*Aredhel approaches the gardens of New Targonor and looks out to the people who are milling about. Some simply browsing in shops and others busy scribing and crafting, while yet others seem to be enjoying the clouds that are pushed by the ocean breeze. She starts to turn away, yet the message she holds is too important, and a pair of eyes meet hers that causes her to know she must stay! Perhaps it is easier, after all, to simply write the words and let them fall upon the ones who chose to listen, but this has even more meaning than others....at least, to her.
*taking a place next to a great statue, she speaks, her voice breaking a bit, as she tries to get the residents and visitors to hear her...*
"M'lords and ladies of Telon, might I have your ears?" she says, somewhat timidly.
*the murmers and laughter continue until a passing dwarf looks up at her, and seeing her plight, helps to quell the noise*
"Hain' cha hear'd d' lady? She's got sumfin to say, and I say ye
listen!" he bellows, turning and glaring at a lord of some stature, actually, and pointing to a bench. "Sit yerself, Mister High Nose! NOW!"
*the others, hearing the yelling and seeing the high elf quite taken back, yet sitting on command, instantly hush as the dwarf glares at each in turn. People of all races and class together. Just now, they see a gentleman stranger standing slightly to the side of the girl who, once again, clears her throat and begins to speak*
"M'lords and ladies! Thank you for this opportunity," she begins again. "I think this of import enough to take a moment of your busy day. I have asked someone to join us here. One who does not often travel the roads of Telon, yet has left his mark here in honor and love to his friend."
"My friends, allow me to introduce Donato! Artist and caretaker to the work of Elandar, the Mighty Wizard. Elandar was, of course, known to those of another realm, as
Keith Parkinson! He has consented to answer some questions that I'm sure many have been curious about. So, if you have the time to indulge..."
*she turns to the man who has been staying just at the edge of the crowd*
"Good Sir, if you would..." and she motions to a place near her. Donato moves forward, his hands folded in front of him, and nods at Aredhel. The interview begins....
/ooc: This interview will be quite self-explanitory quickly, if you are not familiar with Donato Giancola. It was an honor (and I thank Nick Parkinson for his help) to have this chance.
Q:You were commissioned by Sigil, at Keith's request, to complete the box cover for Vanguard. Up until now, what types of art have you mostly been involved with?
I think what caught Keith’s interest in my work was the highly narrative images I had been creating for science fiction and fantasy book covers. For the first half of my career in the nineties, paperback and hardcover book jackets were the mainstay of my art: producing 25 to 30 covers a year. This cover work had been, and still is, evolving into higher complexity as I embrace multi-figural compositions and tackling dense architectural forms to flush out design aesthetics and abstract compositions. About 8 years ago, new commissions began to present themselves, from Playboy Magazine to Video Game advertising and box covers, from concept art to private commissions. These various venues helped expand my artistic interests as well as add variation in the narratives I presented in my portfolio. With each major commission, I found challenges, technically and aesthetically, to push me further afield to the artistic horizons. Thus by the time Keith and the Vanguard commission needed me, I was well immersed in a mature style and looking for new challenges to round out my portfolio.
Q: Speaking of the cover art - When you were given the task of finishing Keith's work, you must have had a lump in your throat! What were you thinking, at that point?
First let me state how much Keith has been an enormous influence on my career: from his work on Dungeons and Dragons to the wonderful covers gracing hundreds of novels. I bought books solely based on Keith’s work, and learned to enjoy and discover the authors after the cover enticed me. His death is a tremendous loss to the genre: at this past summers’ GenCon, we had a packed room of artists and fans paying tribute to his labors and lifestyle. Thus when Donna approached me to consider the Vanguard cover, I was floored. To fill Keith’s shoes would be impossible. I loved the EverQuest images he had created and now I was asked to step in and create an image which commercially was to rival these. What a burden! Rather than trying to ‘do’ Keith’s style, I thought it better to create a work which paid homage to Keith: a celebration of those narrative qualities he brought to his work and inspired in others. I knew I had to give this piece my all, if nothing more than to find my way of saying ‘thank you’ to Keith.
Q: The line drawing was good. The finished product incredible! Having been in an area of art, I sat for the longest time looking at it! Was it hard to merge your artistic soul so flawlessly with Keith's to do this?
The hardest part was not having the time to paint the homage to Keith the way I felt it deserved. As a commercial commission, there was a very serious, over-looming deadline to meet. I’ve been under that kind of pressure before, actually nearly all the time, but when you are passionate about a work of art, you do not want to let ANYTHING slip. There are elements I feel are not all the way there. If I lived in California, I’d probably sneak into Sigil and work the painting a bit more…I know Keith did that to his works as well.
But the heart and spirit of the work shines through. It was very easy to ‘channel’ Keith, from detailed preliminary drawings, costuming of characters, narrative structure, compositional designs, and even cultural aesthetics: it was from Keith that I drew much of these inspirations and ‘artistic languages’ in the first place! I can see much more clearly now why Keith wanted me on this project. He knew me better than I knew myself.
Q: Putting Keith's face as part of it was genius, and a great tribute to him. Was that your idea, or Sigil’s?
I can’t remember who’s idea it was, but I know Den Beauvais passed onto me some renderings of Keith within the game world of Vanguard. I knew that on the cover, Keith needed to be there. As with most of my characters, I love the common man. I thought of Keith not as the Alpha-hero, but rather that guy you could count on to watch your back, share a beer with you at the tavern, and sit down with you as a friend. That was the Keith I knew, and the reason he is on the cover right in the middle of the party, off to adventure, surrounded by friends.
Q: What is your favorite piece of work that you’ve done?
That’s a tough one…like asking a father which of his five daughters he loves best. There are many achievements and milestones in my artistic career with none that outshines any of the rest. Over time, a few notables stand out: my first cover for Penguin Books,
‘Construct of Time’, a robot created by Father Time from watch parts; the tragic triptych
‘Eric Bright-Eyes’ of a Viking and the two women who loved him; the epic battle painting
‘Faramir at Osgiliath’ with over two dozen figures engaged in desperate combat around their captain; the sublime
‘Doors of Obernewtyn’, a young girl caught at that moment of choice between two possible futures; the list can go on. My peers and fans ‘tell’ me which are my most successful works: from personal comments to medals in juried shows, all the works above have garnered numerous accolades each, and it is from that feedback that I make my assessments. I hope Vanguard will join those ranks very soon, but that is not for me to decide, my work on
the art is done…I hope Keith would have been happy with the results.
*as his voice trails off, his audience sits quietly. They look around them, at the great city...the landscapes...all that surrounds them, and they see the hand of that great wizard. Always will they remember, with every step, the influence of the man who influenced so many to do even better than they thought capable of. Even his friend, Donato Giancola!*
*Suddenly, a gruff voice splits the silence, saying what everyone knows...
"He's happy, guv....rest assured, 'e's happy! How could'e not?" and the dwarf quicky wipes a tear before anyone might have the chance to see.
I would like to personally thank Donato again. This interview produced closure to unanswered questions about the artwork he completed and gave to us all. He didn't have to do this interview, but he took the time and it is very much appreciated! Perhaps we will see more of him sometime in the future. I hope I have given the proper respect due to this piece! Until then...
/salute
