Artist required

My name is Jonathan McGough, co-founder of Empyrean Games. My partner Shane and I are looking for an artist who would be able to complete a number of illustrations for usage in our first game, Clockwork Soul. What we are looking for is an artist capable of producing between 20-30 single page drawings, (approximately 8.5 x 11) several smaller images for use throughout the book, and possibly the cover art. As things stand now, the artwork would not need to be finished until January, 2011, and the payment would be between $1,500 and $2,000.



Here is a description of the game world:



The world is old. It has seen the rise and fall of countless civilizations, perhaps has more of its history behind it than future left ahead. Cities have been built over the ruins of other cities, gears have rusted and turned to dust. It is something of a world sized junkheap. Humans live out their lives on mountains that walk, Clockwork colossi capable of sustaining entire cities. Golem-smiths create life out of metal and rust. Gearmancers compel society away from entropy. Clockworks, well, the Clockworks do a little of everything.



That should give you a feel for the world in general. The people who play the game will be composed of two groups, humans and clockworks. They are both sentient, and are both capable of creating incredibly large metal bodies. In the case of the humans, they interface with the bodies like a pilot. In the case of clockwork, the metal would literally be an extension of their bodies. The bodies are not necessarily human shaped. They can take any shape, grow in any way. They grow progressively larger by adding more and more layers of gears, weapons, and gadgets to their form.



To summarize, for feel you have a mix of traditional steampunk, shadow of the colossus, and a touch of the post apocalyptic.



Here are a few links to examples of artwork that capture the style we are looking for:



Steam Golem

Eye of the Storm

Klik Scout Character Design for Untold Games. Klik Scout (c) Wandering Men Studios

Brass Lion



Again, as for payment, the current offer is $1,500, paid out incrementally, with a bonus between 250-500$+ at the completion of the project. We want to assure any artists interested that regardless of whether or not we complete the book, the artist WILL be paid in full. I'd also like to note that any medium is acceptable, whether straight digital art, ink, paint, whatever. Ultimately because we are releasing this in PDF format, and possibily doing a print run, if your art is in a traditional medium we will have to digitize those assets. I only mention this because I want to invite all artists to participate, regardless of medium.



To any artist that is interested, we ask you to do two things:

1. Please send an email to EmpyreanGames(at)gmail.com. Let us know your intention of wanting to work on the project, and please feel free to link your portfolio.



2. Draw us a sketch! We realize that not every artist necessarily has specifically steampunk shadow of the colossus robots just hanging out in their portfolio, so we're giving you a description of a character class and a city clockwork to draw inspiration from. Choose whatever you feel you can portray the best. Here are the descriptions:



Example City Description



Empyrean

Empyrean is disparate even among hulking, sentient machines. Where others mine for resources, the citizens of Empyrean trade. Others build components; engineers in Empyrean design blue prints. Most distinctly, while others walk Empyrean flies.



Flight is no simple task. The city is kept aloft by powerful steam engines engorged by a nearly continuous stream of fuel. Empyrean's form is elongated, stretched out much thinner and further than is normal. Turbines push air beneath her so that she stays aloft. During especially poor weather Empyrean is capable of landing on flat ground. Many storms have been weathered in plains or alongside canyons.



The engineers of Empyrean bare a symbol; a wing on a shield represents their pursuit of knowledge for the benefit and protection of their city. They pursue their science with a zeal that boarders on religious.



As you can see, this is just a short blurb about what the city is. It's basically a flying, sentient amalgamation of gears and cogs, engines and people. It is a home, a city, and a dangerous combatant all at once.





Example Character Class



Clockwork Steamswarm

Steamswarms are clockworks which control magnetized swarms of "Tics" and "Tocs". These tics and tocs, small, birdlike objects, are embedded in enemies and allies. The steamswarm can then use his abilities to manipulate them, granting bonuses to those embedded with tics and harming those containing tocs. Better accuracy, more powerful punches, and even increased movement are all capable from tics. Meanwhile, tocs are used to short circuit, damage, and even combust unsuspecting enemies.



The steamswarm, the controller of the tics and tocs, may take any form, humanoid or non. As they increase in size, their bodies become a repository for tics and tocs. The tics and tocs act as both armor and offense. Some steamswarms seem little more than a Soul Cog wrapped in layer upon layer of tics and tocs. Other steamswarms boast weapons and armor, fighting side by side with their automatons.





So, hopefully that gives you a good idea of what we are looking for! We are very excited about the project, and hope that whatever artist we use is as well.



If you have any questions, comments, or are interested in this project for whatever reason, please contact me either in this thread or at EmpyreanGames(at)gmail.com. Thank you very much for your time! http://bit.ly/8Xe0M9