The Art of Erebus

Illustrations & Graphics for games

Category: Personal Pieces

  • 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

  • “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

  • My wife Tizzy

    My wife Tizzy

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

  • 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