Digital Art Gallery
Commissioned Art
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Character Art
Book Cover Design
Dain
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Dain
The Huntsmen are the greatest hunters the world of man has known. Their tales have gone down as legend, and many of their warriors reach heroic status among the people of Ventera and beyond. Their culture has crumbled, however, due to the manipulation of Petr D'Vayne. We meet Dain in the shadow of that manipulation, flexing his muscle in the belly of the Guilded Wyrmling Inn.
This mountain of a man got his inspiration from, of all people, 'The Mountain' from Game of Thrones. He stands a foot taller than most fully grown men, and is built like a tank. His prowess in combat is unmatched...that is if you can get him away from the nearest tavern.
Character Concept by:
Vadim
Dari
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Dari
For those that have read books 1 and 2, you might be asking yourself..."what happened to Dari?" Well, rest assured, his story is far from over. In fact, it's launching the first in the 'Wyvern Chronicles' collection of stand-alone novels. Dari, and his sister Elan, embark on an epic tale...coming soon!
Dari came together quickly, and the artist captured his essence with very little assistance from me. All I asked was that he have a dirty bandana, oversized clothes, and a makeshift bow with a clump of arrows, neither of which he knows how to properly use. Give him time ;)
Character Concept by:
Vadim
Celien
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Celien
Of all the characters in the Valshyr arena, I probably have enjoyed developing Celien the most. Her interactions with Syndra, and realizations of what she's gotten her family into...it was a delight to bring to light. Fortunately, her story is just beginning, despite a rough intro to the Forest of Valshyr.
Celien, in my mind, is a medieval Lara Croft. She's the analytic side of the Caro couple, but knew she would eventually have her own storyline, and I wanted the artist to draw her as such. Her tough personality and adventurous spirit shine through in this fantastic representation.
Character Concept by:
Vadim
Cassian
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Cassian
Cassian supplies the 'personal' touch to the brutal, lifeless Forest of Valshyr. Personal escort to the Caro's, and best friend to their young daughter, Cassian proves there's nothing more honorable than the concept of loyalty, and sometimes, you have to go to great lengths to prove that loyalty.
Much like Rowan, Cassian's description is derived from the ancient Roman Legions. With plate boots, a steel shield, and a pike, Cass is ready for battle. The artist blew me away with this one, and I couldn't wait to reveal it! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Character Concept by:
Vadim
Rowan
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Rowan
Rowan bursts on the scene as a slow, typical mercenary, escorting a simple carriage to the city of Wyvern's Rest. We soon learn there's more to this soldier, a decorated Sargeant in the Cyrean Army. Rowan's story will grow, and his tale will become legend.
Rowan was a fairly simple task, described as a roman legionnaire, with a breastplate, shield, and leather skirt. The eagle helm...that was the artist's idea, and I absolutely loved it. His rendition gave me such inspiration, my concept of the 'Empire' of Cyrea changed because of it.
Character Concept by:
Vadim
Kryxys
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Kryxys
No character gets a more ominous introduction to the Mists of Kel Doran series than Kryxys. The "Harbinger of Extinction" has her fingers in many things, tugging at the puppet strings of the world while sewing destruction from the shadows.
Needless to say, it was difficult to send instructions for the artist, but I think he did a fantastic job. After all, how does one draw wings of smoke and shadow? It's hard to enough to imagine! :) With armor sewn from her flesh and a maniacal grin, it was nice to see Kryxys take shape in this concept art.
Character Concept by:
Vadim
Anduin
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Anduin Celaera
Lieutenant in the Cambrian Navy, Leader of the merchant caravan protectors, and most importantly...Camille's father.
I had 6 character profiles created for the Ageless Fury PreOrder Bundle, and I think I liked Anduin's concept art the most. The artist managed to include the Celaeran seal on his armor and shield, and the I loved the level of detail!
Character Concept by:
Catalin Vicol
Ava
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Ava
Ava's harrowing story takes center stage early in the Dragon-Touched season...and things never seem to get any easier for her.
This drawing was the 'simplest' of the PreOrder bundle, yet something about it makes it just wonderful. The artist captured her beautiful features without going over the top, and the dress he drew for her is just gorgeous. He even included the detail of the slave tattoos on her wrists. The more I see it, the more I love it!
Character Concept by:
Catalin Vicol
Amoran
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Amoran
Light-hearted, yet thoughtful, travel companion from Cambria. Friend to Anduin and mentor to young Camille.
I struggled to come up with a good description for the artist for Amoran's character. He's described in the books, yet coming up with a 'summarized' description for the sake of concept art proved harder than I thought! He captured the pointed mustache and beard though, which is Amoran's essence. All in all, a very suitable likeness.
Character Concept by:
Catalin Vicol
Camille
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Camille
Just when you think Ava's got the toughest road ahead of her...along comes poor Camille.
Camille's character is the one 'shining light' in book one. The world, as described in the Weave of Fate, is a dark, unforgiving place...save the infectious laughter of the curious little girl in the blue dress. I modeled this character after my youngest daughter, who mirrors Camille's energy and enthusiasm in every way.
Unfortunately, Camille's fate takes an unexpected turn...one she may never recover from.
Character Concept by:
Catalin Vicol
Cooper
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Cooper
Definitely the most 'polarizing' character in the series so far. People love to hate him, and hate to love him...but he's definitely fun to write!
This wasn't QUITE what I had in mind when envisioning Cooper, but with the long hair, alchemist pockets, cloak, and devilish eyes...he turned out nicely. Cooper starts off as a brash, cocksure character, and his reputation only gets worse...until his attitude finally catches up with him...or more specifically, those close to him. Will he be able to fulfill his promise to Taryn?
Character Concept by:
Catalin Vicol
Taryn
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Taryn
Easily the most 'likable' character in Wyvern's Rest. The soft-spoken, big-hearted brother of Cooper has his eyes on Ava, but can't seem to muster the courage to protect her when needed.
Similar to Amoran, I had troubles describing Taryn to the artist. He needed to look like Coop, obviously, but without the snarky expression and the armor. Really, Taryn's just your 'average guy', trapped in an urban/medieval fantasy. He finally found the courage he needed, but it was too little too late. Follow Taryn as he fights for his life...and his way back to Ava.
Character Concept by:
Catalin Vicol
Syndra
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Syndra
Mysterious Sentinel of Myyrh and scout for the Caro Expedition into the heart of Valshyr.
If Anduin wins the award for my favorite drawing from the PreOrder batch, Syndra wins for favorite concept character overall. I spent a little more, and boy did it pay off. The detail in this concept design is phenomenal...and he hit on all the points I wanted to portray in her.
If you like her concept art, you'll love the real thing. Follow her as she dives deep into the Forest of Valshyr!
Character Concept by:
Levi (Flandivel)
"The Amulet"
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"The Amulet"
This image was commissioned to be part of the Ageless Fury PreOrder Bundle, and all who ordered that received a link in their download. Though a little more 'revealing' than I had envisioned, I felt the artist captured an element of vulnerability and mystery in Ava's expression...which was really what I was going for.
Taking place at the start of book two, Ava must come to terms with the events of the morning. The only clue that led to any clues was the mysterious amulet at the center of it all. For those that have read it, you'll know she has a love-hate relationship with this necklace. Is it the key to her freedom, or a curse?
Commissioned by:
El Geron
The Weave of Fate
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The Weave of Fate
The one that started it all :)
This process was unique for me because, well, I never thought I'd be writing my own book! Then, as things progressed and it became apparent it was really happeneing, other facets start coming into play...such as, "what's this thing going to look like!?" :)
The book, and series, obviously centers around Ava, so I knew I needed a young girl in a green dress. The mysterious city in the background was all the artist's idea, as were the pair of jeweled, amber eyes in the sky. If you've read book one, you'll know they become important. Overall, I'm happy with the design...but I'm not sure it screams "fantasy series!" to anyone seeing it. I've actually started the process of redoing this cover and re-releasing book one with a little more fantasy, and a little less mystery.
Book Cover Design by:
Ivan Cakic
Kingdom of One
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Kingdom of One
Currently, this is my design, inspired by the 'Dark Phoenix' soundtrack cover.
This will be a darker episode, as the events of book two carry straight through to number three. I wanted something that highlighted Ava, and hinted at the background struggle, as well as her inner struggle. An 'emotional' silhouette, set against a backdrop of flame, was the perfect scenario...in my humble opinion.
As I'm not a digital artist (yet), I wasn't happy with the color palette and composition of the cover, so I sent the design to a professional. Look for a NEW cover reveal, coming soon!
Book Cover Design by:
S.L. Matthews (for now)
Ageless Fury
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Ageless Fury
While I prefer to have original art on my covers, I was pleased with the end result of Ageless Fury as the 'stock images' used were blended well and composed a very nice, appealing story. I've received quite a few compliments on this one, and based on clicks alone, it's outranking book one by quite a bit :)
Ageless Fury introduces a new 'part' of the world of Kel Doran, only hinted at in book one...Valshyr. While Wyvern's Rest plays out as more 'urban fantasy', the Forest of Valshyr is full of mystical fantasy elements...and I wanted the cover to reflect that. Set against a backdrop of mist (of course!) a tattooed female warrior (Syndra) gazes into the distance...while a ghostly danger lurks nearby. If you've read Ageless Fury, you'll know this ghostly figure leaves a bittersweet taste...and leaves you wondering what else is possible, in the mist.
Book Cover Design by:
Ivan Cakic
Ruins of Valshyr
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"Ruins of Valshyr"
This piece was meant to portray Marina's vision of Valshyr as she raced to the edge of the Feathermoon bluff...an awe-inspiring site of the ancient city, its blackened towers and citadels, mist-filled streets, and an eerie moonlight bathing it all in its glow.
Initially commissioned for a giveaway and website banner, I ultimately wasn't crazy with how it turned out. I have it posted in a few places, but it kind of end up being shelved for newer art pieces.
Commissioned by:
Andrew Bilogurov
Beyond the Wall
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"Beyond the Wall"
For the cover of Beyond the Wall, I reached out to an environmental digital artist. Normally for my books, I pretty book cover artists, but I thought an original, environmental piece might make it stand out more. Also, as a low-cost introduction to my series, I didn't want to break the bank hiring a professional cover designer.
The concept is Dari, a small boy, standing before an immense gate, staring 'beyond the wall' to whatever lies beyond. It's meant to capture his moments near the end of the book - a clean segue into the Mists of Kel Doran series, and book one, The Weave of Fate. And we all know how THAT turned out ;)
Commissioned by:
Anik "OneTouchMan"
Raelyn
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Raelyn
We don't see much of Raelyn early on. In fact, much like the rest of the Valshyr crew, we don't see her at all in Book One; however, her importance to the story is paramount, and I wanted to ensure this 'mysterious' Kurodai Mistress got an impressive makeover.
Since the descriptions for Raelyn were short and direct, I had to provide the artist with quite a bit more instruction than I normally would, but she possesses all the characteristics of a Kurodai sentinel - braided hair, tattoos, weapons galore, and an overall sense of bad-assery. I'd say he nailed it, don't you think?
Character Concept by:
Vadim