Wave Seven T Shirt Release

Wave Seven Preview due out 28 September 2009

the White Queen's Knight by Jordan Clark
the Black King's Pawn by Simon Sherry
the White King-Knight's Pawn by No Frills Art
the Black Queen by Simon Sherry

The Black King's announcement

When word had spread through the Nations of the Black Spear that they were to return to the celestial battlefield it was if Christmas, New Year and everybody’s birthdays had come at once. To the people of the Black Spear nothing could surpass the glory of battle except perhaps dying in it, but then being able to return again and again to see if you die the next time round came a pretty close second.
Celebrations spread all over the land with many a thing being killed in sheer happiness, though not many citizens. That of course would mean you would miss out on the glory of the battle be it as victim or slayer. So it was mainly small squeaky animals and birds, the larger beasts saved for the feasts to come after the victorious return.
It never occurred to the Black Spear nations that they could ever lose.
It had been announced that all armies who face each other on the battlefield were equal but the Armies of the Black Spear with their Warrior culture and lifestyle seemed to adjust better than any of their opponents.
It even seemed to quite a few that winning and celebrating and getting promoted was better than dying but they generally kept those thoughts to themselves.

Wave Six T Shirt Release

Wave Six due for release 14th September 2009

Black Queen Rook (Basilisk) by Simon Sherry
White King Rook's Pawn by LilyM
Black Queen - Bishop Pawn (steam Golum) by Simon Sherry
White Queen Bishop by Ruby Red

GoK Artist Interview - LilyM

We reveal female dynamo and Titan creator LilyM
Thanks for taking the time for this interview Lily, could you start by telling us a little
about yourself ?

I’m 24, born and raised in Upstate New York. I moved to Melbourne, Australia with my family when I was 14.
I have always loved creating things. I spent every spare moment as a small child up right up until the end of University filling the sketchbooks which fill my room. I started with drawing, moved from working with clay to painting and then to sewing. Over the years I’ve enjoyed a range of artistic styles and mediums of expression, and I’m always interested in trying new techniques and mediums.
I studied Graphic Design at University, uncertain of which career to follow. I got a job as a concept artist for a Games Design Studio straight out of University, and after 2 years I returned to graphic design as a freelance artist.
I still spend every spare moment I have working on one side project or another. I’m currently learning how to build websites in the process of building my own, designing and making soft toys, trying my hand at jewelry making and finishing off a small sculpture. I’m always interest in new commissions if people wish to contact me.

Which artists influence or inspire you?
Jim Henson (Muppets Creator), artist from the Art Nouveau movement like Alphonse Mucha and Gustav Klimt, Art Deco illustrations, Frank Frazetta (Legendary Fantasy Artist), and a great many Disney and Warner Bros. artists.
As I headed into my teenage years I was introduced to comics. Wendy Pini (ElfQuest), Joe Madureira, Casey Jones, Chris Bachalo, J. Scott Cambell, Joe Quesada, have been a huge influence on my style of drawing from those early years. I later discovered Jamie Hewlett (Tank Girl), Mike Magnola (Hellboy) and David McKean (Sandman, MirrorMask) all of whose distinct styles influenced my approach to illustration.
Recent inspiration comes from great comic book artists like Adam Hughes (Catwoman, Wonder Woman), Ashely Wood (Popbot, Spawn), Oshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy, Vampire Hunter D), James Jean (Fables, The Umbrella Academy), Chris Sanders (Lilo and Stitch), and counter culture artist like Glenn Barr, Derek Yaniger, Audrey Kawasaki, Angelique Houtkamp, and Shag. I’m also a fan of classic pin up artists like Gil Elvgren, Alberto Vargas and George Petty. I am fascinated by art history and old commercial art and I’m constantly inspired by the works of master painters, photographers and illustrators from the past.

What was your introduction to Game of Kings and what decided you on getting involved?
One day I got a Bmail from Simon (who was helpful and encouraging from the moment I joined RedBubble, (he made the first comment I ever received!) asking me if I wanted to take part in a new series he was working on. I thought his previous series were so original and so well executed. How could I refuse the opportunity to work with such amazingly creative people?! To create something original! To really get involved in RB community (despite my hermit-like tendencies)!

What has been most noteworthy about your involvement to date?
I am in awe of the creativity and support I found in the GoK forums. The collaboration and development of ideas between so many and such different artists that has happened there is a rare and wonderful thing. And I can’t believe that what started out as a “new take” on chess pieces has exploded into a whole world full of stories and meaning.

Is there anything you’d especially like us to know about your characters?
I wanted to create characters that told a story, that were not just pretty images. I went back to look at the origins of chess for inspiration and found that in its most ancient form it was developed in Persia. The name “Rook” comes from the Persian word “Rokh” used to describe their armored war chariots. I can imagine stories of monstrous moving castles inspiring images like this in the minds of people of the ancient world. For my rook’s pawn I wanted to create more then just a simple pike man or solider. My pawn is based on the ancient Arabic Djinn (a lesser type of angel), which became known in the west as a Genie. The Djinn remains concealed and its power could be good or evil. My pieces are formed from nature, one of rock and one of sand. I wanted them to demonstrate the enormous power like that of nature, not violence. Chess is a composed and strategic game.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
It has been an honor and a privilege to work with everyone on the GoK project. You are all amazing artists and I have been truly flattered by your praise and grateful for your advice. Thank you, Simon for inviting me to be a part of something special, your endless enthusiasm and creativity is an inspiration. I’d also like to thank my wonderful partner, James, for his continual support and encouragement.

Game Of Kings Artist Interview: Glenn Smith (AKA nofrillsart)

Known to most Bubblers as nofrillsart, Glenn Smith is a vital addition to the Game of Kings team, not only bringing his unique style to the project, but also a great deal of input into the promotional side of it as well.

Can we have a few words about your good self?

I have been making art professionally for the last ten years or so. In recent years I have also crossed over into the realms of being an arts worker running a lot of exhibitions and festivals. For bread and butter I work as a high school teacher. In terms of my approach to art, I often have dilemmas about what direction art should take whether it should be originals hanging on the walls of exclusive galleries or at ground level such as street art or t-shirt design. I am yet to reconcile this within myself, so in the mean time I attempt to do both.

So how did you get involved with the Game of Kings project?

The talented Mr.Sherry gave me a personal invitation to take part. This was a honor from the start. I have some decent skills at doing what I do within say my t-shirts designs here on RB, but this project has proven to be a real challenge for me, due to being well outside my comfort zone and in some very intimidating company, such as the talented bunch of artists that are the Game of Kings. Thought that being said, you could not find a more supportive group of artists.

Continue reading here......

The White pawn - I get by with a little help from my friends.

A special insight to the proces by Scott Robinson,

I thought I`d share a little of the backstory that went along with the recently released WhitePawn from the GameofKings

This piece truly was a collaborative effort, as you`ll soon see.

It satrted out looking like this.. this was my primary idea, a brutish looking behomoth.

This is still at sketch stage obviously.., nothing fancy. But the idea`s there.

I put it to my fellow collaborators, and released there was a couple of things left a little lacking. After reading through Danny`s backstory for the charector, I thought he needed a little more destructive force.

The actual group forum post was this.. “

Started the inking, and had a bit of a re-think about the front hand. I re-read Danny`s descprition, and the idea of grafts really struck a chord with me.
So I just sketched up, ( really, really roughly, as you`ll see) this front hand. I`m thinking of making it a mace. I drew it seperate to the rest of the drawing, so it`s not by any means the perfect position, but it could look cool if I drew it right.. I don`t like the spikes though, I think I`ll just go with crushing ball type of thing, Steel stub on his hand, chains, and a big crushing ball…”

So, with the help of the team, I came to this point

Continue reading here......

The White King-Bishop's Story

The only person the White King had directly informed about the invitation to battle was the Bishop Angel.
The Bishop Angel had been persuaded to come to the Kingdom many centuries ago by a King who offered enlightenment, freedom of prayer and a tolerant society.
At first these enticements had been realized, but as the years progressed the scholars and engineers turned their attention away from architecture and domestic sciences to more medical experimentation and manufactories that built war machines.
The University of the Gears no longer advanced healing, it raised the dead for information that could have been derived from books and giant monsters that should have remained extinct. Abominations to the Angel’s mind and senses but tolerable, because the true King and its Master had said so.
The Bishop Angel dealt with these things it’s own way. By creating its own religious order of devout, some say fanatical soldiers.
Together they prayed for the souls of their blasphemous colleagues and brothers in arms.
Continue reading here.....