Borderland Ranger

This here is one of my magic illustrations that went through a lot before turning into the version that was printed. I submitted a sketch as you can see here. It had all the dynamic and action that the artdirector was asking for. He told me it should look like an ”Aragorn of Magic the Gathering”, and I kind of aimed at that, just made him a little younger.

Somewhere in the painting process he turned into an Erold Flynn/Selda-pancy in a superhero-like costume. Jeremy – the artdirector – was not going for it. Not at all. So I tried to change it digitally and failed, like all the other times when I try to do major changes on the computer. In the end I reasoned myself into painting on top of Erold Flynn and kind came up with this more muddy leather weatherworn costume, thinking I got nothing to loose. To those who work digitally it might not be a big deal, but I tell you, there is nothing cool about me when painting on top of another painting. I have no Idea if I am messing thi sup for good or actually doing something nice...not in the first half an hour that is. Painting this way is slow. The correction took me the same amount of time as the whole first painting did.

The face got a redo and well...in the end I do not think any of the first ranger was left intact. Except for the strap on the shoulder pjece.