Viashino Firstblade

Viashino Firstblade

oil on paper on board, 12" x 16"

©Wizards of the Coast

Here's the second of my cards for Dragon's Maze to be revealed. I enjoy anytime I get to indulge myself in the details of armor. I love figuring out how it would fit together on a dynamically posed figure. How it mirrors its surroundings, the rivets, the fluting, the gilded and embossed decorations. This was also the first piece where I got to use my newly acquired gauntlets. 

Render Silent

Render Silent

oil on paper mounted to board, 11" x 14"

©Wizards of the Coast

Here's the first of my card illustrations for Magic's next expansion set, Dragon's Maze. For those not familiar storyline of this set, this character is a servant of the Azorius Senate, which is characterized by its labyrinthine bureaucracy. The triangle shaped electricity surging from his hand is the Azorius seal.

Fish

Fish

red and white pencil on toned paper, 11" x 14

©Matthew Stewart

Alive without breath,

As cold as death;

Never thirsty, ever drinking,

All in mail, never clinking.

J.R.R Tolkien, 

Riddles in the Dark, The Hobbit

The Barrow Wight

The Barrow Wight

red pencil and white chalk on toned paper, 11" x 14"

©Matthew Stewart

"Cold be hand and heart and bone,

and cold be sleep under stone:

never more to wake on stony bed,

never, till the Suns fails and the Moon is dead.

In the black wind the stars shall die,

and still on gold here let them lie,

till the dark lord lifts his hand

over dead sea and withered land."

J.R.R. Tolkien, 

Fog on the Barrow-Downs, The Fellowship of the Ring

Robin Sullins Relief Fund Auction

Angi Sullins of Duirwaigh Gallery has put together an auction benefiting a relief fund for her sister, Robin Sullins. The auction begins today.

Robin's story has made national news. Bitten while breaking up a family dog squabble, her body reacted violently to a common dog bacteria. Almost dying, she's suffered the amputation of her fingers and legs. She's also on dialysis after multiple kidney failures.  You can also learn more about Robin's story here, through  ABC news and Fox news stories, and through her facebook page.

A Knock at the Door

graphite on paper, 221/2 x 34 1/2

Above is my contribution to the Ebay auction. It is now available , along with a lot of great paintings, drawings and prints by such great artists as Kinuko Craft, Alan Lee, John Howe, Micheal Hague, Michael Parkes, Scott Gustafson, Christophe Vacher, Gary Lipponcott, and many others.

Pit Fight

Pit Fight

oil on paper on board, 12" x 16"

©Wizards of the Coast

For this one, the art director wanted to see a a fight between two mismatched opponents. The Gruul barbarian and the Orzhov cleric are complete opposites of each other, and one is on his home turf.  I thought rather than depicting straight action, it would be the moment of fear before the pounding, The crooked Orzhov bureaucrat is going to get his. Kind of like in old school wrestling when Mr. Fuji, his charge disposed of, would get caught alone in the ring with the Hulkster. Maybe the cleric has some salt to throw in the eyes or a "foreign object" hidden in a turnbuckle somewhere. 

Act of Treason

Act of Treason

oil on paper on board/digital, 12" x 16"

©Wizards of the Coast

So what can I say about this guy? The art request asked that I show an noble of the aristocratic Orzhov guild losing his mind in a "carnarium", which is like sadomasochistic circus with cuts of meat hanging from the ceiling. In his delirium, he has cut open his fine robes skewered the skin of his belly and arms. For reference, I looked at a lot of pictures of hindu festivals, where some skewer their flesh, even hanging weights on them in displays of faith and mind over matter. This, however, is the toned down version. 

Originally there was blood, and cuts on his arms, as you can see in the submitted sketch, which was approved. Seeing this in the finish, in color and more clearly rendered was way too vivid and graphically violent. I went a little overboard, and the image in this state would never be approved.  I was asked to take the blood and the cuts out, which was done digitally.