The Hill That Grew, 1974, my first grade teacher Mrs. Bryant allowed me to answer grammar assignments with drawings.

All children draw.

The desire to tell stories and communicate to others is woven deeply in us, much like breathing.  Artists are those who never stopped telling stories.

Consumed with other issues this month, I open the window on some of the early steps in my pathway that got me to where I am now.

Snowscape, 1978, copy lessons from Jon Gnagy’s books.

Inspired by the Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Blueprint concept book, 1980.

 

Axe Beak, 1981, one of my methods in learning was to trace other drawings and then modify the narrative.

 

Dragon Staff, 1982, Items for D&D role-playing characters.

 

Dungeons & Dragons Maps, 1982, that graph paper was hand drawn with a blue BIC ballpoint pen, 1/4″ squares.

 

Wolverine, 1983

 

Space Marines, 1983

 

Conan,1983

 

Iron Man, 1984, my first ‘painted’ image.

 

Wolverine, 1984

 

Superhero and science fiction character sketches, 1984, or ‘How I spent my study hall time’

 

Beta-Ray Bill and Thor, 1984

 

Nazgul, 1985, my very first commercial sale!  $5!

 

Champion role-playing character and Sentinel, 1985

 

What Do the X-Men Do All Day? or Busy, Busy Town, 1985, my epic inked image from high school senior year.

 

Assault on Helm’s Deep, 1985, the other epic from high school where I buried my fear of mass figure compositions.

 

The Last Laugh, 1985

 

Prisoner, first formal art project – up until this class, I had only drawn as a hobby/fan with no formal classes or training, 1987

Graphite photo-real drawings, 1987-88. Spun out of that first drawing class…Again, again! Again, Again!

 

Gandalf and the Balrog, 1988, some of my earliest oil paintings.

 

Driving at Night, 1988

 

RISD bicycle art test, 1989

 

Sublime Dreaming, 1990

 

Macbeth, 1990

 

Stevie Ray Vaughn, 1990

 

Surrealism, 1990

 

Omega Corps comic, 1990

 

Diplomacy – Omega Corps, 1990

 

Dragon Hunter, 1991

 

Dragon Hunter 2 (too), 1991

 

St. George and the dragon, 1991

 

Grompy comic strip, 1991

 

Anatomy lessons, 1991

 

Stitched, 1991

 

Omega Corps, page 2 of 10, 1992, Backgrounds-ship – Donato, foreground figures Steve Ellis

 

Crucifixion, 1992

 

Annunciation, 1992, my first painting where I hired a professional figure model to pose, knowing it would make the painting better.

 

My first published commercial commission as a professional illustrator, 1993.