City of Eartheart

Created as an interior illustration for Wizards of the Coast's Forgotten Realms RPG (in the book "Shining South"), this scene represents the dwarven city of Eartheart. In my original sketch, I was very careful to make the buildings match up as closely as possible to the city map I was given for reference. In that sketch, the highest wall of the city was the one that is just a litle bit below the hippogriff's tail. However, the art director thought the city needed to look larger and more majestic, so he asked me to add the towering portion of the city that now rises up behind the creature somewhat. While it bothered me a little that the illustration was no longer completely true to the map, I have to admit that I think the composition and feel of the piece was improved by this change.

Acrylics - 2004