HOME | DD

RalphHorsley β€” The Endless Maze

Published: 2007-04-29 10:51:14 +0000 UTC; Views: 41101; Favourites: 510; Downloads: 965
Redirect to original
Description The Endless Maze

Acrylics, approx 7" x 11"

Β©Wizards of the Coast. Fiendish Codex; Interior Illustration.

Original artwork sold.

Lidda, Mialee and Hennet use every means at their disposal in an attempt to map and navigate their way through the endless maze, unaware of the danger that lurks so close by...

With the illustration I decided to take an aerial view. This adds to the detachment of the viewer, but seemed to suit the vignette, after all we can see all that is going on, unlike any of the protagonists. Like in the horror movie we know something bad is going to happen before the characters in the film do.

To emphasis the split between the minotaur and the party I placed the corner in the middle of the composition and chose a nicely contrasting palette between the two elements. On one hand you have the warmer orangey/brown hues and on the other cooler rich purples in the shadows.

The lighting was integral to the image. The lightest spot draws your eye in and allows some dramatic lighting on the characters, who are otherwise fairly static. I also put a tiny tip of the orange light on the minotaur. I thought this helped imply that he was just moving into the light and drew us around the corner vuisually.

The strong lighting also allowed for strong shadows, which helped with the mood, and allows me to create interesting silhouette's to fram the vignette image. I particularly liked Miali's trail of string receding into the distance.
Related content
Comments: 137

Uber-Stooge [2014-04-21 03:15:26 +0000 UTC]

Love this on so many ..levels ( bad D&D pun )

My party has been there, the trapped labyrinth was tougher to deal with then the minotaur was

well done !

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Ookamikuro [2013-02-27 22:31:45 +0000 UTC]

Amazing work, I love the composition even if it does look like the halfling is about to set the ranger on fire.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Ookamikuro [2013-03-22 11:37:16 +0000 UTC]

lol - Thanks

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Jacob-Cross [2013-02-04 19:13:45 +0000 UTC]

Nice :3

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Jacob-Cross [2013-02-06 11:18:17 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

Jacob-Cross In reply to RalphHorsley [2013-02-06 19:30:39 +0000 UTC]

No problem

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

RedFeraligatr12 [2012-11-14 02:17:46 +0000 UTC]

I just love the way it looks. Awesome shadowing on it.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to RedFeraligatr12 [2012-12-03 19:06:44 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

PrinceInferno [2012-10-15 23:58:47 +0000 UTC]

poor rouge

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to PrinceInferno [2012-12-03 19:12:00 +0000 UTC]

indeed!

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Flors [2011-01-01 14:53:56 +0000 UTC]

very cool took me a sec to see the mino...uh bullman ill fave this for sure

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Flors [2011-01-09 11:49:37 +0000 UTC]

Cool

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

tom1993rox [2010-11-14 00:48:25 +0000 UTC]

Wow... They sure critical failed those listen checks.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to tom1993rox [2010-12-08 11:23:33 +0000 UTC]

indeed!

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

charligal-stock [2010-08-02 05:22:43 +0000 UTC]

This is so brilliant I had to suggest it for a DD. I hope u receive one.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to charligal-stock [2010-08-02 07:33:10 +0000 UTC]

Very kind of you - thanks.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

charligal-stock In reply to RalphHorsley [2010-08-02 21:59:07 +0000 UTC]

No problems. Its a beautiful piece of art and quite worthy.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Lionsong [2010-04-10 23:58:21 +0000 UTC]

Your amazing art has been featured! [link]

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Lionsong [2010-04-11 12:21:41 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Kurvos [2009-07-22 20:06:12 +0000 UTC]

Wow... a maze of two walls and a centaur... you are right. That must be the most endless maze I have ever seen...-_- genius...

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Kurvos [2009-07-24 11:02:13 +0000 UTC]

Ah, but it's what you don't see

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

Kurvos In reply to RalphHorsley [2009-07-24 11:48:16 +0000 UTC]

... what you don't see is a maze? That makes no sense.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Kurvos [2009-07-27 21:07:12 +0000 UTC]

Hmm, I thought you were ma king ajoke about the vignette format, and was playing along - clearly we are not on the same lines.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

Kurvos In reply to RalphHorsley [2009-07-27 21:20:05 +0000 UTC]

You are clearly trying to make us be as different as possible. I thought it was obvious I used sarcasm.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Kurvos [2009-07-28 08:50:11 +0000 UTC]

That's what I thought originally - but then I took you seriously - oh dear, the perils of written communication

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

Kurvos In reply to RalphHorsley [2009-07-28 09:03:30 +0000 UTC]

... I still don't get the point of your picture.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Kurvos [2009-07-28 22:01:14 +0000 UTC]

Okay - I take you are no longer being sarcastic, or rather your sarcasm was because you didn't understand what I was aiming for.

This piece was commisisoned for DnD. At the time they especially liked vignetted images. This means that rather than going to a 'hard' edge, like most pictures, they would fade to white and have an irregular edge. You can achieve this a number of ways. You might choose to literally fade the image to white through a graduated porcess, or you can decide to use design elements within the image to act as the frame. In this piece I choose the latter. For instance the Elf unravelling the string isn't really doing so against an infinte white space, but rather I chose a graphic device whereby she was allowed to be silhouetted and act as the edge at the same time. Likewise the maze doesn't stop behind the Minotaur just because I have opte dto show his back rather than fade into black until you get to an artifical picture frame.

Is this clearer?

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

Kurvos In reply to RalphHorsley [2009-07-29 06:58:46 +0000 UTC]

Well... guess that makes sense. But even though I draw myself, that did sound a little overly technical.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Kurvos [2009-07-29 12:18:50 +0000 UTC]

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

JJohn [2007-11-02 22:41:10 +0000 UTC]

isn't that mialee with the string, and not lidda? great art, love the analysis of the work!

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to JJohn [2007-11-10 09:25:20 +0000 UTC]

Yep - you're right. I have edited the comment now.

Glad you find the blurb useful, and like the paintings

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

DarkAeonity [2007-06-14 22:54:42 +0000 UTC]

You know what?


...Wow. O_O

The way you composed the image is incredible. Especially the way you used contrasting colours to separate the characters.

Lovely. Realistic. Favourite.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to DarkAeonity [2007-06-18 17:01:56 +0000 UTC]

Thanks very much, appreciated

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

DarkAeonity In reply to RalphHorsley [2007-06-21 06:49:58 +0000 UTC]

You're quite welcome. ^^

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

mrTwisby [2007-06-12 16:30:34 +0000 UTC]

Sweet Jeezy Creezy, you're good! I absolutely love your work.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to mrTwisby [2007-06-18 16:59:11 +0000 UTC]

Very kind of you to say so, thanks

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

ellimist84 [2007-05-19 00:57:28 +0000 UTC]

Totally friggin awesome!

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to ellimist84 [2007-05-19 07:27:15 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Elsie01 [2007-05-06 04:49:07 +0000 UTC]

That's EXACTLY the way I found my way out of my cousin's wedding!

How you managed to, I don't know how, but the acrylics look like water colors. You're amazing with the traditionals, y'know that?

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Elsie01 [2007-05-08 08:32:50 +0000 UTC]

Acrylics are very versatile, and when diluted enough can behave very similarly to watercolours.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

Elsie01 In reply to RalphHorsley [2007-05-09 12:52:06 +0000 UTC]

Really?! ...my art teacher NEVER told me that for the art project! (now i understand why my picture SUCKED)

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

sdrawkcaBsi [2007-05-06 01:10:34 +0000 UTC]

Um, boo?

And I love what you've done with the perspective and lighting. But do those three ever get a break?

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to sdrawkcaBsi [2007-05-08 08:28:17 +0000 UTC]

LOL

No, they are just there to have a hard time

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Sneakguardian [2007-05-05 22:43:33 +0000 UTC]

WONDERFUL MAN!

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Sneakguardian [2007-05-08 08:28:19 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Fefnir-Fanel [2007-05-02 23:04:05 +0000 UTC]

Haha!!! Nice!!!

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Fefnir-Fanel [2007-05-03 08:16:33 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Ixaix [2007-05-02 00:19:48 +0000 UTC]

I love the lighting in this. It reminded me instantly of how it would seem if one were stuck inside the mythical Labyrinth, never knowing if the Minotaur was lurking in the shadows around the next cornor.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

RalphHorsley In reply to Ixaix [2007-05-02 07:46:33 +0000 UTC]

Cool, glad it achieves that end - that was the idea

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

Ixaix In reply to RalphHorsley [2007-05-03 23:38:28 +0000 UTC]

Yep ^.^

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0


| Next =>