Michael Whelan
@MichaelWhelan@mastodon.art  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago

CROWN OF SHADOWS (1995)
Acrylic on Panel - 28" x 22"

There's something in the complexity of an anti-hero that grabs the attention of readers. Such rich characters naturally provide an illustrator with opportunity to revel in the shadows. 1/4

#fantasy #fantasyart #sff #illustration #csfriedman #coldfiretrilogy

An elegant man with shoulder length blonde hair and eyes glinting gold strides between a pair of trees barren of leaves but colored by alien lichen creeping up the trunk. He holds aloft a black sword drenched in purple flame. The edge rides a sinuous curve peaking high then retreating to upturned quillons and a curved grip tapering thin in the middle. The modest flames stand in contrast to shaded greens that tint the mountains behind him. His bearing is regal; his clothes made of fine black leather with gold trim and filigree. A purple sash runs beneath his long jacket, which sways trailing his motion. Behind him ephemeral spirits rise—the most prominent female with one arm and one knee raised. A volcano dominates the background, billowing smoke as it roils with electric green flame.
An elegant man with shoulder length blonde hair and eyes glinting gold strides between a pair of trees barren of leaves but colored by alien lichen creeping up the trunk. He holds aloft a black sword drenched in purple flame. The edge rides a sinuous curve peaking high then retreating to upturned quillons and a curved grip tapering thin in the middle. The modest flames stand in contrast to shaded greens that tint the mountains behind him. His bearing is regal; his clothes made of fine black leather with gold trim and filigree. A purple sash runs beneath his long jacket, which sways trailing his motion. Behind him ephemeral spirits rise—the most prominent female with one arm and one knee raised. A volcano dominates the background, billowing smoke as it roils with electric green flame.
An elegant man with shoulder length blonde hair and eyes glinting gold strides between a pair of trees barren of leaves but colored by alien lichen creeping up the trunk. He holds aloft a black sword drenched in purple flame. The edge rides a sinuous curve peaking high then retreating to upturned quillons and a curved grip tapering thin in the middle. The modest flames stand in contrast to shaded greens that tint the mountains behind him. His bearing is regal; his clothes made of fine black leather with gold trim and filigree. A purple sash runs beneath his long jacket, which sways trailing his motion. Behind him ephemeral spirits rise—the most prominent female with one arm and one knee raised. A volcano dominates the background, billowing smoke as it roils with electric green flame.
Michael Whelan
@MichaelWhelan@mastodon.art  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago

So it went with Gerald Tarrant in C.S. Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy. His prolonged life, gained through tragic means, dominates a dark fantasy set on an alien world more than a millennia after colonization. 2/4

Alternate tonal concept featuring Tarrant hold down on one knee with black sword held upright. One of the trees is in front of him while the other is behind. A silhouette is shadowed lower right just beyond the drape of Tarrant's cloak. Captured at an angled perspective between the trees, a female spirit rises with both arms out wide. The volcano is off center right with billowing clouds flowing up and curling left.
Alternate tonal concept featuring Tarrant hold down on one knee with black sword held upright. One of the trees is in front of him while the other is behind. A silhouette is shadowed lower right just beyond the drape of Tarrant's cloak. Captured at an angled perspective between the trees, a female spirit rises with both arms out wide. The volcano is off center right with billowing clouds flowing up and curling left.
Alternate tonal concept featuring Tarrant hold down on one knee with black sword held upright. One of the trees is in front of him while the other is behind. A silhouette is shadowed lower right just beyond the drape of Tarrant's cloak. Captured at an angled perspective between the trees, a female spirit rises with both arms out wide. The volcano is off center right with billowing clouds flowing up and curling left.
Alternate tonal concept featuring Tarrant facing left instead of right. The bare trees are set wider. At his feet is a young man with a sword. Behind him is a female form rising with arms out at an upward angle A smoldering volcano serves as backdrop.
Alternate tonal concept featuring Tarrant facing left instead of right. The bare trees are set wider. At his feet is a young man with a sword. Behind him is a female form rising with arms out at an upward angle A smoldering volcano serves as backdrop.
Alternate tonal concept featuring Tarrant facing left instead of right. The bare trees are set wider. At his feet is a young man with a sword. Behind him is a female form rising with arms out at an upward angle A smoldering volcano serves as backdrop.
Michael Whelan
@MichaelWhelan@mastodon.art  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago

Surrounded by an energy field sensitive to human thought and subject to constant seismic activity, the planet Erna itself serves as antagonist as detailed in the hostile alien environs on each cover. 3/4

A pair of alternate color concepts. Left (larger) features Gerald Tarrant leaning against the tree to the left. His sword arm crosses his forehead with the blade falling downward. The volcano is off center left with smoke billowing up and swirling right. The female spirit floats distantly on the right. Right (smaller) features Gerald Tarrant from behind holding his sword aloft. Framed between the trees floats the female spirit with arms out to the side. The volcano glows with green flame and billows smoke in the background just behind her.
A pair of alternate color concepts. Left (larger) features Gerald Tarrant leaning against the tree to the left. His sword arm crosses his forehead with the blade falling downward. The volcano is off center left with smoke billowing up and swirling right. The female spirit floats distantly on the right. Right (smaller) features Gerald Tarrant from behind holding his sword aloft. Framed between the trees floats the female spirit with arms out to the side. The volcano glows with green flame and billows smoke in the background just behind her.
A pair of alternate color concepts. Left (larger) features Gerald Tarrant leaning against the tree to the left. His sword arm crosses his forehead with the blade falling downward. The volcano is off center left with smoke billowing up and swirling right. The female spirit floats distantly on the right. Right (smaller) features Gerald Tarrant from behind holding his sword aloft. Framed between the trees floats the female spirit with arms out to the side. The volcano glows with green flame and billows smoke in the background just behind her.
Background detail from CROWN OF SHADOWS featuring blue-green spirits rising behind Gerald Tarrant against the backdrop of a volcano smoldering with green flame. The figure rising highest is a female with long hair and a flowing gown. She raises one arm up while the other is out to the side.
Background detail from CROWN OF SHADOWS featuring blue-green spirits rising behind Gerald Tarrant against the backdrop of a volcano smoldering with green flame. The figure rising highest is a female with long hair and a flowing gown. She raises one arm up while the other is out to the side.
Background detail from CROWN OF SHADOWS featuring blue-green spirits rising behind Gerald Tarrant against the backdrop of a volcano smoldering with green flame. The figure rising highest is a female with long hair and a flowing gown. She raises one arm up while the other is out to the side.
Figure detail from CROWN OF SHADOWS featuring Gerald Tarrant dressed in fine black leather trimmed in gold. His eyes glint with gold as his head tilts down as if he's lost in thought. His shoulders are gold studded with pointed accents. The purple sash running beneath his long jacket is decorated with a green gem broach. His belt is scaled like a snake and accented with a rounded pentagonal ruby. He holds aloft a sword drenched in purple flame.
Figure detail from CROWN OF SHADOWS featuring Gerald Tarrant dressed in fine black leather trimmed in gold. His eyes glint with gold as his head tilts down as if he's lost in thought. His shoulders are gold studded with pointed accents. The purple sash running beneath his long jacket is decorated with a green gem broach. His belt is scaled like a snake and accented with a rounded pentagonal ruby. He holds aloft a sword drenched in purple flame.
Figure detail from CROWN OF SHADOWS featuring Gerald Tarrant dressed in fine black leather trimmed in gold. His eyes glint with gold as his head tilts down as if he's lost in thought. His shoulders are gold studded with pointed accents. The purple sash running beneath his long jacket is decorated with a green gem broach. His belt is scaled like a snake and accented with a rounded pentagonal ruby. He holds aloft a sword drenched in purple flame.