This was just spoiled on the Wizards of the Coast site. It's for the Myr Token card for the upcoming New Phyrexia set for Magic. The vertical format of a token card was a refreshing change from the usual horizontal painting. I was allowed to paint the entire standing figure and not have to pay for it with a lot of background on the sides.
A Myr is a inhabitant of Mirrodin, a world where virtually everything is composed of metal. Not the get too inside baseball here, but by now in the storyline, the Mirrans are about to lose their fight against the alien bio-mechanical Phyrexians. This is reflected here in the Myr by the dented up, peeling metal, and the flesh growing like weeds on its limbs. These are the symptoms of phyresis, the corrupting disease by which Mirrans are turned into Phyrexians. Or at least that's how I understand it.
It's Oils on paper mounted to MDF board, 12" x 16". Below is the preliminary sketch.
So many things I love about this piece...
ReplyDeleteThe reflected light on the creatures head, the skeletal remains of some past monstrosity in the foreground, the faded, mirky extreme background. Very cool.
Dude, really dig this. That burst of color on the head is a really fantastic. And how you subtly carried it through the rest of the guy feels pretty spot on. There's something really kind of haunting in the hint of beauty reflected in so horrid a creature.
ReplyDeleteWow man, just wow.
ReplyDeleteThis is insanely awesome!
ReplyDeleteI have to concur, man those reflective lights are absolutely gorgeous. So creepy and beautiful at the same time. Awesome work as always Matt.
ReplyDeleteSick handling on that metal, man. God damn ;)
ReplyDeleteThe stuff of nightmares. Excellent work, but very creepy.
ReplyDeleteImagine being stuck in total darkness and you hear this faint scuttling sound - the lights come on and that is stood next to you. I'd shit myself.