The Art of Erebus

Illustrations & Graphics for games

Category: Illustrations

  • Exploring the wonders of Drintera

    Exploring the wonders of Drintera

    I created this illustration of a group of adventurers exploring a mysterious artifact in the wilds, for Drintera by Shewstone Publishing, a new “rules neutral” fantasy setting in a magazine format.
    I was given pretty free rein from the publisher, in creating a group of characters exploring the wonders of Drintera. Only rule was I had to create characters I can repeat in later illustrations, so I did a bit of character study too for it (attached).
    I wanted to create a diverse team of adventurers, while also keeping it close to the iconical RPG references, but with my own take/tastes.
    They decided to use it also for the cover of their kickstarter, which you can subcribe to here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shewstonepublishing/drintera-fantasy-ttrpg-world-2025

  • The Butcher of Kings

    The Butcher of Kings

    First lieutenant of the Shadow Lord known as the Crimson Conqueror, the “Butcher of Kings” was previously
    known as “Kardek the Red.”

    He was a bloodthirsty and ruthless warlord who adored violence and battle to the extent of always placing himself at the center of every conflict, regardless of his own safety. This drew the attention of the Crimson Conqueror, who bent his already corrupt mind to his own will, granting him immortality and power over blood, war, and violence. Thus, transforming him into his greatest general, the “Lord of War,” who leads his armies to spread the will and corruption of the Crimson Conqueror everywhere.

    His mere presence incites people to the most depraved violence, bloodthirst and rage. This not only makes him into a formidable leader and adversary, but also into a whirlwind that sows discord, division, and strife all around him. And, of course, this pleases the Crimson Conqueror because where there is violence, discord, and strife, he and his power thrive and find new slaves to dominate.
    He earned his nickname when he began to flay the skins (and souls) of all the greatest Kings and Emperors he defeated on his path, weaving their faces into his garments. From those same tortured souls, he draws some of his powers and immortality.
    (for the Shadow Lords RPG: www.shadowlords.net )Show less

  • The Crimson Conqueror

    The Crimson Conqueror

    This work is for my narrative universe, called “Shadow Lords”, and its homonymous RPG ( www.shadowlords.net ). It’s my personal cosmic-fantasy project rooted in myths, urban legends and ancient beliefs. Based on similar figures from literature and music, this Shadow Lord embodies the primordial concepts that gravitate around war, domination and violence.


    THE CRIMSON CONQUEROR:


    “Amidst the blood and flame and dread,
    The Crimson Conqueror rises, undead.
    His very name brings men to their knees,
    As he spreads his foul disease.
    From the depths of man’s own mind,
    The Crimson Conqueror shall find,
    The darkest fears that he can bind,
    And rule them all, unconfined.”
    – Old Assyrian poem


    – “I am the blood that flows through your veins, the conqueror of your dreams, the emperor of your nightmares.I am the pulse of every war, the blood of every conquest, and the fire that burns in the heart of every man. My reign is eternal, my power absolute, and my conquest never-ending” – From the book of the Crimson Conqueror


    My notes on the Crimson Conqueror are scarce, as even the mention of his name sends shivers down my spine. What I know for sure is that he is a being of immense power, with control over the forces of war, destruction and chaos. His influence over his lieutenants is total, and they carry out his every whim with ruthless efficiency.
    “The few sightings of his minions suggest that they are not of this world, nor are they bound by the laws of nature. Their very presence causes madness and despair in those who witness them, and those who survive their attacks are left forever scarred, both physically and mentally.
    I heard whispered rumors that the Crimson Conqueror seeks not just to conquer the physical world, but also to dominate the minds of all living beings, twisting their thoughts and desires to suit his own. Whether this is true or not, it is clear that his power is far-reaching and nigh-unstoppable.
    I had the opportunity to examine one of the Crimson Conqueror’s thralls, a twisted and malformed creature that seemed to be part-man, part-machine. Its very essence reeked of death and decay, and its eyes held a malevolent intelligence that chilled me to my core. I could not help but wonder what other horrors lay in wait, under the control of the Crimson Conqueror… the more I learn about this being, the more I realize how little we truly know about the nature of human evil.” – Dr. Landon, investigator of the occultShow less

  • Race! Formula 90 – 3rd expansion cover

    Race! Formula 90 – 3rd expansion cover

    Racing illo for Race!F90 Expansion #3, soon to be found in kickstarter (goes live this Novemeber!).

    Inspired by the 80-90′ F1 races, all hand painted in photoshop, enjoy!

  • Book cover

    Book cover

    Book Cover that I created for a client some weeks ago. I don’t know the title of the book yet, but it’s an alternative-timeline cold-war era storyn about a female  soviet astronaut whose capsule plummeted into the US, and how her home country abandoned her on many levels.
    Or at least that’s what I was told to create the cover. Given what’s happening today, it made me feel cold-war era so close to us…

    Book Cover
    Book Cover

  • “Z”

    “Z”

    This image popped up in my head when I was reflecting about the horrors of war and the actual international political situation.
    Don’t ask me what each thing means, you can interpret everything yourself with your sensibility about the situation, different people will see different things and that’s the way it should be.

  • Tribute to Sergio Leone: the Good the Bad the Ugly

    Tribute to Sergio Leone: the Good the Bad the Ugly

    My personal tribute to my favorite movie: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (Il Buono, Il Brutto e il Cattivo in italian), of SERGIO LEONE.

    Starring:
    Clint Eastwood as the Good (or Blondie)

    Lee Van Cleef as the Bad (Angel Eye, Sentenza in italian, translated Sentence, a much better name for the character)

    Eli Wallach as the Ugly (Tuco)

    My preferred Quote:
    You see, in this world there’s two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.

    Enjoy my personal interpretation of the ending scene duel, the “triello” (triduel? Dunno the english translation for it).

    tribute_to_sergio_leone_by_erebus74-d31akgw

  • Girl whit Bio-device

    Girl whit Bio-device

    This is one of the pieces I did for Monte Cook Games for Numenera – Technology Compendium: Sir Arthour’s Guide to the Numenera (www.montecookgames.com/newest-… )

    The piece is without background since it’s an illustration for the pages of the manual.

    I will show more pieces in the next days, now go buy the guide if you are a Numenera fan! :)

    © Monte Cook Games

  • Belem and the Dragon

    Belem and the Dragon

    belem_and_the_dragon_by_erebus74-d5qvycq

     

    A piece I drew fast (4 hours initially) for a Portuguese professor that has done an article on my work for boardgames and asked if I could do a piece on Portugal. So I draw the Tower of Belem (with reference, both because It was not pratical to draw it without, and because I was full of other works and so I had to do the piece in a hurry), and a marauding dragon on it: it was a long time I wanted to do a piece on dragons.

    In the end, I retook it for another 2-3 hours of corrections to correct the left wing and refine a bit more the dragon (since I had not the time to detail the dragon initially).

    Anyway, enjoy it, I had fun painting my first dragon, and while I’m satisfied on how his head comed out, I will surely do better the next time!

  • Roman Armory

    Roman Armory

    Another piece for a new project for a boardgame editor. The setting is ancient Rome’s borderland life.

  • My wife Tizzy

    My wife Tizzy

    A present for my wife, Tizzy. Painted her whit one of our cats behind :)
  • The Gate of Stars

    The Gate of Stars

    Small teaser of one of my pieces for upcoming Monte Cook Games “The Ninth World Guidebook” book. (www.numenera.com/)

    © Monte Cook Games

  • Leo and Dalia

    Leo and Dalia

    A personal piece we used for our son Leo baptism invitations.
    Here he is with one of our kittens called Dalia.

    I loved creating this piece because, as with all personal pieces I do, I could use my own personal style without being constrained by what’s best for the market/client tastes.
    I took some inspirations also from a famous affresco of Michelangelo…guess what :D

  • Prometheus

    Prometheus

    Shroud your heaven, Zeus,
    With cloudy vapours,
    And do as you will, like the boy
    That beheads thistles,
    With oak-trees and mountain-tops;
    You must my Earth
    Now abandon to me,
    And my hut, which you did not build,
    And my hearth,
    Whose glow
    You begrudge me.I know of nothing poorer
    Under the sun, than you, Gods!
    You are barely nourished
    By sacrificial offerings
    And prayerful exhalations
    Your Majesty
    And would starve, were
    Not children and beggars
    Hopeful fools.

    When I was a child,
    And did not know the in or out,
    I turned my wandering eyes toward
    The sun, as if beyond it there were
    An ear to hear my lament,
    A heart like mine,
    To take pity on the afflicted.

    Who helped me
    Against the Titans’ mischief?
    Who delivered me from Death,
    From Slavery?
    Did you not accomplish it all yourself,
    Holy, burning Heart?
    And glowed, young and good,
    Deceived, your thanks for salvation
    To the sleeping one above?

    I should honour you? For what?
    Have you softened the sufferings,
    Ever, of the burdened?
    Have you stilled the tears,
    Ever, of the anguished?
    Was I not forged as a Man
    By almighty Time
    And the eternal Fate,
    My masters and yours?

    Do you somehow imagine
    I should hate life,
    Flee to the desert,
    Because not every
    Flowering dream may bloom?

    Here I sit, forming people
    In my image;
    A race, to be like me,
    To suffer, to weep,
    To enjoy and delight themselves,
    And to mock you –
    As I do!

    Goethe

  • Taocats

    Taocats

    This is a very personal piece. I wanted to do a painting of my cats for my wife, and I started with a very graphic idea (stylized), but…
    While I was painting my cats, I got lost in their details. I know them too well and so I started to make them more realistic, and after a while I completely forgot the original “graphic” idea.

    Anyway I’m satisfied with the result, and maybe I will work a little more on it with real-life media (acrilycs and oils) before putting it on my wall :)

    Hope you will like them!

    Gio

    P.s.: the cats are named “Milù” (the gray one) and “Tania” (the white one). We had many kittens in these years, so they are just 3 of those many!

  • Magician

    Magician

    The “Magician” card illustration for the boardgame “Wraiths and Redcaps”, inspired to the old Ghost&Goblins©.
    Game by Duncan Wright! More coming for the kickstarter!

    I was asked to get a realistic/gritty feeling, while retaining a BIT of the “cartoon” or painterly look of the videogame.

  • cordolo-jump

    cordolo-jump

    This is one of a set of illustrations I’m making for a new racing boardgame.
    They will be used mainly in the cards depicting the different events and strategies you can use in the game.
    The theme asked to me by the editor is F1 of the ’80 and ’90 years, with a “computer game” gusto and a enough realism. Of course the cars are inspired by the colors of famous cars of that period, but I’ve used a lot of interpretation on them, since It’s not even simple to find correct references.

    In most images I had to move the forward tires more apart from the body of the car, because the editor thinked they seemed to compressed. I think it was a perspective perception, but anyway, the effect is nice anyway and the car seems coming to the observer more, so let’s stay so.

    Copyright me and Gotha Games, the editor of the game

    Photoshop only.

  • Leader 1 – Hell of the North

    Leader 1 – Hell of the North

    Cover for the game “Leader 1 – Hell of the North”. A game about guess what…bikes!

    Will be published in September by Ghenos Games and BlackRock games.

    Copyright mine and Ghenos Games.

  • Merry Christmas 2015

    Merry Christmas 2015

    A Merry Christmas to all my fans!

    i wanted to gift you with a goblin, gnome or other fantasy creature, but then I noticed the little home-gnome we have crawling through our home was a well suited (and sweet) model for my postcard, and thus I used Leo (my son) as a model :D
    And one of our cats also :D