D&D: House of Black Lanterns (2010)
Facing my nemesis
Over time, I would count my use as an illustrator as being one of a Generalist. I didn’t intend that, but it’s where one ends up when they are willing to try stuff and eventually become competent at multiple things, and when one is not willing to turn down work to sculpt a more precise look or portfolio.
I managed to check both of those boxes along the way pretty consistently, and so here I am.
Of the many things one can do, architecture is low on my list of interests. When it is supportive of character-based visuals, it can be fantastic. On its own, not so much. But even when it is in the service of character-centric images, the architecture portion usually requires considerably more time than sky and, say, some basic landscape. So, often budgets do not justify intense architectural environments in a character piece.
But sometimes, you just have to draw a building of some kind, and that’s all there is to it.
Within a game like Dungeons & Dragons, it can be helpful to include work that is purely environmental, as a way of wheting the imagination of Dungeon Masters or players. This somewhat Asian-inspired location fits into that use.
