Mark Smylie

@marksmylie

Occasional illustrator, writer, and TTRPG game designer, former comics publisher (founder of Archaia once upon a time) and editor. Feeder of cats, birds, deer, possums, raccoons, and foxes. Not necessarily in that order.

481 Siguiendo752 Seguidores521 Publicaciones

YouTube Website Bluesky

alt

¿Es tu perfil?Reclámalo y marksmylie.dirty.social es tuyo.Reclamar perfil

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· 23d

If you are wondering what Tarot deck could have possibly signaled the arrest of the Tate Bros then might I direct you to: www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/5...

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Jun 25

The pdf of the PENDRAGON NOBLE'S HANDBOOK is now available (print editions on the way, apparently) featuring a cover (and some interior art, I think) by yours truly. The cover is a depiction of the marriage of Arthur and Guinevere at Carlion (year 14 of the Great Pendragon Campaign!). Enjoy!

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Jun 4

It had been our privilege to publish something of Satrapi's, a short story fantasy-fable called THE SIGH. It was, to be sure, a minor work, and had not done particularly well even in France, but that fit entirely with our mission and it remains (at least to me) a high point in our catalog.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· May 1

I was delighted to contribute a few pieces of art to this book, including my personal favorite, this depiction of the infamous Duck Hunts in Lunar-occupied Sartar. If you are avoiding purchases this May Day as part to the General Strike I hope you will keep it in mind for the near future! #Glorantha

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Apr 29

Time for the annual Spring Sale on Aegis & Gorgon pdfs at DriveThru, including ARTESIA comics & graphic novels, the prequel novel BLACK HEART, the first edition of the ARTESIA RPG, and assorted other offerings! All digital titles are 50% off thru May 6. Thanks! www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher...

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Mar 22

Covers and some interior art are often fairly large (in a few cases up to 20x30), with lots of art at 14x17, 11x17 or 8.5x14, w/some spot illos (usually 6x12 or smaller). All are watercolor, gouache, colored pencil and ink on Bristol (usually 2- or 3-ply). Please DM if something seems of interest!

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Mar 22

Recent original art includes covers & interior art for PENDRAGON, AGE OF VIKINGS, and #Glorantha material for Chaosium and the Jonstown Compendium; interior art for Vortex Verlag's 5E books on Florence and Venice; personal art for the Known World books & BLACK HEART; + older art for WotC, AEG, etc

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Mar 22

I'd hoped to get to Chaosium Con USA next month but unfortunately won't make it. Conventions are where I tend to sell original art, and as it's been a while since I've done one as an artist/exhibitor a lot's accumulated in the flat files so I thought I'd post a "spring cleaning" sale notice instead.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Mar 9

The GM's Day Sale over at @drivethrurpg.com is still going on for the next four days (thru Friday morning, I believe). They've included a few Aegis & Gorgon items--the ARTESIA graphic novels and RPG, the HISTORIAE MUNDI, and THE LAST BARROW--at 40% off. Enjoy! www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher...

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Mar 3

Well this is insane.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Feb 24

Here you go:

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Feb 20

The fine folks over at The Burning Wheel just announced that pre-orders are up and running for the new MIDDARMARK setting book for the TORCHBEARER game, featuring cover art (and some b&w interior art) by yours truly (and a bunch of other great artists including Kurt Komoda & Jordan Worley). Enjoy!

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Jan 27

Timeline cleanse?

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Dec 25

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Dec 1

Final Aegis item in @drivethrurpg.com's Cyber Monday sale: THE LAST BARROW, an adventure/thought exercise, presenting write-ups and stats of a lost barrow and its treasures for three different systems (the ARTESIA RPG, 5E, and @chaosium.bsky.social's RuneQuest): www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/3...

Cover for the adventure supplement THE LAST BARROW, from Aegis for the Known World setting of the ARTESIA graphic novels and novel prequels.

Double page spread from the adventured supplement THE LAST BARROW, outlining possible rumors about the barrow in question, and a historical text that might supply a party with details...

A double page spread from THE LAST BARROW, describing one of the tombs found within the barrow and some of its artifacts.

A double page spread from the "rules and stats" section, describing the elements of the barrow for the 5th Edition of the World's Most Popular Roleplaying Game. But descriptions and stats are also included for the ARTESIA RPG and for RUNEQUEST/BRP from Chaosium.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Dec 1

A closer look at another item in @drivethrurpg.com's Cyber Monday sale, HISTORIAE MUNDI: A HISTORY OF THE KNOWN WORLD. A sourcebook expanding on the history material in the ARTESIA RPG, along with the timeline info in ARTESIA ANNUAL #3, filled with info! legacy.drivethrurpg.com/product/3120...

Cover for HISTORIAE MUNDI: A HISTORY OF THE KNOWN WORLD, featuring the goddess Yhera as the Creatrix, defeating and binding the World Dragon at the start of Creation.

The frontispiece intro to HISTORIAE MUNDI: A HISTORY OF THE KNOWN WORLD, originally used as the cover of ARTESIA ANNUAL #3, showing Artesia reading a book against a backdrop of figures from Known World history.

A sample map from HISTORIAE MUNDI: A HISTORY OF THE KNOWN WORLD, showing the Known World during the hundred years prior to the events of the ARTESIA graphic novel series and its novel prequels (one of 11 such maps in the book).

A sample page from HISTORIAE MUNDI: A HISTORY OF THE KNOWN WORLD, featuring an illustration of the Sorcerer-King Azharad, whose burial place is a focus of the prequel novel THE BARROW.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Nov 30

Next up in @drivethrurpg.com's Black Friday-Cyber Monday sale: the ARTESIA: ADVENTURES IN THE KNOWN WORLD RPG. Written with the Fusion rules (the base system for Cyberpunk 2020); winner of the 2005 Origins Award for Best RPG and nominated for 6 ENnies. www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/3...

Front cover for the ARTESIA: ADVENTURES IN THE KNOWN WORLD RPG, published by Archaia in 2005 and still available via Aegis & Gorgon (a new revised edition is in the works!).

An extensive history of the Known World, setting for the ARTESIA comics, is included in the ARTESIA RPG. Here is a sample page, with an illustration of the Dúréan heroine Hannath Hammergreia.

In the ARTESIA RPG the Major Arcana of the Known World's Tarot provides links to powers and abilities but also is the basis of the experience system.

The ARTESIA RPG also includes background details like info on the constellations of the Known World's Cosmos, and how they impact character creation and divination in the game.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Nov 29

Next in @drivethrurpg.com's Black Friday sale: the 3rd graphic novel, ARTESIA AFIRE, wholly published by Archaia in 2003. The collected edition includes a story from ANNUAL #2 and a story that appeared in John Kovalic's DORK TOWER. 30% off through end of Monday! www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/2...

The cover of ARTESIA AFIRE, third collected edition in the series, originally published by Archaia and still available via Aegis & Gorgon.

A prologue page from ARTESIA AFIRE, from a short story that originally appeared in DORK TOWER.

A prologue page from the collected edition of ARTESIA FIRE (third volume in the series).

A double-page spread from the collected edition of ARTESIA AFIRE, third volume in the series.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Nov 28

Next item in the @drivethrurpg.com Black Friday sale: the 2nd graphic novel, ARTESIA FIELD, originally published in series format by Sirius in late 2000 and then as a graphic novel by Archaia in 2003 with a prologue taken from the first ARTESIA ANNUAL. 30% off! www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/1...

Cover of the collected edition of ARTESIA AFIELD (second in the series) from Archaia/Aegis & Gorgon.

The cover for ARTESIA AFIELD #1, included in the graphic novel collection as the intro image for Chapter One. It was also included as a selection in SPECTRUM #8.

A page from Chapter Two, in which Artesia and her officers find themselves at cross swords with nominal allies.

A page from Chapter Four (ARTESIA AFIELD #4), in which Artesia tells the story of how she found an enchanted sword.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Nov 26

Here's a closer look at one of the items in @drivethrurpg.com's Black Friday sale, the first ARTESIA graphic novel. First published in 1999 by Sirius, then later by me via my first company, Archaia. Still available through DriveThru in pdf (on sale!) and POD formats under the Aegis & Gorgon banner.

The 2003 cover of the first hardcover edition of ARTESIA (previously published by Sirius in a 1999 softcover, with a limited edition hardback).

A two-page battle spread from Chapter 2 (originally issue #2 in the comic book series).

Artesia (eponymous heroine) is surprised by a Hathaz-Ghúl, a kind of ghoul, in Chapter 3 (issue #3 in the original series).

A dream sequence in Chapter 5 (issue #5 in the original series), in which Artesia sees an allegory of the future.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Nov 25

If you're in the UK at #Dragonmeet this coming weekend, you can find these WIP previews of @martinhelsdon.bsky.social's book on the Esrolian city of Rhigos in #Glorantha at the Jonstown Compendium table in the @chaosium.bsky.social booth. Supplies limited! And profits to a good cause. Enjoy!

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Nov 25

DriveThru's Black Friday-Cyber Monday sale runs from now to the end of Monday. The ARTESIA graphic novels, a comics bundle, the Artesia roleplaying game, the History of the Known World, and The Last Barrow adventure book are all 30% off. Happy Thanksgiving! www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher...

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Nov 18

I got to act as the technical editor on Kensuke Okabayashi's upcoming WRITING GRAPHIC NOVELS for DUMMIES, giving Ken and his primary editor, Rick Kughen, notes on the draft text. I think it's a fun informal guide to writing & drawing graphic novels and it's now up for preorder: a.co/d/iPDyF4o Enjoy!

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Nov 8

Friendly Doe™️ stopping by and wishing you a great weekend!

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Oct 9

Here's a look at the wrap cover for @russelfrans.bsky.social 's second book, HISTORY AND FATES. This was a fun one to do!

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Sep 26

DriveThru and Roll20 are doing their annual Roll20Con Charity Bundle, and included in it is the first ARTESIA graphic novel (along with lots of other great products!). And all for a good cause, Outright International, a global LGBTIQ advocacy group. www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/5...

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Sep 6

Here are some process pics: sketch (8.5x11), finished pencils (14x17), initial colors (watercolor plus digital finishing), and then the cover with titles.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Jul 28

Here's a pic of Roman soldiers making a last stand for Charlie Dearmore's tacitae imperialis YouTube channel. Charlie recently got a Master's in Classics and is branching out from Warhammer 40K into classics minis via the Hail Caesar game from #WarlordGames. Enjoy! www.youtube.com/@tacticaeimp...

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Jul 26

First evidence that at least three fawns made it. The two smaller ones are twins, I think.

Mark Smylie@marksmylie· Jul 26

No cheating: post your lock screen.