The Assembly

Always displaying a great sense of awareness, he observed the sights and odours around him. The odours he could do without, his keen sense of smell being assaulted by the collective stench of those around him, not the least being the Seam City heavy metal and grease. This and the irregular sulphurous farts from the Rock Titan made the air quite uncomfortable to those with sensitive noses.
The Equilord couldn’t remember the last time he had seen the entire forces of the army of the White Wing assembled in one spot, it was normally only gathered like this on very special occasions – the army so strong that only sections were ever needed to take on other combatants.
The Equilord often wondered why the King needed such weapons, why bring back the dead and awaken old giants?
Why did the University have to make these massive, belching steam engines and those bastardized anomalies of nature, the berserkers and hounds.
In the past the Equilord and his clan had been enough to take whatever the King wanted.
He had heard tales, rumours really that the King’s massive stockpiling had really only begun after the Bishop Angel arrived in the Kingdom. The Equilord had only been in his presence a few times and each time he felt as if the Angel was a powder keg waiting to explode at any minute such was the air of tension and intensity that surrounded him.
The Equilord feared and respected the Angel far more than his King.
Many things were happening in the field now as an air of impatience not becoming military personnel became apparent.
The Equilord watched with a grin as the Skeleton General slyly tripped one of his more severe and upright sergeants causing him to fall and scatter, setting the University hounds into a frenzy, running off with various parts of his body.
Occasionally the big Steam Cities would relieve the pressure from their bellows with a loud, ear splitting cry causing the berserkers to leap about like startled monkeys.
In the centre of these happenings the King and his Queen stayed inside their respective campaign tents and the Angel just stared patiently into the horizon as if waiting for someone or something.
They were – according to King – going to meet a formidable foe and the price of victory was unimaginable, defeat not an option.
The Equilord as well as the other generals weren’t quite sure whether the Kingdom was being invaded, border patrols would surely have long since sighted such a large army, or whether they had been gathered for a march to some neighbouring Kingdom that had been invaded. Either option seemed highly unlikely given the King’s stranglehold over the whole dimension.
It was all these factors that led to the uncertainty in the ranks.
The Equilord wished he were a million miles away in a green forest with his kin, far away from the mad king and his strange army. Little did he know how soon his wish would become reality?
The entire White army had assembled outside of the Kingdom perimeter in a large field adjacent to where the Rock Titan and his people resided.
The army stretched out across the green open spaces with the massive Steam City taking up the other flank.
The Equilord was concerned.

GoK Animations Part 14

GoK animation Part 13

GoK animations Part 12

More visual feasts.
The Steam City and Blasters - White Queen's Rook and pawn.
Visuals by sjem

Game of Kings new web presence

The new Game of Kings web site

Bear with us, it's a bit patchy but we'll get there.

Phase Two THE END GAME

Meet the new breed

With the Game of Kings Phase Two heating and roaring to go we would like to introduce the talent crew who have joined the project to take the next step and onward to another level.

Shanamation StursteinGeorgia Patton

BMBaus Nick FordStephen Elliget

Mathew Dunn Rustyoldtown ausven

Paul McClintockDamien Mason

Sadly due to outside commitments Jordan Clarke and sjem cannot contribute any longer.

back soon

The Game of Kings will be returning soon with more surprises including additional "special guest" artists to continue the story of two desperate Kings and their mighty armies.
The battle begins mid 2010

RETURNING VERY SOON

COMING BACK FOR 2010 BETTER THAN EVER

MEANWHILE HAVE A GAME ON US.

Gok Animation Part 11

RETURNING SOON

Gok Animation Part 10

Ravenblood Promo

Gok Animation Part 9

The White Queen's Rook
The Steam City

Gok Animation Part 8

The Basilisk
The Black Queen's Rook

Gok Animation Part 7

The Muck Golem
The Black King Bishop's Pawn

The teaser book of the SETTING OF THE BOARD

A CHRISTMAS TREAT FOR THE FANS OF GAME OF KINGS




FREE WALL PAPER HERE

MERRY CHRISTAMS FROM ALL AT GoK

GoK Animation Part 6

Black Queen Knight's Pawn
The Little Ladies

GoK Animation Part 5

The White King's Rook The Titan

GoK Animations Part 4

The Shaman Part 2

GoK Animations Part 3

The Shaman Black Queen's Bishop

GoK Animations Part 2

The Black King and paws

GoK animations Part One

The Bullrok
Black King's Rook

Behind the scenes part two- Works in progress

This sideshow is a sample of some of the works that the artists from the Game of Kings collaboration have slaved over to realise their final submissions.
It's a fascinating look at the mind at work and gives an indication of how hard these guys worked to give their best product possible.
This is only a sample as indicated above there is enough for a second and maybe
third if the interest is there.

This is a link to a vey earlier version of WIP's

Game of Kings Review Part 2

As we now have reached the penultimate release of the T Shirt wave of the Game of Kings (GoK) project I would like to reflect on some of its aspects since the idea was first floated some eight months ago.

This is a project of artistic and personal growth.
One man had an idea and was so excited at its possibilities he asked like minded artists to contribute. His own enthusiasm was enough to recruit his first choice wish list. That person of course was Simon Sherry.
The fact that this project has grown and evolved over these past months is testament to the other artists chosen.
This has been a project of testing ones comfort zones and abilities.
If I can draw attention to the artists themselves.
Incredibly popular members such as Scott Robinson, Roger (Ruby Red Design), Glen Smith (No Frills Art) and Jen Hacking (thickblackoutline) have all offered something outside of their usual styles.
It may not be evident at first but a closer look at Scott and Rogers work sees line work, half tone and colour experimentation unlike previous works. Jen has abandoned her usually whimsical style for harder and more aggressive character and experimented with effects like diamonds. Glen who usually works in themes and more topical issues has created a montage of images to reveal stunning characters that deserve their own tales.
Other popular members sjem and Jordan Clarke have shown us hidden skills and strengths and introduced totally new styles never exhibited here in their personal Red Bubble folios.
Sjem with his architecturally inspired CAD drawings of monster steam punk engines and Jordan with her hand drawn and masterfully coloured horse related creatures.
Continue reading here........

The White Army Announcement.

The White King summoned all his bishops, generals and auxiliary staff to congress, there were things that needed to be explained. Not all things however. No matter how absolute and despotic his reign may be, certain things could still cause rebellion and mutinous behavior given the conditions they would be bound to under the laws of the celestial battlefield.
Questions had been asked of course.
“Where is this campaign?”
“How shall we arm against this enemy, for we know nothing of them or their lands”
“Ummm….who are we fighting again?”

The White King had duped his subjects. His collective memory was greater than the Bishop Angel who had totally wiped all memories from its conscience regarding it’s crime and subsequent punishment. The Angel didn’t even have the ability to recognize the King as one of its own, something the King had been aware when he had found the fallen Angel all those centuries ago.

The King had watched the battles millennia before and knew that it had been the ruination of Kingdoms and worlds foolish enough to attempt it.
He also knew it may be a way home.

Game Of Kings Artist Interview: Sjem

Ever-elusive, the artist known as Sjem has been a valuable contributor to the Game of Kings project. Managing to pin him down and restrain him with the aid of a crack team of commandos, we recorded the following before he managed to overpower us and make good his escape…

Can we have a few words about your good self?
I spend most of the working week being an architect. Redbubble is where I come to share all other things that leak out of my brain. I also wish I had the ability to grow facial hair.

So that leads to the question how did you get involved with the project?
I think it was shortly after the London Calling Competition that I recieved a bmail from Master Sherry. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse, the scale of this collaboration is simply fantastic and the company I’m in is esteemed. It’s been a great experience in being able to give and receive feedback and comments from a pool of amazing talent. The place my work ended up is nowhere near where I would have predicted in the beginning.

How do you personally think it is going and do you think it has potential? What an incredible ride this has been, and I suspect that ‘setting the board’ is just the beginning. Everyone in the team has produced incredible work and the diversity of styles is a testament both to Simon’s skilled selection of collaborators and the talent of the collaborators themselves. I’d love to see other people drawn in – a book or comic, followed by figurines and then a movie deal with Peter Jackson, early retirement, and then a 10 year reunion where we try to create a sequel but instead act like a bunch of spoilt divas and spend the rest of our lives bitching about each other. That could be fun I reckon.

Do you want to flog some other projects you are involved in?
Not much in the project box at the moment to be honest. Sorry.

We’ll be sure to find something to keep him busy …

Game Of Kings Artist Interview: Danny

You’ve been a member of Redbubble now for over 2 years and we know enough about you so let’s get stuck into the questions shall we? How did you get involved with the Game of Kings?

I was invited after the design crew was put together by Simon. It was on the recommendation of Glen Smith and Scott Robinson who I’ve done so much work with and they knew instinctively that this is something I would jump at the chance to be involved with.

Mind you, at this point in time they didn’t how or why (neither did I at that stage) but I’m glad they did because after a few chats with Simon I cottoned on that his scope was far bigger than I first thought they would try to achieve and that was when I was hooked.

This was going to be on an epic scale and had the potential to be a multi media bonanza, something I had wanted to achieve with Monk Rock. Simon didn’t think quick collaboration – he wanted to throw it into the air and see how far it could spread out in all directions.
It was obvious from the get go that it was going to work when a forum was set up and people started throwing ideas around like a pie fight.
The best way to describe it was like having ten people standing around a ping pong table and just bouncing the ball from one paddle to another building up momentum.
A lot of the designs, character traits and narratives came from these early days and the project grew from there.

What’s been your experience being part of the project to date, and how do think it will be received?

I don’t know how it’ll be received to be honest, initial reaction has been good and a few t shirts have been sold but as far as I’m concerned this is only the beginning. In fact it’s Phase
One of many yet to come.
As for my experience, I can say it has been fantastic and enlightening and came along when I really needed an artistic challenge in my life.

But getting back to the original question

When I got invited in to be part of this project I thought it was the most brilliant concept and from the start I wanted to do the most exciting things we could possibly do and that was all I could ask for.

That’s what it’s always been about, really enjoying and getting genuinely
excited about the possibilities. Not necessarily achieving anything of my own ambitions just going into it with that sense of wonder and imagining what it could be if we got it right.

Read more here......

Wave Eight T Shirt Release

Wave Eight Preview due out 14 October 2009



White Queen Rook by sjem
Black Queen's pawn by Simon Sherry
White King Bishops Pawn by Quigonjim
Black King by Simon Sherry

Game Of Kings Artist Interview: Scott Robinson

Our interviewee this time is Scott Robinson, a man who has been here on Redbubble creating, inspiring and giving since the very beginning.

Could you start by telling us a little about yourself ? Do you have a “day” job?

A little about myself?

Well, yep, I’ve definitely got a day job, I’m a full time graphic designed and illustrator and I run my own little design studio in the evenings. That’s a fair few hours dedicated to designing per day, but it’s the only thing I’ve ever been relatively proficient at. I’m also 100% addicted to coffee, I think those 2 things are related though..

Which artists influence or inspire you?

Oh, far too many to mention really, I’m really in love with art/design, so anyone that can provoke a response from me gets my admiration.

At the heart of things though, It’s all about skate-art for me really. Artists Like Vance Courtland Johnson, Andy Jenkins, Sean Cliver, Neil Blender, A.Hourtley, the Mighty Jim Phillips just to scratch the surfaces. Then there’s people like Jeff Soto & Nate Van Dyke, both of whom I’m currently fascinated with. THEN.. there’s all my comic book heroes, Jack Kirby, Mark Silvestri, Romita’s both junior and senior… there’s just so many people I admire out there.

On top of that, there’s all these people I’ve found here at Redbubble that I’ve had to add to that list too. There’s some truly gifted art ninja’s amongst us here.
CONTINUE READING HERE............

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.