The Lunarch

©Wizards of the Coast

What can I say about Mikaeus, The Lunarch?  Well, I'll start by paraphrasing the art description.  Now, normally I'd just give it to you straight, but there are story points in the description that I really don't want to get nailed for spoiling, so I'm playing it safe this time.  Anyway, the description basically says this:

White Legendary Creature.  Shown inside a cathedral.  Guy in his fifties with long flowing robes gesturing dramatically to an off-camera audience and surrounded by dozens upon dozens of silver candles.  He should look important and should reference designs on a certain page of the style guide (something about which I will discuss at a later date).

Pretty straightforward, right?  I decided that this guy was kind of like the Pope and I extrapolated from and cannibalized many designs on the pages of the style guide as requested, all while sprinkling in a good helping of my own sensibilities.  I handed in my sketch and waited to see what happened.

I got a reply back requesting that I push things a little further — you know, make him fancier and such.  Okay, no problem.  I gaudied him up some, then resubmitted.  Another reply, another request for more pieces of flare.  I pushed it further still and finally they were pleased, though looking back on the sketch I don't know why.

©Wizards of the Coast

I can't say I'm exactly proud of the sketch.  It gets the point across, sure, but it's at the expense of any artistic value.  In fact, I can't believe I'm sharing this with you all (though, I guess it's actually worse that I shared it with the Art Director).  Be that as it may, I got approval to move forward.

I painted it up and it came out looking like this:

©Wizards of the Coast

So, it's an oil painting on hardboard and it measures 16" x 12".  Obviously they cropped in a bit for the purposes of readability on the card, something with which I'm perfectly cool.

Given that the description actually requested he be surrounded by candles, I decided that they would be the lighting source.  So, he's lit up from below in all his robe flowing glory.  Of course, since being spoiled yesterday, many of the comments I've seen online question the flammability of his robes as well as his proximity to the flames (and yes I'm aware that the vast majority of these comments are meant to be tongue in cheek).  While I'd agree that these are potential concerns, I always fall back on the fact that the game itself is called "Magic," and is part of a genre full of axes that would be impossible to wield, armor that would never function in real life, spells being cast, creatures that don't exist, and women who make supermodels look ugly and fat.  I think we can all agree that a minor fire hazard which would at worst result in a most excellent YouTube video can be forgiven.  In fact, I'd like to see that YouTube video!  But I digress.

Obviously I never anticipated these comments, and I find it somehow humorous that what I did next would only exacerbate the imagined issue.  Truth be told, this piece could not have been assigned at a worse time for me.  I was moving from New York to Boston and the piece, as well as the means to paint it were packed away in boxes during much of the time that I had to work on it.  A full two weeks of the three, in fact.  Fortunately, the Art Director was sympathetic to my plight and gave me an extension.  Originally due just before Christmas, I ended up working on it over the holidays and it was delivered after the New Year, though even then was handed in only because it was due, not because I felt it was completely finished.

Almost immediately after turning it in, I began to finish the piece off to a level that I found satisfying.  As I was pretty happy with him, the Lunarch's design remained the same.  The changes were primarily to the lighting and the number of candles.  While being lit by candles is cool and all, he was lit far too brightly for the number of candles in the image.  So, I glazed him back a bit and added some more candles.  A lot more, in fact.  Enough to make those so concerned for the Lunarch's well-being shout with mock outrage.  I assure you that outrage is unnecessary.  He's the Lunarch.  Folks like him have magically imbued robes.  Or something.  Besides, even if he didn't he wouldn't be nearly as cool if he was put off by open flames.  Seriously.  Fonzie would never freak out over some scented candles, and while the Lunarch's coolness level may not be on par with Fonzie's, I believe the Lunarch's overall power within his society evens up the score, so clearly the Lunarch wouldn't freak out either.

©Wizards of the Coast

I think this version makes for a better piece, overall.  I like the sea of candles better, and I find the lighting far more believable.  However, it's probably best the this piece was not submitted to Wizards in this final form.  You see, the face ended up becoming darker, murkier, and thus less clear when shrunk down.  Clarity is important for reduction, and so it's best that the events unfolded as they did.  So, while the original version is crisper, this revision makes for a far moodier, and more menacing image.  Plus, given the added candles, there's that extra level of danger!

Finally, for your viewing pleasure, a sweet animation showing the before and after...then the before again...followed by the after.... Or, I suppose it's a video displaying the Lunarch's mighty ability both to summon candles, while also simultaneously diminishing light.

©Wizards of the Coast