Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Sage of Hours

Sage of Hours
12" x 16" oil on paper mounted to board
©Wizards of the Coast
A new one for new "Journey to Nyx" set for Magic: The Gathering. The inspiration for this piece came from the working title in the art description, "Clock Architect".  I was asked to paint a human scholar standing proudly beside an antikythera mechanism, an ancient analog computer used to predict the positions and phases of planets, moons, stars. The man was to be within a "mystical structure of stone tablets and glowing air-writings " It was to have a "mysteries of time" mood. The word "architect", however, immediately implanted in my mind the idea that the mechanism was massive, with huge turning gears and chains, powered by waterwheels. Less mystical, more mechanical. Not sure that my interpretation would fly, I did two sketches. One with a more accurately sized antikythera mechanism and a more wizard like human and another other with my giant machine idea. I was pleased they went with the latter.

Clock Architect #1
pencil on paper, 8 1/2" x 11"

Clock Architect #2
pencil on paper, 8 1/2" x 11"



3 comments:

  1. This is one crazy intricate piece, very nice work :)

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  2. While, don't get me wrong, the final is awesome in it's own right, there is just something awe-inspiring about those pencils.
    Both of those pre-production sketches are mind-blowingly awesome to me.

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  3. I agree with Mathew. Your work gets more amazing with each piece! All that machinery is incredible and the face of the sage and his expression are perfect. You are killing it!

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