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Sometimes, I get chance to doodle during the evenings whilst my partner watches TV. That’s actually how The Midderlands became a thing—evening TV doodles.
I always draw what comes to mind at the time, or just go with the flow, but I always make sure it’s something that could make it into a future publication. This way, I can build up a collection of assets and use some of them as a basis of encounters, creatures, items, NPCs, etc.
Here are some recent doodles posted to social media feeds…
Hireling: “I’m not going in there first…” PC: “Why?” Hireling: “Did you not hear the rumours?” PC: “What rumours?” Hireling: “There’s a Terrog down there!”The Skragh were extremely territorial of any dungeons they claimed for their Necklace Masters.The Horned Crowns sprouted from the skulls of the Guard-dragons chosen by Arrathraxian herself.The beggar had said the ancient bathhouse at the edge of the jungle was now home to a giant serpent and the locals avoided the area. Maybe Gergan could finally get his snakeskin armour…
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do doodling them!
I’ve had the pleasure to provide the artwork for 76 unique items for the Encyclopaedia of Incredible Artefacts. Two volumes of incredible magic weapons, armour, items, and trinkets, usable in any 5E setting!
Presented in two volumes, the Encyclopaedia of Incredible Artefacts is designed to be a tome of legendary magical items for use in any 5E fantasy setting. These items are created so as to be befitting of a campaign’s ‘big bad’ or a fitting reward for the most deserving of heroes. Rather than simply providing a table of stats and rules, these books provide a rich and detailed look into the heritage, background, and journey of these items. Each item is presented alongside beautifully crafted fiction telling that item’s journey through time. Though each of these stories take their own twists and turns, each is designed to inspire Dungeon Masters/Game Masters to find ways in which to include these incredible artefacts in their games. Need a valuable treasure for your party to stumble over? Take your pick. Need a cursed blade for the campaign’s big threat to wield? The following pages have you covered. Want something that gives high risk for high reward? Pick something that poses the risk of possession and see how the character handles the presence of a dark entity! Whatever you need, the Encyclopaedia of Incredible Artefacts seeks to inspire!
I just wanted to let you all know that there are two new books added to the webstore. Now, whilst they are on the MonkeyBlood webstore, they are linked to the respective websites of other publishers, who contracted me to create books for them, so here they are:
The Midderlands for 5E (Necromancer Games/Frog God Games)
This project was successfully completed a little while back, but I have been very remiss in not blogging about it. The good folks over at Necromnacer Games/Frog God Games contracted me to work on a 5E version of The Midderlands book. Edwin Nagy handled the 5E conversion on behalf of the Frogs, and I handled the new colour artwork/cartography, and layout.
It’s a beautiful book and I am so pleased with how it came out. You can also get a really swanky cloth/foil Limited edition if you are quick (read the webstore product entry to find link).
Limited Edition Front Cover
Limited Edition Spine
Limited Edition RearCover
Staffortonshire Trading Company Works of John Williams, The (Lamentations of the Flame Princess)
Back in 2017, James Raggi commisisoned me to create a 128 page ‘map book’. I spent the next 13 months of evenings and weekends (I was working full time doing something completely different) researching and drawing 17th century plans, strutcures, buildings, ships, etc. Things happened in between and final release dates faltered along the way, but now it lives! I completed all artwork, writing and layout for the project and it’s come out lovely.
So, why not check them out and head over to the prospective webstores and pick them up. You won’t be disappointed!!
The upgrades we talked about in the previous post have started to be constructed so we now have the additions of:
Sundial
Temple. The temple is built in a newly excavated area ready for the group’s further expansion of the Ark.
Check out some screengrabs of the new additions:
The Whole Seven Sisters ArkThe SundialThe Temple
You can check out the live-streamed games here: https://www.twitch.tv/jamescorp, And this is where you can see the map reveal, and the players picking their hovels 🙂
In between working on my own projects, doing commissioned art/map/writing/layout works is a great way to top up the income so the bills get paid.
I was approached by Ken Swope to look at updating his own personal campaign world maps for the regions he calls Krysonia and Leng, opting for a full colour approach (US Letter at 300dpi).
We adjusted a few water flows and I think we created a lovely looking set of maps which join together at the ‘Karim Desert’ seam. We created both colour and mono versions. Check them out by using the slider…
The region of Krysonia
The region of LengThe maps join together such that the hexes continue between maps
I love post-apocalyptic games. I plan to create my own one day when I get chance. So , I was really excited when James approached me about drawing a map for his Mutant: Year Zero campaign. I’ve run MYZ myself, as a one-shot session for my no-longer-very-face-2-face group, so I understood the gist of the setting.
The visual goal was an Ark–a sanctuary for the player’s characters. It would be based on the actual underground station of Seven Sisters in Tottenham, North London. It needed to have locations for the relevant NPCs and be in a 3D/isometric style usable on VTT. Isometric works best for this as it has a consistent grid for placing tokens.
We would also include ‘upgrades’ to the map such as watchtowers, windmills, generators, lighting, and such for unlocking by the players as they level up their Ark. The basic map would not show these upgrades. I also wanted the map to have an old blueprint feel… (ah! the smell of ammonia!). Drawing in isometric really takes me back to my technical drawing and draughting days!
The thing I love about doing maps like this is having free reign to add some fun little details.
Anyway, feast your eyes upon the Seven Sisters Underground Ark for James.
Check out the live-streamed games here: https://www.twitch.tv/jamescorp, And this is where you can see the map reveal, and the players picking their hovels 🙂
I was lucky enough to be interviewed by the good folks over at Digital Art Live for their 50th Issue!
Read the BIG 50th issue of Digital Art Live Magazine
A really great resource for fans of 3D art, especially sci-fi oriented. Loads of interviews with some talented artists. Not to mention the artwork in the spread was done by none other than the fabulous and talented Juan Ochoa!
Every year I think, “I’ll just not get any time to submit to the One Page Dungeon Contest this year.” And every year, by the skin of my teeth, I somehow manage to make a panic-submission with a couple of days to spare.
It’s a great contest for all abilities and if you haven’t entered this year, you should consider it next year.
Deadline is this Wednesday 15th June at 24:00hrs UK time.
INTRODUCTION: Uncovered by the harsh desert winds, a giant porcine form of gold emerges from its silica slumber. As the wind whips stinging sand into your eyes, you know it’s the only shade you have seen for miles. Whilst searching for the Pyramid of Dimhotep the Stupid [or chasing another desert legend], the PCs stumble upon the giant automated golden pig constructed millennia ago. Created as an elaborate ruse, the golden pig is an automaton intended to lure an enemy king into allowing a ‘gift from the gods’—in the form of a revered animal—into their city. Little would they know that it was controlled from inside by an elite unit of fighting men, who would escape from its confines once inside the city, and slay its king. The golden pig never got that far. Halfway across the desert expanse separating the warring kings—a victim of its colossal weight—the golden pig became stuck up to its belly in the unstable sands. The limbs became unmovable, the access hatch in its belly inescapable, and the rear hatch stuck fast as the heat expanded its metal mechanism. The elite force inside were cooked alive. As quick as the automaton became stuck, the shifting sands buried it from view, hidden for millennia, until now.
I had the pleasure to chat with Ben Barsh and Edwin Nagy last night about current The Midderlands 5E project in the ‘Around The Pond’-cast. Check out our musings.
