Where did that half of the year go?

Ok, so its been a long while since me last post, but it has been kind of manic. For one thing, I made the move back to freelancing, and there have been plenty of things to occupy my mind. As I am currently working on Levercastle, heres the cover:

I have also been working on Spiderman for some Disney Books. Heres a colour sample I worked on:

Actually, Disney want a more painted feel, so I here is a cover for a horror anthology I finished recently, with a departure from my normal style:

No Dice All the Way!

Merry Christmas to you all!

I Just thought I would send you a small present - 3 more finished illustrations for you, now Random Encounters has finally been completed. It has been a long slog for all the team - what started as a simple adventure supplement grew somewhat. I even managed to pen my own adventure "Empire Finest" along the way, which proved a little challenging! Personally, I really am proud of this one. Artistically speaking, this is close to approaching what I want No dice to be (I am my worst critic!) and sets me up nicely for Levercastle our next project. I assure you, that is going to be special, both in Leo`s fantastic setting, and the illustrations. Till then, I wish you all a great Xmas and best wished for 2010, the official Year of the Puck!

For Hosts Eyes Only....

Ok, so right now, I am furiously finishing off the illustrations for Random Encounters, I thought I would show you my favourite three so far. A warning though - these illustrations may well spoil your enjoyment of the adventurers, so if you are planning to play, rather than host, dont scroll down. You have been warned....

Zombie Hoff Lives!

Hi all,
well short and sweet this time round. Heres the cover for the new No Dice book Random Encounters Volume 1, our adventure anthology. The cover image is taken from one of the adventures - Con of the Dead, featuring a whole host of tv actors turned zombies. Obviously, the Hoff would be there. Whats better than the Hoff? A Zombie Hoff!

Roughing it

Well it has been a little while since my last Blog, but the past couple of months have been crazy. I have just got back from my yearly stint teaching Character Design in Kent, which i always enjoy, although it can be pretty hectic. I just finished off an illustration for a horror anthology, and i am frantically trying to finish Random Encounters Volume 1, the No Dice adventure supplement. Fortunately, Leo realized my impossible work load and we have revised our plans somewhat for the no dice schedule. It means I can at least get some sleep and not have to give up gaming time, which is why we are doing all this in the first place. So I though i would show you some of my sketches for the up coming book, since they are all drawn up and ready to be inked.
Before that though, heres the cover I worked on recently:

And here are some of the sketches:



I shall be working on the cover couple of weeks so i will post it when its done

Back to No Dice

Hi All,
well since the Summer seems to be over, I suppose its time to get back into No Dice. There is certainly plenty to do, with the schedule lined up. Just thought i would show you some of the things I have been doing this past 6 weeks or so:



These images are coloured up versions of the Mini pucks in the core book, and feature on our range of T - shirts.

And yes, I have even been doing some Non No Dice stuff (gasp) for a friend of mine:



There is some really good stuff on its way over the next few months. I am particularly looking forward to working on 6icons, a project me and Leo were developing last year: You can catch up on that stuff on the 6icons blog, musings from the Good Earth

Anyway enough for now - its back to the drawing board for me now.....

Its Alive!!!!

As you may have spotted from the diary entries, I have been rather busy for the past month. But the corebook is finally out so I can relax and chill for the time being (well until plans for the next book are underway). This project is somewhat of a labour of love for me, well and the rest of the no dice team. Personally, my intention was to produce the absolutely best work I could, to show off the real breadth of the system, to spark the imaginations of the reader, and to make No Dice as professional as possible. I have to admit to skiming many independant rpgs over the years, and dismissing them, just because I didnt rate the artwork or layout. There may well have been incredible content from writers who couldnt afford illustrators, so I could have missed out on some of these. Lets be honest, a project of this scale, is time consuming, and had I not been part of the entire production, I doubt whether I would have given my spare time so readily.
As it happens, No Dice combines my two biggest passions, and it also a collaboration with two very good friends. Our roles are not set in stone either. I may have illustrated the book, but fortunately Leo has always been open to contructive criticism. And the same for the art - I am happy for Leo and Sue`s suggestions. So although tiring at times, and a little stressful as the deadline loomed, the whole project has been a blast. It seems there is much more work to do, and who knows, one day, we may all be able to give up our day jobs....

So I thought I would include two of my very favourite illustrations. This project has really pushed my skills. Its been a challenge, but also incredibly rewarding for me, and the more I do, the more ambitious I get. I feel this is just the start...