TRPG-ZINE: Hoppings

Click on the cover to go to the store page!

My first self published Zine is on my Itch.io Store {Click Here}!

    So this first project is a Six page fully illustrated Sourcebook about a hare version of halflings. It uses a System Agnostic model which means it will be compatible with whatever system you play. (Click here to see the character sheet model I created).

    If you're not familiar Itch.io is a website where independent publishers post games. usually it is videogames. but some, like me, use the site to post TRPG books and materials. The payment system is done through Stripe so it is safe!

    I also included a PDF version prepped for A5 printing at home. I'll create a video tutorial for that soon! 

Annoucing: Hoppings

So, the project I have been working (on and off again) for a while is: Hoppings!

Hoppings will be a TRPG booklet written and illustrated by me! It uses my Homebrew Agnostic RPG system and I made sure to make it compatible with all the big brand and indie systems. But what is this book about?

Well, as I created designs for my remake of Die Geschichte vom wilden Jäger. I started to think of how a Hare-folk person would function: Their smaller humanoids bodies with big furry feet... Burrow houses with round entrances in the greenish fields... Notably silent and excellent at stealthy missions...
Wait! They're Halflings!?!

So yeah. Basically they became my version of a halfling race. I mean, much gets talked about a Pig version of Orcs... But what about a hare version of Halflings?

Dwarf

A Random Dwarf in the Tavern offers you Wine

Of the fantasy creatures that often are playable the dwarfs are the one that I wouldn't change much. However, I do think that they could be more magical... I think they should know one or two types of magic that are secretive and unknown to other species. That is how I am approaching them in my setting. But other than some metallurgy and magical secrets they are just like the hard hitting dwarfs of Tolkien and Norse lore.

The piece above was created on A5 piece of 1557 Canson paper¹. I mostly used black watercolour and ink. Black gouache for the bottle and as always Mars Black (aka Pbk11 Iron Oxide Black) for leather effect. Oh, and some white gouache on the bracelet metal pieces.

¹I'm not sponsored by Canson, I got a block of 1557 Canson paper for real cheap when a certain store went out of business and I have been testing and enjoying it as of late. I don't recommend since it is only 120g/m². It takes some light watercolor washes but it WARPS like nobody's business! So, for black and white pieces and inking it's fine...

Little Girl Ranger wearing a Vizzerdrix Helmet

 A new character design exercise: Louise Belcher as a Ranger. Little girl Ranger wearing a Vizzerdrix Helmet.

Seriously now, when I saw Dave Dorman's Vizzerdrix illustration on a Magic the Gathering card back in the Early2000s my younger self thought that the creature was a common RPG foe. As a result I incorporated it into my Homebrew setting at the time. Mostly because I thought that heaving pink leather armour was a neat thing. So when I thought about pink bunny ears in a RPG setting I thought of my old pal the Vizzerdrix.

The earthy sap green dress is almost a uniform for rangers these days. Then I went ahead and added the gear for a double wielding weapon expert. Bow and arrow is nice and all, but I'd like to break that Ranger mold if can.

As far as the technique goes this one is all gouache! I have been putting more hours on my gouache technique. And I have been getting happier with it. Poster colours are more fun than watercolour on some techniques... like doing those fluffy fur pieces.

Paladin Nun in Iron Maiden Armour

 

"God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay"
-Tidings of Comfort and Joy, Fol Song

So warrior nuns are a great concept, uh?

The anonymous suggestion for this one was: a Holy Woman Warrior who is cursed and doesn't know it yet. A mix of someone on an Anti-Paladin path and a Sister.

The sword is an original item. This Evil Eye Sword is your typical cursed sword with blood-thirst and a sentient eye in the pommel that detects evil.

Now I know you're probably thinking that the "skirt" in the armour is too long and would make for unrealistic movement. Or might even be thinking the "fan favourite word" impractical (hehe). But the Armour is supposed to resemble an Iron Maiden torture device, that is why it is so long. It might be cursed as wel...

I designed a helmet but it didn't make the cut.

The palette is another minimal one: Earthy Yellow, Red, Ivory Black and lil'bit of White.

Silas Lamprey

"F### me! I'm all out of enemies!"
-Spit it Out. Slipknot

In January of this year I got the opportunity to play a Mörk Borg adventure online. And this is the illustration for the character I played.

Unicorn Adventurer

 

"The secrets of this forest
The ride of unicorns
Are treasures of these valleys
Where freedom has its throne"
-Rhapsody's Forest Of Unicorns

Porcelain Warforged Druid

 

"Firstly you must find... another shrubbery!"

-Knight who says Ni

  This was my first time drawing a warforged character. As someone who primarily played 3rd edition of D&D and homebrew stuff I wasn't too familiar with this race. So after some image search I came to realize that they really have a mechanic feel to their anatomy with only hints of organic figure. Almost like a "fantasy robot". However this character in particular was different because he wasn't supposed to be made out of metal, wood and stone, but porcelain.

  On top of that he was described to be a druid with shape shifting abilities. And specifically with one arm turning into that of a bear! So I imagined him as a human body simulacrum of leather and natural fibers with moving plates of porcelain that can change shape. On his body I added a collection of natural items and flora. The character doesn't need clothes, but I added some fur pieces along with the equipment. I always feel like adventurers should have a random assortment of stuff.

  Overall I really liked the concept for this one. And it was great to work on it!

About the process:

Mysterious Skeleton Gléomir

"...The sight to the warder seems wondrously queer,

When the villainous Tempter speaks thus in his ear:

'Seize one of the shrouds that lie yonder!'"

-Goethe

This painting was a request I filled on r/characterdrawing and amazingly enough I received for this art alone more upvotes than what I have ever received on every post I have ever made on reddit in the two years I have been using the site... So I really felt the love with this one. ♥

I like to fish out some requests like this one on TRPG communities to keep my skills as a commission based artist fresh, and because they are fun to do! Additionally I am hopeful that I'm doing something for someone who couldn't otherwise afford to have their character drawn by paying. In other words: I am open for commissions, but do not ask me for requests directly.

About the process:

Goliath Barbarian [Commission]

This time I'm talking about the process of my latest commission work. The client gave me a fairly great description of what was wanted: A female barbarian goliath that was raised in a farm by halflings! The goliath race (a type of giant available as a player race for D&D 5th edition), is a race I was anxious to draw for the first time.

About the process:

Warlock and Fallen Celestial [Commission]

I placed a Instagram version of this timelapse on the end in case
the blogger video host isn't working.

I have done the sporadic time lapse of my paintings and inkings for a while. But this last one yielded a longer video and since I love the secret track "I Am The Warlock" by Tenacious D on the Probot project I figured I'd make this time lapse with that song, just hoping there wont be any legal complications... I mean I'm not making money off of the blog, so it should be fine.

Nonetheless, let me talk about the process for this character creation: