Today we’re going to be look at the last piece that Dennis worked on, that of our werewolf, Dirk.  Before Dennis moved on, he worked with us on a few poses for the fan favorite character.  You’ll see here that we began with a look that was a little more rugged and savage than that which we were planning for.  Dirk is quiet, calm and collected, and we wanted to capture that.

Dennis’s next set of poses were more akin to what we anticipated when we began working on this piece.  We took a few elements of these poses and put them together, creating something that made Dirk’s art eventually look like one of the best pieces we were able to acquire.

It was around this point that Dennis handed the work off to Wern.  With Dennis’s guidance, Wern was able to pick up what we were looking for, and develop a line art for Dirk that was incredibly catching, and we knew at this point that we remained in good hands.  Dirk has the look of a medieval warrior, almost appearing like a Viking in some ways.

The next steps were subtle, but they added to the overall feel of the piece.  We changed the boss on the shield to a more fanciful one that’s reflective of who Dirk is, and we also added a cape that gave him a more adventurous feel.

With the first bits of color, you could see just how fantastic this piece was going to be.  Dennis was known for taking a lot of steps in order to make sure that the art he was working on was rendered properly, and Wern did just the same, doing his homework and taking his time to ensure we got something fantastic.

In this phase, you could see a bit more details fall into place.  Some darker lines made their way onto the fur around Dirk’s face, as well as the material of his outfit.  You’ll also see that we stepped back from the tattered cape to a more put-together piece.  Though Dirk is essentially a ranger in some ways, and it wouldn’t be totally out of character for him to have weatherworn clothes, we wanted to show that he was well-respected and well-equipped.

A bit more detail brings us close to the end of the piece.  We still needed to do a bit more work on the legs and the tail, but nearly everything else was accounted for here.  You could see that shading and reflections had been put in place, and these things helped to make him pop a bit more, giving him substance.

And then here we go.  We’ve finally arrived at the final version of our illustrious werewolf.  This was honestly probably the best character work we ever received, and it is thanks to the work of two incredible artists who put tremendous care and thought into their work.

As I mentioned earlier, the introduction to Wern has been quite fruitful.  We’ve been working together for some time now, and he’s consistently bringing great quality, as well as new ideas to the table, and he’s helping to add richness to the world of Tellest.  Dirk was just the start of Wern’s journey with us, and I can’t wait to show off the fantastic things we’ve accomplished together.

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Check out this bonus Dirk portrait that Hozure made for me:

Thank you so much to Hozure for sending this my way!

The post Character Art – Dirk Portrait appeared first on Tellest.

We started a little different than usual with this one, because Hozure wanted to determine the concepts of the character, in addition to his pose.  So we had a couple of different options for how he would be presented.  We ultimately wanted him to have this kind of chivalrous feel, so we gave him a sword and shield combo.

After that, it was time to pick a pose.  As always, Hozure gave us a hard time picking our favorite.  Each of these options could have been cool, but I think we ended up going with the option he least expected.

Expectations aside, he crushed it, even from early on.  His presentation was so much different than the other works we’ve done.  It’s really impressive how dynamic of an artist he is!

Once he added the other objects and some textures, it looked even more impressive.  Over the years, Hozure has gained proficiency in shading and movement.  It’s really a feat to behold.

Finally we have the character on a background with some shadows beneath so we can really see what he looks like.  It is incredible what Hozure can do.  I’m just beyond impressed, really.

We can’t wait to show you more of the work that Hozure has done for us.  Stay tuned!

The post Character Art – Dirk appeared first on Tellest.

Like them or not, it’s hard to argue that shapeshifters are not among the most popular tropes in fantasy right now.  Urban fantasies like Twilight and Underworld use them a great deal, and they’ve opened them up to a whole new fanbase.

Emily Fox serves up her own helping of shapeshifter fantasy with Rise of the Golden Dragon.  It’s just a touch away from the more traditional shifters too.  Werecheetahs, weretigers and werefoxes are the norm here, and Fox plays them up with very whimsical personalities.  But even that whimsy fades away when she introduces a dark prophecy and the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Celia is not your average werecreature, she’s the team leader of a bounty hunting squad, hunting down and capturing wanted criminals. But when a prophecy is revealed, Celia and her teammates find themselves embarking on a different kind of mission – a quest to save their land.

Set in the world of Xaylica, Celia and her team are taken on a journey that sees them thrown into the waters with a raging sea serpent; sends them on the hunt for a fiery phoenix; and puts them right in the paths of the Four Horsemen themselves.

The impending Apocalypse is fast approaching, and Celia and her team need to awaken the Golden Dragon before the Four Horsemen condemn them all.

Suspenseful, action packed, whimsical and romantic, Rise of the Golden Dragon is a high fantasy novel that tests the bonds of love, friendship and loyalty.

This first book of the Golden Dragon saga is sure to be a treat for those who are fans of shifters and traditional fantasy settings.  Rise of the Golden Dragon is a quick read that opens right up into the sequels it has spawned.  If you’re interested in this book, check it out on Amazon.

The post Fantasy Promo – Rise of the Golden Dragon appeared first on Tellest.

Dirk, our hero’s canine companion… he’s a werewolf.  I know, it’s shocking.  But no less so than the awesome job that our new artist, Luigiix did in capturing his appearance.

As is usually the case, we started with a rough sketch.  You can see Dirk in his bipedal form, complete with his katana, Fenrir.

After that, Luigiix put a more substantial look together.  The shading isn’t exactly there yet, but he’s in one piece, and looking more like a western werewolf than something out of an Egyptian setting.  After that, he put some finishing touches on him.

Dirk has become a fan favorite, and it’s not exactly a surprise why. He’s strong, loyal and dependable, and he’s awesome to boot! Thanks to Luigiix for his awesome interpretation!

The post Art: Dirk, Werewolf Form appeared first on Tellest.