Southern California artist Lucas Graciano has worked in concept design and visual development for the gaming industry as well as illustration for books and games.
His website and blog focus primarily on the latter, particularly showcasing his fantasy themed illustrations for “Magic: The Gathering”.
Both sources provide some reasonably large images in which you can appreciate Graciano’s nicely painterly style. Unlike many of his contemporaries in the field, Graciano works in traditional media, specifically oil on board, rather than digital painting.
I enjoy his portrayals of dragons in particular, resplendent with spines and leathery wings, and rendered, like much of Graciano’s work, with attention to textural variation that gives a feeling of physical presence.
His blog includes preliminary drawings, versions of printed work and sketches and paintings done for the classes he teaches at the Watts Atelier of the Arts.
