Thought I would introduce myself...

[Storn]

...I'm doing some interior artwork for the Gazeteer... and I've come here to learn what folks want, like, detest etc on our favorite sandal wearing Cimmerian and his world. Artwise, I guess, that is.

I should say that I'm not looking for specific illustrations, I've already been assigned those by Paul. What I'm looking for is what folks think about art generalities. I haven't quite finished with the first illo, but maybe that will help get across what I can and cannot do...and might spark a conversation or two.

Got to see if I can get permission from Paul before I do any such thing though.

So anyway, just wanted to say that I'm here and howdy.

 

[toothill man]

Hi storn welcome too the websites I got a good look at the core book via a preview copy at my local shop and was impressed with the artwork so more in that style would be welcome.love artwork as it can give me more ideas sometimes than the text or text alone.As you are doing the gazeeter artwork that gives a solid idea of the location would be great dont get me wrong have no problem with topless girls but for describing a pict warrior details on armor,weapons and quarters are more help.hope my views were what you were after 8)

 

[Mythos]

Hello and welcome. It is always nice to have a chance to talk with the people who are directly involved with creating the art of a new book. your work will help set the tone of the written material and, possibly, have a greater impact on the imagination of the reader.

My first response to your request is to say, NO FUR DIAPERS!!!
The age of Marvel's Conan has come and gone. While I have no problem with an accurate loincloth wearing figure, we do not need to fall back on the old sterotype.

As to the image of characters and people from the Hyborian Age, my personal feeling is that a combination of the historical and exotic is the best way to go. Howard based his setting on a rough historical Europe. The emphasis being on rough. Feel free to to take actual material and embellish it a bit. Weapons, armor, buildings and all the everyday images should show a slight degree of strangeness. Howard veiwed our known myths and legends as poorly remembered aspects of his setting. Take your starting point from there and make it realistic but on a grander scale. Also, it never hurts to go back to the source material and allow images to just form based on Howard's written word.

While I understand that you want to create your own image of Conan's world, an artist who's work you may want to take a look at is Esteban Maroto. He did the illustrations for a few Conan books, back in the 80's and while few remember those works, he did, IMHO, manage to capture the feel of the setting.

A final thing you may want to consider is putting your post up on www.conan.com. We have had some interesting debates on what the Hyborian Age should look like. You would get plenty of advice there. Some of it might even be helpful.

I look forward to seeing your work when the Gazeteer is released. hope that I was of some, if very little, help.

 

[redlaco]

Same as Mythos here.

Also, I would love to feel some sort of "gloomy savagery" in the art. I mean, i'ts a setting where some decadent "civilized" folks clash with barbarians, the former being as much cruel (if not more) than the latter. Also the natural setting should be, IMHO, depicted as rough and dangerous looking... almost menacing.

Anyway, that's the way I envision it.

 

[the_gneech]

I'd suggest getting as much influence as you can from Frazetta's ink illustrations that were on the interiors of the Ace (I think it was) pubs. There's one in particular, a double-page spread in Conan: The Flame Knife where he's standing, arms crossed, staring down a room full of spearmen, that I always thought was quintessential Conan.

(A note to purists: Yes, I know The Flame Knife was not originally a Conan story. It's still a spot-on moment.)

-The Gneech 8)

 

[Jason Durall]

...I'm doing some interior artwork for the Gazeteer... and I've come here to learn what folks want, like, detest etc on our favorite sandal wearing Cimmerian and his world. Artwise, I guess, that is.

I should say that I'm not looking for specific illustrations, I've already been assigned those by Paul. What I'm looking for is what folks think about art generalities. I haven't quite finished with the first illo, but maybe that will help get across what I can and cannot do...and might spark a conversation or two..

Howdy!

To me, the quintessential Conan illustrators are Frazetta (and his apparent successor Mark Schultz), Barry Windsor-Smith, and Estaban Maroto, who illustrated some of those alternate Ace novels.

The environment is primary - it should be rich, opulent, and lush to contrast against the stark power of our hero. Alternately, when he is in rougher surroundings, then he needs to be the toughest thing among many, almost a piece of that landscape.

As for his appearance, I'd prefer seeing him look like a big, muscular guy - not a bodybuilder, with veins popping out and every muscle clearly defined - but a guy who is tough and strong and yet appears to be able to move like a jungle cat.

 

[Jason Durall]

My first response to your request is to say, NO FUR DIAPERS!!!
The age of Marvel's Conan has come and gone. While I have no problem with an accurate loincloth wearing figure, we do not need to fall back on the old sterotype.

I heartily second this request. Conan employed whatever costume was suitable for the region he was in, and wore armor when he needed to.

It might be an unpopular view here on this forum, but I've always thought that John Buscema's Conan was far too brutish-looking, a trend continued by most of the Marvel artists.

 

[VincentDarlage]

Things I like in Conan Art -

A decadent atmosphere.
Violence
Nudity
Accurate clothing/armour
A sense of motion
Shadows and shading

Things I don't like

Boris' static poses
Good-looking, handsome Conans who look like pretty-boy models instead of a battle-scarred, brutal war-machine.
Fur-speedos
Conans who are so muscular that they look slow and clumsy.
Overly complex drawings that are hard to figure out.

 

[Storn]

NO fur speedos!!! Well, gotta toss out 4 or 5 drawings right there!

No, just kidding.

I like a lithe, pantherish Conan myself. But boy, is this a tough assignment. There are such expectations. And it so hard to carve out a niche.

I hope you folks will liek what I do.

 

[Outlaw]

I like a lithe, pantherish Conan myself. But boy, is this a tough assignment. There are such expectations. And it so hard to carve out a niche.

I hope you folks will liek what I do.

Although I'm sure artists are under NDAs like authors are, why not make up a sample image that you can share? Doesn't necessarily have to be something you're giving to Mongoose (or even finished, just a basic pic). People will comment whether you want them to or not. You can mine those comments for positive criticism and adjust accordingly.

 

[Rhianni]

I like a lithe, pantherish Conan myself. But boy, is this a tough assignment. There are such expectations. And it so hard to carve out a niche.

I hope you folks will liek what I do.

Thats a good base description that I had liked of Conan from the stories.

There can never be enough votes against fur undies. Please dont.

 

[Storn]

I like a lithe, pantherish Conan myself. But boy, is this a tough assignment. There are such expectations. And it so hard to carve out a niche.

I hope you folks will liek what I do.

Although I'm sure artists are under NDAs like authors are, why not make up a sample image that you can share? Doesn't necessarily have to be something you're giving to Mongoose (or even finished, just a basic pic). People will comment whether you want them to or not. You can mine those comments for positive criticism and adjust accordingly.

Cause I'm a busy dude! <g> I really don't have time to make up samples for just posting sake. If you want to judge my artwork, there is my website in my sig. Plus I do art (quick doodles and experiments) for my own games and for private commissions, a smattering of which can be seen on the PEG boards (since I run a Savage Worlds fantasy game) here....

http://www.peginc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=150

 

[Neo]

Heya Storn

As someone whose very familiar with your work not onyl from your website, but your awesome art posted over on Green Ronins Mutants and Masterminds forums.. i'd like to say welcome!

This book is definitely going to be awesome artwise now

 

[Mayhem]

Indeed, Conan was more than happy to equip himself as appropriate to his situation - and that included armour more often than not.

Put me down as another vote against fur trunks

And another against horned helmets

 

[Jason Durall]

And another against horned helmets

WHAT? You mean like the one he wore in "The Frost Giant's Daughter"?

Though they were surely historically inaccurate on Vikings, horned helmets were clearly appropriate to the Hyborian Age.

 

[Outlaw]

And another against horned helmets

WHAT? You mean like the one he wore in "The Frost Giant's Daughter"?

Though they were surely historically inaccurate on Vikings, horned helmets were clearly appropriate to the Hyborian Age.

He also wore one in the Scarlet Citadel. Although I've never cared for it, horned helmets were part of Conan's piece-meal outfit (the horned helmet was also listed among his gear in the Queen of the Black Coast).

 

[CJF]

He also wore an horned helmet in Beyond the Black River.

I don't see a problem with such helmets, as long as they're kept in context (i.e., as part of an armour ensemble).

 

[the_gneech]

Just not the "two horns forward" thing he wore in the Marvel comics, I beg of you ... it made him look like a cuckold!

-The Gneech 8)

 

[Outlaw]

Yeah, I always thought that was kind of silly looking myself. Seeing it come from the side looks more natural.

 

[CJF]

Just not the "two horns forward" thing he wore in the Marvel comics, I beg of you ... it made him look like a cuckold!

You are talking about the fish, right?