Justin Gerard
patreon
"The Basilisk"
🕑 Added 2020-06-24 12:18:33 +0000 UTCOur Classic Fantasy Illustration for June is The Basilisk!
From A Plague of Dragons, this painting is 11"x14" inches traditional graphite drawing on Strathmore Bristol, with color in Photoshop.
The image offered a lot of fun possibilities with lighting, particularly since I had it set down in this little canyon with only patches of light trickling down. That was the fun part. It also had some harder visual problems to tackle in the wide variety of textures I had planned for. Scales, scrub grass, fine moss, craggy rocks, water, fabric and fang. So many interesting little moments to be found in each surface to add to the narrative or deepen the immersion. It took a bit of trial and error while I was getting started, but eventually it all came together.
I designed a set of new brushes for this painting based on some watercolor splotches I found on our watercolor painting of The Mermule. They do some really funky stuff as you can see in this landscape below. I'll be releasing many of the better ones in the upcoming Monster of the Month Brush Sets.
Overall I found this one proved to be one of the most fun paintings I've done for the Patreon thus far. Thank you all for your votes and your encouragement on it!
Next painting: The Dragon Dance!
Comments
Justin Gerard
:D Thanks Savina! Yes, There is a bit of meaning to the carvings. I made them as symbolic depictions of a cult that rules its adherents through mysticism, lies and human sacrifice. While I did add some that are personal for me, the broad strokes of the image and the carvings is generally about the horror and tragedy of scapegoating people for the sins of the tribe.
Savina Francisco
Great Googly Moogly 😳 I especially love the carving details (the one behind the basilisk, in particular, but also the ones on the stones around the girl's area)! Do they have any meaning?
Justin Gerard
Thanks Javier!
Javier Diaz
I love all those details, beautiful work!
