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13 to 1

| Aaron McConnell

Here’s the conclusion of the 13th Age countdown in one swift post.

13…Attack on Boltstrike Pillar: the color version and the original charcoal drawing.

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12…Unpublished early concept drawing of Sorcerers of The Three (see the 13th Age GM Screen for an updated version)

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11…Pencil drawing of 2 halflings sharing a pipe in Twisp (toned final art on page 280 of the core book)

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10…The drawing for the cover of the core book on toned watercolor paper and a detail from the concept sketch.

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9…Detail of the original charcoal art for the Gnome class in the core book (page 68)

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8…An unwelcome guest in the king’s court. The painted version by Lee Moyer (found in 13 True Ways) and the original drawing.

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7…Adventurers went to heaven…after some faerie trouble. (Illustration on page 121 of 13 True Ways)

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6…Original drawing on toned paper (color version in 13 True Ways)

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5…Dance of the Dead. A drawing from 13 True Ways with some recent color alterations.

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4…Revised color on an illustration in the core book (page 40) and detail of the original drawing on toned paper.

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3…Kobold guardians of Drakkenhall.  Original acrylic painting for the illustration on page 127 of 13 True Ways.

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2…Darkness Horses from the forthcoming 13th Age in Glorantha.

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1…Unused concept drawing for the Battle Captain  seen on page 29 of 13 True Ways.

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13th Age Game Master’s Screen+

| Aaron McConnell

I found some enticing images at 13thAge.com of the new GM Screen that I developed with Lee Moyer, along with the accompanying Resource Book that includes a couple of my new interior illustrations.  I enjoy these behind-the-screens shots of the printing process.  I’ve seen a fair amount of my work in print now, but have never had the opportunity to visit the printer as it comes off the press, so these snapshots are satisfying.

If you’re interested in pre-ordering you can do so HERE.

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Exclusive Confessional Advertoon

| Aaron McConnell

I’m providing something a little different today.  Most of my blog posts are news updates relating to the projects I’m working on or process posts, but today I’m presenting a sequential cartoon strip that I drew specifically for this blog.  It’s also unique because it’s autobiographical and expresses something I care passionately about.  I’m calling it an “advertoon” because its meant to support my friend’s business, but I compiled this series of images simply because I wanted to express something important to me.  Thanks for taking at look.

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Teasing again…

| Aaron McConnell

I took some time off from blogging last month, did you notice?  That wasn’t intentional, but I’m finishing the graphic novel that I’ve been working on this year and I guess that preoccupation was to blame for the neglect.  Here’s a panel from a page I colored over the weekend.  I’ll see if I can get aamcconnell.com back in motion this month.  Maybe Tintin and Snowy can help…

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Cast your Vote, then Place your Bets

| Aaron McConnell

Remember that I excitedly announced that 13th Age was up for a 2014 ENnie Award or 3?  Well, evidently the winners are selected by popular vote.  If you are so inclined, please follow this LINK  to the ballot and vote for 13th Age in categories Best Game, Best Rules, and Product of the Year. (Then go ahead and place your bets secure in the knowledge that you rocked the vote.) Voting ends tomorrow, so don’t hesitate.

PCOptions_croppedDetail from an illustration in the core book, page 73 seen here: 13th_Age_pg-73And here’s the original sketch.  Hey! The numbers keep changing, don’t they?!  That bookie can’t be trusted!OptionRaces4_Thumb_A

13th Age Nominated!

| Aaron McConnell
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2014 ENnie Awards Nominees

I have a couple years to go before I can say I’ve been a freelance illustrator for over a decade, but I have been doing it long enough to know that receiving any kind of accolade for a project is an extremely rare occasion.  So it was much to my delight to discover that 13th Age has been nominated in three different categories including Best Game in the ENnies, The Gen Con EN World RPG Awards.  Cause for celebration IMHO, and especially humbled to be considered among the other nominees.

I couldn’t help waxing nostalgic about how I got involved in this project back in 2012.  I had no idea how many hours and how much enthusiasm I would foster for the project between then and now.  My very first illustration for 13th Age was a pencil drawing of the Archmage, if I remember correctly.  You can see this Announcement Post about that piece back then.  I was trying to remember which interior piece I worked on first and I don’t know if it was the absolute first, but the Clerics were definitely one of the earliest.  These are the clerics as seen on page 188 of the core book: 13th_Age_page-188 I hadn’t seen what Lee Moyer did to finish this piece until I saw it printed in the book, 2013.  You can image what a treat that was for me.  My memory of the piece was the pencil version that I handed over to Lee the previous year as seen here: Clerics_Pencils_A Below is the rough sketch that I submitted to Rob Heinsoo.   I hadn’t figured out how I was going to depict those spirits emanating from the male cleric’s magic item, and apparently it was compromised by the Diabolist because demonic spirits seem to be escaping rather than angelic ones!Clerics_Sketch_A The clerics in this sketch were a bit light on armor for Rob’s taste, so I think he sent me some snapshots of tabletop miniatures for reference, but I can’t find them!  It was all the way back in 2012 after all.  Seems like Ages ago…