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Ironshod — Camel Clutch work in progress
Published: 2006-08-01 07:56:19 +0000 UTC; Views: 5455; Favourites: 48; Downloads: 310
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Description
Here are some work in progress shots of an artwork I did for a Dungeons and Dragons rule book - Dragons of Faerun, produced by Wizards of the Coast (it is released today so I can now show my work). The full art is in my gallery.Sketched in pencil and then coloured digitally in Photoshop, I thought it might be intersting to show the different stages in my colouring process.
Blue dragons are an established monster in the game and I had reference images on the creatures look.
Here is the art descritpion that I got:
Description:
This illo depicts a desert scene. A huge BLUE DRAGON swoops down on a group of camels, snatches one of them in its talons, and hoists it up into the air. A terrified SHEPHERD dressed in desert robes looks on, horrified and dreadfully afraid for his or her life.
References:
Blue dragon (Monster Manual, page 72).
Caption:
What does a blue dragon eat? Whatever it wants.
Related content
Comments: 50
How detailing...
I love the background especially; it looks so photographic-like.
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this is really amazing I really wish I was as good as you! how long have you been doing art like this?
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I cant follow this all the way, its too much for me!
Question of curiosity: there is so much details, how long time did you work on this one?
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That's amazing.
Do blue dragons inhabit the desert or the surrounding areas of a desert?
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Thanks
Apparently they do in this book
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You're welcome!
They need to do their research. I would think blue dragons would inhabit a coastal or snowy area. *shakes fist at the book*
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Really great work. Love the perspective. Just wondering, how long does a piece like this take to do for you?
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Thanks! Glad you like it 
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Brilliant as always!
I always find it so usefull / helpfull when you put up the progress steps that you take in creating such awsome paintings!
I bow to you again lol.. 
From your greatfull friend.
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Thanks
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Whoa. Alot happen between the different pictures. Very interesting.
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I'm glad you found this interesting
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I should think so. I found it quite fun and informative to look back at how I have painted the different stages.
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The level of detail is amazing from beginning to finish. Your background development and proportions of characters are superb (i'm so jealous)!
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I can't quite tell... Do you keep the original pencil texture and just enhance it, or do you end up deleting it?
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It really ends up getting lost when I am painting over it. The sketch is there to act as a guide and also to show the clients for approval on what I am intending to paint before I start on the finished art.
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wow thats ace, i like it coz is shows how you improve ure work and progres
i was woundering whats the title of ure job do you do the concept art for the actual game and books??
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I'm glad you found this interesting.
I work as a freelance illustrator, which means that I am self employed and work for various differnet companies. I get hired to do different jobs depending on what is required. Sometimes I do the concept art, or sometimes I am just illustarting exsisting subjects.
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aww thats the kined of work i whish to do, dose it pay well i hope you dont mined me asking rater personal questions
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No problem, yes I work full time at this and earn a good living
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so how did you get in to this line of work, and if i were to do it what quolifacations will i need ??
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Well you need a portfolio of artwork to show companies and a web site that serves as an online portfolio would be good too. You don't need qualifictaions or certificates as such, just proof you can do the sort of art they want. You can submit samples to the art director of a company you would like to work for, either by email or prints in the post. Most publishers web sites a have submissions information somewhere on them.
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oo i never new that, would DA class as a web site for an online portfolio............well as soon as i become as good as you (if not better 
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Yes you could certainly direct a company to look at your DA gallery. It might also be good to have your own web site with just your best artwork as its more of a show case and has no comments on it from other people.
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ye that would be better, what companys have you done work for then, coz ive always whanted to work for squareinx or capcom
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Quite a lot. Some of them are...
Wizards of the Coast - Dungeons and Dragons , Dreamblade
Blizzard - World of Warcraft
Max Protection - Deck armour
Spiral - merchandise
Mongoose Publishing - various D20 book covers
Llewellyn - novel cover and tarot cards
Paizo - Dragon magazine
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wow i sooooooo whant the job you do sooooo much ive never know what it is that i real whant to do but after talking with you this is defunutly what i whant to do
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Well I hope you can go do it! As you can see from me it is possible to make a living painting monsters
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ye i hope i can pull it off, i was woundering how it is you are payed is it , per art work or is it an hourly rate?? i hope you dont mined me asking all these questions
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I am paid per job. When you are a freelance illustrator you do have to get fast at working as if you are only being paid X for a job you can only spend X amount of time on it. For a piece of art that will be appearing on a book cover you would typically get paid a lot more than something that is just going to be printed small on one of the inside pages. Concequently you can spend a lot more time on the cover and the painting will be better.
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so basikly go for the bigger jobs then.........but how do i get the job do i just go on there web page and send then some of my work and state the kined of work iam looking for ??
i really hope you dont mind all these questions but ive finaly found what it is i would like to do
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Yes, ideally you get the really well paid jobs but of course this is what every artist wants and there is a lot of competiton and therefore choice for the art editors. You probably need to work you way up. A company may take you on to do a small job and if you do this well and on time they will give you more and better work. An artist can have a fantastic portfilio but when it comes to being told what to do and when to do it fail miserably, so a compnay will usually want to test you out, or know that you have worked for a lot of other companies already.
Inorder to get work you need to show the art editors your art. You can usually find some kind of contact details on company web sites. Then submit an email, send a portfolio in the mail, make an appointmant to go and see them etc... You can register with an art agent who could potentially get work for you. I've never had one myself and they do take a cut of what you get paid.
Once you can get you name out there on some products other companies may see your work and contact you. It can be tough starting out but you just have to stick at it until you get on the ladder.
Hope that helps
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ye it has help me a great deal... i finaly know what it is i whish to do in a few years time 
and again thanks for all the help
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Very best of luck with it. I look forward to your competetion... just remember to cut me a little slack when you get too good
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Brill, i really like, as i've said before, to see the process by which work like this happens. This is great. And i notice you do a lot of the detail in your background first... interesting...
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Good to hear you found this interesting.
I don't always put so much detail in the background at the start but I was a little worried about how I was going to paint the desert and so I got that out of the way first
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