Ravenloft Artbook of Talon Dunning

[Talon]

We should do it then. I for one would be more than eager to donate towards seeing more iconic Ravenloft characters rendered by Talon.

Well, I usually don't take on private commissions. I generally don't have the time. I certainly don't right now. However, should I hit another long dry spell and decide to fill it in with some non-publication commissions, I'll let you know. Of course, I can always be enticed with huge amounts of money...

Speaking of which, I got my book and it has an awesome picture of something not done before by Talon. Not going to say what but I'm desperate to gain access to a scanner.

Eh? Are you talking about your sketch or a picture in the book?

-Talon

[DoctorMoreau]

We should do it then. I for one would be more than eager to donate towards seeing more iconic Ravenloft characters rendered by Talon.

Well, I usually don't take on private commissions. I generally don't have the time. I certainly don't right now. However, should I hit another long dry spell and decide to fill it in with some non-publication commissions, I'll let you know. Of course, I can always be enticed with huge amounts of money...

Speaking of which, I got my book and it has an awesome picture of something not done before by Talon. Not going to say what but I'm desperate to gain access to a scanner.

Eh? Are you talking about your sketch or a picture in the book?

-Talon

Well without knowing what that amount is, it'd be a bit difficulty for a community donation pool to raise it.

And I meant my sketch card, dying to scan it. So pissed I can't find my scanner/printer power cord after my move.

[Talon]

Well without knowing what that amount is, it'd be a bit difficulty for a community donation pool to raise it.

I'd need to know the exact nature of what it is you wanted to me to do in order to price it correctly. Are we talking about the "Ravenloft Portrait Cards" concept? If so, that equates to a series of 1/4-page drawings. My standard professional rate for 1/4-pagers is $45 for b/w, $50 for colors, however, I'd be willing to give you a discounted rate based on how many drawings you wanted. My standard rate for sketchcard commission at con-appearances is $25 (for a full-color card -which, BTW, demonstrates what a great deal ya'll are getting with the $5 sketchbook card!), so I probably wouldn't be willing to do it for less than $20 per portrait. It really depends on how many you wanted. It would be between $45 and $20 per drawing for b/w.

But, again, this is only if I'm willing and able to take the project on. And there's the question of who gets the art when I'm finished (they would be done on 8.5x11 paper, with four portraits to a page).

And I meant my sketch card, dying to scan it. So pissed I can't find my scanner/printer power cord after my move.

Gotcha.

-Talon

[DoctorMoreau]

I'd need to know the exact nature of what it is you wanted to me to do in order to price it correctly. Are we talking about the "Ravenloft Portrait Cards" concept? If so, that equates to a series of 1/4-page drawings. My standard professional rate for 1/4-pagers is $45 for b/w, $50 for colors, however, I'd be willing to give you a discounted rate based on how many drawings you wanted. My standard rate for sketchcard commission at con-appearances is $25 (for a full-color card -which, BTW, demonstrates what a great deal ya'll are getting with the $5 sketchbook card!), so I probably wouldn't be willing to do it for less than $20 per portrait. It really depends on how many you wanted. It would be between $45 and $20 per drawing for b/w.

But, again, this is only if I'm willing and able to take the project on. And there's the question of who gets the art when I'm finished (they would be done on 8.5x11 paper, with four portraits to a page).

Well, my intent and suggestion was just portraits like we already have for so much of your wonderful work. And I was suggesting it for the Fraternity, property of them and all. Maybe even for the netbooks they are currently working on. I was just willing to try and organize a donation pool with them if there was the interest.

[DoctorMoreau]

I present, my all time favorite piece of Talon art.

Talon was kind enough to oblige a hint I dropped, or I just got really lucky.



I present human version Azalin.

This image by the way Talon, is amazing.

[Talon]

I present, my all time favorite piece of Talon art. Talon was kind enough to oblige a hint I dropped, or I just got really lucky. I present human version Azalin.
This image by the way Talon, is amazing.

Thanks. I'd actually forgotten that's what I sent you. There seemed to be enough interest in folks seeing that to justify doing it. I'm glad you like it.

-Talon

[DoctorMoreau]

It's a big scan because I wanted to show all the detail. The original is 60% larger.

You get so much detail into itty bitty cards. It's insane.

[Jeff LaSala]

That is exceedingly cool. Nicely done, Talon. You've done Azalin now a few times. Have you read any of the Azalin novels?

[Talon]

That is exceedingly cool. Nicely done, Talon. You've done Azalin now a few times. Have you read any of the Azalin novels?

Nope. The only Ravenloft novel I've "read" was I, Strahd, which I listened to on tape (I used to listen to a lot of audiobooks in college while working on art projects). It was read by Roddy McDowall and he totally hammed it up every time he said, 'I, Strahd, AM THE LAND!" and "Tatyaaaanaaaa!" It was really quite amusing.

-Talon

[HuManBing]

Amazing living Azalin face!

[Joël of the FoS]

Cool! A thing I'd like to see is a non angry looking Ivana Boritsi

Joël

[Strahdsbuddy]

Cool! A thing I'd like to see is a non angry looking Ivana Boritsi

Joël

Agreed! With a reputation as a honeypot she should smile more often, even if it's fake.

Is there going to be another printing of this book, Talon? After himming and hawing over my desire to add to my growing (but dust-collecting) collection has gone on I think I need a copy of this lovely book!

[Brandi]

It was read by Roddy McDowall and he totally hammed it up every time he said, 'I, Strahd, AM THE LAND!" and "Tatyaaaanaaaa!" It was really quite amusing.

Roddy McDowall ham is delicious ham.

Also, that's a terrific Azalin drawing. Wish Mangrum would show up and opine on it-- I'd love to know what he thinks!

If you do decide to do a smiling Ivana, I hope you can put across the feeling that she smiles only with her eyes. (I bet you could, too; I liked the quiet air of smugness that radiated from your portrait of Dominic d'Honaire).

[Talon]

Agreed! With a reputation as a honeypot she should smile more often, even if it's fake.

I didn't know that about her. For some reason, I was under the impression that she was sort of a scowling, miserable bitch. You guys obviously know these characters better than I do.

Is there going to be another printing of this book, Talon? After himming and hawing over my desire to add to my growing (but dust-collecting) collection has gone on I think I need a copy of this lovely book!

Yeah, I printed up 50 more copies a couple of weeks ago. Order, and it will come.

-Talon

[HuManBing]

Agreed! With a reputation as a honeypot she should smile more often, even if it's fake.

I didn't know that about her. For some reason, I was under the impression that she was sort of a scowling, miserable bitch.

That may come from one of the Black Box portraits. The Black Box provided the earliest portrait of her, but it was not a flattering one and it showed her as a scowling dowager in black. The backstory behind this was apparently that Ivan Dilisnya was the commissioner of the painting so it intentionally did not flatter her. (This would have been one of the color artwork on cardstock.) I have since heard that the story behind this was more because the original concept of Ivana had been closer to Camille (her mother), and by the time the concept of Ivana was changed, they had already done the artwork and the Ral Partha miniature figurine.

Red Box did not have any portrayal of her that I can recall. We would have to wait until Domains of Dread until they came out with a picture of her, and that was of a somewhat younger-looking Ivana... but still not smiling.


In fact, I suspect none of the official portraits of her have her smiling... except possibly for the black-and-white map of Ravenloft with portraits of darklords around the edges - she might have been smiling in that one.