The Art of Raven Software

2008-07-28T12:51:00.002-05:00

These are the 10 D&D/fantasy characters I made for last years Gen con. I put them on a character sheet page with room for stats etc. They sold really well! Working on more for this years con in a few weeks. But time is running out and I'm super busy with work etc. Blerg!
-Vin

Halfling Rogue

2008-05-21T13:09:00.002-05:00

A commissioned drawing of D&D character. It's actually in memory of the guy who created him. It'll be given to his brother. I had to make it kinda sorta look like the person who recently passed away. Done in regular old pencil, with some tone applied with a graphite pounce bag. Slight color stuff was just me messing with it in photoshop...

Enjoy!
-Vin

Mutate

2008-03-10T09:29:00.002-05:00

Maybe not a giant creature but still a creature.

2008-03-06T17:45:00.001-06:00

this is my first blog posting for the giant monsters theme.statrting to enjoy painting in photoshop.

Exotic Pet

2008-02-20T15:23:00.002-06:00

2008-02-06T20:56:00.000-06:00

Vinod and Jeff: Great work you guys! Both characters look awesome :)

Anyway.....
Big monsters and landscapes = comfort zone (LOL)

Hanuman

2008-01-31T07:36:00.000-06:00

Here’s a piece I did for my website. I actually painted him on a white background. Which you can see here on my homepage:

http://www.vinodrams.com/homepage.html

I added the cloud background to make a bit more complete. I’d say it’s about 90% done. Still need to get rid of the “cut out” look and do a few more tweaks. But I’m happy with it overall! The character if anyone’s interested is “Hanuman” a major character in the Hindu myth Ramayana.

Plus I like Monkeys.

-Vin

Pirates, revisited...

2008-01-30T07:33:00.000-06:00

Pic I messed around with at sketch night and colored up. Pencils are at my blog if you want to see them.

Miscellaneous Art from the last month

2008-01-27T16:57:00.000-06:00

These next two paintings were done at the Seattle Workshop. Each painting took roughly an hour. I wanted to focus my time on the lectures, but it was cool to see everyone painting :).

Not related to any topic, but maybe worth a look? I had fun painted these, and they are typical of what I do outside of work :).

Dry Spell...

2008-01-23T07:27:00.000-06:00

It's been a little quiet here lately so here's something to break that. I put this piece on my blog as well as some more info that inspired the piece. Feel free to check it out. artboymoy.blogspot.com

Frost Fairy

2007-12-29T18:56:00.000-06:00

Happy Holidays!
Think of this little guy dancing around your car covering it in ice...
Makes cleaning your car off in subzero temperatures much more fun! Right?
Had fun painting this guy up in my usual gouache style. No digital trickery here!
The roughs can be found here:
http://www.vinodrams.com/image_files/sotw_049.jpg

-Vin

Wintery fun...

2007-12-18T11:22:00.000-06:00

Little rush rush on the card but here it is. You can see the rough at my blog. Enjoy! Feliz Navidad!

Have a...unique...holiday

2007-12-17T00:25:00.001-06:00

Christmas Card! Enjoy...

Holidays

2007-12-16T16:11:00.001-06:00

Here's a holiday submission for the Raven thing. I was going to work on somthing a little more dark, but decided to go with saccarine. (sp) This is my pooch... she licks a lot, and loves everyone... one of the worst guard dogs ever... but awesome.

Merry Ho Ho

Fred

Pirate Model

2007-11-24T21:21:00.000-06:00

I know it's a bit late for the pirate theme... But if Isaac can do it, so can I.

The Faun.

2007-11-19T12:57:00.000-06:00

This was originally for our Halloween theme. But overtime at work nixed that plan!! So instead of making this goat woman all devilish and goth, I tried a more beautiful fairy tale take on it. Much in the vein of Pan's Labyrinth. And yes I do find it ironic that of all the people I'm the first to have some nudity in a post!
Technically speaking the head and ahem... breasts were drawn in pencil in my sketchbook.
See my Sketch of the week from a few weeks ago here.
The rest is all digital!

Halloween Devil Guy

2007-11-07T00:05:00.001-06:00

Here's my first post! I suppose it's not as halloween-themed as it could have been, but I figured it fit into generic evil-spirits and demon monster stuff that shows up around this time of year. Rar!

-I just updated it after tweaking a bit. I wanted to pull the focus a little more towards the head, so I brought the values together some at the base.

2007-11-02T17:57:00.000-05:00

Modelled this for a contest, but fits into our Halloween theme, so up you go. This was the most complicated illustration I've done. I used Max, Photoshop and Zbrush for all parts, modelling, texturing, lighting and rendering. I tried to capture the feel of a Norman Rockwell painting, subtle humor, and showing an innocent moment in time.

Dragon Warrior

2007-10-27T17:36:00.000-05:00

O.k., let's jump back to the 8 bit challenge for a sec...
Dragon Warrior was the first RPG I played on the NES and was always a favorite childhood game of mine. Although the original Japanese version (Dragon Quest) was visually designed by Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z) I was introduced to the Dragon Warrior world by the visualization of Katsuya Terada and Shuji Imai (Who also drew the "Howard and Nester" comic strip) through their illustrations in the pages of Nintendo Power. I though it was cool that I rediscovered these artists as I got older and liked them just as much, if not more.

Creature from the Black Lagoon

2007-10-24T19:48:00.000-05:00

Here is my version of "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" for our Halloween / movie monster theme. I originally was going to do "The Fly" but after I got started with the piece it had a murky underwater feel so I changed it. Also I decided to do an Eerie female version of the monster. A Syren from the deep that would ambush Fishermen when they do a double take.
So ummm yeah, I guess she's an ocean dweller vs a lagoon. :)

Simon Belmont

2007-10-16T12:55:00.000-05:00

I wasn't sure how to handle Simon Belmont from Castlevania... In most of the box art he's a big, burly ,fur trimmed boots wearing, barbarian type. I went with a more "young hero" approach. Castlevania is also one of those relentless games where you never get a moments rest so I figured this is what Simon would look like at any given point. Kinda choked on this one so I feel it's a bit stiff. But whatever it's done! My favorite part is his expression... so here it is a bit larger!

Contra

2007-10-15T19:28:00.000-05:00

Big guns, tanks, and wall-hugging alien mini bosses. That was pretty much Contra. Sorry I didn't include any super-sexified 80's babes. Maybe next time. :)

The First... HADOKEN!

2007-10-11T20:41:00.000-05:00

I decided to go with some of the Original Street Fighter for this one. Back when Ryu's hair was red and he sported a swanky powder blue uniform, and Sagat needed something cool so they gave him an eye patch. This is the first time someone accidently did the down, circle forward punch to get the classic HADOKEN!

Toad battles Wart.

2007-10-10T21:34:00.000-05:00

In his totalitarian vegetable-free state, Wart wallows in his own fatness. Whatever happened to the good ole days when toad really knew how to flex some muscle? Toss that turnip!

Metroid's Samus

2007-10-10T19:13:00.000-05:00

My take on Metroid's Samus. The original was my favorite game for a long time. I decided to go with an insect/alien symbiote, living armor approach. This armor would adapt to it's environment and absorb enemies abilities and weaponry.

Itsa me...LAHWEEGEE

2007-10-08T00:34:00.000-05:00

For too long, Nintendo has sissied up Luigi. I've had enough!

For once, lets see him as a badass....or at least, not a sissy.

Ghost of Two-Skull Sinjon

2007-10-01T05:06:00.000-05:00

Born with his twin brother's head fused to his own, Sinjon, twice the vision and mind, duelist royale and rum-buttered, pwnd the Seven Seas. Living life in the sheets and seas, cockeyed and crapulous, plus also in addition to exquisitely swift on the flintlock draw, Sinjon met his maker in the beany-eyed Rubber-Ball MacBetty, an encountress his equal, vile + tricksy, who brothel-baited his self-awares away and pistol-popped his peeper. Alas, lo tho he loved her, but her not him, his denuded death would be avenged by his better and still-living side: Portobello Pete - who wanders the globe this day, jawless and daggers-in-cap, looking for the lady that done did his other so unfairly in.

At Jack's End

2007-09-28T17:37:00.001-05:00

The sailor that cut off the head of Jack Sparrow. He was angry that they made the Pirates of the Caribbean into a trilogy.

Pirate lass

2007-09-24T13:05:00.000-05:00

A happy pirate lass hanging out on the rigging with her flag. :)

Louis.

2007-09-19T12:03:00.000-05:00

Meet Louis.
Keep a steady supply of bananas around and he'll be happy.

The Goodly Scoundrel

2007-09-19T09:27:00.000-05:00

This sea travelin' dreadnought enjoys booze, babes, and pieces of eight.

No Luck McGee!

2007-09-19T09:26:00.001-05:00

For our Pirate activity, I wanted to do something funny AND dynamic. No Luck McGee is one of the more experienced pirates in the art of battle. When his fellow crew are losing the battle, they let him out of his cage, and he berserks his way to victory.

ROBO

2007-09-12T19:38:00.000-05:00

I don't do that much tech stuff, especially in color. But I think this guy turned out pretty cool. Colored him relatively fast too. I think I'm still trying to find my "style" for rendering tech as opposed to my organic stuff. The original pen drawing is on my SOTW on my site.

Mr. Bubbles!

2007-09-07T00:37:00.000-05:00

Salamander Guy

2007-09-06T10:41:00.000-05:00

Buh. A rough digital painting over an even rougher pen drawing.Enjoy!

Hulk + Spidey!

2007-09-06T09:16:00.000-05:00

Ka-Pow!

Batman!

2007-09-05T16:14:00.000-05:00

An illustration I did recently about Bruce Wayne being Middle Class, but not letting that stop him from fighting baddies.