The EN World FREE Character Portrait Request Thread!

[Mithril Dragon]

Mithril Dragon, sweet! Thanks for taking up "pen" for this character. Sorry I didn't check back right away, it's been my experience with this thread that you make a request, and the poor overworked artists get around to it about a month later.

The colored concept sketch definitely looks good. As to the look of a half-dragon, they tend to have features of their parent dragon type, and reds seem to have two head ridges that end in back pointing horns, a few chin horns/spikes, some small facial horns/spikes, and small fan-like "ears". Also, as to your questions about what I'd like him to look like. Yes, I'd like him as a fully developed half-dragon. Arrogantly noble, and feel free to take articstic license regarding the armor (I liked your suggestion). A normal medium size half dragon doesn't have wings, but a 10th level dragon disciple does (capable of flight), regardless of size.

To answer your questions above:
1. I'd imagine they have some sort of hearing organ.
2. If the parent dragon type has prominent horns, I'd say yes. Some small horns might be in order anyway.
3. While they don't necessarily need to be heavily scaled, I would think it is quite noticeable. (Take a look at the half dragon picture in the Monster Manual).
4. I'd go with reptilian/cat type eyes.

Thanks again for doing this!

Well of course in typical fashion, I jumped the gun and assumed you weren't watching. I guess I should explain (briefly) ...

I am a CGI artist who does Flame work for TV/Film. While that is an interesting line of work it lacks imagination. I was trained as an illustrator and that's where my passion lies. I am also married and a father of three (five year old son and six-week old twin boys) so my time is limited. But I have cut out everything "unecessary" (games / hobbies / etc) and use all of my spare time to illustrate and work towards getting commissions in fantasy / sci-fi work. So I tend to get obsessive and always assume everyone else is going to be as "involved". Not a good assumption ... I know.

Having said that, I am going to be doing a lot of illustartions for an upcoming d20 supplication. But it won't start for a few weeks. So in the meantime I am going to attempt to get full colors of Gideon Redcloak and Elijayess completed. I can use them as portfolio pieces so it works to my benefit as well.

On a side note, I had the idea of putting out my own d20 supplement that dealt exclussively with half dragons - background fluff, special items, feats, prestige classes, etc - complete with full blown art of various types of half-breeds (reds, blacks, greens, blues, silvers - even shadow dragon and faerie dragon half breeds). But it looks like WOTC beat me to the punch. Should I try to publish a competetive product? Dunno.

Anyway - the list is now Gideon and then Elijayess. I may even attempt to throw in ThornMD's "Taka". thorn, I realize its the only one in the list that looks to be previously illustrated, but Im digging the exploration of half-dragon features right now and a half gold dragon / half elf is too good to pass up.

 

[ThorneMD]

Well Mithril Dragon, you reply quickly.

Anyway, I appreciate a drawing of Taka, but was looking forward to a party pic of the Disiples of Steel. If however, you do not feel like doing the whole group, one of them would be fine.

 

[Mithril Dragon]

Well Mithril Dragon, you reply quickly.

Anyway, I appreciate a drawing of Taka, but was looking forward to a party pic of the Disiples of Steel. If however, you do not feel like doing the whole group, one of them would be fine.

Hell yeah I reply quickly ... you would too if this was all the "spare" time activity you had left.

Thorn, the characters are great. Good concepts, varied, and each seems to have an interesting look. I would love to do the whole group ... BUT if I promise more than I can deliver you will feel cheated and I look bad. So its a definite on "Taka" and an extreme MAYBE on everyone else. What the hell is a "Blue Goblin" anyway and how did he/she score with an elf? Just curious.

 

[ThorneMD]

In response to the group pic: The way you had wrote your responce, I thought that you had no interest in the group. In this case, I will wait patiently to see the two characters in front and then see if you want to do the group.

In response to the Blue Goblin: Blue goblins are psionic versions of normal goblins. They look the same, except for the fact that their skin is blue. The character is still normal size for a Half-Elf however.
The way that the blue goblin got with the elf was weird. The goblins injected a blue goblin into a elven village and made him appear as if he were an elf. He caught an eye for a elf maiden and the two had a child. Before the child was born, however, the elves found out and all hell broke loose. After the baby was born, it was taken away and given to a human family so that they may care for him. The elves made sure that he wouldn't know who his mother was. We eventually found out, but it took a lot of work and a lot of favors to many different elves.

Edit: Fixed the Blue Goblin story

 

[dead_radish]

I have a couple in the old threads - Shizra, the gunmage, found here and V'kan'ri, here. If you're on a draconic kick, V'kan'ri is a dracha from AE, which is mostly dragon anyway. The info is here if you wanted to check it out.

In any case, I love watching the stuff, and i'm an aspiring publisher, so I understand the obsessiveness.

 

[Mithril Dragon]

Half Dragon - Red

IcyCool - here is a summary of where the concept of a half red dragon has led. For the final drawing (the actual drawing of Gideon Redcloak I will incorporate some of the suggestions you had concerning the way you visualize a half-dragon.

Sorry for the copyright and all - but hey, I gotta protect my work. A higher res, larger version of the attached thumbnail will appear on my site gallery.

 

[IcyCool]

IcyCool - here is a summary of where the concept of a half red dragon has led. For the final drawing (the actual drawing of Gideon Redcloak I will insorporate some of the suggestions you had concerning the way you visualize a half-dragon.

Sorry for the copyright and all - but hey, I gotta protect my work. A higher res, larger version of the attached thumbnail will appear on my site gallery.

Wow. That looks great!

And don't worry about the copyright. I'd never try to pass off someones work as my own. Besides, I've got no talent so who'd believe me?

 

[Mithril Dragon]

Wow. That looks great!

And don't worry about the copyright. I'd never try to pass off someones work as my own. Besides, I've got no talent so who'd believe me?

No, Im not worried about you stealing it. In fact, you are free to do what you want with the final as long as it never shows up in a publication. Im more concerned about independant D20 publishers who might think an image I post here would be good for one of their PDFs and don't want to give me credit (compensation) or one of the sites who offer free fantasy art thinking its ok to post one of my images without asking (which it ain't).

Not that I think it will happen ... but better safe than sorry.

Anyway, Gideon Redcloak is in the works ... may take a while, but it will get done.

 

[IcyCool]

No, Im not worried about you stealing it. In fact, you are free to do what you want with the final as long as it never shows up in a publication. Im more concerned about independant D20 publishers who might think an image I post here would be good for one of their PDFs and don't want to give me credit (compensation) or one of the sites who offer free fantasy art thinking its ok to post one of my images without asking (which it ain't).

Not that I think it will happen ... but better safe than sorry.

Anyway, Gideon Redcloak is in the works ... may take a while, but it will get done.

Fair point. I'll probably be posting it with my character sheet over in the Living EnWorld sub-forum, and I'll be sure to give you credit (I may even send a few gamers your way).

I'll be away from a computer (excpet for scattered access on Saturday) until Monday. So if you don't hear from me, don't worry too much.

 

[dead_radish]

Another suggestion, if you're interested, is commissions. Kip used to do that - something like $10 for a black and white, with original, and $25 for colored.