Author Archive: Gensanova

34 year old video game concept artist. live in Halifax NS with his beautiful wife, and his tiny despotic (but cute) 4 year old son. Freelancin' it up in freelance town.

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2012 Challenger: Matthew Goodmanson

| October 24, 2012 | 1 Comment

I’m back and this year I’m going to do it. In 2010 I jammed most of my characters into one picture at the end, and last year I failed. Hard. This year I’m in it to win it. Can’t wait to see what everybody has up their sleeves this year. Good luck!

 

-Matt

4 – Silas – The Brigand King

| November 7, 2011 | 1 Comment

“Every man has fallen off the ladder from time to time. You dust yourself off and climb back up… but sometimes you forget why you were climbing in the first place.  And when you think about it… you come to one inevitable conclusion. That’s not your ladder, and the top doesn’t exist.  We do what we must to operate in a world of ladders. We shake them… we may even tip a few over. But in the end, there is a shining tower at the top, and it is ours. Believe me when I say, that we will do whatever it takes to get there.”

-Matt

3 – Spektras

| November 7, 2011 | 1 Comment

 

The lizardman known as Spektras has been summoned from the Southern seas by the new brigand king. An assassin for hire, he has offered his services to Silas in exchange for one thing… the head of Gregodis. With the ability to blend in to any surrounding and the lack of any moral compass, Spektras makes for a sharp new thorn in the sides of the heroes.

2 – Soracha Waterleaf

| November 2, 2011 | 9 Comments

The eldest of the Greengem Triplets by a full five minutes, Soracha was born with magic in her blood and the spitting image of her mother, save for her father’s sparkling green eyes. Raised by her wizard parents, she was always at odds with her sisters and was often accused of being their favorite. At 14 she was apprenticed to Rowan, The Golden Lady of Keste. Under her tutelage she learned the secrets of all manners of  arcane arts, but it seemed she had a special talent for Enchantment.  While there, she fell in love with The Golden Lady’s only son, Lucas.  Now, at the age of 18, the Enchantress has changed her last name to her mother’s and she and her beau have struck out on their own and have returned to the prime realm where they search for their lost home.

1 – Aelgernon

| November 2, 2011 | 6 Comments

Algernon has been serving the high celestials for over 1500 years. Born from a servitor race of angels, he, like others of his ilk believe there is no greater and rewarding path to good than cleanliness. Cooking, cleaning, healing and dispensing wisdom, Aelgernon has heard secrets never told, and knows the tiniest details of the lives of all he serves.  Currently in the City of Doors, he is on loan from the Golden Lady of Keste serving a brand new group of would be heroes. No doubt his wisdom and aid will come in handy in the days to come.

 

#10 – 30 The Whole Shebang

| November 30, 2010 | 3 Comments

CLICK TO BIGSIZE!

I realized around the 15th that I was falling very far behind. My friend Gregory Gibbons also realized this. Last weekend we got to talking on what a shame it was that we weren’t going to finish, then we decided to never give up. Over the last day or two, we’ve been putting together a group of characters from our D&D group. I did half and Greg did half. So here they are: The rest of our quota crammed into one picture. I’m going to have to polish this baby up later (Can only speak for myself) and it may not be perfect but it’s better than not finishing at all. Greg has a colored version coming very soon. Just going to get this up, will add a legend of who’s who soon.

-Matt and Greg

#9 – Jasmina the Jarren Killer

| November 17, 2010 | 2 Comments

Jasmina Bootbuck was the daughter of the local Shirelord. An heiress with an heiress attitude, she was even less prepared for the Silver plague than your average halfling. Her father had Jasmina and her cousins shipped out of the shires at the first attack, but their caravan was overtaken by the assimilated plague victims. Only one of her cousins managed to escape, as she too became one of the Silver. But something happened. A latent psionic talent kicked in, keeping the plague at bay. For the next year she struggled with it and by the time the plague was finally defeated, she had formed a symbiotic relationship with it. She returned to the shires to find and even more awful threat. The Jarren. Killing as many as she could find, she made it her soul purpose to wipe them out. So far from the life she had known, she now tracks them across Oberonn’s Land, and will not stop until she sees them all dead.

#8 Wulfric Bothgar

| November 15, 2010 | 3 Comments

Another sketchy one

Many years ago, the lands of Oberonn were plagued by a lich named Khadera, once the sister of the king. She was ultimately defeated but not before baring a son in secret during her transformation into lichdom. He was sacrificed and was born stillborn. But he was not dead. Raised by an Ergothian general,  Wulfric grew up with a strong talent in the magic that naturally ran through his veins. Dark, brooding and morbid he was ordered by his father to cross the sea and enter the land of his birth as a spy under the pretense of searching for family. Now that he is in Oberonn’s land he sees that this land is cursed and his bloodline with it. His humanity slips away little by little, but for the first time in his life, he feels alive and with purpose. Torn between his duty to the crown and his blossoming loyalty to his companions, Wulfgar experiences the full effect this land has to offer even as blue fire falls from the sky and temporary madness grips him. Meanwhile, across the sea, Ergothian troops await the word of Lt.Wulfric Bothgar.

#7 Du’kaas Kh’Lharien

| November 15, 2010 | 3 Comments

Whew, I am waaaaay behind. Expect more sketchy stuff like this until I catch up.

Once the lowly house mage for House Kh’Lharien, Du’kaas was known for his cruelty and love of self inflicted pain. During an attack on his home city, Du’kaas made his move. He murdered his mother and his three sisters, sparing only the mind-flayer house advisor. Escaping to the surface, he has struck out on his own. A powerful archmage, he seeks to inflict suffering on everyone around him, including himelf.

#6 Zan

| November 8, 2010 | 5 Comments

I thought the weekend would be a great time to catch up.. instead I fell more behind. Going to throw a few B&W pieces up in order to catch up.

Zan. A changeling born across the seas and sold into slavery to a powerful merchant at a very young age. Her special gifts of taking any humanoid form she wishes put her at the top of the merchant’s concubines. The merchant himself was involved in dark magics and when a group of heroes brought him down, all of his slaves were freed. Now, she works for those same heroes to repay the debt, this time as the perfect spy.

#5 Ironthorn

| November 6, 2010 | 3 Comments

The sky bled trickles of blue fire. He made his way to the Gates of Gruumsh to claim his birthright, his mother’s blood drying under his nails. Through the rapidly melting first snowfall of the year, he trudged through the mountains, scorching rock where his feet and tail touched. In his path, both leafless oak and needled pines became husks of wood not even fit to burn. A lone T’Karran elf stood sentinel over the gorge where
the army had travelled not three day before. In the light of the dying sun he saw the six lights. Pink as a preternatural sunrise, yet unsettlingly arcane. Six eyes, placed in a head that had been obscured by its own sickening countenance. He realized the creature’s eyes could not see him, for its gaze was fixed on the horizon and surely it must have stood as tall as five oaks. Nestling into the scrub he dared look again. No mortal eyes had gazed upon it in a thousand years and a terror gripped him beyond reason. Something in his blood knew a fear that echoed through his ancestral lineage. Before the abomination passed, the elf’s heart had stopped and now he too lay as a husk, a visage of pure panic was all that remained of a once proud warrior. Somewhere Titania began weeping uncontrollably and Oberonn’s memory faded into blackness just a step more.
The Ironthorn was reborn.

#4 Vapor

| November 4, 2010 | 2 Comments

Only had an hour to get this one out tonight. Had a hell of a day. Will redeem myself tomorrow.

When Melissa Gomez visits Ireland on a singles tour, she got more than she bargained for. While singing near standing stones and ancient spirit was entranced by her voice and bonded with her, giving her the power to turn into fog. In order to get rid of him, she must complete five trials of bravery in her home city. After her first two trials the papers label her as “Vapor” and a reluctant hero is born. Melissa is beginning to enjoy the feeling of doing good, but how can she put off the inevitable end of their partnership?

#3 The Jade Monk

| November 3, 2010 | 7 Comments

The Stone Giant now known only as The Jade Monk found enlightenment and peace after he left his monastery. After years of traveling the planes, he returns to his former monastery only to find it in ruins and all the monks dead, including his former master.  Knowing their deaths must be avenged, he sets off in search of the perpetrator. His mercenary nephew might have some idea who did this and thus, he heads off into the forests of the south.

Would have liked to put more detail into this, but to quote the great Jack Bauer, “I’m running out of time!”

#2 Rusty (Specimen 384)

| November 2, 2010 | 3 Comments

The year is 1942. Nazi scientists have created a virus that revives the dead as zombies! The Allies have managed to fight back! Finding a previously undiscovered genetic anomaly in hamsters that allow them resistance to the virus, allied scientists have a plan of their own. Hamster/man hybrids! Leading the pack is Specimen #384, aka Rusty. With his trusty shotgun Mathilde and hunting knife, he leads his half man, half rodent soldiers into the fight to take on the undead menace! The Nazis have released the strain into the small French town of Mortuaire. It’s up to Rusty and his chirping commandos to stop this village of the dead from becoming a PLANET OF THE DEAD! Battle on Rusty!

#1 Bazzeerash

| November 1, 2010 | 16 Comments

Bazzeerash – Summoned to the mortal plane by a powerful dark druid, the Ifrit, Bazzeerash followed the orders of his master to the letter for years. Then the Apollosians attacked. Foreign invaders with superior military technology, the Apollosians set their sights on the Druid’s lands. In defense, he tried to fight them off. Desperately outnumbered, the druid performed a final act of defiance. Sacrificing himself, he managed to stem the tide of the army. In the process, he ascended to become one with nature. Only Bazzeerash remained, chained to the mortal realm and with a master who was not dead but was one with the lands themselves.  Although selfish and cruel, Bazzeerash protects the lands at any cost.

30 Characters Challenger: Matthew Goodmanson

| October 30, 2010 | 1 Comment

Hey everybody!

I’m Matthew Goodmanson, and I must be crazy.

I haven’t updated my website since 2008. I’m a procrastinator, I have trouble with deadlines, I get distracted like a five year old with ADD and my motivation is constantly at war with the rest of me and that picture makes me look like a wizard. 30 characters in 30 days. Yikes.  I must be crazy.

But aren’t we all?

I work for a company out of Halifax, Nova Scotia called Silverback Games where I’m the head of the 2D department. We make casual games, with dreams of bigger things to come and I love it. I’m 32 and I live just outside of the city with my beautiful and talented wife, Meg who is a bastion of patience (one has to be when married to someone in the video game industry) and my tiny, adorable yet slightly despotic two-year old son Alexander. I’ve worked in kids TV production, was concept artist for a failed MMO and I’ve done sketch cards for Marvel, DC, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. As for non-work stuff, I’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons for over 15 years now, so I have a little bit of experience creating characters, but I have an intense love for comics, contemporary and classical fantasy art, sci-fi or any half-geeky genre out there. Part of this challenge for me is going to be drawing out of genres I don’t usually dabble in. I know everyone here has their reasons for doing this, and I’m very impressed at how willing everyone is to share. As I mentioned above, I know my weaknesses on and off the paper (or Cintiq if I’m lucky!), and this is a challenge that I need to face.

Working as a professional illustrator, at the end of the day the LAST thing I want to do is draw for myself. But isn`t that why I got into this business in the first place? I love my job, but it’s time for me to take my creativity back for myself, if only for a few hours a day. I have to give big thanks to Tyler for setting this all up and giving all of us a chance to flex our creative muscles and show the world what we’ve got. It’s going to be a crazy amount of fun watching how the days are going to unfold and the genius that I’ll be seeing on my screen from all of you. I’m looking forward to it.

A few samples of my older stuff and if you want you can follow me on Twitter @Gensanova or on Facebook HERE

Good luck to all of you!

~Matt