About the Art Galleries

Real Players. Real Art.

To answer everyone's first typical question: YES everyone you see in the galleries are real players in their full and natural form. What you're seeing is "Screenshot Art," where I take screenshots of your player as you appear in game, and then I play digital touch-up and turn it into something just a little more cool ;)

There are lots of other great portrait sites where you can have your portrait drawn or painted, or even re-created in 3D. However, if you want a portrait of your character as he or she appears on everyone's monitors, you've come to the right place.

History

I began the art galleries just as a fun hobby back in the early days of EverQuest. Everywhere I went, I'd take screenshots and write stories about my travels with my friends and guildmates. With every new update, word spread throughout the EverQuest community and the popularity of the galleries reached unforseen heights.

I was soon taking commissions for players who wanted something to remember their days in EverQuest with something they could hold in their hands. After lots of research and attempting different techniques, I developed different packages including professional photo prints, canvas prints and even antique frames to help present the portraits in a manner worthy of any home.

After a 2-year break, I returned to help service players in World of Warcrft, and am also looking to venture off to other games like Lord of the Rings Online and FFXI.

I'd be nowhere without the support of all my visitors and fellow art lovers, so I humbly bow and thank you for your continued patronage.

Enjoy the galleries!

The first portrait

Viez Blackoak
November 1999

It all started on a late November evening in 1999...

The first portrait :) There I was, just a young Ranger on the Bertoxxulous server during my first visit to Kelethin. After I managed to figure out the elevator system, I made my way through the tree-tops visiting stores and looking for people to talk to.

I turned a corner and there was a level 50 Warrior all dressed in full plate. During those times, it was actually pretty rare to come across a level 50 anyone (that was the level limit back then). I asked him if I could take his picture, even got him to pose just by one of the bridges.

Later, I gave the screenshot a canvas texture, a brush effect and fixed some colors - a total of about 15 minutes of Photoshop work. I then decided it needed a frame, and then posted it with a short story to an online forum. (Click on the picture above to see the full picture and the story)

I got a pretty good response, and so I did a few more. Before I knew it, I was getting requests and decided it was time to build a website. Fast foward a few years and a few hundred portraits later, here I am still alive and kicking. And I owe it all to you all.

Thanks again for sharing all this with me!