# littlejohn's fantasy art (Updated 6/12/03)



## littlejohn (Jul 10, 2002)

Hey all,

Here are some of my recent illustrations. Please feel free to post a comment or request.

I'd also like to say thanks to all the DMs and players that inspired many of these pieces. Please keep playing!

- David


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## Eric Lofgren (Jul 10, 2002)

*Beautiful stuff*

I went and had a look at your website, David. Awesome work! You have an exquisite painterly style. Very nice, very nice indeed.

Eric Lofgren


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## littlejohn (Jul 10, 2002)

*Morningstar*

Here's the first piece. Morningstar, Shield of Ell from Sagiro's story hour.


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## Darraketh (Jul 10, 2002)

Very nice. I have to agree with Eric on the painterly style. It's amazing that they are all digital with the exception of the hotel but they all have the look of an oil.

Would you care to give us a little insight as to your technique? Perhaps a bit of a bio too. 

Thanks for sharing your work!


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## littlejohn (Jul 11, 2002)

Darraketh & Eric: Thanks for the comments. 

A little bio: I guess I'm currently an aspiring illustrator. I used to be an internet designer and before that I worked on a couple of unpublished video games.  I'm from California and I have an architecture degree from UC Berkeley.

A little technique: I usually start with a pencil sketch on copy paper. Then I bring it into Photoshop or Painter and work on the composition and silhouette. Next I usually do a monochromatic under-painting. Then I just paint. 

Seriously, I'm no expert, but I'd be more than happy to do a more formal step-by-step if anyone is interested.

Enough about me; here's my take on Valendo from Piratecat's story hour.


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## littlejohn (Jul 11, 2002)

Another piece inspired by Piratecat's campaign: the necropede.






Brand new stuff coming soon (sorry if you've already seen these last few).


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## littlejohn (Jul 11, 2002)

*Sir Aleax*

Here's the latest. Saint Aleax: also from Piratecat's campaign.






[edit: gave Aleax a promotion]


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## Spider_Jerusalem (Jul 12, 2002)

This art is superb! Wonderful style to it. 
This is exactly how DnD art should be. 

Although I've always imagined Velendo as slightly different to that (being my favourite character and all - I'll never get over that use of the Miracle in one of the latest sessions). 

Spider.


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## Darklance (Jul 12, 2002)

Nice work...has PC seen this?


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## Carnifex (Jul 12, 2002)

Wow!

If you, ah, get any free time, feel free to draw some pics from my story hour...


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## Piratecat (Jul 12, 2002)

Why why WHY didn't you email me about this?  Holy cow, these are wonderful.  I'm in awe.

Nice, nice work, my friend.  Wowsa.


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## littlejohn (Jul 12, 2002)

spider_jerusalem: Thanks! I think Valendo came out a little differently than I imagined him too. But once I started painting that's what happened.  He's such a great character concept.

darklance: I don't know if Piratecat has seen these yet. Maybe he'll wander over here sometime. *shrug* [edit: oops... there he is! wow.]

carnifex: I'll definitely check out your thread. I don't know where I'd come up with ideas if it weren't for the story hours.

Nothing to post today, though. But look for some black and white stuff in the near future. I have to beef up that side of my portfolio... and some action shots... and some architecture... and more monsters...

Thanks again for the kind words.

- David


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## Carnifex (Jul 12, 2002)

*wibbles happily at the mere thought of someone doing art of this quality for his story hour*


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## Spider_Jerusalem (Jul 12, 2002)

> *wibbles happily at the mere thought of someone doing art of this quality for his story hour*




[Spider curses himself for not having the gall to ask that in his first post]

It's a pleasure to see people like Aleax and Morningstar brought to life exactly as I imagined them when I was reading - I now wish I hadn't given up painting when I started university. Ack.

Spider.


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## Rune (Jul 12, 2002)

WOW.

Your art has a real surreal feel to it!

I love surreal.


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## Bandeeto (Jul 12, 2002)

Great stuff!  

Velendo looks a little more gaunt than I always imagined him, but he has gotten older since Arcade was a lad, and the pressures of putting up with proxy-hood and the Defenders have been considerable. The long-suffering feel is perfect.

The necropede and Ghouleax are wonderful as well. Can't wait for more!


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## Malessa (Jul 12, 2002)

Very Awesome......Love your technique. 
Nice to see all this talent on this site, really gives me ambition and drive to do better.


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## Ancalagon (Jul 13, 2002)

Wow!

I'm impressed!

Nice work

I did a few illustrations inspired by another famous story hour (Wulf), but the few who saw them know I'm on a totaly different (ie, lower) skill level... 

Ancalagon


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## (contact) (Jul 13, 2002)

Hey, Littlejohn!  I'm blown away- those paintings are wonderful.  You really know how to make your brushwork interesting, and I admire your color sense.

A few questions-- 

1. What is the 'museum card' info for these pieces?  What size and media are they?

2.  How do you transfer them to digital media, and what digital program are you using?  Photoshop?  How much are you working them digitally?

3.  How do you determine your pallate?

Thanks for sharing, by the way.  These are outstanding.  Piratecat was so stoked he emailed me to have me come look.  We share some aesthetic sensabilities.  Check it out:  www.spfpost.com/rekatorium.

You're in the Bay?


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## Sialia (Jul 13, 2002)

I'm also totally in awe. These are very, very beautiful. 

Forgive me for being completely blunt, but who ARE you? Have we met?

I know you have met the players, or seen their photos, yes? Tell me you didn't imagine the look on Velendo's face from whole cloth.

It is too perfect.

(Bandeeto, remember that Velendo has lost some considerable CON --or was it STR?-- since we played in Boston. I remember that something happened to him, although I can't recall quite what. Perhaps it was the conversion to 3rd Ed?)

And the Necropede is . . .  is . . . words utterly fail me.

I have fantasized for months that somewhere out there, there is an artist with the ability and interest to convert some of the Storyhour to a graphic novel format. 

My fantasy has just gotten a whole lot more elaborate.

More, more, more, please.


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## Sialia (Jul 13, 2002)

Oh, and that would be a big "YES!" to the offer of the step by step. I would love to see how you do this.


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## (contact) (Jul 13, 2002)

I've always preferred drawing media, so take this with a grain of salt, but . . .



> But look for some black and white stuff in the near future.




Your color work would be luscious as a greyscale digital file, and since they seem to be digitally created, it would be a no-brainer to accomplish.


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## Darraketh (Jul 13, 2002)

Sialia said:
			
		

> *I have fantasized for months that somewhere out there, there is an artist with the ability and interest to convert some of the Storyhour to a graphic novel format. *




Excellent idea! Even if it was done for just for the portfolio, due to story rights etc., it would be awesome to see.

littlejohn has the right style!


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## littlejohn (Jul 13, 2002)

Wow. It's awesome what a Piratecat cross-link does for a thread. Thanks for all the comments. I'm so lucky to participate in a community like this. 

(contact): Yeah, I live in Oakland, CA. Most of these were painted in Photoshop after doing a sketch in pencil. The portraits were all painted at 1200x1800. As for the palette, it's pretty intuitive (read: random).

Siala: I don't think I've met anybody on these boards, but who knows? I agree some of these story hours would make interesting novelizations, graphic or otherwise. I also like to imagine them as radio plays. 

btw. If you haven't already, check out (contact)'s stuff. The watercolors are fantastically moody. Siala's thread is, of course, required reading.

Now I better do some drawing, eh? I'll take a stab at a how-to when I get a sec. Thanks again; it means a lot.


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## Kip the Bold (Jul 14, 2002)

I like your pics. I think your technique is pretty cool, it gives the portraits a lot of energy even thought they are pretty much standing still.


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## DoctorB (Jul 15, 2002)

Great work!  I particularly like the Necropede picture.


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## feeb (Jul 15, 2002)

I like the necropede.


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## KidCthulhu (Jul 16, 2002)

I'm waiting to see what he does with the flames on/around Nolin.  Given your Turner-esqe color and brush work, I can't wait to see what you can do with flames.

Please, please, pretty please!


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## (contact) (Jul 16, 2002)

Do you need some source photography for Nolin, David?  'Cuz I can point you in the right direction.

Hey, Kid-C, who is Turner?  URL?


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## littlejohn (Jul 16, 2002)

I've always wanted to do a portrait of Nolin. I'm also curious what his hair is going to look like.  Any tips on what he looks like would be great.

(contact): You can see some Turner at Yahoo's list of Turner sites.

feeb: Thanks! I've admired your work for a while over at eatpoo.

In the meantime, here's a quickie I did last night of what might be a Trillith. Those story hour posts aren't up anymore are they? Does anybody have a stat block?


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## Piratecat (Jul 19, 2002)

I'm making edits, and we'll make the whole packet available for download. In the mean time, David, with your permission I'm linking this thread to the front page of the story hour.

Even more importantly, happy birthday!!!


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## Piratecat (Jul 19, 2002)

I'm amazed how much like swamp thing the b&w version of the trillith resembles; the color version on your web site isn't quite as stark, but I think it may capture the "slime effect" better.  

And I'm posting the painting of Velendo and the Damming Stone into my story hour!  http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=266507#post266507


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## Ashy (Jul 19, 2002)

Littlejohn,

As many others here have said - your art leaves one speechless!  Absolutely WONDERFUL stuff!!!!!


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## Eridanis (Jul 19, 2002)

*Wow!*

I'm glad Piratecat added the link to this thread. "Velendo and the Stone" is now my desktop background - a 21st century take on a 19th century, Hudson River School style, it seems to me. I like the pastoral feel very much, and yet the moment is personalized, not a landscape.

And your Velendo above is perfect - just as I imagined him. The look in his eyes is wonderful - a mixture of offering the brick to you and begging you to take it off his hands. 

More, please, when you feel inspired!


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## Citizen Mane (Jul 19, 2002)

littlejohn — I'm really impressed.  Wicked neat stuff, chief. 

Best,
tKL


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## Sialia (Jul 19, 2002)

More more more, please.

I suppose we haven't met--it's just that you captured Velendo so well, I found it hard to beleive you weren't ever in the room with the player, so thought maybe I'd have bumped into you at the Werehouse (P'Cat's and KidC's house) at some point.

On the other hand, I don't live far away--just down in Sunnyvale, so it's not unreasonable to think we _could_ meet, if we wanted to.

Maybe (contact) would  be interested in joining us for a night of shmoozing about art? If you feel like driving all the way down our way, I'll host.

(What with the wee one, I don't get out very often--but lots of fun at our house.) (And cookies--did I mention cookies?)

I'll be offline for about a week, but maybe we can set something up when I get back.

Please please more painting/drawing in the meantime.


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## littlejohn (Jul 20, 2002)

Thanks for the comments! Here's a few more quick sketches I did over the last few days. 

A painted version of the trillith. Though now that I have the old story hour sessions, I'll probably redo him. Maybe he's just a sewer thing:






A painted version of a piece I'm working on for a 'zine:






A sketch of Valendo and the Damming Stone:


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## alsih2o (Jul 20, 2002)

HOLY CANVAS STRETCHERS BATMAN!!!

 your work soooooooo rocks!!

 this is gallery quality work my friend!

 anything available for purchase?
 feel free to email me!


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## (contact) (Jul 22, 2002)

What abstract painters are you looking at right now, littlejohn?  Anyone in particular?  One of the strengths of your stuff is the painterly approach, which causes me to approach your work more from a formalistic pov.

What I mean is, to me the wizard painting is more about color, composition, texture and shape than it is about a wizard.  The subject matter is really almost incidental.

-----------

Actually, Sailia (if that is your *real* name!), I would really enjoy that.  If you'd like, I'd been thinking about a trip to the MOMA.  You could walk there from the train (or from BART) which is convinient from your house (if that is your *real* house!).  I bring it up b/c I've been thinking recently that I need to go.

I don't know how Rebecca (if that is her *real* name!) would do with an art museum, but Helene loves them.  Just a thought.


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## littlejohn (Jul 23, 2002)

(contact): I haven't been looking at anybody recently. I'm just trying out all of Painter's brushes.  Actually, I've been looking at Craig Mullins' stuff recently, though he's not abstract. I like mixing both formal and illustrative painting though I haven't got the balance right. 

alsih2o: Thanks a lot. Most of this stuff is digital so it's pretty much free  I'll be sure to let everyone know if my stuff gets published anywhere.

Two versions of the same subject; from Sagiro's campaign. A sketch:







and a painting:


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## Malessa (Jul 23, 2002)

Very nice!!


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## (contact) (Jul 23, 2002)

> Most of this stuff is digital so it's pretty much free




Free for a crappy low-res desktop wallpaper type of image, sure.

*alsih2o*:  While David's work is digital, there is something he could do for you.

If David is willing to sell prints, he can have a file that you want printed using archive-quality material, and have it matted or framed for you.  The print would be signed, of course.

Price would be up to him, most of these kinds of things are going to go for between $20-$150, and up (depending on the artist).

Since David would be making a single print for you, probably the printing cost would have to be factored in.  Archive-quality material is very important, but also a little more expensive.

This is what some digital artists are doing for people interested in collecting their work


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## littlejohn (Jul 23, 2002)

Haha. (contact)'s my agent now.  I guess if somebody _had_ to give me money...  

Seriously, that sounds neat. I'll check into it if there's sustained interest.

See you all next week.


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## Piratecat (Jul 24, 2002)

Nice!  I actually like the b&w version of Greywolf's experience between the twin spheres of Abernia and Volpos. It was the one of the climaxes of the campaign to date, and you captured it beautifully. I especially like the effect of his wrists disappearing into the spheres as they merge.

Except, err, he had on clothes.  I can see it now:

D:  "Hey look, Ernie! Greywolf's weapon is bigger than yours! Guess that's why they call it a 'long sword'.  Heh, heh."

E:  "Dranko, shush! Of course his weapon is bigger. I use a short sword.  And Greywolf, put on some pants! We can see your naughty bits, and it's only a matter of time before Dranko makes some rude comment."

D: "Actually, I --"

G:  "Did I ask for this? I didn't ask for this. And now the Black Circle stole my clothes."



Request you should feel free to ignore:  

David, if you ever decide to do a sketch of Nolin, he looks a little like Robert Duncan McNeil (the pilot from Star Trek: Voyager) or John Hanna (the brother from The Mummy), but that's not what he _really_ looks like. He _really_ looks like a big honkin' phoenix named Rides The Sun, rising up from a half-elven form somewhere inside of him.  Heck, I don't even need you to do it; I can see it in my head with your style, and it is good.


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## Piratecat (Jul 24, 2002)

Amazed observation for today:

I have the "Velendo and the Stone" as my wallpaper, and I was gazing at it, thinking, "It would be cool if it represented what the Damming Stone was doing to Velendo."  Then I saw something odd, and actually _looked_, and holy cow!  Littlejohn got it exactly right. Squiggles of force lines in the sky, indicating the wind; force lines under Velendo's arm, indicating gravity; more lines in the road, indicating movement.  That's exactly what it was like, and you nailed it in one. My hat is off to you.


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## KidCthulhu (Jul 24, 2002)

Holy firking snit.  I love this work!  I think I like the black and white better, but the beautiful color ripple around his arms as they pass through the spheres is winning me over to the color version.

Also, Contact, can you post digital art to one of those flat screen digital photo frames?  Something like this (http://www.ceiva.com).


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## (contact) (Jul 24, 2002)

> Haha. (contact)'s my agent now.




Oh, no.  An agent gets _half_.  Think I'm joking?  I wish I was.  Half.  (Shakes head)

I'm just making suggestions-- digital art is becoming a more widespread medium for artists, but people still want to collect prints.  Prints have many things going for them.  The color quality is within the artist's control, instead of the viewer's monitor.  If you get a high-quality print, the colors are also more vivid, and details more apparent.  It's sort of like the difference between viewing a poster of a painting and then seeing the actual work.  

And as a digital artist, you really should do yourself the justice of a high-quality print from time to time.  It's really interesting.  A lot of what I do is designed for the screen, but I proof the colors and last pass from a color print.  It's amazing what you _don't_ see looking into a monitor.  It's like looking at your drawing using a mirror.

The other side of the print coin is image integrity.  If an image is specifically designed for screen-viewing, some people think that looking at them in any other way is taking them out of context.

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You could totally use a Cevia frame for David's illustrations by just saving the ones posted in this thread.  But if you seriously want to have one of his works in your home, a print would be my choice.

Of course, David might 86 the entire idea in some tempermental fit of artistic rage.  (You know how they get.)


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## el-remmen (Jul 24, 2002)

*wishes with great envy that littlejohn read his story hour*

Just amazing, l.j. - amazing and a credit to the writers of the story hours in question to inspire you so as well.


Good work, all!


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## madriel (Jul 28, 2002)

Lovely work, littlejohn.


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## Dawn (Jul 31, 2002)

Just arrived from contact's story and I must say beautiful work!


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## littlejohn (Jul 31, 2002)

Thanks guys. I'll get back to more painting as soon as I can. In the meantime, here's a sketch of Elektra. Not exactly fantasy, but hey...


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## (contact) (Jul 31, 2002)

She would give me an Electra complex.


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## Rune (Jul 31, 2002)

(contact) said:
			
		

> *She would give me an Electra complex. *




_That_ is something I never wanted to picture.


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## (contact) (Jul 31, 2002)

This "eeeew" moment brought to you by (contact) and the letter "M".


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## Sialia (Aug 1, 2002)

So so SO beautiful!

I will happily gaze at any genre at all you want to put up. 

You wanna do bowls of fruit, I will admire bowls of fruit.

Sigh. It's good to be back online. 

More, please.


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## pennywiz (Aug 2, 2002)

lj - Add me to the long list of fans who appreciate your work.


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## littlejohn (Aug 2, 2002)

Thanks pennywiz & Sialia! Bad (contact)!


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## Sidran (Aug 4, 2002)

*Velendo and the Stone* 

So how much would it cost to put this on a print. ( I like the Idea just cuz I can move it around in my home. Place it  in an Interior that I create to frame the setting. 

How much would be the minimum for a print of the above piece of art.

I will reiterate that LittleJohns art deserves an entire wall at a Gallery.

LJ Digital don't make it less worthy of being called art or less worthy to be payed for to enjoy looking at. 

You are a true artist in the classical sense of the word. and Velendo and the Stone is an example of artistic brilliants. ( It reminds me of my favorites like Degas, Monet, and Van Gogh


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## (contact) (Aug 4, 2002)

I'm bad on the inside.  ;P

Actually, you should probably loose the pattern brush.  I bet in another year or two, that's the sort of thing that'll make you not want to look at your old paintings.


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## Sir Osis of Liver (Aug 5, 2002)

That Daredevil pic is off the scale! Your other stuff is great, but i love Daredevil, and that is a great pic of him. You should be doing covers for marvel!


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## littlejohn (Aug 8, 2002)

Thanks everyone; I know I'm lagging. Here are two recent non-fantasy paintings. One is Bullseye and the other I did after watching Resident Evil last night.


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## madriel (Aug 9, 2002)

Very nice, littlejohn.  I love the colours you use.


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## Sialia (Aug 22, 2002)

more?

please?

(bump)


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## littlejohn (Aug 23, 2002)

Sialia: thanks for the wakeup call. I've been kinda busy.

I did manage to submit something for the next issue of Asgard. If you didn't see Issue 6, I have some work in there too. 

This time, I did an illustration of a greedy "gold elf." Here's a sneak peek of some sketches and an early silhouette. Hopefully they'll use the finished painting. Either way, I'll post a hi-res version of it after the magazine comes out.







Here's another painting I worked on last week for a competition. I didn't post it because frankly I'm not that fond of it. It's supposed to be a post-apocalyptic gladiator with a familiar; but I just couldn't get into the assignment.







Hopefully I'll get around to finishing that portrait of Nolin I started...


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## (contact) (Aug 23, 2002)

D'oh!  You said " I just couldn't get into the assignment," but you must have surely _meant_ "I toned down the energy of my fantasy style in favor of a more dampened effect, in keeping with the setting milleu".  Right?



I really think you're getting better with local color.  Maybe it's just me, but that post-apoclyptic gladiator is really nice.

I'm looking forward to the gold elf as well, once it goes to press.


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## Piratecat (Aug 25, 2002)

Well, at the very least, I've been trying to give you cinematic moments.


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## littlejohn (Aug 26, 2002)

I know. I read but I don't contribute; what a lurker!






I have to work on b&w stuff this week.


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## littlejohn (Sep 3, 2002)

I forgot to put this one up last week; inspired by PirateCat's campaign (as was the last one). Special thanks to the players.


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## littlejohn (Sep 3, 2002)

My latest (last?) attempt at a portrait of Nolin, KidCthulhu's character. I must have 10 failed starts at this guy. I'm not sure he's really done, but here he is. 






Thanks to (contact) for the Peter Frampton tip; this portrait is loosely based on a photo.


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## (contact) (Sep 3, 2002)

I think Nolin has had lip-enhancement surgery and liposuction.  (Musicians are *so vain*)

Looks great!  You got skills-- the proof is in the hands.  

When are we going to do some life drawing?


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## madriel (Sep 4, 2002)

There's the boobies for KidChulthu.   

Those are great pix, littlejohn.  Please post more when you got 'em.


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## littlejohn (Sep 5, 2002)

Heh. Maybe Nolin looks a little _too_ fey. 

Here's an older piece. It just came out in the latest Backara Herald.






(contact): I do life drawing on campus at Berkeley most Friday nights. We should hook up.


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## carpedavid (Sep 6, 2002)

*prints*

With all of the talk about prints of littlejohn's images, I would suggest checking out Deviantart.com if you're not already familliar with it. It is an online community of artists who like to share their work with the world. It also has a print service that allows artists to offer archive quality prints for a very low cost to themselves.

Great work littlejohn, I've been a fan since I saw your work in Piratecat's storyhour.


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## (contact) (Sep 6, 2002)

Carpedavid coming through with the hook up!  Thanks!


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## KidCthulhu (Sep 9, 2002)

Thanks, Littlejohn for a great portrait.  I looked at it at first and thought "Hey, that doesn't look anything like Nolin.  His hair is short and flamey, and he's not half that swishy and ...."

And then I thought "Back off, girl.  The man is an artist.  He's doing an interpretation.  If you wanted a character portrait, you could hire some hack at the next gaming convention."

So well done.  If you really _want_ input on what I think Nolin looks like, I'm happy to help.  But I think you should draws 'em as you sees 'em, and to hell with us players.


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## Piratecat (Sep 9, 2002)

I love the way his hair is igniting, just leaping into flame - _sweet_.  And the marilith is just plain scary. Thanks!

The room with the chairs is creeping me out, but I'm not sure what it's showing - council room?


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## Darraketh (Sep 9, 2002)

littlejohn,

Your work reminds me of that of Bill Sienkiewicz. Most notably from the book "The Bestiary-A compendium of creatures and beings from the lost world of Atlantis" ©1986 Bard Games. Are you familiar with his work and is he an influence? Who would you say are your influences?

I particularly enjoy your B&W illustrations. They seem to give just what is necessary to capture a particular mood or frame of reference and the imagination of the viewer is free to fill in the blanks. Oft times I can get lost in the technique and the style of a particular illustration while any meaning or point of the piece takes a back seat, overshadowed by its artistry.

With your B&W illustrations the style, while impressive in its own right, becomes transparent and I find myself swept away imagining not any one particular meaning or theme but a torrent of possibilities.


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## littlejohn (Sep 9, 2002)

Once again I discover that it's all about posting to Piratecat's story hour thread. 

Darraketh: I'd say that Bill Sienkiewicz is my earliest and strongest influence. Thanks for noticing! I just loved his stuff growing up and I've often wondered what he's doing now. Every month or so I regret he and Alan Moore never finished Big Numbers. Never seen the "Bestiary" book, though. Sounds like I need to visit bookfinder.com. Right now, I'm pretty much in love with Craig Mullins http://www.goodbrush.com and a few other people who post online.

Piratecat: I painted the shadow in the big dwarven hall from a few sessions ago. But the room came out looking kinda small. I just loved the phrase: "He sees what looks like an elongated shadow stretching along the wall, in a place where no shadow should be."

KidCthulhu: I'd totally be interested in taking another shot. I didn't really have anything to go on and painting someone with flaming hair in a naturalistic way is pretty tricky. Send or post a description or a celebrity he looks like or another character portrait or something and I'll do another. [edit: I just saw the descriptions Piratecat posted to the story hour. Disregard this unless you want to elaborate.]

(contact) & carpedavid: Thanks! I'll check out the deviantart service. 

btw: If any player who's character I painted wants a color print from my cheapo ink-jet, it's free. Just mail me your contact info. And Piratecat: that goes double for you.


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## Piratecat (Sep 9, 2002)

Oh, God, of course! That's _great_.  I didn't see it at first, though.  

I'm linking that in to the story hour, with your permission!

EDIT - both the marilith and shadow are inserted into the correct story hour posts.  Whoo hoo!


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## Darraketh (Sep 9, 2002)

littlejohn said:
			
		

> *...Darraketh: I'd say that Bill Sienkiewicz is my earliest and strongest influence. Thanks for noticing! I just loved his stuff growing up and I've often wondered what he's doing now...*




He has a website.
http://www.billsienkiewicz.com/ 
Unfortunately it's not as comprehensive, in regards to his past works, as I'd hoped. Frankly there is very little there. Still it's worth the trip.


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## DoctorB (Sep 10, 2002)

I was an occasional lurker before, but let me just say that your art is fabulous.  You do fantasy art with a vibrant and gritty feel, and those last two b&w prints for PCs game creep me out too.
Keep up the good work!
Kinda makes me wish I lived on the left coast so I could come see you [and (contact)] at work.


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## Sialia (Sep 10, 2002)

*Nolin in action*

Peter Frampton is partly my fault-- I tried to paint a miniature for Kidcthulhu of Nolin a long time ago, and I'm a terrible miniature painter. We joked afterwards about how it looked like an aging rocker--someone too old to be playing the teen hearthrob, but who was trapped in his own legend. (This was after Cadrienne and Arcade had retired and gone on to have "grown up" lives and we teased Kidcthulhu that it was time for Nolin to settle down from the adventuring life and get a haircut and get a real job. Thank goodness he/she didn't listen to us.)

Kidcthulhu, bless her heart, still uses that miniature, and it does look a bit like your painting, if you squint and pretend that it was painted really well by somebody with a lot of talent. The miniature has long hair and looks a bit like Peter Frampton, anyway. Black leather hat and clothes, red leggings, high black boots with deeply folded over cuffs, lute slung across the back, and big black gauntlet gloves, I think. Short black cape with red lining, maybe--I remember KidCthulhu wanted him all in black and I begged her to let me put some color in it. I painted the hair cherry red for the fire because I have no artisitic subtlely--I didn't know how to paint blond flame, and I only had one jar of red acrylic.

So your amazing psychic connection to P'Cat's game is working fine: you correctly identified his miniature surrogate on the battlemap, and your rendition is 1000-fold better. If only I had done a better job of the source material!

So, to try to make up for the false lead, I've been all over the web trying to find a better still for you, but none of the stills captured what I was trying to show, and then I remembered: you're in Berkeley, or close enough to it.

So here's the deal: go take in a House Jacks concert. 
Sat. Oct 5 Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse
1111 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA
info: (510) 548-1761

It'd be worth doing anyway.

And the drummer, Wes Carroll, he _moves_ the way Nolin ought to. It doesn't show up in the stills, but I remember we saw him perform in Boston about seven years ago (when he was with Five O'Clock Shadow) and I spent the whole performance thinking, Damn, it's Nolin. Really him.

Except, Nolin doesn't do vocal percussion, of course, and Wes is a god at that.  I'm sure Kidcthulhu didn't conciously model anything on him (even though I think they worked in the same office once upon a distant past when he had a day job other than being a musician) but there is something in the eyes, and something in the intensity, and something in the charisma, the proud confidence without arrogance--the audience rapport. The musical precision. The mask between what is out there for the audience and what is held inside for his own private use. 

I can't explain it.   The physical resemblence is there, too, I think--it wouldn't lead you astray, but it's not the important thing about it.

Nolin has a face you could trust. There’s stuff inside him he may not share, but he’s not hiding anything devious or mean--anything that would be about anyone else. Just hiding stuff from himself, mostly. What’s on the surface is all genuine--he’s never been one for phoniness. 

And no matter how folk tease him about his way with the ladies, Cadrienne always thought of him as a “safe date.” He’s too transparent, really, to be up to anything you couldn’t read a mile off. And the anger in him is all directed inward, so even when he loses his temper, he’s never really mad at his friends--only his own inability to make them see reason, impatient to be doing what he thinks is right. Mad at foes is a whole different matter--but even so, his inner tendency towards self destruction is behind a lot of his combat decisions.
Was. All that was before the Phoenix. And Telay.

It’s been so long, and he’s grown so much and I’ve been away--it’s hard for me to say what drives him now. But that was how I knew him then.

And there is something else about Nolin I can't quite explain how to picture--something about being on fire without flaming, without smoldering, without raging inferno--  the way banked coals sleep in their white ashes when the flames have died down and the grill is hot enough to sear meat even though you can't see the fire much. And then suddenly the way fireworks are hot, or roiling vast explosions. And then it all gets banked down again.

Alix was like wildfires--forests and cities burning and leaping, consuming itself in the joy of destruction and power--an accident desperate for an excuse to happen. Tomtom plays with fire for the joy of the thing--like a juggler. Mirata was like the precision of an oxy-acetelyne torch, and Cadrienne gave herself over to that like a willing human sacrifice desperate for immolation. Dylrath lives in a room full of fire by pretending it isn't there at all. 

Nolin isn't like any of those. 

The fire is inside him like his rage at his father, like the knowledge of his own mistakes, but most of the time he is like a cheerful campfire, a torch, a tame, useful domestic thing. Until it isn't. Until he needs it, and it needs to be let out, and they are one thing. One fast, humongous, white hot flying exploding terrible thing. And then, when it's over, he is himself again with amazing speed. Only Nolin. Sad, funny, lovable, bitter, skeptical, joking, put upon, hard working, charismatic old Nolin.

Does that help?


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## Henry (Sep 10, 2002)

Sialia, what are your published works as a writer?

And if you don't have any, _why don't you?_


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## (contact) (Sep 10, 2002)

DoctorB said:
			
		

> *Kinda makes me wish I lived on the left coast so I could come see you [and (contact)] at work. *




See me at work?  Why?  I hang around the break room, surf the ENBoards and dodge my boss just like everyone else.

OH, you mean drawing . . .


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## Sialia (Sep 12, 2002)

You know, now that I've mentioned it, _I_ really want to see the House Jacks on Oct 5. Probably the early show.

And you know what? I just found out I can get free babysitting for the Scampering Chaos that night.

Anyone else interested?

Also, I gamed with my usual group in Mountain View this week and realized: Swack Iron looks an _ awful_ lot like Nolin. 

He's got the right smile, and he actually looks quite a bit like the guy Nolin was based on. He's also got a shirt and hat that would probably be just about perfect.

Swack Iron says he'd be happy to pose for a sketch . . .


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## (contact) (Sep 12, 2002)

Sialia said:
			
		

> *You know, now that I've mentioned it, I really want to see the House Jacks on Oct 5. Probably the early show.
> 
> Anyone else interested?*




Yes-- I would go.  Berkely?


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## Sialia (Sep 12, 2002)

[post edited to reduce hijack.]

yes Berkeley! See new thread on main page. It would be great to see you there!


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## KidCthulhu (Sep 13, 2002)

Good God, Si, you give good description.  

And yes, you're right, Wes Carrol is a little Nolin-y.  And he has the charm.  

I'm sorry I can't join you all for this little expedition, but you should go.  The House Jacks are fabu.

LittleJohn, if you want, I can find a few pictures of the friend who Nolin is actually based on.  They might help.


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## Sialia (Sep 13, 2002)

Got 'em!  Tickets, that is.

Bandeeto and I will be at the 5:00 House Jacks show at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on the 5th.

So as not to hijack this thread, I'm gonna start a new thread in the main forum for folks who want to talk about plans for getting a few Bay Area Enworlders together there & then. 

house jacks thread 

Really hope to see you. KC, I wish you could be there, too. Miss you like anything.


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## littlejohn (Sep 13, 2002)

Thanks for all the tips. Maybe I'll see you guys out at the club. Depends on my schedule.

I think I'll pass on the photos. Thanks, though.

I like written descriptions best (and you guys gave me some great ones). Even though the paintings don't end up looking as realistic as those created with a photo (or life) reference, I still like the idea of creating images from (somewhat) whole cloth. Then again, I'm in a portraiture class right now so who knows.

Hopefully I'll have some more fantasy art to post real soon.


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## Piratecat (Sep 13, 2002)

Personally, I imagine I'd much prefer the pictures you do out of your imagination. I'll bet that there's a noticeable difference between your portraits and your interpretation of what you conceptualize inside of your head; with your style, the former just wouldn't seem to fit as well.

That being said, I really like most of the self-portraits on your web site.


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## Sialia (Sep 13, 2002)

One of the things I love about your art is that it is not photographic. There is a quality you capture that goes beyond what is in a static image of the visible world. Gets at the impression, the feel, the metaphor, the subtext of things.


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## Knightfall (Sep 13, 2002)

*Great work as always!*

Just thought I'd chime in again, littlejohn, to tell you how much I really like your art.  It's really different from what I 'normally' get addicted to but your interpretations of the Defenders of Daybreak keep me coming back.

I love how there are artists out there willing to create character art for gamers.  You do it for Piratecat and the Defenders while guys like Kip the Bold, Stone Angel, and now astralpwka are open to anyone for character work.

Heck, I even got Kip to do a couple of my Story Hour characters in black & white and he's going to do a version of one of my gods.  I have posted another one for him to do but he's a little overworked right now.

I've also posted character ideas in Stone Angel and astralpwka's threads.  Astralpwka says he can have my character don for me sometime today.  I love EN World!   

I guess where I going with this is are you only going to do character interpretations for the Defenders or can I post a character description here and have a chance it might get done?  Or should I jut forget it?

Cheers!


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## Piratecat (Sep 13, 2002)

Knightfall, I know I've been pretty careful not to presume that littlejohn will draw _anything_ for my game. I don't want to ever think that the guy is doing portraits-for-hire unless I'm paying him, so I've been assuming that he goes where his muse takes him. whether that's my game or someplace entirely different, the result is still glorious to see.

I might suggest that if anyone gives David requests or commissions, they do so over email unless he announces that he'd rather have them in this thread. That will help the keep thread focused more on art.

Thanks!


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## (contact) (Sep 13, 2002)

I'm glad to see people appreciating the line for line, color for color and shape for shape in littlejohn's work.  That's formalism-- an approach near and dear to my little, cold, coal-black heart, and littlejohn's strengths are his markmaking, composition and palate.

The subject matter, like in all painting, is merely a starting point-- unimportant to the point of being irrelevant.

(Ducks thrown dice from PC, Kid C and Sialia)


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## (contact) (Sep 13, 2002)

Sialia said:
			
		

> *One of the things I love about your art is that it is not photographic. There is a quality you capture that goes beyond what is in a static image of the visible world. Gets at the impression, the feel, the metaphor, the subtext of things. *




But it's just as real (or even more real) than a photographic image would be, in the sense that it communicates more than just the physical appearance.  For photos to convey subtext/ephemeral qualities the photographer has to contrive to create the same conditions that a naturalist painter can place at will.

Most photorealism is so fixated on accuracy and fidelity that the images become kind of static, anyway.  They are interesting because of the excruciating craft, or the fact that the portrait is twelve-times life size.


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## TheLoneGoldfish (Sep 14, 2002)

I just wanted to chime in and say how much I love your illustrations... Still wating for a tutorial though....


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## littlejohn (Sep 14, 2002)

Dang. I love the responses; but it makes me look bad to have so much text on this page and so few paintings. These days I've been doing a few self-portraits, life drawing, taking a portraiture class and a bunch of networking to see if I can get some more work. Whew! It's super-competitive out there.

In case you're wondering what I look like to myself in a mirror:






I thought a while back about doing commissioned character portraits. This cool artist Socar Myles painted pictures of people's pets for a while. If I could make a living painting character portraits, that would be great. As it is, I think I need to broaden and polish my portfolio before I could make money painting much of anything.

By the way, I think what Kip the Bold is doing is awesome. But a talented artist like Kip offering free portraits on this board is pretty much asking for sleep deprivation.  I already have pangs of regret getting people's expectations up about defender's portraits or other story hour illustrations. There are so few hours in the day; and I don't even have a full-time job right now.

(contact): As for subject matter; and I can't emphasize this enough: if it weren't for Piratecat, the defenders' players and other folks on this board and a couple of others, I wouldn't be painting, period. I owe all of my productivity to them. In _my_ cold, coal-black heart I know my true strength is procrastination.


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## RangerWickett (Sep 14, 2002)

Dave, just wondering, no reason.  *cough*  But if someone offered, would you be interested in an illustrating job offer?  Like say for a D20 company.  In about a month and a half?


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## Knightfall (Sep 14, 2002)

littlejohn said:
			
		

> *I thought a while back about doing commissioned character portraits. This cool artist Socar Myles painted pictures of people's pets for a while. If I could make a living painting character portraits, that would be great. As it is, I think I need to broaden and polish my portfolio before I could make money painting much of anything.*




I've seen Socar Myles work on Epilogue.Net.  Amazing stuff by an amazing artist.  Do you have an Epilogue gallery?



			
				littlejohn said:
			
		

> *By the way, I think what Kip the Bold is doing is awesome. But a talented artist like Kip offering free portraits on this board is pretty much asking for sleep deprivation.  I already have pangs of regret getting people's expectations up about defender's portraits or other story hour illustrations. There are so few hours in the day; and I don't even have a full-time job right now.*




I agree, Kip's the man but sometimes I worry that doing so many free portraits is going to exhaust him.  But he's taking a nice break right now, which will keep him sane.  I hope!   

As for the Defenders portraits, I'm more of a lurker on this thread then Piratecat's story hour thread.  I'll come look at them whenever you post a new one but I don't live for it.

And you shouldn't feel ANY pangs of regret.  As authors, we are honored to have any artist bring our favorite characters to life visually in pencil, pen, digital, canvas, or heck even tomato paste - heh.  I'm sure Piratecat feels honored and a little in awe.  Here you've gone and brought the Defenders to life visually and he didn't even have to ask you to do it.  And he wouldn't dream of imposing on you.  P'Cat's that way, I know that and I haven't even met him.

Anyway, just wanted to make myself clear on the matter.

Cheers!


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## Xarlen (Sep 14, 2002)

Holy Snuggly Wiggit! 

This stuff is *gold*. Beautiful.

Do you do Comissions, for regular folk, LJ?


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## (contact) (Sep 14, 2002)

littlejohn said:
			
		

> *As it is, I think I need to broaden and polish my portfolio before I could make money painting much of anything.*



*

You underestimate your portfolio.  But you already know I think that.




			(contact): As for subject matter; and I can't emphasize this enough: if it weren't for Piratecat, the defenders' players and other folks on this board and a couple of others, I wouldn't be painting, period. I owe all of my productivity to them. In my cold, coal-black heart I know my true strength is procrastination. 

Click to expand...



My point is, that whatever sparks your intent is secondary to what you do with your 'brush'.  For you, the starting point is a kick-ass D&D story hour, but for someone else it might be cute little kids, or a car wreck.  

In the end, it's just line, shape and color.  Some people will always want to approach your painting from the standpoint of enjoying the representation or the narrative, but others (like some of the folks here) will appreciate your brushwork or the gestural quality of a pose.  I am solidly in the latter category, but don't get me wrong-- I don't paint at all these days *except* for fantasy stuff.  But I also feel like what I'm doing is the same thing that any painter, dealing with any subject is doing.  I just do it a little more half-assed than most, and my portraits have stat-blocks to go along with them.  *


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## littlejohn (Sep 15, 2002)

Watched _The Messenger_ last night:







RangerWickett: You _know_ I would. I'll mail you.

Knightfall1972: Thanks. I feel a lot better 

Xarlen: Right now I'm just painting what moves me and trying to get some things published in 'zines and d20 supplements.

(contact): Yeah, I see your point. I guess with illustration it's kind of a balance.


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## Piratecat (Sep 15, 2002)

Holy crap on a stick!  That is _amazing_.


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## (contact) (Sep 16, 2002)

littlejohn said:
			
		

> *contact): Yeah, I see your point. I guess with illustration it's kind of a balance. *




Only as far as your client is concerned.  

Illustrator is just a contrived title we give to artists who want to put their work into mass media.

Nice Joan of Arc!  Done from memory?


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## KidCthulhu (Sep 17, 2002)

(contact) said:
			
		

> *The subject matter, like in all painting, is merely a starting point-- unimportant to the point of being irrelevant.
> 
> (Ducks thrown dice from PC, Kid C and Sialia) *




No throwing from me.  I love the stuff lj's producing. The point is that he's an artist, acting on inspiration.  If I want a character drawing, I'll use HeroMaster.

Just the fact that Nolin is inspirational makes me all giddy.  Or it could be the chemical paint stripper I've been using on my woodwork...


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## TheLoneGoldfish (Sep 18, 2002)

I just wanted to say that the necropede makes a really great background inverted... (black becomes white and vice versa)...


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## (contact) (Sep 18, 2002)

Nolin!  Wants to rock and roll all night . . .


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## Magic Rub (Sep 18, 2002)

More please


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## (contact) (Sep 19, 2002)

Um, o.k. . . .

Nolin!  Can't stop belieeeeevin!


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## littlejohn (Sep 20, 2002)

(contact): Yeah, that Joan was done from memory.

Here's a teaser (a detail from a work in progress):


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## littlejohn (Sep 27, 2002)

Issue #7 of Asgard Magazine is out. There's a ton of cool stuff in there. Check it out.

As promised, here's a link to a full-sized version of the Gold Elves illustration I did:





I'm just finishing up a piece for issue #3 of the Backara Herald (it's late ). More later.


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## Malessa (Sep 27, 2002)

WOW!  Boy I tell you what, between you, Kip, the Doc, and some of the others who's names I can't spell off hand.  You guys really impress the heck outa me! I'll just keep practicing and plucking along, lol.......Someday, maybe I'll impress a few.  Until then, I 'm surely having fun trying, and enjoy checking out y'alls art!

Keep them coming!


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## arwink (Oct 1, 2002)

Incidently, I skipped around the room doing a happy dance and cackling when I first saw the Gold Elf.  It's much more stylish, nasty-looking and definitely cooler than what I've been carrying around in my head and trying to explain for the past few years, and it's definately coming out next time I introduce the race to a new group of players.

Many, many thanks


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## littlejohn (Oct 1, 2002)

arwink: Are you Peter? I'm glad you liked it. I realized when I turned it in that it might be a little different than what you had in mind. I can rationalize it by saying that I was trying to add a little something, but really these drawings tend to take on a life of their own. Nice article.


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## Sialia (Oct 1, 2002)

Thanks for the link--I hadn't checked out Asgard before. I really, really enjoyed it! The article that went with the Gold Elves illustration was every bit as good as the picture. And that's saying something.


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## arwink (Oct 2, 2002)

littlejohn said:
			
		

> *arwink: Are you Peter? *




Yep, that's me.  

As a side note, I originally figured the article was going to appear without illustration.  I'm not entirely sure why.  I remember scraping in as close as possible to the deadline RW set for submissions, then no-one seemed all that keen on it when the call for art went up on the main boards.  Needless to say, finding your illustration there when I opened Asgard pretty much made my day.

Very, very cool.


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## Piratecat (Oct 11, 2002)

More!  More!


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## mythusmage (Oct 11, 2002)

LJ, I do like your style. Most impressionistic. Have you any formal training?

You are free to try your hand at one of my basilisks, BTW>


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## littlejohn (Oct 13, 2002)

Sorry I've been AWOL. I've been polishing up my portfolio and web site to send to a few publishers. Wish me luck(?)!

Anyways, I'm not sure it's done yet, but I made a painting inspired by Mara from Piratecat's campaign. I may work some more on it at some point.

If anybody has feedback on my portfolio, please feel free to send me some mail.

mythusmage: I have a degree in architecture, I keep up with my life drawing and I take classes at the local community collge. But no art school...yet.


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## Piratecat (Oct 13, 2002)

Good lord, man. Go have dinner with my buddy (contact) so that he can tell you in person how cool I think you are!

Damn, that's gorgeous.  Thank you for doing Mara.


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## mythusmage (Oct 13, 2002)

littlejohn said:
			
		

> *mythusmage: I have a degree in architecture, I keep up with my life drawing and I take classes at the local community collge. But no art school...yet. *




A background in technical illustration is good. I hope you soon get a chance to go to art school.

Your work is good. You have an eye for form and composition. Your work has presence, which is not something you can say for a lot of professional artists. With Mara the viewer gets the impression he's dealing with a person, and not just an image.

To put it another way, your art has the power to reach out. A rare quality.

Have you done paintings in other styles? Could you give us a sample?

(See, Pirate Cat, I can praise as well as darn.)


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## (contact) (Oct 13, 2002)

Flee art school-- find a mentorship!



Love me some of that Mara.


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## mythusmage (Oct 13, 2002)

Anybody in mind? Does he take apprentices?

Seriously, it's a damn good idea. The next time I rant and rave on art and artists I'll have to remember it.


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## littlejohn (Oct 14, 2002)

Piratecat: re: dinner w/ (contact): I'm on it.

(contact): I hadn't thought about mentorship. Interesting idea. See you soon, eh?


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## (contact) (Oct 14, 2002)

*Art school!  Good God y'all, what is it good for?*

Mentorships are the vital, organic process by which technique and philosophy are transmitted.  Art schools are just an attempt to codify and make that process widely accessable.  Art schools fail more often than they succeed, and I've known plenty of lousy academy-trained painters, and plenty of lousy Academy instructors.

The things that I did get out of school were generally through the mentorships that I found within that structure.  

You could use a school to get your mentorship, and why not, but don't get sucked into believing that the school itself (along with its demands, cirriculum, etc.) is going to get you anywhere (unless you want to teach).


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## littlejohn (Oct 18, 2002)

Even though I should be working on something else, here's another portrait. This one is inspired by Kay from Sagiro's campaign; even though I have no idea what she looks like.


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## Piratecat (Oct 18, 2002)

Actually, she - err - looks remarkably like that.  Wow.  The character AND the player, remarkably enough.

I love your art.


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## Sialia (Oct 23, 2002)

It's the cheekbones and the eyebrows and the attitude . . . it really is uncanny.   That certainly is her.


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## (contact) (Oct 25, 2002)

(whispers) Fix her right eye . . .


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## Sialia (Oct 26, 2002)

(contact) said:
			
		

> *(whispers) Fix her right eye . . . *




Wouldn't touch that spot.  That's the bit that captures her.  All the expression centers there--if you've ever seen her do her "bad cop" routine . . .well, that's the look. All the superficial differences between the jawline and hairstyle and clothes and whatever become inconsequential because of that look in her eyes.

She is a dear, sweet individual, but Do Not get this woman mad at you.

I'm always sort of relieved when I look at this portrait that she's not looking at _me._


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## (contact) (Oct 26, 2002)

Then fix the left side of her face.  (The right eye is an easier fix.)  

Seriously, we love her, she's perfect, don't go changin' babe.  (snaps and points finger)


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## littlejohn (Oct 26, 2002)

Yeah, I see that her eyes are not on the same arc; and that's disturbing. I'll take a look at it.


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## (contact) (Oct 26, 2002)

3/4-face is a tough portrait angle, and from memory, it's tougher still.


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## littlejohn (Nov 12, 2002)

It's been a while, I know. And I don't have anything super-cool to post. But I did want to make a plug. I have a few illustrations in a Sorcerer supplement called "Charnel Gods" including one previously unpublished piece.

If you or your friends play Sorcerer, you might want to check it out. I think it's really well written and the layout and other art is top-notch.

Here's where the Charnel Gods pdf can be purchased for only $5.

Sorry again for the lack of updates. More soon, I promise.


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## Chain Lightning (Nov 14, 2002)

Little John, your art is really awesome! I really like your latest pic of Kay. Look forward to seeing more.


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## Zaruthustran (Nov 16, 2002)

*Re: Sir Aleax*



			
				littlejohn said:
			
		

> *Here's the latest. Saint Aleax: also from Piratecat's campaign.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Piratecat, is this a picture of the undead paladin I designed for your NPC contest so long ago? Did you ever use him?
-z


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## Zaruthustran (Nov 18, 2002)

*Uh.. wow, guess so.*

(Reads Piratecat's story hour)

Uh, okay, question answered! Holy cow!

-z


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## BigFreekinGoblinoid (Dec 16, 2002)

Hi littlejohn! The picture of Saint Aleax ( above ) you did for P-Kitty (?) inspired me to create a whole new chapter in my homebrew campaign. Thanks!  Here's a taste:        

THE TEN DEAD KINGS  

The Ten Dead Kings were all once men, rulers of the Galatian kingdoms in western Quarlani. In their hubris, the Galatian Kings broke their oaths with their elven neighbors, and led their respective peoples in a united effort to sack the sacred elven capital of Uversa. Coveting the great treasures and artifacts of the Elves’ ancient civilization for themselves, they seemingly forgot or discounted all the kindness and aid the elven people had rendered them. 

They were unsuccessful. After many battles with horrific losses on both sides, the experienced elves soundly defeated the united human army in the Battle of the Burning Bowl, a quick butchering that occurred in a large valley several miles east of Uversa. The betrayed elven people wanted to make an example of these men, and in front of all the armies of men and elves alike, the Ten Kings were imprisoned in powerful magic energies, and sentenced for their crime.

Havona himself, the only living son of Quarlani, the greatest of all elven Kings, pronounced their doom for all to witness. The Galatian Kings names would never again be spoken by elf or man, and they would be imprisoned for all eternity. Havona and his most powerful mages then slew them, reanimated them as immortal undead, and sent them to decay in a far removed plane of existence where aid would never find them. 

But their imprisonment was not for eternity after all. After the terrible cataclysm now known as The Humbling, the Dead Kings were somehow able to free themselves, and many are thought to be back on Nebadon, and planning revenge.  

In fact, most of the Dead Kings are indeed returned, several situating themselves in Quarlani itself. 

The Ten Dead Kings are: 

1) LANTANA FAROL 

Lantana Farol: Death Knight Ftr14, Mlo5  
Medium Sized Undead
Hit Dice: 19d12; 14d12 (Fighter) + 5d12 (Malignant Overlord*) = 159 hp
Initiative: +5
Speed: 20 ft (full plate armor)
AC: 30
Attacks: +19 Touch, +21 melee, +17 ranged
Damage: Touch 1d8+3 plus 1 point Con, +2 bastard sword 1d10+10, +1 mighty composite longbow 1d8+5
Special Attacks: Abyssal Blast (reflex save DC 23), Constitution Damage (will save DC 23), fear aura 15 ft. (will save DC 23)
Special Qualities: DR 15/+1, domain of terror I-III*, haunting presence*, immunities, SR 20, summon mount, terrible presence*, undead followers, undead traits
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +12
Abilities: STR 20, DEX 13, CON -, INT 16, WIS 14, CHA 19.
Skills: Climb+15, Jump+15. {Edit: this is wrong... } 
Feats: Cleave, Death Grip*, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Sword, bastard, Great Cleave, Improved Critical: Longbow, composite, Improved Critical: Sword, bastard, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Relentless Grip*, Weapon Focus: Longbow, composite, Weapon Focus: Sword, bastard, Weapon Specialization: Sword, bastard.
Challenge Rating: 22
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Possessions: mighty composite longbow +1, +2 bastard sword, +1 arrows (50), +2 full plate, +1 large steel shield, cloak of resistance (+2), boots of speed, ring of protection +1.
Non-core Sources: WotC’s MM2 (Death Knight Template), *FFG’s Monster Handbook (Malignant Overlord PrC & Feats)

Lantana Farol was chiefly responsible for the Galatian betrayal, recruiting the other kings against Uversa. With an insatiable thirst for power, Lantana is still seeking followers even in undeath. It is believed that he engineered the release of the Ten Dead Kings by making a pact with an evil god or a foul and terrible daemon lord. Others believe it was simply the many unstable portals infesting Nebadon since The Humbling that allowed the Ten to return. Either way, a large army of undead is mustering in northeast Quarlani, with Lantana as their absolute master. He has made his presence known with some minor disturbances, but many feel that it is only a matter of time before a large scale offensive is launched. All efforts to discern the exact location of his chosen lair have failed, but the region of his control seems to be growing, as encounters with large groups of undead are becoming more commonplace.

2) ...


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## Wee Jas (Dec 16, 2002)

Great work!



> Here's the latest. Saint Aleax: also from Piratecat's campaign.




"I could totally take that guy", Vek


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## Kilmore (Dec 18, 2002)

Where'd you go?  We want you back!

This stuff is really really REALLY nice!  I like the way these pieces appear modern, without jarring the viewer away from the fantasy.  In fact, who's to say what art would be in a fantasy world?  This may well be it.  I had a player who's character had strong skills in art say "I wanna paint surrealist style."  In my mind I kinda revolted against that thinking... "Noo, Surrealist... Dali... 1920's and 30's at the earliest..." but decided that 1.) that could be one way to seperate my world from historical fantasy and (more important at the time but less for this spiel) 2.) it wasn't something I wanted to derail my game over.

Anyways, nothing critical to say aside from since you do what you're doing so far so well, you might want to start taking on some different challenges, such as scenery and architecture.  Actually, it would be interesting to see how your style would go with more frenentic action, ala Delacroix.

And while I'm here, I'll pimp my own art thread  ^_^
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30730


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## littlejohn (Dec 21, 2002)

Sorry I've been away. I finally finished a stack of illustrations I had to do. So I'm back!

Anyhow, thanks for the comments everyone. 

Kilmore: I dig your thread, too. Thanks for the encouragement. I _do_ need to beef up the architecture side of my portfolio.

Wee Jas: Thanks. I'm following the KotSQ/KoSK thread.

BigFreekinGoblinoid: I like it. Now all we have to do is get Piratecat to make an npc based on Lantana and the circle will be complete.  

Chain Lightning: Thanks. I never did fix that eyeball, though.

Okay, with that out of the way, here are a few new pieces:

A random armored bear:







One of two illustrations that appear in Khan's Press' Tremon d20 supplement (please buy  a copy): 






A random orc:






A study for the upcoming Asgard 8 cover (yay!):






And finally, Santa Claws:






Happy Holliday's everyone!


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## Malessa (Dec 23, 2002)

Wow! Those are awesome! I absolutely love the santa! Nice work Little John, Keep them coming for sure!


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## (contact) (Dec 23, 2002)

Yes, I agree-- the Santa is fantastic, and should be in your portfolio ASAP.  

You know what I like about the Santa that the bear (for example) is missing?  It's not so 'clean'.  

Digitally, it's possible to *not* make accidental marks, or if you do, to remove them completely.  I'm a messy illustrator, and when I work in physical media I smudge, spill and screw-up, and it adds flavor, or drags my proccess in another direction.

Digitally, if I goof, I just ctrl-z the sucker, y'know?

So, when I look at the santa, there is a really pleasing texture accross the whole canvas, whereas the bear has these completely unmarked areas.  It seems to me that the unmarked areas kind of gives the lie to the illusion of a physical media (especially the style you're mimicking-- the loose strokes and layers of transparent 'washes').  Where's the grit?

I know if I was laying a page out, I could 'sell' the piece by integrating it with the text so that it looks like it's *supposed* to 'float' on the same canvas as the type.  (See also pretty much every WotC 3e book for examples.)  As an art-director, I'd be fine with the bear as is.

But as just another guy looking at your new stuff, it sticks out, and I'm not fully comfortable with it.  I want to be sucked in, and I want to feel like these images have some physical reality somewhere, if that makes sense.

The santa is delicous, though-- texturally.  I like how you've brought the background color into Santa's foreground as highlights (esp. in his boots and shoulders).  It gives him this funky transparent quality that is really appealing.

But lovely stuff, as always-- I wouldn't want my little thoughts and critiques to be interpreted as criticism.  Just some ideas your new stuff brought on.

Merry Christmas, and see you after the New Year.


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## Conaill (Dec 23, 2002)

Another great set of pictures, littlejohn!

Mind if I repost your Santa Claws on this thread?


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## Knightfall (Feb 7, 2003)

bump


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## littlejohn (Feb 11, 2003)

Knightfall1972: Thanks for the bump. 

Conaill: That was totally cool of you to cross post that image. I completely missed that discussion. Sort of too late now.  

Sorry I've been away.

I don't really have too much new to post. Actually, I have a ton of new stuff; but I can't post any of it because they haven't come out in the various 'zines and supplements yet.

In the meantime, here are some sketches for the cover of Asgard 8:






Hopefully, these products will come out real soon now.


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## littlejohn (Feb 18, 2003)

Here are two new paintings. Please check out Sword's Edge, a fantasy fiction 'zine I did these illustrations for. Enjoy!


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## Knightfall (Feb 18, 2003)

Those are totally awsome littlejohn!

When you get some time, check out my CC2 Cartography thread.  Please, please an thank you (in sig).

And if you want inspiration, read this:
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=682864#post682864

It's a month by month timeline of my current campaign year.  Lots of plots and descriptive stuff.  

Cheers!

KF72


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## Piratecat (Feb 18, 2003)

God, those are great! I love, love, love them. I'm also deeply enamored of the armored bear, which I intend to somehow tie into my game. He's just too cool not to.


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## Aldymnor (Feb 19, 2003)

oh my GOD these are all awesome, that last one is wicked cool.


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## littlejohn (Feb 22, 2003)

Thanks, folks. I really appreciate the comments. Hopefully I'll have time to read story hours again. 

Another recent project is Khan's Press' Fringe Races, available here at RPGNow for only $4.95. It presents four outcast races: Darkness Dwellers, Crag Goblins, Moon Sirens and Impets; and includes 8 of my illustrations. Here's a version of the cover; though somehow it looks better on the pdf. 






Thanks for checking out my thread.


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## Sialia (Feb 24, 2003)

I'd be completely speechless if somebody hadn't invented the word "oooooh."

Love the lights and the shadows. Love everything.

Thanks for sharing again.


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## ForceflowX (Mar 13, 2003)

Man, this art is beeee-utiful. I love the way it's not as stark as most stuff, it has soft edges and a sort of rough feel to it. It's all just great. Oh, and a bump for this thread.


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## littlejohn (Apr 6, 2003)

Thanks for the bumps, folks. I'm sorry I haven't had any time to post; I've been holed up working on a couple of projects for Malhavoc Press.  I'll be done in a week or so, so there should be more work up here soon. In the meantime, here's the orphaned Asgard 8 cover.


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## (contact) (Apr 6, 2003)

This is the part where I squeal like a little girl who just found out that Justin Timberlake isn't her cousin after all, and she can marry him.

Good god, that's beautiful.  (New desktop wallpaper?  Check.)

My favorite aspect of your work is how much you leave unsaid-- you do enough to convince us that you understand the form without having to over-render it.  

This technique creates a really wonderful sense of mystery about your paintings.  It tends to work better (IMHO) in the pieces where the figures are still-- I know art directors clamor for ACTION ACTION ACTION, but one of the most appealing things for me about your stuff is this sense that it is a frozen moment-- that there is more *about* to happen.

That sense of mystery and "what if" really lets me put my head into the picture and play with it in my own imagination-- your painting style encourages that.

Again, love the painting-- you captured the atmosphere perfectly-- I can tell you that those woods are cold and still-- very quiet, the rider preternaturally so, and the only sound is the occasional WHUUF of the elk blowing steam from its nose.

Whatever Malhavoc is paying you, it isn't enough.  I refuse to player hate, but I will say that I think you've got more flavor than almost anyone I can think of working in the RPG industry right now.

And yes, I've told David all this in person, but you can never get too much encouragement when you're on deadline.


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## Oni (Apr 6, 2003)

Your sense of light and dark is truly impressive, I wish I could manage as well.  Always a pleasure to see new stuff from you.


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## Kai Lord (Apr 6, 2003)

Very, very impressive.


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## alsih2o (Apr 6, 2003)

always impressive and inspirational lj!


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## Knightfall (Apr 11, 2003)

littlejohn said:
			
		

> *In the meantime, here's the orphaned Asgard 8 cover.
> *




Wow, like wow!  That is so cool.  Twisted but cool.  

KF72


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## Chauzu (Apr 11, 2003)

Holy Cow!!! That guy riding on that deer/elk just gave me a great idea for my story! Holy Cow!!!

...

Oh yeah, good artwork.  

Keep it coming!


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## Alan McFarlane (Apr 12, 2003)

*Wow*

Your work is astounding!!

The images are so compelling Little John, you need to publish them in a best of book!!
Cannot pic a favourite, there all to freeken good. 
I would buy it.


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## RangerWickett (Apr 25, 2003)

Hey Dave (David?  or is littlejohn preferred?), if you want to, feel free to post the Deadly Game pics you did.

Also, if you ever decide to illustrate another elk, this time make it about 15-ft. high at the shoulder, and on fire, like a fire elemental stag, okay?  I could use that for my game.  It's the incarnation of Indomitability.


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## megamania (Apr 26, 2003)

'allo-   Just discovered this through Piratecat's link.  Your art reminds me of David McKean.  He did a lot of art for DC but he added photography to it.  Strange mix and very surreal.  I like it.  

The one thing I like most is how you capture inner emotions in your work.  It's near impossible to do this with line art.  

Keep it up.  If you, check out Under A Darksun.  The characters are emotional and not fixed.  My stories are as much as "growing up" emotionally as the creatures they need to defeat.


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## littlejohn (Apr 27, 2003)

Thanks for all the comments, everyone. I have been lucky to be busy on some projects (like the terrific _Deadly Games_). Here's a taste (thanks RangerWickett):







Also, if you haven't picked up the latest Dungeon/Poly, I have a couple of illustrations in there, too ... if you're curious.

-David


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## Joshua Randall (May 22, 2003)

(contact) sent me over here, and I must add my praise to the growing heap.

I really enjoy your work, littlejohn, and (contact)'s too, because it is not the typical photo-realistic fantasy art that one sees. ( (contact) tells me that kind of art is called illusionism.) I am also a fan of the use of chiaroscuro in the art.

[Big foreign word to make me appear more erudite and to justify my expensive liberal arts education!]

Don't ever give up on your dream, no matter how many people try to discourage you and no matter how long it takes.


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## (contact) (May 22, 2003)

Hey, Littlejohn's already living the dream!  Arcana Unearthed looks like a mighty fine book.  

Oops, I mean a "well thought-out and intriguing means to diversify the scope of fantasy role-playing within the framework of the d20 system".  (Gotta justify my edumacation while we're at it.)


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## littlejohn (Jun 12, 2003)

Thanks for the comments, guys.

It's been a while, I know. I've been pretty busy with work stuff. Here are a couple of illustrations from a more or less recent _Polyhedron_ article ("Into the Bright Desert" in _Poly_ 157 / _Dungeon_ 98):











I also have 5 monster illustrations in the next Poly mini-game "The Iron Lords of Jupiter." Check it out if you can.

In other news, I just finished up a handful of illustrations for Mystic Eye Games's AU adventure _Siege on the Ebony Keep_. That was after a bunch of illustrations for Malhavoc's _Arcana Unearthed_, the AU _DM's Screen and Player's Guide_ and Sean K Reynolds's _Anger of Angels_.

Right now, I'm starting work on some interiors in a Mage supplement for White Wolf, and I have a couple of character portrait commissions I've got to get to, and then there's the story hour illustration I want to do, and I gotta redesign my web site... whew!

On kind of a downer note, I failed to register in time for an artist's table at GenCon Indy, so I don't think I'll make it out there this year.  However, I am thinking of going to the one in SoCal.

Anyhow, I hope everyone is well. And thanks for reading.

-David


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## alsih2o (Jun 13, 2003)

continually blows me away.

 amazed, absolutely amazed, you are the hottest biscuits in the industry as far as i am concerned LJ, quality all the way.


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## Ashy (Jun 13, 2003)

I echo Clay, here, David; I am truly saddened that you will not be at GenCon....  

Get Malhavoc to send ya!


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## Ashy (Jul 2, 2003)

LJ,

Now that I am official - please send me an email:

ashy@bastionpress.com

I just might have some work for ya, if ya want it!


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## littlejohn (Jul 27, 2003)

Thanks for the comments, everyone. No fantasy stuff this time, but I did do a superhero sketch last night. I'm so bummed I missed GenCon:






Back to work on projects for Bastion Press and White Wolf. By the way, I got my copy of Arcana Unearthed and it looks great. I learned so much on that project; I owe Monte and Sue a ton for the opportunity. Please pick up a copy if you can.


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## RangerWickett (Apr 5, 2004)

You've been cropping up in tons of great pieces lately.  If you're not too busy, I've sent an offer to you.


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## Babette (Apr 5, 2004)

*Wow*

and once again WOW!

i can't believe i have not seen this thread before...i love your style and these last few pics are Awsome


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## Noir (Apr 11, 2004)

*More praise*

After seeing this thread I can without doubt say that you top my list of favourite fantasy artists together with Arnie Swekel.

If you ever get time over, read Sepulchrave's story hour. To see your interpretation of Mostin or anyone else of the characters in the group would be heaven on earth.


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## RangerWickett (Jun 3, 2004)

David, did you ever find a home for the Asgard 8 cover?  I'd like to find a way to use it if you haven't yet.


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