Drawings from my sketchbooks. Some are pretty loose, others were tightened up to become the foundation for more finished paintings. Tap each one to see more detail, and you also tap on the larger version for a title and description.
Salvage Hounds 01 Wrap Around Cover Pencils
The concept for the front cover was sort of a "movie poster" approach, showing a montage of the Hounds set against a backdrop of space. This also shows how I'm using 3D renders for ships and other mechanical "characters" in the book, such as the Cyclops Neuromecha and Pounder. Only the torso and head of the mecha was rendered, while the arms, legs and gun were penciled in.
Salvage Hounds 01 Front Cover Pencils
One of the joys of digital penciling is that I can work on multiple layers, isolating each character and working on them individually, then adjusting positions later as needed. Yes, I could do this in the old days of the meat space, but that required taped on tracing paper, photocopies, or laborious paste up. Now, all that is swept aside, allowing me to just draw!
Curse of the Feral Gods Cover Pencils
I like to approach the covers of my books like a full-fledged illustration. On the one hand, I want the cover to represent the interior story, but I also don't want to just repeat a scene from the book. In this case, I decided to make a "buddy picture" poster, with Betty and Sara back to back against the Feral Gods.
Curse of the Feral Gods Cover Pencils Detail
As you can see, I drew Sara's hair as a minimal guide, knowing that all that detail would come in the inking stage.
Prince of Demons Pencils
This is a piece I've been thinking about for a long time. Inspired by the Flat Earth series by Tanith Lee. Azhrarn, the Prince of Demons, rules from the demon city of Druhim Vanashta, only able to visit the world of man when night falls, for the sun's rays would be his death. He falls in love with Dunizel, known as Moonfire, a woman who embodies the light of the sun, but only that pale light which is reflected by the Moon and Comet by night.
Septerra Core Lull Before the Storm Pencils
The pencils for this piece turned out a bit different than the final, mostly in the background. I had to dig into the archives to find reference on characters that I had created 20 years ago, and balance the drawing between their original designs and how they eventually ended up looking in-game.
Slumber Party of DOOM! Wrap Around Cover Pencils
I love to make the covers a wrap-around illustration. I mean, who wants an ad on the back of their book? So it's always a challenge to make the covers work as both a front and back cover image.
Slumber Party of DOOM! Pencils
Here's the penciled cover from Soul Chaser Betty: Slumber Party of DOOM! I wanted to evoke some classic horror movie vibes, and channel just a little bit of Dawn of the Dead and other zombie movies from the time period.
Savage Sword (Pencils) - 2011
I wanted to do something a little more traditional than my usual pinups. I've always loved the works of Robert E. Howard, and figured it would be fun to try my hand at a traditional sword and sorcery drawing.
Shield Maiden (Pencils) - 2002
Eowyn was a fun character to draw because she needed to be grounded in more realism than I usually do. Her armor and weapons are more history based and I tried to work the Rohan horse theme into her costume. This became the basis for my Shield Maiden illustration.
The Witching Hour (Pencils) - 2011
This and Savage Sword were attempts to get away from the pin-up style that I had been working in for the better part of a year. I had a lot of fun doing the skeletons, and learned a bit about anatomy in the process, which is always good.
Moon Dance (Pencils) - 2002
This was a take on Luthien from Tolkien's Silmarillion, based it on a combination of Mucha and Anime. It was originally title "Dance of Luthien."
Witch Queen (Pencils) - 2004
My aim here was to create a very detailed costume, with ornate trappings and intricate details. After I did this one I decided to stay with the Queen motif and explore it with Outlaw Queen and Reaper Queen.
Outlaw Queen (Pencils) - 2004
My attempt at a barbarian girl. The tattered fabric was fun to draw and I really got into creating the swirling designs of the hair.
Reaper Queen (Pencils) - 2004
This costume definitely comes from the same design philosophy as my Barsoom drawings. I wasn't too sure about the face when I began, but now I think its very unique from my usual style.
The Raven (Pencil) - 2007
The figure of the Raven and the serpent were drawn separately and combined here before the color painting was begun, which is why the two appear transparent. To get to this stage required many thumbnails of figures and composition, a design for the wrym, and several different stabs at the final design for the angel's clothes and armor.
Fallen Queen (Pencils) - 2007
For this one I wanted to create a dynamic outfit and regal pose. In hindsight, I probably should have spent more time making the wings more of a standout part of the composition.
Fallen - 2007
This is the original pencil for Fallen Metamorphosis. I did quite a few passes at the character design here, in terms of the skin texture and stylized flesh.
Avenger II (Pencils) - 2007
This was an update of an older piece. I liked the original, but felt that its execution could have been better. So for this I was able to start with the original, using it as a template and adding to it.
God of Thunder (Pencils) - 2008
This is the 2009 version of the God of Thunder drawing that began back in 1997 (yes 1997) as "Crack the Sky." It had been put away for over 10 years, and when I found it in my archives I decided to finally finish it.
Dragon Head (Pencils) - 2007
I just had a great deal of fun adding surface detail to this one.
Princess of Thieves (Pencils) - 2006
This was a pose inspired by a magazine ad. I wanted to create a very clean drawing that could become the basis for a new painting.
Martian Guard Dog (2009)
When I started this drawing it was going to be a simple cave girl, but I wound up taking it in another direction, with the 10 legged Banth and Martian outfit clearly setting it on Barsoom.
Savage! (Pencils) - 2009
This was created specifically to serve as the basis for a pen and ink drawing. I wanted the hair to feel like it was creeping and crawling along the ground.
Dejah Thoris and Tara of Barsoom - 2002
Ahh, the incomparable women of Barsoom...
Modest Cave Girl - 2008
This started a con sketch, but I liked the idea of doing a cavegirl in color, so I continued working on the concept into a larger, more detailed drawing. This was painted in color and became the Savage Cave Girl print.
Snow Hunter (Pencil) - 2008
This drawing was based on one of the sketches from the Twilight Tangents Sketchbook Vol 2: Girls Gone Savage. I wanted to take one of my favorite sketches, clean it up, and do something else with it - in this case, create a pen and ink drawing.
Cave Girl Sketch - 2007
This was a quick sketch I did for Capricon 07. I was inspired by a photo of an actress for the basic stance, but from there I started messing around with the details.