Tony DiTerlizzi's Blog, page 3

Gen Con is Next Week!

The Gen Con game fair begins next week and I am as excited as a halfling in a dragon’s hoard.

As mentioned earlier, I haven’t attended this gaming convention in over a decade. So I am thrilled to be returning as the Artist Guest of Honor where I will be exhibiting in a dedicated booth, presenting a slideshow and holding a drawing workshop. What has me bouncing like a beholder is celebrating the release of REALMS with fans who have supported me from the beginning of my career.

To celebrate we are giving away 50 signed “Borderlands Kobold” prints each day. One print per person, no purchase necessary.

Along with the trade and limited “Critical Hit” edition of the book (shown above), I am offering special items that can only be purchased at Gen Con. Being a fan and collector of many artists myself, I created goodies I thought you’d want to own in your collection, such as:

Player Character Record Sheets, which I have created before (and offer as a free download), however; these are a newly designed layout with new characters and a short backstory prompt for each persona. If that were not enough, all twenty of the characters featured in this pack will also be available as a miniature this fall from Dark Sword Miniatures.

Speaking of miniatures, Dark Sword will showcase the DiTerlizzi Masterworks line at their booth and have a selection of minis for sale. You can find them at booth#1036.

I’ll have plenty of signed “Vintage” DiTerlizzi Prints of your favorite images from Planescape, Changeling and Magic the Gathering. All are digitally printed from new high-resolution scans on 11×14 natural white Bristol board.

For players of Magic the Gathering, I have three different 14×24 Magic Playmats featuring art from the years that I contributed to the game. The “Gen Con Edition” mat is limited to 50 and will only be available at my booth during the convention.

For you fellow old school D&D players, I’ve created a Bag of Holding. This lined 6×8 pouch keeps your lucky dice or cards safe from goblin pickpockets.

One of my favorite newly created items is a 1970’s, Frazetta-inspired 11×14 portfolio of 10 pen & ink Dungeon Drawings. This edition of 200 is printed on heavy Canson paper and is signed and numbered. It includes new artwork as well as art featured in REALMS.

We’ll also be offering a pack of DiTerlizzi Stickers and, yes, vintage Original Art from Planescape, Dungeons & Dragons and Magic the Gathering. Below is the full price list of my Gen Con pop-up shop (click image to enlarge):

Of course I will sign any books, games and cards that you bring from your collection.

I’ll see you in Indy!

DiTerlizzi Masterworks Miniature Line

To say that this year has been this nerd’s dream-come-true would be an understatement. If a collection of my Dungeons & Dragons artwork wasn’t enough, I am totally geeking out right now as I announce a line of gaming miniatures–based on my designs–which will be available this fall.

Miniatures have been one of my favorite aspects of the role-playing game hobby. I remember middle school nights at a friend’s house listening to Thomas Dolby while I brushed globs of Testor’s model paint on tiny lead warriors, wizards and monsters.

When I came into gaming in the early 80’s, Grenadier Models was the producer of official Dungeons & Dragons miniatures. (For those who have no idea what I am talking about, miniature metal soldiers–representing your character, adventuring party and monsters that you encounter–are often used to aid in visualizing a scenario in the game.) Part of the fun is browsing the gaming aisle in a hobby shop to find just the right miniature to represent your player-character and then painting it in whatever colors you deem appropriate. The whole experience makes you feel like one of the gods toying with the fate of mortals in 1981’s Clash of the Titans.

Miniatures (minis) in games have been around for a long time, often as a key component in military and war games. Since D&D has its roots in those sorts of games it comes as no surprise that they would become a major aspect in the earliest versions of the game. As many may know, toys were often used before a miniature existed.

After I graduated from art school and began playing D&D again. I collected and painted miniatures (then made by Ral Partha Enterprises) for our ongoing campaign. The detailed, ofttimes exaggerated, sculpts inspired my art samples that I submitted to TSR.

Over the years that I contributed art to TSR’s various games, many of my designs were used as the basis for official D&D minis. From Dragon Mountain to Planescape, I loved seeing my two-dimensional drawings come to life in (lead-free) pewter. At the Gen Con game fair I would stop by Ral Partha’s booth to marvel at their latest miniature masterpieces and gush over the sculptors who had conjured them from putty.

In laying out REALMS: The RPG Art of Tony DiTerlizzi I photographed some of those old minis to be included in the book. I learned that the Planescape figures had become highly coveted by collectors as they were some of the last miniatures produced by Ral Partha before the company lost the D&D license from Wizards of the Coast (who had purchased TSR in the late 1990’s). Although I came close to producing my own line of miniatures back in 2001 with sculptor Geoff Valley (Anyone remember Smug?) my children’s book career took off and little metal figures became a part of my past.

…until Jim Ludwig, owner of Dark Sword Miniatures, contacted me last year. Jim heard that I loved minis and had been collecting the old Grenadier figures from my youth. He asked if I would license my art for a line of miniatures named after me. How could this 12 year-old say no?

We combed through my archives and plucked favorite drawings of player characters and monsters. Jim hired the best sculptors in the industry: Tom Meier (one of the founders of Ral Partha) and Dave Summers, who had sculpted many minis based on my art way-back-when. We used old favorite designs, like Harvey Masher “Kobold Killer”, and new designs drawn just for the collection.

The entire line of the “DiTerlizzi Masterworks” figures will be available this fall from gaming and hobby shops and through the Dark Sword Miniatures site. However, this week Jim is running a Kickstarter campaign and offering the entire collection at a significantly reduced cost. If you buy the core set at $100, the amount of figures you receive increases with each stretch goal he makes. Its a neat promotion to launch the collection.

Whether you’re a gamer, collector or hobbyist I hope you enjoy these minis as much as I do. And if this initial offering goes over well, I may just delve back into the planes for the second collection…

(The Story of) The Story of Diva & Flea

I could tell you its been a crazy time in DiTerlizziland, but I think I’ve finally realized its always crazy time here.

I’ve come to lean on the convenience of social media for sharing Post-it notes and Polaroids of my news and information. I assume that is how most of us keep track of the things and people we like, myself included. That said, I will continue to maintain this blog, though in a sporadic meter. I have to seek out the small openings in my schedule where I can pause, take a breather and share what I’m up to.

I think I am actually busier now than during the peak-Spiderwick years. Many projects are percolating, which has me incredibly excited: Movies are slowly developing in the background, I’m creating a pop-up shop’s worth of merchandise for my upcoming return to Gen Con, and there is a constant stream of books being created (by Ang and me).

After finishing the WondLa trilogy (all of which are now in paperback), I needed a break from books that required both writing and illustrating. Fortune shined upon me: I was asked to write the picture book version of the original Star Wars films, curate my old gaming art for a published collection by Dark Horse Comics, and Mo Willems asked me to illustrate a chapter book he’d written during his year-long stay in Paris.

As an aside, just to keep it real, as I am listing the books in the previous sentence, I feel like I am writing a news report for another author/illustrator who is not me. I still see myself as a kid living in Florida who likes to draw and write bad poetry. You know, this guy:

Mo was inspired by the building manager’s dog (Diva) and an alley cat (Flea) who frequented the apartment where his family lived. When we spoke, he told me that he envisioned my artwork paired with his words for The Story of Diva & Flea. I was beyond flattered and began sketching right away.

After Mo returned to the states, we discussed books that felt similar to the book we were going to create. I shared my beloved copies Frog & Toad are Friends, Grasshopper on the Road and Little Bear–all of which are beautifully designed and use a limited three-color palette in the art. Of course the only way I could find the colors for the palette I needed was to pack up the family, hop on a plane, and visit the City of Lights.

As first-time visitors, we visited many landmarks in Paris (including the gargoyles of Notre Dame cathedral, seen above) but there are some moments that I’ll cherish. One was visiting Mo’s Parisian apartment and meeting the real Diva (seen here with her owner) and locating Flea.

At Mo’s suggestion we visited Sennelier art supply, opened in 1887 and renowned for their custom paints. It is said that Gaugin, Cezanne, Van Gogh and Picasso frequented this shop. Gazing at the containers of old powdered pigments, I found the colors of France.

I returned from my trip invigorated and inspired. To see a glimpse of what an impact it had on me, I share with you the jacket art for Diva & Flea, done last fall primarily for the sales department and promotion of the book. This was created before I visited Paris:

…and this is the final cover, revised after my return:

Not only did I gain an understanding of the palette of the city, I gained understanding of the inspirations behind the characters as well. Though I changed Diva’s breed from Yorkshire Terrier to a West Highland Terrier–in order to create visual contrast between her and Flea–her personality, her essence, was in my art.

My usual shared advice for young artists is to find reference for whatever they are trying to create. For this book, the reference came in all sorts of ways: colors, architecture, character design, landmarks, etc. For me, this immersion helped me craft a genuine cohesive look to the book. I am grateful to Mo for inviting me along for this experience.

Summer Events

This weekend I hop aboard a Rebel Cruiser and zoom off to Anaheim, California for the STAR WARS: Celebration.

I’ll be speaking on a panel Saturday talking STAR WARS with some other great authors. Here are the details:

11:30 AM to 12:30 PM PT

“New Adaptations of the Star Wars Saga”

Hear how the classic Saga comes to life through adaptations by these bestselling children’s book authors: Tom Angleberger, Alexandra Bracken, Tony DiTerlizzi and Adam Gidwitz.

1:00 PM to 2:00 PM PT

Mysterious Galaxy, Booth #960

Signing for Tony DiTerlizzi of The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight.

Of course you can bring additional books, cards and games which I will be happy to sign for you.

This event is the first of many that I will be attending this summer in continued support for my STAR WARS picture book as well as the release of REALMS: The Roleplaying Game Art of Tony DiTerlizzi (due out in June). Listed below are my confirmed dates, with more to be added this fall.

May 2, 2015

“Why We Write Middle Grade”

Panel discussion with Jeanne Birdsall

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Amherst, MA

May 14, 2015

Inspired by: Tony DiTerlizzi

StarStruck Theater

Stuart, FL

May 27–29, 2015

BOOK EXPO AMERICA

Jacob Javits Convention Center

New York City, NY

June 20, 2015

REALMS Book Launch

Gallery Nucleus

210 East Main Street

Alhambra, CA

June 25–30, 2015

ALA Annual Conference

Moscone Center

San Francisco, CA

July 9–12, 2015

COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL

San Diego Convention Center

San Diego, CA

July 30 – August 2, 2015

GEN CON Game Fair

“Artist Guest of Honor”

Indiana Convention Center

Indianapolis, IN

October 8–11, 2015

NEW YORK COMIC CON

Jacob Javits Convention Center

New York City, NY

I hope you can make it to one of these events. I shall see you this summer!

Gen Con Artist Guest of Honor

Its been over a decade since I attended the biggest gaming convention in the country, but this summer I am thrilled to be returning to one of my most favorite cons of all.

Gen Con was where I got my start as an illustrator. The first one I attended was back in 1993 and it totally blew my mind. Look at the size dice they use:

Throughout the 1990’s Angela and I attended the con every year to celebrate gaming, meet with fans, and have an all-around great time.

By 2003, I was mostly out of the gaming industry, so it was my swan song appearance. However, it was there that we launched a series of middle-grade books call The Spiderwick Chronicles with Holly Black (seen left, below…and as a pinup model above my noggin).

With the upcoming release of REALMS, I had the perfect excuse to return. I was delighted and honored to hear that the organizers chose me to be the Artist Guest of Honor. So, I’ll be doing a couple of presentations on art as well as a drawing workshop! Of course, I’ll sign whatever you bring (just don’t bury me with 9 million Magic cards).

I’ll have more Gen Con news throughout the spring. Hopefully I shall see you in Indy!

Rolling the Dice One More Time (Part I)

Its been some time since I’ve blogged, mostly because the fall and holidays had me busier than ever.

I traveled to many book festivals, book fairs and cons to promote my picture book retelling of the original Star Wars trilogy, The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. At every venue, I enjoyed bonding with my fellow Star Wars nerds. Like many, I am excited for the new film this year. I’ve only watched the trailer and avoided all possible articles/theories/leaks/spoilers in hopes of being surprised, entertained and thrilled once again.

In between touring I managed to work on some new drawings and paintings for the upcoming book, Realms: The Roleplaying Game Art of Tony DiTerlizzi. Though this book collects many favorite images from my years as an artist for RPGs such as Dungeons & Dragons, Planescape and Magic: The Gathering, it also showcases unpublished work and new art.

I’ve sketched from the realm that started my career a number of times over the past years. Usually, these minor excursions are warm-up exercises in preparation for big illustration jobs, like illustrating an entire Spiderwick or WondLa book. For Realms, I was finally able to officially add some favorite monsters, wizards and damsels to my drawing schedule.

Below are some pen & ink illustrations I rendered over a two-week period while on vacation in Florida this past summer. I was resting after the Battle for WondLa tour and found drawing these D&D-inspired scenes quite relaxing. All 15 images were drawn from my imagination, with minimal photographic reference. Most of them started as a thumbnail doodle on the back cover of the bristol board pad that I drew them on.

All were sketched with a #2 Ticonderoga pencil and inked with a Pilot Precise V5 micro ball pen on Strathmore vellum bristol board. Here are some favorites that will be included in Realms:

“First Level”, Vacation Drawing No. 3

“Shadow Fiend”, Vacation Drawing No. 4

“Fantastic Fungus”, Vacation Drawing No. 5

“High Dexterity”, Vacation Drawing No. 9. I believe Eva Nine was still on my mind when I drew this elf facing off with a hill giant.

“Player Character of Questionable Alignment”, Vacation Drawing No. 10. I’ve since named this fellow Hans the Loner (after Han Solo).

“Eye of the Beholder”, Vacation Drawing No. 15.

Also, while on vacation. I sketched up several ideas for finished paintings that would make a nice finale to the book. But more on that next time…

STAR WARS Reviews and Interviews

The celebration for last week’s release of The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight continue with an interview, an essay and a review.

Here’s the link to my Star Wars dot com essay.

…and an interview over at Yahoo Movies.

…and lastly a review in the Wall Street Journal.

Many thanks to my fellow Jedi who came out to support me at the launch party at Odyssey Books as well as ‘Star Wars Reads Day’ at New York City’s Books of Wonder. Here’s some snaps (courtesy of my loverly wife, Angela):

Darth Vader ALWAYS gets his book.

USA TODAY Interview

USA TODAY: October 2nd, 2014: ‘Star Wars’ trilogy is retold in new kids’ book

Tony DiTerlizzi’s 7-year-old daughter Sophia already is a huge Star Wars nerd, and he’s getting ready to spread the love to a whole new generation of fans.

The children’s picture book The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight (out Tuesday) kicks off a new series of Star Wars books from Disney Publishing for the younger set. Older sci-fi geeks will love it, too, because it retells George Lucas’ original Star Wars movie trilogy using the artwork of conceptual designer Ralph McQuarrie.

McQuarrie, an Oscar-winning illustrator who also worked on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and the original Battlestar Galactica, was one of the first artists tapped by Lucas in the mid-1970s to begin visualizing what his Star Wars universe would look like.

“It’s such a great experience to look into that process of visualizing this world that we all know and love so much as it was being formed,” says DiTerlizzi, 45, the author, artist and co-creator of The Spiderwick Chronicles series with Holly Black. He will appear at New York City’s Books of Wonder on Oct. 11 for the third annual Star Wars Reads Day, and DiTerlizzi also is on a Star Wars/Star Trek panel at New York Comic Con Oct. 12.

The writer talks with USA TODAY about working on the new book, McQuarrie’s influence and how today’s generation connects with Star Wars differently than his did.

…Read the complete interview, as well as watch an exclusive video, at USA TODAY.

New York Comic Con, Star Wars Reads and Additional Fall Events

Next week is the release of STAR WARS: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. To celebrate, I’ll be doing events in my hometown, New York City, Boston, Austin and Miami.

Along with some familiar faces from “a galaxy far, far away”, I’ll be presenting and signing at my favorite hometown indie bookstore, The Odyssey Bookshop. Space is limited, so you’ll need to RSVP sooner than later. If you cannot make it the shop can take your order and ship a signed book to you.

From there, I’ll zoom down New York for NY Comic Con where the STAR WARS fun continues. As well, I am signing at the Dark Horse Comics booth and giving out a FREE promotional print for my upcoming book, REALMS: The Role Playing Game Art of Tony DiTerlizzi. Here’s the New York Comic Con schedule:

Autographing: Promotional Print for “REALMS: The RPG Art of Tony DiTerlizzi”

Saturday 12PM – 12:50 PM, Dark Horse Booth

This image of a classic Advanced Dungeons & Dragons kobold marks a return to my roots as an illustrator for the beloved roleplaying game. Along with collecting my artwork from Planescape, Changeling and Magic the Gathering, REALMS will also feature a series of new paintings of some of my favorite monsters and characters from the game that started it all. We’ll be giving out this 12×18″ print FREE at the Dark Horse Comics booth, so come on by!

Panel Name: STORMTROOPERS vs. RED SHIRTS

Sunday 11AM – 11:45 AM ET, Room 1A18

Conflicts in galaxies far far away have entertained us since the dawn of science fiction, but it we owe it to Star Trek and Star Wars helped to bring science fiction to the forefront of pop culture. Tony DiTerlizzi (The Adventure of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight), Jack Campbell (The Lost Stars: Imperfect Sword), Karen Bao (Dove Arising), Tony Abbott (Copernicus Legacy: The Serpent’s Curse), Emmy Laybourne (Monument 14), Claudia Gabel and Cheryl Klam (Etherworld) discuss skiffy upbringings and these two influential classics. A formal autographing will take place immediately after the panel at Table 19 in the autographing area.

While in New York City, I’ll be participating in “Star Wars Reads Day” at Books of Wonder along with some other notable Jedi, including Tom Angleberger.

STAR WARS Reads Day


Saturday, October 11th, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Join us for this spectacular event in a galaxy far, far away…

TOM ANGLEBERGER Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus (Origami Yoda #6)

TONY DiTERLIZZI The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight

PABLO HIDALGO for Star Wars Rebels: A New Hero

MICHAEL KOGGE for Star Wars Rebels: Rise of the Rebels

MATTHEW REINHART for Star Wars: A Pop Up Guide to the Galaxy

Later in the month, I’ll be attending several book festivals, including:

Boston Book Festival

Saturday, October 25th, 12:30 – 1:00 PM ET

First Church of Boston Auditorium

66 Marlborough St.

Boston, MA 02116

* I will be pre-signing books at 11:30 AM prior to my presentation

Texas Book Festival

Sunday, October 26th, 2:45 – 3:30 PM CT

The Capitol, Extension Room E.2.028

1100 Congress Avenue, Between 11th and 12th Streets

Austin, TX 78701

*I shall be signing at the book signing tent immediately following my presentation.

Miami Book Fair

November 21-23rd

Angela and I will both be presenting and signing at this favorite Florida fair. Look for schedule and details soon.

New Book: “REALMS: The Roleplaying Game Art of Tony DiTerlizzi”

For my longtime fans of the work I did for AD&D, Planescape, Changeling and even Magic the Gathering, this press release is for you:

DARK HORSE AND KITCHEN SINK PRESENT: REALMS: THE ROLEPLAYING GAME ART OF TONY DITERLIZZI

Book Offers Never-Before-Published Collection of Game Art From the Caldecott Honor Recipient and New York Times Bestselling Author and Illustrator, Who Was Inspired to Become An Artist After Playing Dungeons & Dragons As A Kid

MILWAUKIE, OR; August 14, 2014 – Dark Horse Comics and Kitchen Sink Books are thrilled to announce Realms: The Roleplaying Game Art of Tony DiTerlizzi (June 3, 2015) the first comprehensive collection of game art by the award-winning New York Times bestselling author and illustrator.

Known for his distinctive style depicting fantastical creatures, horrific monsters, and courageous heroes, DiTerlizzi’s illustrations reshaped and defined the worlds of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Planescape, and Magic: The Gathering in the imaginations of legions of devoted roleplaying gamers during the 1990s, before he transitioned to children’s book creation.

Among his most renowned works are the chapter book series The Spiderwick Chronicles, a literary phenomenon which has sold millions of copies and has been translated into 30 languages. In 2008, Spiderwick was adapted into a successful feature film by Paramount and Nickelodeon Pictures. Tony also wrote and illustrated the WondLa trilogy, Ted, Jimmy Zangwow’s Out-of-this-World Moon Pie Adventure and The Spider and the Fly – the picture book for which he received the Caldecott Honor, one of the most prestigious awards in children’s publishing.  DiTerlizzi currently has over 12 million books in print worldwide.

REALMS will be filled with hundreds of illustrations reproduced from the original art, unpublished sketches, and photographs from DiTerlizzi’s archives. In addition, DiTerlizzi will be creating a number of new paintings exclusively for this edition.

Along with commentary by the artist, Christopher Paolini (Eragon) provides the introduction while seminal figures in fantasy – such as  Guillermo del Toro, Brom, Jane Yolen, Holly Black, Zeb Cook, Jeff Easley, and Donato Giancola, among others – provide personal appreciations.

”There is no question that the work I did in gaming early in my career shaped me as an author and illustrator for children,” says DiTerlizzi.  “In RPGs, I was not just tasked with illustrating a character, but also the artifacts they use, the armor they wear, the places they inhabit and the monsters they vanquish. It was my introduction to worldbuilding and an experience I will forever cherish.”

“Dark Horse has been fortunate enough to work with some of history’s greatest artists” said Dark Horse president Mike Richardson. “I am excited to add Tony DiTerlizzi’s name to a list that includes the likes of Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, and Geof Darrow.”

“Tony was one of the most respected and well-known names in gaming when he made a risky decision to make the leap and pursue his lifelong dream of illustrating books for younger readers,” says Kitchen Sink Books co-founder and REALMS editor/designer John Lind.  “His unique artistic style and success in that genre is a tribute to his roots in gaming. For fans of his work, REALMS is a dream project and one that we’ve spoken about assembling for years. We’re thrilled to finally make this book become a reality—we hope fans will feel the same!”

Praise for REALMS: The Roleplaying Game Art of Tony DiTerlizzi

“Tony’s work has a distinct flair, a love for monsters if you will.   His creatures have the charm of Henson or Rackham but they carry with them hints of their own ecosystem.  He stands alone as a creator of worlds and a weaver of tales.  May you treasure these art pieces as much as I do.”  - Guillermo del Toro  (Director of Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, and Pacific Rim)

“Tony draws and paints some of the best dragons around, which is a lot harder than you might think. And I should know!”  – Christopher Paolini (Author of Eragon, from his introduction)

Realms: The Roleplaying Game Art of Tony DiTerlizzi Full color hardcover, 9×12, 224 pages is available June 3, 2015.   Two special deluxe editions of  REALMS will also be offered in limited  quantities:  The “Double Damage” edition features an enclosed signed and numbered print of a new exclusive image produced for REALMS. The very limited “Critical Hit” edition will contain an original DiTerlizzi drawing bound into the book. More details on these exciting deluxe editions will be announced in the coming months.