Cool things you notice about Fantasy Craft's art

[Agent 333]

Speaking of the Lancer... that dude has got to be the most multicultural badass ever. He's wearing a Samurai helmet, riding a horse wearing medieval European barding, carrying what looks like an African tribal spear. I love it.

[Gentry]

Sounds like an adventurer to me. 

[Inkthinker]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! I'm glad that you enjoy the linework so much, I had a blast putting it together.

And I am a fiend for hiding stuff in the details. You've only scratched the surface so far, fellas. Some things were laid out in the descriptions (like the duel bribe), others I slipped in myself just for giggles. Not every drawing has a detail subtext or gag, but I like to put 'em in when I can. As an illustrator I often work my personal logo into drawings (sort of a second signature), and finding where those are hidden can be fun.

In retrospect I think using Henley's "Invictus" as the translated text was a mistake...  I enjoy the poem immensely, it's got a nice ominous, deep feel to it, but it is a real poem in the real world (public domain). I did check with Pat and Alex at the time and they allowed it, but in retrospect I probably should have just made up half a bit of some sort of nonsense spell or message. I was being self-indulgent. It's a bad habit.

At any rate, if you have any questions about the illustrations I drew I'll be happy to answer 'em. I check the board every few days just to see what's up with the game, and of course I'm easily contacted through DA.

And hey, I'm not the only artist there either! I hadn't seen the rest of the work until the book came out, I'm in good company with the other artists who put in their time on the book. There's some great stuff I wish I had drawn.

 

[Agent 333]

Speaking of artists, can we get a full breakdown of which piece was done by which artist? I know the cover and murals were done by Inkthinker, but other than that (and the pieces posted on his Deviant Art site), I'm not 100% sure on.
By the way, all the art in the book is fantastic. I've yet to see a piece I didn't like, and I'm fairly sure I've looked at every page at least once so far...

[MugMug]

The art in the book does exactly what I want in this context -- provides the right ambient feel in an unobtrusive manner. I like the art, but it definitely (and appropriately) plays second fiddle to the meat of the book.

The upside is that I will continue garnering quiet enjoyment over the years as I notice easter eggs for the first time.

Walter

[ThatBlastedSamophlange]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! I'm glad that you enjoy the linework so much, I had a blast putting it together.

And I am a fiend for hiding stuff in the details. You've only scratched the surface so far, fellas. Some things were laid out in the descriptions (like the duel bribe), others I slipped in myself just for giggles. Not every drawing has a detail subtext or gag, but I like to put 'em in when I can. As an illustrator I often work my personal logo into drawings (sort of a second signature), and finding where those are hidden can be fun.

You remind me of another of my favorite artists - that I found reading RPG's Ramon Perez a fellow Canadian, who also likes to hide little gags in the art.  Hell, if You and Him did all the art in an RPG, I'd buy it in a second! 

In retrospect I think using Henley's "Invictus" as the translated text was a mistake...  I enjoy the poem immensely, it's got a nice ominous, deep feel to it, but it is a real poem in the real world (public domain). I did check with Pat and Alex at the time and they allowed it, but in retrospect I probably should have just made up half a bit of some sort of nonsense spell or message. I was being self-indulgent. It's a bad habit.

I disagree.  Sadly, I think there are many out there that would not recognize it as a poem - unless that is exactly WHY you think it was a mistake.   Myself, I knew I had heard it before, but I didn't remember the author's name, so I had to look it up - I learned something.  I consider that good.

At any rate, if you have any questions about the illustrations I drew I'll be happy to answer 'em. I check the board every few days just to see what's up with the game, and of course I'm easily contacted through DA.

I don't suppose you can comment on if Crafty has contracted you for any more work? 

And hey, I'm not the only artist there either! I hadn't seen the rest of the work until the book came out, I'm in good company with the other artists who put in their time on the book. There's some great stuff I wish I had drawn.

 

Agreed, all the art in the book is top notch.

[Wolverine]

Speaking of artists, can we get a full breakdown of which piece was done by which artist?

From what I've seen, most of Ben/Inkthinker's work is signed with his name, so that should be easy to spot.

[Crafty_Pat]

I don't suppose you can comment on if Crafty has contracted you for any more work?  

Early negotiations are underway to enlist Ben for the Mistborn RPG. His schedule and our budget permitting, we hope that's just the second of many collaborations between us.

[Crafty_Pat]

Speaking of artists, can we get a full breakdown of which piece was done by which artist?

Let's see... It's easiest to say that everything's by Ben except...

Joseph Caesar Domingo: Pages 144, 192, 261, 272, 275, 289, 294, and 314

Octographics: Pages 206 and 336

Christophe Swal: Pages 106, 118, 122, 130, 139, 164, 172, 180, 186, 200, 222, 258, 265, 268, and 277

Dave Wong: Pages 351 and 382

Steve Hough and Brendon Goodyear made all the spot art and diagrams.

My only regret about the art is that we couldn't always print it as large as we'd like. Layout is a tricky business and the slightest change to an illustration can throw off an entire chapter. Sometimes we had to make sacrifices to hit the right page counts and/or end chapters on left-facing pages.

[Wolverine]

My only regret about the art is that we couldn't always print it as large as we'd like.

*cough* Art Book *cough*

[Crafty_Pat]

My only regret about the art is that we couldn't always print it as large as we'd like.

*cough* Art Book *cough*

::grabs tin foil hat::

Let's pick up this conversation again in a few months, shall we?

[Wolverine]

::grabs tin foil hat::

The recalibrations were a success!!! Mwahahaha!

I'm fine with waiting, just putting out the suggestion.

[Crafty_Pat]

::grabs tin foil hat::

The recalibrations were a success!!! Mwahahaha!

I'm fine with waiting, just putting out the suggestion.

We probably aren't talking about the same thing - quite, and just yet - but maybe, eventually....

Still, you will be pleased, methinks. Sooner than later.

...

And wow, if that wasn't the most cryptic post I think I've ever made. 

[Wolverine]

We probably aren't talking about the same thing - quite, and just yet - but maybe, eventually....

Wait a minute, I'm confusing the night of the Crafty Seminar with another discussion on another night of GenCon. That's what I get for taking the 1-2-3 rule literally and only getting 3 hours sleep each night

In the meantime, I'll just hang out on Ben's deviantArt page.

[Gentry]

My only regret about the art is that we couldn't always print it as large as we'd like.

*cough* Art Book *cough*

*cough* GM Screen inserts *cough*

(A McSweeny tryptich mural in landscape orientation for the front of my (um...all of our) GM screen(s) would be 24-karat awesome)