Ravenloft Artbook of Talon Dunning

[yaoihuntressearth]

Thanks for sharing all these cards (how many different ones were made anyway)? It's shame you couldn't do any more of the DLs, I would've loved to have seen what you would've done with them.

[Talon]

Thanks for sharing all these cards (how many different ones were made anyway)? It's shame you couldn't do any more of the DLs, I would've loved to have seen what you would've done with them.

I don't know how many I've done off the top of my head as I didn't scan most them before mailing them out. A few dozen, I'd guess. I'm sure that if White Wolf had chosen to renew the Ravenloft license when it expired, I'd have gotten to do more Darklords. Ah, well. I got to do all the major character, so I suppose that's what counts.

[Zilfer]

Indeed, though I think i noticed some of the books didn't have your artwork and i must say i'd prefer if you did almost all the pictures. xD Guess they need some variety in order to keep it 'fresh.' We played another session of Ravenloft yesterday and I'm wishing I had a scanner so i could take the names off the portrait pictures. xD

[yaoihuntressearth]

Is there any DL you would've liked to have drawn?

[Talon]

Indeed, though I think i noticed some of the books didn't have your artwork and i must say i'd prefer if you did almost all the pictures. xD Guess they need some variety in order to keep it 'fresh.' We played another session of Ravenloft yesterday and I'm wishing I had a scanner so i could take the names off the portrait pictures. xD

I think there were two of the White Wolf books that I didn't get art into and that was only because of schedule conflicts. Once it was obvious that I was becoming the signature artist for the line, I tried to get my work in every book, even if it was just a couple of portraits in the back.

[Talon]

Is there any DL you would've liked to have drawn?

None that I can think off right now. Maybe the mummy lord of that Egyptian realm... Anhotep? I don't really remember. I have a lot of Ravenloft material from every edition, but I'm afraid I haven't memorized it. I've actually gotten to play in the setting only a few times, myself. I would have liked to have been able to do a real portrait of Strahd. I don't feel I was able to do that character justice.

[Zilfer]

I'm sure most of the members around here would love to see that but of course if you have a service never do it for free right? XD That and it'd probably be none cannon. Must say though from reading I, Strahd I like him a bit more now.

[Talon]

I'm sure most of the members around here would love to see that but of course if you have a service never do it for free right? XD That and it'd probably be none cannon. Must say though from reading I, Strahd I like him a bit more now.

I listened to that novel on audiobook back in the 90's. It was read by Roddy McDowall of PLANET OF THE APES fame. He really hammed it up, too, especially the oft-repeated lines "I, Strahd, AM THE LAND!" and "Tatyaaaaaaanaaa!" It was really kind of awesome in an over-the-top, cheesy sort of way.

[Zilfer]

lol sounds like it was a blast to listen to. I've never had an audio book before where it reads you the story. I've often wondered which i'd enjoy more, being read to or reading it myself? I think the brain comprehends it a bit differently in either case.

[Talon]

lol sounds like it was a blast to listen to. I've never had an audio book before where it reads you the story. I've often wondered which i'd enjoy more, being read to or reading it myself? I think the brain comprehends it a bit differently in either case.

Retention is better when you read it... At least it is for me. And a lot of time audiobooks can be heavily abridged, especially the ones for "small-time" novels like Ravenloft books (usually major released will be unabridged). They are, however, very convenient and are fun to listen to while working on art.

[High Priest Mikhal]

Is there any DL you would've liked to have drawn?

None that I can think off right now. Maybe the mummy lord of that Egyptian realm... Anhotep? I don't really remember.

Ankhtepot, darklord of Har'Akir who is cursed for heresy against Ra with undeath and rulership over a barren domain that can barely support one tiny village. He can sacrifice a living being to become living himself for a day, sacrificing all his powers while mortal, but is painfully returned to his undead state at sunset. The Children of Ankhtepot are Ravenloft's greater mummies (rank 4 and 5 ancients, thankfully rare enough to be unique characters unto themselves).

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

And a lot of time audiobooks can be heavily abridged, especially the ones for "small-time" novels like Ravenloft books (usually major released will be unabridged). They are, however, very convenient and are fun to listen to while working on art.

Yeah, the original I, Strahd audiobook with McDowell was abridged to fit on 2 cassettes. (about 3 hours). The new one released on audible.com is unabridged, clocking in at 8.25 hours.

[Talon]

Ankhtepot, darklord of Har'Akir who is cursed for heresy against Ra with undeath and rulership over a barren domain that can barely support one tiny village. He can sacrifice a living being to become living himself for a day, sacrificing all his powers while mortal, but is painfully returned to his undead state at sunset. The Children of Ankhtepot are Ravenloft's greater mummies (rank 4 and 5 ancients, thankfully rare enough to be unique characters unto themselves).

That'd be the one. He would have been fun to draw. That's the only one I can think of off the top of my head.

[Zilfer]

Was the.... Champions of Darkness one of the one's you didn't do? And Heroes of Light? I was looking at Jander Sunstar yesterday and was wondering if you had done that. Kinda wished the picture looked a little bit better. I'm reading through Vampire of the Mists right now and he's starting to grow on me so I threw him into last gaming session, though he's a bit high level. He's on the PC's side to help fend of some Jolly Rogders .

Anyways back on topic, what have you been doing recently Talon?

[Talon]

The only White Wolf Ravenloft books I don't have art in are Denizens of Dread and Champions of Darkness. You can usually tell my work because, with the exception of the Tarroka Deck, I did all my RVL work in pencil (scanned dark) and rarely used large areas of flat black. I didn't draw Sunstar. Champions of Darkness has, I believe, the only examples of NPC portraits that I didn't draw myself. I had to turn down that job due to scheduling conflicts, as I recall.

After White Wolf killed their Sword & Sorcery imprint, I did a few pieces for MAGE THE AWAKENING before White Wolf dropped me as a regular artist. That was about 2006. After that, I was getting regular work from Green Ronin for MUTANTS & MASTERMINDS 2E. That lasted through 2008 or so, when GR started having financial problems. Since then I've teamed up with a few other guys to do some self-published d20 material through the name FANTASTIC GALLERY (you can find us exclusively on DriveThruRPG/RPGNow) and have been working for Savage Mojo on a very large and very time-consuming project, which is still ongoing. Most recently, I did a painted cover for Frank Chadwick's SPACE 1889 miniature combat game. I've also been working the East Coast con-circuit, appearing at shows like Dragon*Con, GenCon, Origins Game Fair, HeroesCon and MegaCon (although I've dropped the latter two from my schedule).