Bran Mak Morn

It was a little slow at the start of the Toronto Comicon this morning and I didn't bring any work to do while waiting for the sketches I would eventually do, so I started sketching based on a panel in the upcoming 3-part adaptation of   The Men of the Shadows starting in issue #5 of Robert E. Howard's SAVAGE SWORD from Dark Horse Comics.

I might end up turning this into something more finished after I wrap up the first portion of the adaptation. . . .

I managed to take a pictures of a couple of the sketches I did this weekend -- I'll share them later!

Had a blast at the convention and am pleasantly exhausted.

~R

Two-Gun Raconteur #14

I contributed two illustrations for the current issue of Two-Gun Raconteur: The Definitive Journal of Robert E. Howard.

I encourage all REH fans to go here and order a copy. It's always a great read and re-read.

~R

Sketch Card for March 12 - Bearfield Elston

Just read a really cool Bearfield Elston story in advance of a pair of upcoming illustrations. In the story he narrates he's pretty busy causing more trouble than could be believed. I suspect, when regaling his drinking buddies about the events, I suspect he'd have reason to look as bemused over the plain stupidity and lack of proper manners as he does here.

Sketch Card March 11 -- Thoth Amon

Pen & ink.

I kinda like the current interpretation of Thoth wearing an Egyptian hat rather than the Loki-like horns he used to be depicted wearing.

Sketch Card March 10 -- Skull-Face

Brush and ink on a watercolour paper sketch card. Used Liquitex acrylic ink as the Higgins Eternal sits on my shelf slowly evaporating down to something worthwhile.

In retrospect, I'm thinking I should have pushed the skull-look a bit more, but I didn't want him to end up looking too much like a zombie.

What the Hell Have I Been Up To?

Lots of stuff -- most of it was fixing or cleaning up other people's work or stuff I can't share until it gets announced elsewhere. Oh, yeah, we also got a new puppy and the wife spent three weeks away in Europe so I had to adapt to single parenting while crate training and dealing with the last three weeks of my son's schooling. I was kinda busy.

Things I want to pick up again now that things have settled some include returning to monthly ZUDA reviews, posting developmental artwork for things I can share with you, I want to review and suggest a number of art books from my library -- both how-tos and artist collections -- on a monthly-ish schedule.

The illustration above was for Damon Sasser's Two-Gun Raconteur, an excellent journal on the works of Robert E. Howard. More info and how to order below:

REH Two-Gun Raconteur #13 in now avilable.
This issue of The Definitive Howard Journal made its debut on June 12th at the 2009 Howard Days in Cross Plains to rave reviews.

Contents include: "The Black Moon" by Robert E. Howard, illustrated by Robert Sankner; "Kingdoms of Clouds and Moonmist" by Brian Leno, illustrated by Bob Covington; "The Hyperboreans Re-imagined" by Morgan Holmes, illustrated by Richard Pace; "Kings of the Night: A: Bran Mak Morn Portfolio" by Michael L. Peters; "The Skald and the King" by Chris Green, illustrated by Bill Cavalier; "The Long and Winding Road: A Poetic History" by Rob Roehm, illustrated by David Burton; "Sailor" Steve Cositgan: A Portfolio" by Clayton Hinkle; Verse by Frank Coffman; "The Mighty Revelator Passes" Tributes and Final Farewells to Steve Tompkins, plus additional artwork and features.

LIMITED EDITION of 250 numbered copies.
Price is $23.00 per copy ($19.50, plus $3.50 for US shipping and handling)
Order from and make checks and money orders payable to:
Damon C. Sasser6402 Gardenspring Brook LaneSpring, TX 77379
Payment also accepted via PayPal:orders@rehtwogunraconteur.com

I really enjoy contributing to projects like this, partly because I'm a Howardhead, but also because the journal is so well done.

Later all!

~Richard

Conan Doodles

I've been warming up to draw something nice with Conan here. . . sometime soon. In the meantime I've been doing some sketchbook doodles along the way, trying to capture the guy at various ages.

Frazetta's first painting of Conan set the look of the character for me for all time. Barry Smith's was too effeminate, Big John Buscema's looked a little too much like an ape unless he got strong inking. Neal Adams' was great (and the time he inked Big John was amazing) and I like Cary Nord's take of the character.

Later,

~Richard

Queen of the Black Coast

Ever have a relationship with someone who was wilder and more sensual than anyone else, pushed you further into dangerous places you may have wanted to go, but not so recklessly?

Robert E. Howard gave Conan that kinda girlfriend; Belit, Queen of the Black Coast.

This girl was something else; she was a Shemitish (read historical Hebrew in Howard's Hyborian analog) captain a pirate vessel manned entirely by blacks native to the jungles of the Southwestern coast near evil, snake worshipping Stygia. Her raid upon a merchant ship ended up with everyone but Conan (an accidental passenger) from the merchant ship dead, many of Belit's crew dead by Conan's hand, and the the Pirate-queen throwing herself at Conan in a bizarre post-battle heat.

Of course, Conan decided this was the woman of his dreams.

It's ends badly, of course, as all literary crazy people relationships usually do, but it was a hell of a ride!
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Artwise, this was fun -- as with any essentially unplanned sketching, I dropped some elements in the composition that I would change -- primarily the placement of the rigging and the horizon, but it's just a sketch, so it's something I would address if I were going to make a finished piece of it. Probably find a way to include some of her crew. I'd also do something with the sky -- some white big clouds rising out of the seascape.
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Health-update: finishing another course of antibiotics for my bronchitis, and I've started rehabbing the right knee. Yogi, my physical therapist, tells me the patella has moved horizontally across the knee and is now grinding away everytime I bend it. Yay!
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Hip deep in other work; freelance work as always, finishing the write-up for my Design and Composition class at Max the Matt in advance of our field trip to see Pan's Labyrinth, and finishing my notes for the first few classes of my Beasts, Hulks and Things: Drawing Monsters of all Shapes and Sizes course starting on the 28th. I might start dropping some of that material here and blogging about that course for a bit, but I do want to do a few more Howard characters (including a certain Cimmerian) soon.

Take care,
~Richard

Red Sonja

My knee seems to not want to get better any time soon, so I sit and work. I'm seeing another doctor about it Monday, but I'm hoping it'll be better by then.

I took a short break from my current assignment to do something for the blog: a Red Sonja.

I was just going to put up the rough pencils, but felt that it needed a little colour -- at least some red hair! I like the initial drawing, so I'll probably do something more finished with it when I have both the time and inclination.

I wasn't initially a fan of the character. She seemed silly next to Conan, and I wasn't surprised to discover that she wasn't really a Howard creation, but a bastardization of a Howard Character by Roy Thomas and co.. I DO like hot redheads, and that scale-mail bikini has its allure, so, while not a fan, I certainly enjoyed her appearance.

I was prepared to dislike Dynamite's new Red Sonja series and I ignored it for some time, until I had a number of pals recommend the collections. . .

So now I AM a fan of Red Sonja. I think Rubi's doing the best work of his career and the writing is top notch.

Heck, I even registered at Dynamite Entertainment's Forum over a month ago to say so, but I'm still awaiting a moderator to approve my membership there. Maybe someday. . .

Hmm, that last part seemed a little negative. I blame my knee!

Best,

~Richard

El Borak!

This is the first Howard character I experienced after reading his Conan yarns. I grabbed the Berkley edition THE LOST VALLEY OF ISKANDER with eager hands, wondering only in the briefest passing why the cover artist put a moustache on Conan!

I was at first disappointed to find that Francis Xavier Gordon (aka El Borak) was historical fiction (and not Conan with a 'stache), but was soon thrilled to discover that it was WEIRD historical fiction. The same level of horror and fantasy imbued the world this version of Lawrence of Arabia's world as Conan or Kull's. In many ways, Gordon is the modern equivalent of Conan, as he lacks the broodiness of the rest of the Howard characters. If I recall correctly, L. Sprague de Camp plundered at least one Gordon story in his succesful attempt to squat a portion of REH's creativity.

As much as would like to drawn any of Howard's characters in comics form, Gordon immediately follows Conan on the wish list. My ego would probably put him at the top, since fewer great artists have turned their hands to this lesser-known adventurer.

~Richard