Double Trouble released!

Graphic design of cover done by Rachael Macken

The Illustration I did

The cover image I did for the PDF adventure we just released over at Cubicle 7. Inspired by a great initial idea by my producer Pádraig Murphy of having a strange other world shown in the reflection and the final cover  was done by our talented graphic designer Rachael Macken.

Double Trouble explores the fate of the city of Ubersreik, as it teters between direct Imperial control, the influence of the Jungfreuds, and perhaps a glimpse of a more independent future. This section introduces new characters, locations, and plots, and provides suggestions and advice on incorporating developments your Characters may have experienced (or caused!) during the events of The Enemy Within campaign. Continue reading here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/wfrp-ubersreik-adventures-ii-double-trouble/

Age of Sigmar- The Mortal Realms

Chamon- Realm of metal

Ghur- The realm of beasts

Ghyrian- Realm of Life

Hysh- Realm of Light

Ulgu- Realm of Shadows

More pieces I did for our (Cubicle 7) recently released Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound RPG. This time it shows some of the realms in the world of Age of Sigmar. One of the challenges in working in age of sigmar was trying to create a piece that represented each realm. Now the lads over at Games Workshop had produced images for each before, to various degrees, sometimes just one image, other times several. So there was alot of leeway there and for some it took us quite a bit to come up with something but in the end we did. More about each realm can be found here:

https://ageofsigmar.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Mortal_Realms

Produced and art direction from Emmet Byrne

The splendid game the team made is out in PDF here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soulbound-rulebook-pdf/

Close ups of Moybologue Motte & bailey

Since it was asked for, here are some closeups of Moybologue, showing the aspects in more detail. The overall layout and features were based on discussions with  Moybologue Historical Society and the evidence they had gathered from papers, aerial photography, historic photographs and various scans of the landscape.

Some notes, the houses outside of the Motte & Bailey are based on evidence of native Irish creat houses, these newcomers often had the natives living with or near them. The half timber houses within the bailey are cruck houses, which literary evidence points to being here as well.

Also shown is the church and its graveyard which I did a ground view of before, also attached here. The fields are based on remaining field ridge and furrow fields in the UK.

The Motte tower is based on research into the evidence from Ireland and in Europe like the Bayeux tapestry among others. The same goes for the features within the bailey, like the main hall and below it, the training ground for soldiers as well as an interior orchard etc. While the design of the gatehouse is based on evidence from medieval illustrated manuscripts from France.

Temple to Sigmar- Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound corebook

One of the early pieces I did for our recently released Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound RPG. Before working on Sigmar, I had always worked on fantasy that stuck fairly close to realism/history, like lord of the rings or warhammer fantasy, which were great to work on too. But with Sigmar, I got to play with a whole new world of effects, atmosphere and.... what can only be called AWESOME! Its such a great experience leaving the imagination go wild and running with it. A good rule of thumb with Sigmar, any time you find yourself thinking wouldnt be amazing if... you can just put that right in!

Produced and art direction from Emmet Byrne

The splendid game the team made is out in PDF here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soulbound-rulebook-pdf/

Zbrush blast from the past!

Roodstown Spearhead & Rock sculpting

 I havent seen this stuff in so long, but after chatting about zbrush with Scott Purdy there, I took a look and thought people may be interested see what I was up to way back in 2008-2009. Some were even from a 3D comic I did for college.

These were all done in the digital sculpting platform zbrush. I remember I used to sculpt traditionally with clay at the same time. Was mad into researching into the history of sculpture from classical to Bernini to Rodin! I learnt so much from those days.

I did keep up normal 3D, picking up and putting down, that was a journey too, starting with 3ds max, to sketchup, cinema 4D, and now playing with blender. But zbrush isnt something you can use usually in archaeology, sadly.

Man I miss that sometimes though! Sculpting in the round was so much fun. I have to go back at some stage! Time! Where is the infinite time I need! :(

Experiments in Film Noir

Some pieces from a while ago. Explorations in simplification to mostly just shape and light. The challenge was to tell a cinematic story and still make it feel film noir even with the simplification. This way of working, while not really painterly, it is very direct, clear and fast. I have to say its a great experience watching it unfold and alot of fun trying to simplify everything to their core shapes with minimal volume. Also find it leave lots of room for interpretation, for me anyway!

Survival- Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound corebook

Another piece in the corebook of our (Cubicle 7 Entertainment) Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound RPG. Showning an inventive form of farming, showing vertical gardens. Also had some fun using an escapement mechanic to drive elevators up and down, dont try it home folks! Produced and art direction from Emmet Byrne.

The splendid game the team made is out in PDF here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soulbound-rulebook-pdf/

Shyish- Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound corebook

One of the great experiences I had in the corebook of our (Cubicle 7 Entertainment) Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound RPG,  was to take a hand at glimpsing into each mortal realm within the Age of Sigmar universe. This one shows a glimpse into the realm of death, Shyish. Trying to paint something as imaginative as this was great, as you just let loose and let the imagination take you where it will. With reference of course to the great work already done in Games Workshop. Produced and art direction from Emmet Byrne.

The splendid game the team made is out in PDF here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soulbound-rulebook-pdf/

Tilling the Desert- Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound corebook

Another interior art recent piece done for our (Cubicle 7 Entertainment) Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound RPG. Funnily enough my most popular piece from the book, what can I say, everyone loves farming! I love being able to mix research I do with images, at the time I was reading about Egyptian Nile farming techniques, Vietnam bases, early gunpowder weapons and early modern gabions, was a real hodge podge of ideas!

Produced and art direction from Emmet Byrne. The team did a spectacular job on the game, the PDF is out now:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soulbound-rulebook-pdf/

Degrees of Success, Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound corebook

Another interior art recent piece done for the Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound RPG that we, Cubicle 7 Entertainment just released. Was a fun piece, showing a khorne altar, this kind of horrific image is alot of fun to have a hand at! The team did a spectacular job on the game, the PDF is out now:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soulbound-rulebook-pdf/

Skaven city, Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound RPG

Another recent piece done for the Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound RPG that we, Cubicle 7 Entertainment just released. Alot of fun research went into this, rotary twisting mechanics of an ancient catapult, suspension bridges and Pueblo Indian architecture.

Thanks has to go to my producer Emmet Byrne for taking a chance and letting me play with Skaven transport here. The PDF is out now for the great game the team produced:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soulbound-rulebook-pdf/

Graveyard Shift Cover- new 40K Adventure

A cover I had great fun working on recently, done for our new great upcoming adventure over at Cubicle 7 Entertainment, 'Graveyard Shift', its a clandestine mission perfect for introducing players to the horrors of daily life (and death) in the 41st Millennium. Tasked by an Interrogator of the Inquisition to retrieve a dangerous xenotech artefact, the Agents explore a corpse starch production facility, encounter villainous Scum, and scour the dangerous wastes of the Boneyards before confronting the profane dangers of xenos technology.

Thanks has to go to my producer and fellow explorer on our 40K art adventurers Zak Dale Clutterbuck. Whose ideas and openness to teamwork keeps the wheels going on the 40K machine!

More here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/wg-glimpse-of-daedalon/?fbclid=IwAR39GcYAplCQPT9l2rLM9DDpcTCAEn8tRLZBefdPuNBu1YBeJXT9HgRXrhY

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound is here!

The day has come! Souldbound, the age of Sigmar roleplaying game is out! Everyone worked really hard on this game over at Cubicle 7 Entertainment​ and I am proud of the work I had a chance to do on the game as well as the greater team. Everything from the lush graphic design to the beautiful covers and interior art, it is truly a work out of art. Shown is an interior piece I did. More about the game here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/warhammer-age-of-sigmar:-soulbound-pre-order-is-live!/?fbclid=IwAR07opI5TY8mWGTxxP7BrQH-AxAJumJVdhvYvMf_ibIBxYOA8biq4nFqu2Y

Available to buy here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product-category/warhammer-aos/?fbclid=IwAR2-2T4DoagF6SUKutUh_HTQq5xXg_6Zw2KVRB5fAhW-zxYtJdZUP_4T4TQ

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound

Soon to be released in the coming weeks, our Age of Sigmar Roleplaying game will be out, so here is a sneak preview, with one of the pieces I did for the game, this one showing Aqshy, the realm of fire.

We went through alot of exploration to find the right style, feel and design framework to get something that just felt Age of Sigmar. And then to allow us to elaborate and fill out what Games workshop had already done. A big thanks goes out to my producer/art director on this Emmet Byrne, who I worked closely on this, the result is really a combination of our many discussions and bouncing ideas around. Look forward to sharing more from the book in the coming weeks!

You can read more about the upcoming game here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/category/age-of-sigmar/

Forge World- Wrath & Glory Core rulebook, Warhammer 40K

Forge World

Another piece I did for our newly released game Wrath & Glory over at Cubicle 7 Entertainment. This one showed what a forge world in the Gilead system looked like. The game is based in the brutal warhammer 40K universe, where you as a player have the.... pleasure? that doesn't sound like a word used in 40K ;).... of exploring. Thanks goes out to my producer Zak Dale Clutterbuck for his help on this one, everything in cubicle 7 is always a combination of a few minds, not just one. Was a blast to do! (no pun intended). You can find more out about the game or purchase it here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/wrath-glory-core-rulebook/

Imperium Streetview- 40K Wrath & Glory Core rulebook

Wrath & Glory Core rulebook is out! One of the great delights about working for Cubicle 7 Entertainment​ is being able to jump between some pretty amazing IP's. This time I had the honor to have a go at Warhammer 40,000. Such a rich and distinctive world and Im really proud to have a few pieces grace the pages of the amazing new Wrath & Glory Core rulebook roleplaying game we just released.

The above illustration shows what its like to live in this dire world, in this imperium streetview. Was a fun challenge trying to design the ritual daily life of an Imperial city. I would just like to thank too, my producer on this, Zak Dale Clutterbuck who with his keen art direction kept me on track in these unfamiliar waters, as I went a stray a few times on this one. I had alot of fun studying the collection of inspiration he had gathered from this rich world too. Hopefully ye will like the result!

Check out the great game our team over at Cubicle 7 made, its now available to purchase!

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/wrath-glory-core-rulebook/

Typical Imperial Reik Town: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

Another fun image I got to do inside work at Cubicle 7, for the Enemy in Shadows: Companion game, showing what a typical town of the Empire would look like, along the thick Reik river. I had alot of fun working on this book with my producer Zak Dale Clutterbuck, it was his idea to depict what a stereotypical Reikstown could look like, usually he would come up with a strong brief, like with the previous two I have shown, the Berebeli and the Emperiors Legs Inn, and then I would go off and play with it, with input along the way. At this stage I had done quite a few illustrations for WFRP (Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay) so was a fun challenge to put that altogether into one. But I also tried pushing the design by working with a certain amount of chaotic layering, a good way to quickly break out and see what fun one can come up with.

This game is out now and available here:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/293881/WFRP-Enemy-in-Shadows-Companion

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: 'The Emperor's Legs'- Inn Enemy in Shadows: Companion, Cubicle 7

Emperors Legs

Screenshot of the Ratter Article

Another piece I did for the Enemy in Shadows: Companion. Thanks to Charlotte Hamilton, the Ratter magazine has just released an interview that I did for that publication, where I go into detail on the making of this illustration, found here:

https://indd.adobe.com/view/2818a337-c249-473d-a72a-5424a9573390?fbclid=IwAR0x7yjmnDt4UQ86ZddnXR6r9DbOWCq4S0xWF0R8qgJrkObcYcXF_ydkNyY

Berebeli -Enemy in Shadows Companion

An illustration of the Berebeli boat, done for the Enemy in Shadows Companion game set in the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay universe. This one was great fun to do, it was another collaborative thingy, with Daniel Kovács doing a great creative map of the main boat, which I then took into perspective and matched its dimensions. Thankfully in archaeology I used to take lots of maps and work their specific dimensions out in perspective so it was more of a trip down memory lane. Once that was done I got to have lots of fun painting it up, adding scenes, sails and bits and bobs while also translating alot of Daniels details into the painting. Thats one of the great things about working in Cubicle 7 is this collaborative effort, not being egotistical but sharing in a piece like this can be a very rewarding creative experience, something you cant do on your own and the result only gets better because of it.

The game is out now on PDF, available here:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/293881/WFRP-Enemy-in-Shadows-Companion

Rathcroghan In Irish Times

A piece I did a few years ago of Rathcroghan mound for Roscommon County Council is in the Irish times!

Full article here:

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/ireland/it-s-one-of-ireland-s-most-important-prehistoric-sites-but-you-may-not-have-heard-of-it-1.4201267?mode=amp&fbclid=IwAR0c49Z9aYvlpLvWYLHzM0MOaX_z5mubewqdp7pNXx7upLiAv9t7YfmhTjg

Charcoal sketches

More sketches with a more charcoal horror feel, done recently

Moybologue medieval historic landscape reconstruction

Recently I had the absolute pleasure to work once more with the Moybologue Historical Society and with Cavan county council they commissioned me to return to Moybologue. Previously I had done a reconstruction of the church and graveyard as it looked later in the middle ages. This time I was hired to depict the 12th century motte and bailey, field system, church and graveyard and greater enclosure surrounding both. You can also see outside the motte & bailey a series of huts which are native Irish creats and associated crofts/gardens.

The illustration was based on research I partook into what original source material from illustrated manuscripts like Bayeux tapestry described, contemporary descriptions, archaeological evidence in Ireland & Britain and articles on the site itself. It was started in 3D to reconstruct the structures and I used displacement maps for the surrounding the landscape. These were based off aerial photography, historic photographs and various scans of the landscape which Moybologue provided and had commissioned separately. There was also some concept sketching to explore various options, before the final painting was developed adding colour, texture, light and life to the final reconstruction. I hope ye enjoy, more about this here in Moybologue Historical societys facebook page:

shorturl.at/ijlzX

Post Apocalypse sketches

Before anyone says anything, I have been actually doing sketches for a while on the side on this subject, then this coronavirus made it all too real! Still I still like the sketches :)

Berebeli on the Reik

A piece done for the coming soon Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Enemy in Shadows book. The first time I had a go at doing the Berebeli, a fun ship with a fun name. We had a great time making this game and the final book will be gorgeous id say Art. direction by Andy Law. More on the book here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/enemy-within-campaign-volume-1-enemy-in-shadows/

Behind the Scenes- the 3D in Archaeological Illustration

3D Model of later Richmond castle provided by English Heritage and below my paint over of earlier Richmond castle with later features in 3D model removed

3D Model of Scollands Hall provided by English Heritage and my paint over

Putton Lane- 3D model provided by Context One archaeology and my paint over

In archaeology, accuracy is of paramount importance, so much so that some clients I work with make a 3D model inhouse, some more detailed than others, and give it to me to paint over.

This is such an important part that usually when my clients dont do this stage themselves, I do it myself by building a model, these days in blender. Sometimes if they have extra detail like scans of the wider landscape, I even make displacement maps for the ground plane to get the contours of the landscape correct. For those of you who dont know, displacement maps are greyscale (a scale of greys between and white) images which you can paint, and then put that ontop of a 3D model to change the models geometry without having to model, great for natural landscapes.

I then take these 3D models and add the light, texture and figures. I start usually by drawing over the model to work out the  perspective of the camera lens, sometimes even going as far as getting the wider cone of vision. This allows me to tweak the model to a better perspective if the image requires it. I then do a paint over of this to get the colour and light and general feel, and then this is finished up with textures and figures to give it more life and realism.

Nuln- Rough Nights & Hard Days

Another one done we did at Cubicle7 for Rough Nights and Hard Days, probably a year ago now,  the game was based in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplays world. The city depicted, is a night in Nuln, one of the major cities in the Reik, art directed by Andy Law. Was a fun game to work on, my second for Cubicle 7, and had me doing lots of these double half page spreads, designing new looks to the various places, was quite the challenge to do such a busy scene!

More information about the game can be found here:

https://www.cubicle7games.com/product/rough-nights-hard-days/

Dune/Pueblo Sci Fi Sketches

Recently I was recovering from an operation and in the downtime I was reading about SW native american architecture, specifically the Mogollan, Anasazi and Pueblo traditions of architecture as well as watching some lectures on the first cities in the world: Çatalhöyük and Jericho. Always wanted to take the time to read more about the Pueblo such a fascinating and advanced culture with such a distinctive architecture and often placed in magnificent locations like mesas. Its surprising too how similar these cities in America are too the earlier cities of the middle east, and Id say alot of archaeologists look to the pueblo cities to fill out what these earlier cities may have looked like.

While I was doing this I am also playing with combining these cultures to create a new one, albeit with a good mix of sci fi thrown in as Im reading Dune at the moment. Was looking at how batteries and early radio worked as well to see what fun stuff the combination could bring up. Still early days yet and definitely needs a few more design phases to get beyond the initial archaeological inspiration but here are some initial traditional biro sketches to start. Was fun to be get a chance to do some serious sketching with a pen, I always sketch every day with pen but usually just rough ideas and I dont do a full concept with it

Roman Birdoswald- Hadrian wall

Birdoswald East Gatehouse

Birdoswald West Gatehouse

Early Birdoswald Barracks

Late Birdoswald Barracks

Lighting and colour options for the East Gatehouse- painted in Photoshop

3D models created by English Heritage 

A series of illustrations done for English heritage in 2018. It was done for a guidebook on Birdoswald Barracks along the Hadrian wall. Expert advice given by Carlos Lemos and historians of English heritage. Illustrations showing the east and west gatehouses and also smaller illustrations of the barracks in the 1st century AD and then later in its history, in the 3rd century AD. Working with English Heritage is great teamwork, as they provide the 3D models, and the expert advice and you add light, colour, additional texture, figures and story and together with feedback from them, create the final putting it all this together.

More about Birdoswald can be found here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banna_(Birdoswald)

Old Character Thumbnails

Thumbnails from a Personal Viking Rus Game, 2018, I believe each was done in about 15 mins each

15 mins Thumbnails from a Personal Viking Rus Game, 2018

Thumbnails from a Personal Viking Rus Game, 2018, I believe these took a bit more like 20-25 mins each

Another trip down memory with more little thumbnails, this time character ones. I believe these were all done in about 15-20 mins each, was a great way of exploring character options quickly which I picked up while doing the Character design course with Kory Hubbell over at Game Art Institute back in 2018