Saturday, July 31, 2021
State of Reality
Man what a couple of weeks. I had to do some travel for work and while I do enjoy getting out, especially after this past year, I really wasn't ready for it. It was a stressful trip. So my past couple of weeks have been creatively barren, I'm afraid.
The worse thing about travel is people. I guess I'm more anti-social than I thought. I just wear out so fast when I have to mix it up with other people. This is one of the reasons I don't go to conventions very often. They are a mental grind for me.
Anyway, I'm back now. Maybe the fires of creation will heat up. Definitely no shortage of projects that are calling for my attention. I just don't know what sort of energy I have to give them.
Saturday, July 24, 2021
Bog Beast
The swampy world of Ur-97 is home to more than just bog beasts and reptiles. Silent watchers stand waiting...
Saturday, July 17, 2021
More Clip Studio
Just sharing some of the rough doodles I did in Clip Studio Paint. If you're wondering why I'm talking about this at all you have to understand that I've been using Photoshop 7 ever since it came out. That's like almost 20 fucking years. If it ain't broke...
So I recently started messing with Clip because the software has gotten better and I had the desire to do more painting. Now, my biggest drawback is that I'm still rocking the same computer I've had for many moons. I'm kind of a creature of habit, you see. So far the limitations of this machine haven't exceeded my patience and well... if it ain't broke...
I do hope to get a new machine at some point. But not now.
Anyway. Sketches below were done with various brushes, mostly from the Frenden pack. Which is aweome. Fave brush so far is Consistent Carl because it's just god damn consistent.
Sunday, July 11, 2021
Clip Studio
I have been using the same drawing software for... oh my god... when did Photoshop 6 come out? I used it, then got PS 7 when it was out and I've been using PS 7 ever since. Looks like version 8 (CS) started in 2003. So I've been using PS 7 since probably 2001. Now, I haven't been drawing digitally that long. I was using it to color and clean up scans prior to 2008 when I started using a drawing tablet.
Currently I'm testing out Clip Studio Paint. I messed around with Krita and Gimp and a few others but never "used them" to any real degree. But Clip is nice. So far I'm kind of loving it.
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Saturday, July 3, 2021
Rock Hardy Book of Dwarfs (Idea)
I'm working on a dwarf book. Working title is The Rock Hardy Book of Dwarfs, but that might change. My concept is to make this a black and white PDF and POD 48 pager. It is possibly the first in a series of setting books that very crudely describe my "traditional" fantasy setting of Yria. Basically most of what you find in the pages of Black Pudding would fit here.
Right now the book is at 9,000 words with a loose target of 10,000. So I could stop any time, clean it up, and finish the art. Like everything I do, this is meant to be an idea packet, an inspirational booklet. It will not be "complete" in any sense. It will be broad strokes, heavy on color.
The Rock Hardies are a mountain range in Yria where redneck dwarfs dwell. They like to fight, make and drink beer, and think of ways to win back their ancestral city of Frimmsreach.
All of this is subject to change per my whims. But as it stands, the book is compatible with B/X (Old School Essentials). It includes a lot of dwarf social stuff, beer, mountain monsters, etc. I certainly have toyed with the idea of making it a Troika! book or putting a Labyrinth Lord logo on it. Or even some other game engine or even completely system neutral. But honestly this was always meant to be a B/X setting* and I can't think of a compelling reason not to follow through on that.
I'll post more when I have more.
And yes, the Supercalla follow up is still on the table. Hellion Cross will see its day.
*B/X with a healthy smattering of advanced material, natch.