# Desert City Updated on Page 2



## DMAC (Feb 22, 2005)

Early pencils for a piece that will show the progression of this character from mild-mannered to bad@$$. 







EDIT: Another new piece:


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## Ankh-Morpork Guard (Feb 22, 2005)

As always, DMAC, that's awesome. Especially love the hair and the details on the clothes.


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## DMAC (Feb 22, 2005)

Tightened up the pencils:


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## Ferret (Feb 24, 2005)

The necromancer drawing is amazing, how did you 'tighten' up the pencil lines?


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## DMAC (Feb 24, 2005)

Thanks. 

I usually do my pencil pieces by first sketching in a lighter color (in this case light brown) and then tightening up with a darker color (here a dark "tuscan red").  The first piece I posted was me scanning the light pencils into Photoshop and darkening/adjusting contrast to make them more visible.  In the second, I had gone over with the darker pencil but the early stuff is still there, just barely visible.


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## Aristotle (Feb 24, 2005)

You continue to impress me with your flowing lines, expressive postures, and attention to detail. If I could afford you, I'd contract you to illustrate my entire homebrew campaign. 

Excellent work, as always.


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## Knightfall (Feb 24, 2005)

Aristotle said:
			
		

> You continue to impress me with your flowing lines, expressive postures, and attention to detail. If I could afford you, I'd contract you to illustrate my entire homebrew campaign.




Ditto. *(I like ml3's stuff to the same degree too.)*


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## Bobitron (Feb 24, 2005)

Wow! Great work. Has your art been published yet?


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## Aristotle (Feb 24, 2005)

A couple of questions on artistic style...

I've seen a few other artists who draw faces similar in style to yours. Is there a particular influence that inspired the way you tackle the face (particularly the nose/eye region)? I know you probably developed a lot of what you do on your own, but we all have influences ... and I'd love to know the source of yours, so I can get influenced too!  

Along similar lines, your outfits always have such interesting designs. They are cool because they look 'D&D appropriate' and yet neat, as opposed to the neat but not always D&D appropriate outfits characters in some published works are wearing. Do you collect images of interesting designs? Clip images from catalogs? Have reference materials for clothing from various periods? Or are you just naturally good at putting together a good outfit?

I know, I know... So many questions, but that's how we learn, right?


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## DMAC (Feb 26, 2005)

*Bobitron:* Yes, I've done published work for Fantasy Flight Games, Alderac Entertainment (AEG) and White Wolf.  I just received my complimentary copy of "Gamma World: Beyond the Horizon" from WW this week which has about half a dozen pen and ink pieces by me in it, always exciting. 

*Aristotle:* Without writing a book on the subject...  I've been drawing for as long as I can remember.  It's just one of those things where I was always doodling in my notebooks and on random scraps of paper.  RPGs were definitely a big inspiration to draw.  When my friends and I started playing Palladium's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness back in junior high, I used to illustrate our characters instead of paying attention in class.  Other people getting excited about seeing their imaginations "come to life" on paper is a big part of what makes this type of thing fun for me.  

I got into comics around that time too.  Jim Lee was a big favorite, as was Chris Bachalo. Outside of comics, I really like Todd Lockwood, Alan Lee, and Brian Froud.  All definitely have an influence on my work. 

I actually took industrial design in school (Basically: designing furniture, vehicles, and other products to be both aesthetically pleasing and functional.)  I find a lot of the same principles apply to designing costumes/characters though.  I usually start by doodling/brainstorming elements that I think would suit the character:






This is a page from my notebook.  You can see a lot of elements that made it into the final design and a few that didn't (or might make it into one of the other "evolutions" I'll be doing).  I like to doodle in pen for a number of reasons: because I find it's cleaner (less smudging), it gives a better idea of what a "finished" version will look like, and it's what I got used to from goofing off in school. 

Once I have something like the doodle of the character down in the lower left, I start the final illustration, lightly sketching in the figure and clothing/accessories and then, once I'm happy with how things look, I either ink or go back over with a darker pencil line.

Hope that helps.


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## DMAC (Mar 7, 2005)

Skipping ahead to work on "Stage 3":


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## Ferret (Mar 7, 2005)

Woah! Absolute freezing, on coolness. That is an amazing necromancer. I can't vocalise how amazing the sword is though. Awesome. If It had a flaw it would be the arm parts, the smae repetition of the bone is less then eye catching. But it doesn't have a flaw.


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## DMAC (Mar 9, 2005)

The client wants the armor to be a little more "streamlined" so there'll be a version 2.0 sometime soon.


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## DMAC (Mar 13, 2005)

Working on a revised version of the bone armor:






I made it heavier instead of being so "skin tight", gave her a cape for a more powerful silhouette, smoothed out the sword, and generally made the armor a little more streamlined without losing the organic, sculptural look.  Less "covered in bones" more "bone armor".


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## punkorange (Mar 13, 2005)

As always, great work.  I look forward to seeing more.


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## Ferret (Mar 13, 2005)

DMAC said:
			
		

> Working on a revised version of the bone armor:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I definately think that works better, the look in the first one seem almost (but not quite) like she is trapped in the armour. I also realised she remends me of Terra from Teen Titans.


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## Kathaer (Mar 17, 2005)

SHE IS WHAT I CALL "CELTIC STYLE" ... please, read my post! help me giving the 6 best players their own portraits in this style! This is simply wonderful!!!!!!

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=124964 this is my thread.. please help us...


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## DMAC (Mar 17, 2005)

Glad you like 'em, and your characters sound like fun, but I just can't afford to do 6 characters "pro-bono".  Unless you've got a wad of cash burning a hole in your pocket I'm afraid I can't help you here.


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## Bobitron (Mar 18, 2005)

I like her more without the armor! I almost always pick the 'early' stage in these sort of things.

More great work, though. Thanks for sharing with us.

I'm going to scour my AEG and White Wolf stuff looking for your illustrations.


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## Verbatim (Mar 18, 2005)

Great work on both the early and the new stage of the necromancer. Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or are her eyes a little more sunken into their sockets in the bone armor stage?

As far as getting you to do multiple chars, I don't have a huge wad to burn, but could maybe get you smaller wads spread out through each char as you got time...


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## Kathaer (Mar 18, 2005)

*can you draw Ethamir at least? and Evendur?*

I need Ethamir.. for a poetry book to give to the best Ethamir acting one... i love that char.. i created him... i rolled him... and i'd also like to see how you'll see Evendur and his kilt ... 'cause i don't know how to draw it in a cool way... 


i'd like to keep in touch with you for other stuff too.. i'm creating a dragon-based CCG, i saw your "dragon-horse".. and i like it a lot.. well.. i hope you'll draw that two charachters... i pray for it... (contact me if intersted in the Collectable Card Game.. it will be called "Dragon Ages")


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## DMAC (Mar 18, 2005)

I'm happy to do commissioned portraits (as time permits of course) but freebies tend to be few and far between.  Drop me a line via e-mail at calvertdarren@hotmail.com to discuss pricing.  With the new Deathknell set of minis and the Iron Kingdoms setting guide on the way, I'm always looking to drum up more funds to support my addictions.


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## Kathaer (Mar 18, 2005)

well.. i can't pay money for Ethamir and Evendur.. but.. surely i can try to think about paying someone for Dragon Ages... i'll write ya something in the next few days about that, explaining you what i need and how, and overall, how much i am supposed to pay ^_^ ... i saw your website.. and the nice Dragon-Claus ^_^


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## Bobitron (Mar 18, 2005)

DMAC said:
			
		

> I'm happy to do commissioned portraits...




Email sent.  



			
				DMAC said:
			
		

> ...and the Iron Kingdoms setting guide on the way...




I'm very glad to hear that you know the IK, most of my characters are from that setting. I hope you enjoy the book, the authors really put thier hearts into the work.


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## DMAC (Mar 20, 2005)

The "middle" stage of the character:


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## Verbatim (Mar 21, 2005)

DMAC: Great picture as always amigo. You have got great skills.

Curious questions to follow:

I am guessing they fall in lvl 1, 7, 13?

Even though she is a necro, she still has this look of young innocence in her face did you think about having her age with the drawings also?


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## Baron Opal (Mar 21, 2005)

I can see the growth from Stage 1 to 2, and the hints from 1 to 3. But the difference between Stage 2 and 3 is a bit of a stretch for me. There isn't really anything about stage two that says "budding necromancer" to me. It's a beautiful illio, 'though.

Baron Opal


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## Ferret (Mar 21, 2005)

I don't see it as much as a Budding Necromancer either.... Still awesome pic as always.

How do you get the same face and body position, but change the armour and clothing?


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## DMAC (Mar 21, 2005)

Magic.  Also a light table and Photoshop. 

I tend to agree that the middle stage should be a little more "necromantic" for it to be a smooth transition, but the idea is that her magical abilities appear only late in the game.  The client has pretty specific ideas about what each stage should include.  They're concepts for a video game proposal so even though she'll be "leveling up" a lot, she won't really age much since it takes place in a relatively short span of time.

Here's a quick thumbnail sketch I did last night for one of the levels, a pseudo-Egyptian city:


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## nyrfherdr (Mar 21, 2005)

Excellent work as always DMAC.  Excellent.


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## Verbatim (Mar 22, 2005)

Wow...great stuff and that does explain the age thing. Thanks..

Also, sorry if it seems I have been trying to pester you with e-mails. Just didn't want you to think I wasn't serious with my commission offer..


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## DMAC (Mar 22, 2005)

Nah, my Inbox is a little backed up at the moment...


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## Verbatim (Mar 22, 2005)

*nod*

Understood and will secure from "Sweat-ex"...

Were you able to look at the char thread for Lamentation though? Just curious as to what you thought of the potential, I hope, project..


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## DMAC (Mar 29, 2005)

Worked on the final pencil version of the city scene this past weekend:


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## Bobitron (Mar 29, 2005)

DMAC said:
			
		

> Nah, my Inbox is a little backed up at the moment...




I hope you recieved my last email regarding the steamboat. I can resend it if you like. Let me know if you are interested, if not, I will need to look for somebody else. Thanks!


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## Angel Tarragon (Mar 30, 2005)

Great, great stuff DMAC! I am really enjoying your work. Do you do artwork on comission? If so, what are your going rates?


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## GentleGiant (Mar 30, 2005)

I'll join the chorus of praises 
Truly great work DMAC!

So... when are you going to start up that tutorial section of your website? 
Especially the colouring tutorials!


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## DMAC (Mar 31, 2005)

I do artwork on comission, although at the moment there's quite a line-up forming...  You can always drop me a line at calvertdarren@hotmail.com and let me know what you're looking for.

I haven't added any coloring tutorials to my site but I did do one for the dragon-horse piece I posted a while back.  I'll start a thread for it here.


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## GentleGiant (Mar 31, 2005)

DMAC said:
			
		

> I haven't added any coloring tutorials to my site but I did do one for the dragon-horse piece I posted a while back.  I'll start a thread for it here.



Coolness!
Any kind of tutorial, however small and on whatever subject, you want to put together on your website (or here) would be great. I'm sure a lot of people are interested in getting all the tips they can


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## Ferret (Apr 1, 2005)

I must concur! Praises etc!

I quite like that pseudo-egyptian style city. Have you got a link to the site about the game?


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## DMAC (Apr 2, 2005)

The game is just a twinkle in its creator's eye at the moment.


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## DMAC (Apr 4, 2005)

Colored up the finished pencil drawing of the desert city today:


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## Bobitron (Apr 4, 2005)

VERY NICE!

I like the way you blurred out the background a bit- helps create additional perspective and a sense of the heat.

Edit: BTW, I emailed you back regarding that steamship commission. Thanks for your reply!


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## Ankh-Morpork Guard (Apr 4, 2005)

That's beautiful, man...LOVE the water. And yeah, the blurred background is great. How I envy your skill.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Apr 4, 2005)

The city piece is excellent! Everytime you post some artwork, I find myself wishing I could draw even 1/100th as well as you. Ah well, I'll just keep looking at yours.


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## Angel Tarragon (Apr 4, 2005)

Excellent, excellent work! Love it!


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## Ferret (Apr 4, 2005)

Wow. I'm just dumbstruck. Really. This. Is. Superb.


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