thaldir's CGPortoflio Gallery

CoC: Dream Curse

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:53:20 +0000

The first of my works for the Call of Cthulhu LCG by Fantasy Flight Games came out of non-disclosure yesterday(with the added bonus of discovering that the image was used on the box).
This poor guy is discovering the hard way that his nightmare is real.

Of course, all rights are property of Fantasy Flight Games

Art Director: Zoe Robinson

AGOT: Wolves from the North

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:34:29 +0000

My most recent work for Fantasy Flight Games 'A Game of Thrones' LCG to come out of non-disclosure.

As many of you know, AGOT is a 'Living Card Game' (a game with regular updates by means of packs of fixed cards), based on George R.R. Martin's saga 'A Song of Ice and Fire'.

Art Director: Nate French
Art Coordinator: Zoe Robinson

All rights reserved: Fantasy Flight Games

Xava: Mischief.

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:15:19 +0000

I'd been thinking for a while about painting a series of pieces about the tribe of my 'Elven Scout', they are the Xava, live in the tropical forests covering a great part of their world, decorate themselves with natural paints and jewels made of stones and seeds,wear little more than loincloths of tanned leather and hunt with weapons of hard wood and flint.
Every now and then they discover mysterious ruins in the jungle, the places of those who went before, there, at times, beautiful pieces of metal and other things can be harvested.

Here is Elven Scout's little sister with a couple of friends...

Kativa

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:05:00 +0000

My latest commissioned portrait (Portrait Adoption-style commission)
Kativa the character is property of ms. Ellen Million, she was described as a rather emotion-charged character, often mischievious and impulsive.

The Age of Eleanor

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:15:45 +0000

This is my latest cover for Alephtar Games.
'Merrie England: the Age of Eleanor' is a setting for roleplaying in an alternate XII century England where magic is real.

Here are Queen Eleanor (a very fascinating woman, by all accounts) and Blondel, the trouvere, just back from Empire lands with proof of King Richard's survival.

The cover can be seen here: http://www.stupormundi-rpg.com/merrie.html

All rights reserved Alephtar Games and myself.

Art Director Dario Corallo

Equilibrium

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:54:47 +0000

This was my very last piece for 2008, and is my first novel cover ever 'Equilibrium', a YA fantasy novel.
I was informed by the writer, mrs. Dora P. Archer than the book had come out, and so I'm allowed to show the work.

The piece I made is wrap-around, here I show just the right side, that is the front cover.
The complete front cover (title and everything) can be seen on Amazon here http://www.amazon.com/Equilibrium-D...51323794&sr=1-1

Hero's Bane - Hero's Guide Cover

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:12:17 +0000

This is the cover of the Hero's Guide for Hero's Bane, an RPG by Claymore entertainment, to be released in 2010

http://www.claymoreentertainment.co...ucts/index.html

It was an interesting piece to do and a rather challenging one, the briefing was extremely detailed and this was easily the biggest scene I have painted up to now (original file size 6389 X 4134 px at 350 DPI)

Copyright Claymore Entertainment
Art Director: David McKenzie-Cole

Special thanks to Michele, Maxx and to all the other folks of the LARPing association 'Faraonica Progetti', I wouldn't have managed it without you!

Some details:

The archer

Magicians' duel

The Forlorn Keep

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:59:42 +0000

This ruined tower/barrack was painted for my Q&A contribution to Corel Painter Official Magazine issue 33.
The question asked for tips on painting ruined buildings.

For the historians (or tourists) on CGTalk, this building is real, part of the late Middle Age fortifications in Valeggio sul Mincio, not far from where I live.

Made in Corel Painter 11

Editor: April Madden

Danan

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:53:04 +0000

My latest commissioned portrait work.

Danan is a rather troubled young sorcerer turned to assassin training out of a desire for revenge.

The portrait and the character are property of the client, shown with her permission.

I've started going in a more painterly direction, trying to turn away from showing superflous detail, but implying it, more 'oil-realistic' than "Photo-realistic", it's an interesting road, IMO

Take 20

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:15:16 +0000

A piece I just made for the RYZ 'Sell Your Sole' contest, in which contestants have to design a D&D themed shoe.

During a bit of brainstorming, I had a flash of an half-orc doing the shaka sign, which to my brain translated into D&D language as 'Take 20': don't fret and take the time you need'.

This guy didn't let me be until I painted him, it is a bit more whimsical piece than my usual fare, hope you'll like him.

The rendering of the shoe can be seen at the RYZ site, here

Another I made is this one (I think you'll recognize the girl).

Hero's Bane - Bane's Guide Cover

Thu, 07 May 2009 01:30:26 +0000

And here the secod one: this is the cover of the Bane's Guide for Hero's Bane, an RPG by Claymore entertainment, to be released in 2010.

http://www.claymoreentertainment.co...ucts/index.html

This one introduces a setting-specific monster, (the red-skinned demon-like creature) and a setting-specific PC race (the dual wielding lady).

Copyright Claymore Entertainment
Art Director: David McKenzie-Cole

Special thanks to Michele, Maxx and to all the other folks of the LARPing association 'Faraonica Progetti', I couldn't have managed it without you.

Rome: the Life and Death of the Republic

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:03:12 +0000

The first of my covers to come out of non-disclosure is BRP Rome: the Life and Death of the Republic by Alephtar Games an indipendent publisher of historical RPGs for the D100 system.

This was quite different from my usual fare, in that the cover had to be historically accurate for the times of the late Roman republic, definitely not a 'fantasy' illustration.
I've also been more involved than usual in choosing the topic for the cover they had a few ideas, I submitted a few sketches and then the AD, author and Marketing director chose to go with the 'gladiators' option.

So here we have a Gaul and a Samnite fighting in an early wooden arena sometime in the 1st century B.C.

'Rome' will be officially released later this year at Tentacles Omega

TopiaWorld: Zamanta

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 05:27:13 +0000

Zamanta from the River of Light is my third and last piece for this run of Topia World cards. She is a member of a vaguely ichtyoid people living on the riverbanks

Eglantine

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:19:59 +0000

Commissioned portrait of a character in a 'modern world' RPG.
As usual, Eglantine the character, is property of the client, the rights to the image are mine.
Base in Painter, refining in Photoshop.

Topia World: Anne of Darkwoods

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:44:06 +0000

Another card for TopiaWorld.
This is Anne, princess of Darkwoods, quite literally a light in the dark.Just like Kristel, she was painted in January this year.
Base in Painter, detailing in Photoshop.

Topia World: Kristel Lightbearer

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:46:54 +0000

For those who missed my girls...

Kristel is one of the characters in the card/computer game Topia World, by the Danish company LightCon Media.
She was painted at the beginning of this year and has just come out of non-disclosure.

Copyright: LightCon Media

A Game of Thrones: Maester Vyman

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:25:22 +0000

Card art made for 'A Game of Thrones' Living Card Game by Fantasy Flight Games, based on G.R.R. Martin's saga 'A Song of Ice and Fire'.

Maester Vyman is the maester of Riverrun, the Tully's seat.
Many thanks to my father-in-law, prof. Bonomi for modelling Maester Vyman for me.

The Magic of Writing (Merlin and Arthur)

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:46:53 +0000

A personal piece I wanted to finish before starting the 'Steampunk Myths' CG Challenge in earnest.

This summer we went to an historical re-enactment event not to far from home, it was very well organized and extremely interesting, with music, theatrical performances, medieval fighting groups and artisans, from cobblers to blacksmiths, from carpenters to candle-makers and public scribes.

One scene caught my eye, a child utterly mesmerized by a scribe writing calligraphy with a goose quill, it was a perfect moment, made to be translated into a painting.
My wife has been urging me for quite a while to paint my own idea of some well known character in a classic legend and the scene, with its mentor-pupil undertones made me think of a young Arthur and a not-yet-that-old Merlin. As I see it, this is the moment in which for the child Arthur letters first come together as words.

Photoshop CS 4

Dark Days

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 08:24:56 +0000

Yes, yes, I know...another girl ;-)

Personal piece: Dark Days was made on purpose for submission to Exotique 4, and will be featured in it.
Sometime in the near future: Viola is a former privileged girl on the run from her archology, will she make it?

Nimhelith

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:13:51 +0000

A portrait I painted as a gift for my wife's birthday, that is today.

This is her character in a homebrew campaign, Nimhelith, an Elf archer who has been hideously scarred by a spell and hides the damage under an half-mask.
Nimhelith has kept us company for a few years, it was high time that she got her own portrait.

As usual, comments are welcome

Sinja

Sun, 03 Feb 2008 08:58:15 +0000

At long last something got out of non-disclosure...

Sinja is one of the characters of Topia World, A CCG/computer game aimed to children by Light Con Media, a Danish company.

Topia World has been launched in Denmark on February the First and will be present at Nurnberg Toy Fair later this month, it will also be launched in the US within this year.

This young lady is featured in issue 29 of Imagine FX, and will be included in Expos� 6.

Dangerous Women 2: Elven Scout

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 09:59:15 +0000

This work was originally made for Ellen Million's Portrait Adoption, a site where ready-made portraits character are available for sale.

As such, according to contract I could show her only in small size and with a watermark (not many chances that your 'exclusive-use character portrait' is still exclusive after being shown un-watermarked on the net, sadly).

I've been of two minds after her inclusion in Exotique 3 and now I've decided to take her down from Portrait Adoption to be able to turn her into a bigger size portfolio piece.
So here she comes...

Elemental Zeron: Water

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 07:35:58 +0000

Here comes the third in the series, Water. Once again body-type, colors and texture are meant to give a sense of the element, without obvious add-ons (ok, the elemental glyphs are there too, but how many people recognize them on the spot?)

Next and last will be Fire, in a little while, since I've a couple of things to take care of, first.

Elemental Zeron: Air

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:30:50 +0000

She is the second in a group of four Zeron works representing the four classical elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. I tried to give them different body-shapes according to how I visualize the element, so Air is definitely longer-limbed and lighter-looking than Earth.

Comments and critiques are, as always, very much appreciated and will be kept in mind for this one and the other pieces in the series.

Sorry for those of you who received multiple notices of a new piece being posted, There was some trouble with images not being saved and at first I thought it was me, so I deleted and uploaded multiple times...

Elemental Zeron: Earth

Sun, 25 May 2008 14:39:44 +0000

This one had been posted a couple of hours ago, but comments by Nekomouse and Coyotes had me doing a few small revisions, and so I decided to delete the old one and repost.

She is first in a group of four Zeron works representing the four classical elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water, each one's body type will be linked to how I visualize the element, so Earth is somewhat bigger boned and wider-hipped that is fashionable nowadays, that is fully intended (although now she is a bit less stocky than earlier, after Coyotes' comment).

Comments and critiques are very much appreciated and will be kept in mind for this one and the other pieces in the series.

Uplift Universe: Fatamorgana

Sun, 11 May 2008 19:14:39 +0000

My entry for the Uplift Universe CG Challenge (not directly inspired, nor in any way related to mr. Brin's books), made in Painter and Photoshop .
Here's the story:

Fatamorgana

After a long time the answer to 'Is there other sentient life in the universe?' has come, and Earth doesn't like the answer.

The Zeron are here, they are high energy, featureless shape-shifters. More than that, much like lichen they are the fusion of two species, to produce a new Zeron an 'energy seed' has to combine with another being, and humans have the highest compatibility.
Are they 'evil conquerors'? Would it be right to condemn them to extinction? Is there another solution?

These human maquis aren't concerned with
philosophical dilemmas, they believe they are fighting for human survival. Often, though, things aren't how they look.

Sahiba

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:19:45 +0000

Commissioned work through Portrait Adoption.

Sahiba is a character in a homebrew sci-fi setting.

Sahiba the character is property of its creator, portrait shown unwatermarked with the client's permission.

Chromis: The Origin Revised (nudity)

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 14:43:56 +0000

After the comment by Dianae on the first version of this piece I reworked the girl to make her body sharper, as suggested (thank you!).

Being definitely happy with the result, I tried to edit the original post to show the new version, after a few unsuccessful attempts I gave up and decided to cancel the old image and resubmit altogether.