Jacob Walker - Illustrations and Design

2012-01-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

Oh the neglect!
Big dry spell here as most blogs go through. Its a new year and Im already covered up with projects that Im eager to start. Im wrapping up the last bit of the Parsec RPGs core book (images above). Below is a link to the Parsec blog which is loading on the content in anticipation of its launch and kickstarter campaign. As with any project the end is the most fun as all the parts fall together. The first expansion is already written and should hit my inbox soon. Yeah, no rest for the wicked... or illustrators either (thats the unspoken part, right). Well, off for more sci-fi goodness.

jrg-parsec.blogspot.com/

Aside from the worlds of Parsec I have a fun board game that Im getting started on right now. Its a good cross-country adventure as families compete to have the best vacation. Having a family now, I can really see the humor/horror of selecting a destination and being in the car with hours with restless kids. This game looks like it will be lots of fun to play and create.

Breaking away from gaming, I have a book cover lined up for Mike Wicker, and author and fellow Evansville resident. The cover will be for his third book about Erika Lehmann, a German spy during WW2. I met Mike back when he was publishing his first book, Invitation to Valhalla (truly awesome book). Im super excited to get a chance to work with him again. Who know, maybe I can do new covers for the first two books when they are up for their next printing. Well thats just wishful thinking.

Lots to do, better get to it. This is going to be a good year!

2011-08-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a crazy Gen-Con it was this time around. Dead alternator in the truck... police pat down... bums... lots of bums - shout out to all my new peeps at Garfeild Park shelter house... window broken and plates stolen off the truck... friends bag stolen next day... cab ride with a drunk... oh I spent some time at the convention too. Im just glad I had family in Indy that was able to give me a hand with the automotive problems that set this movie like plot in motion. Aside from my Judgement Night adventure I had a good time visiting with all the friends I've met and collaborated with over the past few years. As always the art show was amazing and very inspiring.

Next year, Im not leaving the convention center... for my own safety : )

2011-06-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

Im back from another year at Origins. Always good to run into some old friends and make new ones. I was able to meet with both creators of Parsec face to face to discuss progress and how to best advance with a Kickstarter presentation. Cover is getting near to being finished. A few tweaks left, like dropping Jupiter in place of the random planet seen here and tightening up some of the details. A better scan wil do it wonders too.

2011-06-23T00:59:00.000-07:00

New postcards (just barely) in time for conventions season. Also starting to revamp my old site by giving it a new domain, Inkplow.com and inkplow.blogspot.com. InkPlow, cultivating creativity or some such nonsense.
Off to Origins tomorrow.

2011-06-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

And now, dungeon monsters for Steve Jackson Games. Another group of images I did prior to taking on the Parsec book (big update on that coming soon). These were very fun and it was nice to get back to tradition media for shading.

2011-06-08T22:41:00.000-07:00

After sitting on these images for months, sounds like they got them selves published at Steve Jackson Games. Guess its safe to show these nasty buggers to the world. Wee.

The Space Race

2011-04-27T21:50:00.000-07:00

Rough sketch for Parsec has been approved. Plan on getting it on the board this weekend along with another piece. Lots of stuff in the works and Im getting excited about Origins and Gen-Con.

2011-02-23T20:06:00.001-08:00

Clipboard Mario and... were did Leo's Luigi go?

2011-02-01T21:22:00.000-08:00

I was looking at a book that Ramon Perez did for Rifts and it got me in the mood for sketching one of the signature elements from Rifts, the lay line walker. Ramon's book was lots of fun and very well done.
Bla bla bla, sketch sketch sketch. back to work on the paying gigs.

2011-01-05T19:00:00.000-08:00

Another lunch time project. Fun.

2010-12-29T18:45:00.000-08:00

Last post of the year, quite possible. This image comes compliments of my lunch breaks at work. Some people eat, I draw guys who burn hearts in skulls full of hot coals. Can you dig it?

2010-12-21T21:32:00.000-08:00

Slowly slowly slowly I go. Those paying (and fun) gigs keep coming up but Im going to finish this up in the next few weeks. Im enjoying painting on this.

2010-12-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

Lots of fun new sci-fi stuff. The ship is for a book by Jolly Roger Games and the others are for Rogue Game. Lots more to go on the JRG book... lots. Im still wanting to start on a redesign of the ol' website, I guess this post will have to do until the 1s and 0s align with my schedule. New Years resolution... less facebook/netflix/youtube/internets and more art time.

2010-11-02T18:33:00.001-07:00

Long time with out posting... I got the Illuminati cards from Steve Jackson Games in the mail yesterday. It is being release right now, in time for the elections, very appropriate. It features 20 little ink drawings of mine (and colorized by the staff at SJG) and the pack features my work exclusively. Very Cool. I also never posted the Untold art that I did a few months back. The art was for a card and ended up on the packaging as well.

Currently Im dorking out on some interior pieces for Rogue games and having a blast. It falls in line with Firefly and Battlestar Galactic which I have been watching recently. Im also wrapping up the first of two posters the Thomas Riley Trilogy by my friend Nick Valentino. The first book was lots of fun and I look forward to the next two. Im also hoping to update the website before years end too.

Time to go slave over that drawing board again....

2010-08-05T01:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a ruff scan of a very last minute image before Gen-Con Indy.

2010-07-11T15:02:00.000-07:00

Another cute and cuddly critter. Oh, so huggable.

2010-06-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

Its been a busy few weeks. I just completed 20 card images for Steve Jackson Games, another for Wandering Men Studio's Untold RPG-CCG. Hopefully more to come from both, since they were both great to work with and very prompt on payment (wow!). I also went to Origins for a couple days and pitch the ol folio, ran into some old friends and had a fun time in Columbus. Now that all the above is over, I will go back to updating the portfolio for Gen-Con Indy. Hopefully I'll get everything done that I had wanted to do for origins. This sketch may get finished out and put in there after a little work. That arm and hand look a wee bit off. Thankfully Im not Dork enough to know what race of Star Wars critter this is. Im not going to google it. She can stay lil' miss tentacle head.

2010-05-28T23:21:00.000-07:00

Look at this narsty bugger. Its very losely based off of a piece Anson Maddox did, showing the face and hand of a wicked little critter. I sort of took some facial structure and added a body and an environment. This just started as a sketch and then I started painting the figure out and then sketched the background out on lunch breaks... I know Im on the right track with this piece. I know that by the faces my wife makes when she looks at what Im working on. : ]

2010-03-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

Ok I lied, no Mario Kart update this time. I was able to squeeze this lil illo in.

2010-02-19T22:40:00.000-08:00

I've seen lots of wonderfully painted altered cards online and at conventions. I thought why not give it a try. I grabbed a couple cards and an hour or two later, I had my first attempts. The knollspine isnt as smooth a painting surface as I've seen on other cards but Im happy with it.
Ok, next post will be the mario kart board game.

2010-02-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

Great new year... same ol' dork. Here is another sketch that I hope to paint out... one of these days. Before that happens I need to finish up a few projects that are in the works. Projects such as Mario Kart the board game. Should be in the next post.

2009-12-03T18:16:00.000-08:00

Ok, here it is, I finished it. Cool... now on to the next one.

2009-11-20T20:02:00.000-08:00

Looka like Uncle Fester is disenchanting your millstone. What to do? Me, Im getting out the old craft paint from wal-mart, circa 1992, and Im going into a state of Bob Ross, see you on the other side... Oh, and some random ninja chick sketch.

2009-11-16T21:59:00.000-08:00

Here is a nice fresh zombie. Looks like he could be the fast kind. Better start running. Im starting to really enjoy painting with Acrylics. I've got a few others drawings /paintings slated for more fun with acrylics as I get used to them.

2009-06-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a little sketch just for the fun of it. Im thinking I might paint it next week after returning from Origins in Columbus.

2009-05-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

Swashbucklers is complete and sailing off to the printers. At long last! Look for some personal projects that are purely for fun to be posted soon. Origins Game Fair in Columbus Ohio is quickly approaching and I am eager to attend.

Pirates (of the non-Somali kind)

2009-04-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

Two more little ink drawings. Swash is nearly complete. Next post will be the Swashbuckler cover. Its finished!

Lunch Pails and Pencils

2009-04-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

Ancestral Recall

Living Lands

Goblin Caves

Its been awhile since last post, so here are three MTG related sketches I've done this week on lunch breaks. Might be nice to tighten some of these up and paint in the future and then possibly make a few proxy cards. Right now Im finishing up the Swashbucklers cover and book layout. Should post that soon.

Back on board with Swash!

2009-01-27T16:17:00.000-08:00

Now that Rope is done Im back to finishing up the last few images for Swashbuckler. Here is the cover sketch. I'll be painting after I tighten it up a bit.

ROPE

2009-01-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

I've been tied up with this project for awhile (go puns!) but now have the files uploaded. Should be printed soon. Now its back to the Swashbuckler book and more. Swashbucklers was nearly complete before the Rope project. I'll be working on the cover and finishing up a handful of illustrations for the inside. Origins this year should have two or three new games featuring my work. Back to the kids, teething, pink-eye and not sharing toys....

"My work here is done…"

2009-01-12T21:02:00.001-08:00

I found this old sketch and thought it was a good time to post… Shoot first, questions later I guess.

A new year and a new start...

2009-01-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

Last year was full of distractions both good and bad. Illustration took the back burner to everything. Starting off this year Im going to try and make myself get back to drawing and posting again even if its just a sketch from lunch break. I also have a few projects for Jolly Roger Games nearing completion too. I'll post those soon as well.

Now in Color...

2008-04-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

Again, this time with color and no mustache. This is a promo piece for Jolly Roger's Swashbuckler RPG.

OK, one more...

2008-04-23T04:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, one more post of a project in progress. This is an intro piece for a few comic pages that I have in an anthology. I hope to redo this piece a little and add color. It would make a nice cover for the completed book, if and when I get that far. Sometimes finding time for personal projects can be like pulling teeth.

Getting back to the Blog!

2008-04-23T04:05:00.000-07:00

Quite a lot has happened since the last post... but not much in the way of illustrations. Here is a promo piece that Im working on for Swashbucklers. Its ready to be colored.

Lunch Time Looters!

2007-11-25T20:36:00.000-08:00

Here is an image that I drew out on lunch break a couple weeks ago and finally inked today. More people with swords, I need to diversify a little dont I. I have plenty of other things I could/should be drawing but it always seems to fall back to this. Oh well, it was a good couple of lunch breaks. At least I didn't spill anything on it!

Addition to the Family

2007-11-14T20:48:00.000-08:00

Check out this little critter! Our second son, Leo on his second day with the family. Happy to say it went well and everyone is doing great. All I can say is that Im very lucky and very happy.

I've been in survival mode for the past month but am trying to get on top of my work load again. I have completed the surf game (being printed right now) as well as a few other small projects. I have a comic in the works, just started a couple days ago actually. It will be showing up as installments in an anthology. More info/images as they become available. It looks to be a tank-girl meets aeon flux in a post apocalyptic neo-mayan setting but we shall see what comes out. Also starting to work on Swashbuckler images again. The project was put on hold but its still a good excuse to draw some pirates right. Oh, Im also doing more work, mainly web, for Gore Galore as they are about to begin their 10th year. Look for a completely new site in January.

Any slacker writers out there? I have several ideas for stories and it would be great to find a writing partner with similar taste to bounce ideas off of and develop something.

Surfs Up ~ Nearly Complete!

2007-08-15T22:23:00.000-07:00

Im at long last wrapping up Alan R. Moon/Aaron Weissblum's "Surfs Up Dude" game for Jolly Roger Games. I wasnt to crazy about how this project was going but have really turned it around in the 13th hour. I switched from watercolor to acrylic mid project. This is really my first stab at usuing acrylic and I have lots to learn. Im looking forward to some free time (hahaha) to play with the medium a little more. And as always, Photoshop was there to clean up my mistakes and help that learning curve with the acrylics. Photoshop saves the day... make that night... or maybe early morning, thats it!

...off to Gen Con!

Surfs UP Dude!

2007-07-28T01:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, here is a sneak peek at my until now secret project. Its a surfing board game for Jolly Roger Games created by Alan Moon & Aaron Weissblum. I had the pleasure of working on another game for Alan and Aaron a few years back, called Clocktowters. This is one of several card images. I should have the project completed in another week and will post more then.

Dungeon Delver Dude

2007-07-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a sketch that is almost ready for my new Acrylic-Gouache set. I've been a big time fan of Mark Tedin's art for years and finally found a web-page by the man himself. Most of the images in his portfolio are listed as, you guested it, acrylic gouache. It sounds like the perfect combination. I was fortunate enough to find these paints in Columbus Ohio over the weekend while attending Origins. Now if I can only find time to paint this sucker.

Origins was great, though a little slow this year. A lot of the people (companies) that I usually look for only had a showing of product and not their usual smiling faces... oh well, I guess. I did get to see my new friends at Paradigm Concepts along with the debut of Psionics Unbound (featuring yours truly, in hard back even) and two other books. Their Witch hunter is incredible looking. Also I got to check in with Jolly Roger Games, as I have two projects under way for them. More on that later...

The Family Life

2007-06-12T10:10:00.000-07:00

Lots of art in the works but I cant show any of it yet. Here is a little sketch that pretty much sums up the home life. My wife Maggie, the little monster Jesse, and little miss bun in the oven (due out oct. 8th). What an awesome family... now back to work...

I'll have a ton to post one of these days!

Album Art

2007-05-26T00:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, its been over a month. Time flys when your working like a dog. I just finished 6 peices for an upcoming book for Paradigm Concepts. Cant show it yet, not till its published I guess. Also Im closing in on finishing a top secret (makes sound important right?) board game for Jolly Roger Games. So much neet stuff that I cant post yet and not enought time to work on anything for myself at the moment, so here is a peice I did for an album cover for Denise Dill's Heart Beat Balloon several months back. This is just the inked image. I heavilly manipulated it in photoshop to make it look like it was aged and printed on a letterpress.

More Floating Heads!

2007-04-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

Jeez I never noticed how much I like drawing faces till I started this blog. Just some ink sketches I did a few days ago for the fun of it. Very quick and ruff. After posting them I can see all kinds of stuff that I should have worked out before inking but oh well.

10 points to anyone who can identify the hansome devil in the second image.

Little More Ink

2007-04-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple more images for Swashbucklers... one of these days I will find time to do something for myself again... like this goofy ink sketch.

Guitarded!

2007-03-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

New Clutch CD came out today! Just now listening to the first tracks...ahhh. Its not often I get excited about new CDs these days. Most new (radio) music sucks. Its all over produced, under writen crap.. the sort of stuff I couldn't imagine anyone saying with any sinserity. Enough about that... Clutch is good!

On a different note, but still in tune with new music (sweet, double pun!), here is a little lute pic. Dork art and dork music... oh the harmonies (lame pun... I'll stop now)

Full Page for Swashbucklers

2007-03-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

Man-O-Man do I have my hands full. Two 72 page books (art and layout) and a fun looking board game all from Jolly Roger Games, a baby on the way, and home renovations about ready to start. Good by sleep, hello caffeine!

Here is another piece for the JRG Swashbucklers game, many more in the works. I like the bottom half but the top half could have turned out better. Maybe if I have time (haha) I can redo it.

More Zombie Madness

2007-03-10T00:15:00.000-08:00

DVD Booklet Cover (in jewel case)

Tray Card

Disc Face
Here is part of the art for a new DVD package Im working on for Gore Galore / My Pet Zombies. This stuff is awesome, check it out at www.gore-galore.com. Their business cards are toe tags... with a toe attached. So cool.

Here is a quick one for the Swashbucklers game. I've got lots more started. Hopefully I can get another one or two of these done this weekend. I also started the layout on the book. 72 pages with art as needed... so much to do. If only day-light savings time could just add an hour (or more) to the day.

One For All and All For One!

2007-02-28T06:38:00.000-08:00

A lot has been going on, but not much art. Things like... Im going to be a dad, again! The next critter is due in october. Oh the (involuntary) sleep deprivation. Luckily all my deadlines fall before then, and thanks to those deadlines I will be posting lots more stuff here on a semi regular basis. I have a few projects in the works but the Swashbucklers RPG is on the front burner right now. Here is a piece for or inspired by the game.

Pointy Teeth

2007-02-08T21:19:00.000-08:00

Wow, its been awhile since my last post. I have a bunch of fun jobs piled up on me right now. Here is an inked out sketch from one of the projects. I'll post some more of the old school horror monster mugs soon. Then I'll be moving on to pirates and space monsters. ...and I'll try to get away from the collection of portriats seen here. Really, I can draw more than a not so pretty face!

Zombies and what not

2007-01-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

OK this post is a little off from the illustration route but its zombies so I figured what the hell. A friend of mine owns and runs this place that makes costumes and props of monsters and zombies. You should see the old house he used to work out of. Body parts, blood and latex everywhere. Awesome stuff. So this is an ad that I did for him, that I think will be in upcoming issues of Fangoria and something else. I'll also updating his catalog again this year. Best part about doing this kinda of work is telling the wife, "don't wait up, I've got zombies to attend to".

Spooky Eyed

2007-01-20T00:48:00.000-08:00

Here is my semi-weekly image. Im doing two horror related projects right now so here is a warm up image. Its not part of either project... just time mis-managment and a bit of fun. I've been wanting to round out the portfolio in the scary end so Im sure there are more to come.

My First Blarg!

2007-01-10T19:52:00.000-08:00

Im starting up my own blog as a means for critisium on my "dork art" and networking with other dork art comrads. I plan to regularly post sketches, published, and unpublished works in comics/gaming/childrens illustration. So please feel free comment or just say hi.

As for my first image, this maybe used in the upcoming Swashbuckler's RPG by Jolly Roger Games. I should be working on the cover, but instead did this quick image as a warm up. More to follow.