Description:

Setting – A cavern
Characters – A Male Dwarf Fighter and a Hook Horror
Scene – The dwarf has just delivered a mighty smack to the hook horror and knocked it backward through a stalagmite and/or stalactite.
Details: The dwarf is wearing heavy scale mail armor. Wielding a warhammer and a heavy shield.

Size
11.25″ w x 4″ h @ 300 dpi, RGB

Here are the thumbnails:

The dimensions for the piece added an extra challenge, since a Hook Horror is about three times the size of a dwarf,  trying to maintain scale and showcase the dwarf  proved difficult. I approached this piece like a storyboard, trying to find the best camera angle to show action and tell the story. While it can be shot countless ways, only a few would really follow the description while making an effective image.

Jon Schindehette was kind enough to pick my thumbnails as one of the twenty that he commented on directly.  This is what he said:

“All three of your pieces are hitting the description pretty well, but I really like that #2 gives us a unique perspective. Instead of the typical eye-level beat down, you chose a very low pov and had the horror being thrown high in the air. Very dynamic. Offers us a great shot of the dwarf, and some good motion on the horror. I’d probably break the frame with the ‘claws’ for a more graphic presentation…maybe even the hammer head as well.”

Taking his advice, I took the second thumbnail, break the border and did a tight sketch.

Here’s the sketch with tones so I can figure out the lighting. I ran into the problem of a dwarf fighting a dark monster in a dark cave, so I put a cave opening behind the dwarf to throw some light on the Hook Horror and gave the hammer a magical glow so we can see the dwarf.

Had to have Felicia take a pic so I could have some reference for the dwarf’s pose

Will post final piece when it gets done!

More information at Twitter and Facebook

Assassin Devil for The ArtOrder Creature Retread Challenge.

Art Description:
Assassin Devil
— 6 feet tall
— Devilish humanoid
— Female
— Indigo skin
— Unappealing devil face with the left half covered by frightening iron mask that looks like a demonic face
— Two horns
— Lithe but muscular
— Wears dark leather armor with iron parts that resemble demonic body parts (iron pauldrom with iron horns sprouting from it)
— Wears a cloak made of shadows and darkness
— Wields a black longsword made of shadowstuff
— Has devil feet.
— Looks at us dourly with her sword held at the ready
— Vignette image on white background

Hello Darth Kitty!

Happy Halloween!

Just a quickie