartoon and something more real (I've never cared to draw truly cartoon style, mine is slightly more realistic than true cartoon.) Besides I am working at a high speed pace, just to get as much done as possible in the shortest amount of time. (A bit sketchy, I know.)

Ghostman, I've always liked drawing trees, oaks are my favorite. Basically I created 5 trees, placed a solid grey coloring. Then I copied the trees, moved them behind the front trees, flipped it horizontally, shrink it a bit, move slightly to one side and higher up - then rinse and repeat two more times. It looks enough like a forest to me.

I will definitely get to the burnt bones later this evening, I promise!

Note: I realized that the stanza for this one was missing a rhyme. First two sentences rhyme, then the last three - except this one only two rhymes in the second half, so I had to create one more rhyming line. It works now.

GP

[ravells]

This is begining to look like an annual CG caledar...every picture is better than the last. GP, I am very, very impressed.

[Gamerprinter]

Plate 6: (Work in Progress) Dwarf sensing a spear at the back...

Thanks, Ravs! I did an extra special job on the dwarf in this next illustration, but its not finished yet. I did want to show progress though, before I went to bed for the night. I'll try to do more tomorrow, but more than like Sunday, before I get back at it again. [The rectangle frame is just a reference so I know where the image stops - it gets deleted at the end of each illustration.]

I see an "extra word" in Plate 6 stanza that doesn't belong there - need to fix that.

Also, for Ghostman, got some burnt bones for Plate 2: dragon pic...

Enjoy!

GP

[Gandwarf]

Wow, amazing stuff!

[Djekspek]

aye very good stuff. How many hands you got to create so many in such a short time?

[Gamerprinter]

Djekspeck, you haven't been around long enough to know, I guess, ask anyone, when I map, I map like a fiend -- I do it extremely fast. You see, I'm a graphic designer by trade, and work for myself, so the only way I can get anything done is by working at a high rate of speed. Not so fast, I can't handle it, but to the very edge of the mix between lightening speed and in boundary of quality. I've been doing that for 25+ years. So that practice carries into my maps and my illustrations. Its not to be impressive, its to outmatch my impatience. Really.

OK, Plate 6: the Dwarven Hole (or the hole that's going into the Dwarf's back) - complete!

I already know what I plan for the next one, but I've got some other things to do, so I'm guessing after tonight's D&D game (sometime early tomorrow morning, 3 am -ish) I'll knock that one out and go to bed.

GP

[Gamerprinter]

Plate 7: Giant and the Pit Trap...

This one isn't finished, the D&D game got delayed (one of our group is moving, so another member of our group was helping...) so I got this one started - almost done. The Giant is about to step into an Orcish Pit Trap. Oh, this is gonna hurt. He's definitely going to pierce his foot, he might even break his leg.

I need to make a background - probably some snow covered spruce trees, with a couple orcs peeking out from behind them. This one is fun so far!

Like I said, I'll finish this early in the morning after the game is over.

Enjoy!

GP

[Gamerprinter]

Goin' to bed, but I wanted to finish Plate 7, before I did...

Undead next...

GP

[Gamerprinter]

Plate 8: Zombies in the Snow...

A storm has hit and its then that the undead crawl from their cold graves and seek the life they have lost.

Enjoy!

GP