From the Vault: Revenge of the Lhurgoyf!
…This time it’s personal!
Like most anyone with an internet presence I will occasionally search my own name to see what comes up. Tucked in between the pages (and pages!) of card lists there’s the occasional mention in a forum (and it’s 50/50 on whether the mention is complimentary) and once in a blue moon I find something really surprising.
This would be one of those latter occasions because I found a picture I know is my handiwork, but have no recollection of ever painting. The shock was sufficient that when I first saw it my immediate reaction was “WTF?” rather than “oh hey, haven’t seen that in forever”.
That’s the Lhurgoyf, carrying a Rocket Launcher (from Antiquities) which seems to be powered by the Souls of the Damned (Ice Age) while rampaging across a fields of skulls from Spoils of War (also Ice Age). There also appears to be a Nevinyrral’s Disk in the background, and ole Lhurgy is wearing armor, but I have no idea which card that’s referencing. Maybe WTF was the correct response after all.
Yeah, I got nothing. I suspect the image was painted for a Duelist article and I guess it was painted during a VERY busy time which is why I don’t remember it. Possibly as long ago as 1995.
Gotta tell you it’s a weird feeling being (re)introduced to one of your own paintings.
I wonder where the original painting is? If it’s in my studio, it’s really well hidden.
Hi Pete,
I came across some old photocopies of sketches you once aske me to fax across to WOTC. Its from “Berlin Citybook” dated Feb 95. I can scan them in and send them across if you interested 🙂 95 hey, where does the time go.
Cheers,
Andrew
Ha! Maybe. Can’t hurt can it? I must admit I have seen those originals in a long time. BTW, those were for West End Games, probably one of the last few jobs I did for them.
Haha, that was probably painted for Convocations – A Magic the Gathering Gallery, which is where I’ve seen it before.
Convocations was published in 1996 and contained art by various artists depicting popular combos of the time. You remembered all the cards in it, but I’m not sure how a 5-card combo could be “good.”
So word about the armor. Maybe it’s +1/+1 counters the Lhurgoyf gets from the Spoils of War?
Yeah, I think you’re right. I vaguely remember the Convocations comic and this – sadly – might explain why I’ve not seen the original in a decade and a half.
I think I know where the armor came from! In one of the MTG Anthologies there was s short story about a Lhurgoyf that devoured some mean old hunters that upset its nest. Maybe it lifted a key from the carcass and ransacked one of their homes. 😀