Puddnhead Wizards of the Coast Cover

[Puddnhead]

here's a cover from the summer for dungeon/polyhedron magazine.
http://www.puddnhead.com/conceptartorg/puddn-wotc-cover.jpg

[Puddnhead]

http://www.puddnhead.com/conceptartorg/puddn-poly-scan.jpg

[Puddnhead]

this is the rough sketch sent to the art director to get approval from the editorial staff. this is also the image painted over to develop the piece in painter 6.
http://www.puddnhead.com/conceptartorg/puddn-wotc-cover-thumb.jpg

[Puddnhead]

here's a detail. all the characters were drawn separately. the original drawing of the woman (posted below) is for sale. you can e-mail kev@puddnhead.com if interested.14 x 11", graphite on paper, 2002.

http://www.puddnhead.com/conceptartorg/puddn-wotc-cover-sketch.jpg

[wallychairmover]

nice, if only i'd seen your stuff when i was a wee lad:) it's so nice to see color use in such gorgeous extremes..i just joined the forum here and you're the first person i started to follow, devouring the website and jealously memorizing your twisted details. your "theme" and technique are awesome...aborting sunshine up the butt phase now...

you bastard:D

[Puddnhead]

http://www.puddnhead.com/conceptartorg/puddn-wotc-det.jpg

[littlejohn]

I loved this cover when it came out. Lots of nice art in that issue. I'm kinda bummed they're switching formats for Dungeon/Poly; I liked the flip format. Thanks for showing this piece. It's amazing how solid the sketch was, yet how much energy you maintained in the final piece.

[Darkness]

I think they suck DUDE!!!!


I WANT YOUR SKILLZ WAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!:(

[Tristan]

at the risk of beginning to sound like a "puddnhead fan-boy", I leave you with two statements.

1. I promise you I'm telling EVERYONE about these new pieces.

2. Please let us know when the new site is up.

[davi]

Very cool work. This piece is very inspiring, and i love that you showed the sketchs, very pretty stuff :)

[John P.]

Yes, thanks for posting those sketches!

It's an inspiration for sure.

[Nekokaiju]

Well again I find myself not really adding too much, but I just had to say thanks. So ...Thanks!

It's cool to see the progressions of the image. And to see the final layout on the cover. Oh and you do the best unearthly glow I've seen.

[Lono]

holy fart! excellent colors and textures. i am most envious.
great design work on the characters aswell. your style is quite unique. i believe i would recognize your work in a lineup.

i would very much like to look over your shoulder and watch you paint sometime.

you are a ripper,,,, fo-schnizzel.


-Lono

[MindCandyMan]

Dude...my brother showed me this magazine a while ago and we knew it was your style right away! Your style is very distinct...we were drooling over it then...this is fantastic to see the process and also the close ups...thanks for posting them.

[keyth]

Thanks PudHead. It truly is an image such as this that makes me want to forget everything and just sit down and draw/paint. very, VERY inspirational.

[gekitsu]

i'd buy this magazine just for the sake of having that cover.

painter 6 you say? wow... i thought i was the only one who didn't upgrade to seven.
just out of curiosity: what kind of tools are you using mainly?
doesn't look like that default watercolor "texture" painter puts on top of everything you do with the wc tool.

[I.was.ink]

Amazing skill my friend. not very fond of the demonic stuff. But great job :thumbsup:

[Arwar]

wow puddnhead, truly inspiring work. I've been staring at all these close ups for the past 10 minutes. Awesome job.

[MrSmith]

cool as usual. how long did it take you?

[Bomba]

Great work. Love the colors, rendering, and how the piece looks. I would like to mention that the woman's arms/hands are extremely short/small compared to the rest of her body.

The sythe she is holding looks rather flimsy in weight. Thickening the pole will give it more weight and a presence of substance.

Overall, wonderful piece. Thanks for sharing.
-J-

[Smeagol71]

My oh my...Puddn, you know what? This magazine has been sitting around on my art table for several months now and I pick it up every now and again just to admire it. I don't game anymore, but I picked this mag up just for your cover!

Thanks for the copy without the magazine info all over it! Definitely one to add to my concept art library.

:thumbsup:

[stephen]

OH MY GOD!


:god: :fruit:

[Scratched Glass]

tristan. we all know your a puddnhead fan boy. theres no avoiding it.

this piece really is a great one though. great color.

[Drawnblud]

I cried. It is perfect.

[Tristan]

Originally posted by Scratched Glass
tristan. we all know your a puddnhead fan boy. theres no avoiding it.

this piece really is a great one though. great color.



what can I say, I've been talking about these new pieces all day. Of coarse i had to make it my wallpaper for my desktop. I showed Chad and it was fun to watch the boy piss himself and run off and tell others about puddnhead's new work.

Is there anyway we can see the specific work you did for Pirates of the Caribbean?

[cos]

Friggin excellent man, I love it. Thanks for sharing the sketch too.

[Living Rope]

Puddnhead, I love your stuff ! I'm a fan, it's f%*ckin' cool that you share your art with us. :chug:

[azjohnl]

Puddnhead, your stuff is awesome,
I love the way you render out your figures...


& especially cool that you got to do the Omega World issue... Gamma World was always one of the cooler TSR games that never seemed to get the attention it deserved!

[Gezstar]

really impressive... i liked your drawing even more than the painting ('s a compliment :))

[Kyri]

Wow, really stunning work, love the sketch too.

[Da7thSamurai]

Awesome work. Your the only one I know that makes bright colors work. Also I mainly use photoshop but trying to get into painter. Just wondering how u got started and if u got any suggestions on books or tutorials that can help me get started in Painter. Or if anyone has suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

[mgc3003]

Puddnhead! Thanks for sharing your work, and it's especially interesting to see that preview sketch!

A lot of people try to paint zombies and fail. You're the master of zombie-evil-death-monster paintings! They're convincing enough that its like you've seen them in real-life! I'd hate to be in the nightmares that must inspire you!

Also, when most people paint images of that "genre"(for lack of a better word) they resort to standard color schemes and end up with a Frazetta or Brom look. You really push your colors into an original direction and wonderful style.

Excellent!

[redehlert]

Hey Puddenhead
I'm not sure if anyone asked since I don't have the time to scan the multitude of comments aside from the praise, praise, praise. I agree...it rocks.
My questions are:
1. How long did it take you to do this project in terms of actual hours as well as actual time alotted by the client?
2. What does one usually get paid to do a cover for this company?
3. What are the ranges for cover art $$?
4. Did you do this up in Photoshop 7 or Painter or what?

Thanks for answering the Q's....

Cheers and again, sweet work!

D

[theincredibleandy]

wow.

[Chris J. Anderson!]

Hey Puddnhead,

I'm glad you posted all that work. It's quite inspiring to see how you or any professional artist starts and finishes their art, which I'm sure you already know. I've been wanting to see how your sketches look versus your finished paintings. It's interesting that you spend just the right amount of time drawing your illustration, giving it only enough detail necessary for (you) so that you have enough information to use to paint your finish. I'm currently learning that I don't have to draw an extremely finished-tight line drawing with precise shading if the finish is going to rely heavily on the effects of paint. I figure that if you have a tight line drawing, shaded with finished quality and everything, the finish is most likely gonna rely heavily on the line drawing, and less with the effects of paints. It's all about the kinds of style you want to use for finished colored art. Great work man!

Chris Anderson
Concept Artist/ADVPRO
http://www.chrisjanderson.com

[jerO]

sweet stuff.
nice to see all the posts of the WIP too. thanks.

palette reminds me a bit of Pavelec... maybe mostly in
the dismembered head :)

jerO

[Francis]

Great piece - I really like that initial sketch.

[Boom]

excellent painting. Everything works from the strange but wonderfully cool costumes to the highly saturated reds in the background. Awesome! :)

If i really had to be nitpicking (and i guess i have to) I think the two additional arms on the main centre figure is kinda lost in all the detail. Especially the one on our left... A bit more highlight would make them more appearant(sp?)