Luring the Draccus

This is a worldbuilders blog.

Let me tell you a little story. A while back, I got a piece of fanmail from a guy named Phil McDarby.

It was a nice e-mail. It had paragraphs and capital letters and punctuation and everything. It was all sorts of classy.

It also said some very nice things about my book, which I always enjoy. Then Phil mentioned that he was an artist and tossed me a link to his site. (I’m not going to link it yet, because if I do, you’ll start browsing his page and forget to come back here to the blog.)

I took at look at his website and was amazed. Seriously amazed. I have no graphic ability of my own, so any sort of art is magic to me. But his stuff was above and beyond: gorgeous pictures that were photo-realistic while still being fantastic.

If you hadn’t guessed, I’m kind of a fan of realistic/fantastic.

Most notably, I saw a picture called “The Amber Dragon’s Horde,” which showed a little dragon tiny as a sparrow. It looked like something you’d see in National Geographic.

So I e-mailed Phil back. I thanked him for the lovely note and complimented him on his work. I also said, in passing, “Have you ever given any thought as to what the Draccus might look like?”

Okay, I lie. It wasn’t a casual comment at all. I was fishing….

Still, I was surprised when a week later I got an e-mail with a link to something wonderful.

Go on, click it. It’s time. Go look at Phil’s site. While you’re at it, check out The Amber Dragon’s Hoard, too.

I’m serious. Go click over there. I’ll wait for you to come back…

In the months since then, Phil and I have been getting some stuff ready for you. He made some high-end prints of “Luring the Draccus.” They’re a limited run of 50 museum quality prints. They’re signed by both of us, and I’ve written a unique quote on each one of them. Some of the quotes are from The Name of the Wind, and some are from The Wise Man’s Fear.

If you want to buy one of those numbered prints, he has them up on his site over here.

Now I know some of you might be tempted to squawk about the price. But before you do, you need to realize a few things.

1) This isn’t the sort of poster you buy for your dormroom. They’re huge, on amazing paper, and printed with a degree of detail I didn’t even know was possible outside a photograph. This is some serious high-end art.

2) It’s nice for artists to make money off the art they create. Believe it or not, Phil doesn’t get any money from you downloading his picture over the interweb. (Yes. I’m looking at you.) I have a publisher that pays to edit, print, and ship my books around. Phil doesn’t. He paid for the printing and shipping of these posters by himself. (You don’t even want to know what they cost him.)

3) One of these limited posters, 2 of 50 I think, is already for sale over here for a crazy amount of money. Way more than what Phil is charging.

4) Phil is letting me use his art to do a run of smaller posters exclusively for the Worldbuilders fundraiser.

My posters aren’t nearly as posh as the limited edition ones. They’re smaller, and we’ve had to crop the image a bit. But still, I’m really happy with how they turned out.

Here’s a picture of one next to the paperback, so you can have a sense of scale….

(Click to Embiggen. It’s awesome.)

A copy of Luring the Draccus will be $40. I’ve even got a silvery pen I’m using to sign it.

All the proceeds go to Heifer International, of course. Personally, I think they’d make great Christmas gifts….

[Edit: The information and links here are old, so I’ve taken away the purchase buttons. Instead, you can buy posters over in The Tinker’s Packs, where we keep it in stock, and shipping is calculated for each order.]

  • If you’re in the US, shipping will be $8.00. We’ll be sending it to you in a sturdy, hermetically sealed cardboard tube. That’s right. The great god Hermes Trismegistus will perform vast and terrible magics on your package to ensure its safety. Plus we’ll use a whole lot of tape.
  • You can order as many posters as you like and the shipping will remain the same.
  • If you’re somewhere else in the world, shipping will be $28 no matter how many you buy. So making a group order with some friends is probably a good idea. That is, if you have any friends. If you don’t have any friends, you might want to console yourself by buying an extra poster.

I have about 150 posters. When I was ordering them, that seemed like a really extravagant amount. But given that we sold out all my first edition copies of NOTW in three days, it could be that I’ve underestimated people’s enthusiasm for the fundraiser.

What it comes down to is this, I’ll print more posters if we need them, but that will take time. For now it’s first come, first serve.

Thank you all for helping to make this year’s fundraiser such an instant success. We’re only four days in and we’ve already hit almost 13,000 dollars. I’m stunned.

See you later space cowboys,

pat

This entry was posted in Achievement Unlocked!, cool things, delicious fanarts, Worldbuilders 2009By Pat61 Responses

61 Comments

  1. Shavron
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 1:16 PM | Permalink

    That is an amazing picture. I want so bad. Damn my poor existence!

  2. Tyson
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 1:25 PM | Permalink

    Wow, that hi res image may have just bumped the GRRM calendar art off my desktop. I don’t think the cost is extravagant for what it is. If I had a decent paying job, this is the kind of stuff I’d spend my money on. Sigh. I’ll have to debate getting the signed poster instead.

    BTW, I never really loved that scene in the book. I thought it went on a little too long considering that it didn’t seem essential to the storyline. But this art makes me like it more. Probably not what an author wants to hear. Just being honest! I loved the rest of the book.

  3. Elder Bonnie
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 1:35 PM | Permalink

    I’m completely breathless.
    It captures the scene SO perfectly, so vividly.
    And I did love the scene. I think it was at that point that I decided I liked Denna, which made me all the more ecstatic about your book. I find female fantasy characters so hard to like – being written by men as they often are. But Denna nestled into my heart somewhere along the way.

    Thank you, sir!

  4. iansr
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 1:51 PM | Permalink

    Pat, it might just be me. But I don’t think your link is working to buy the posters from you

  5. Lea
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 1:56 PM | Permalink

    Wow. Just Wow. He is an absolutely incredible artist…. I mean just stunning…. a master of light and shadow.

    And the price…. true to all artists… we always under-estimate ourselves… and it is ALWAYS true that other people are the ones that get rich off our work!

    I will definitely be purchasing one of his prints…

    Now…… do I smell an illustrated special edition of NOTW? =D

  6. Pat
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 1:59 PM | Permalink

    Okay. I fixed the paypal buttons. I think. Can someone order a poster so I know they work and I can finally go to sleep?

  7. Bombie
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 2:07 PM | Permalink

    For the international shipping: I can click the button, the poster winds up in my shopping cart, I can proceed to checkout, .. I won’t be buying one just now, as I just ordered a signed copy of NOTW, so I can’t test it to the end, but everything else seems to be working fine..

    Go get some rest, you deserve it! By being the wonderful person you are!

  8. Pat
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 2:07 PM | Permalink

    Yay! It’s working! I get to go to bed!

    Thanks much Lea. I owe you…

  9. Llyralei
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 2:09 PM | Permalink

    Oh my god, it’s stunning. Like, STUNNING.

    As a poor graphic designer in college, I both understand just how much good paper and printing costs, lol, but also as a graphic designer in college… I am very poor. However, I know what’s going on my Christmas list.

  10. brad
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 2:31 PM | Permalink

    When i saw that . . masterpiece, i got chills and my eyes teared up. call me a sissy if you want but that was enough to make we weep at my computer desk, at work lmao!! Great scene, Great work, I’m amazed, and i bought 2!! :) One for me and one for my mother who loves your book as much as i do. Thanks pat, and you truelly are awsome on so many levels. This charity work is just what makes me believe that somedays there might be hope for us as human kind. (Any chance you could get him to do the CGI work for the inevitably Epic, or legendary, Movie to be??) Or do another movie poster :D . .

  11. Vae
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 2:41 PM | Permalink

    um… WOW. That’s all I can really say. His art is amazing, you weren’t embellishing at all Pat. Just gorgeous stuff. And that’s pretty awesome about the whole putting unique quotes on each one and stuff. VERY cool. I like!

  12. Anonymous
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 2:48 PM | Permalink

    A few months ago I actually e-mailed Pat asking if he was having any art done for The Name of the Wind, and he e-mailed me back “sit tight, exciting news coming…”

    After a couple months I pretty much decided that nothing was actually going on with it, after all Pat is a busy man with a book to write and a new baby etc etc.

    So I was very pleasantly surprised this morning to see “Luring the Draccus” posted on Pat’s blog! It looks beautiful Pat, and I can tell you’re very happy with it!

    I hope more art is on the way, because it’s one of my favourite things about fantasy novels, especially J.R.R Tolkien Art and G.R.R.M art…your book/books definatley deserve the same kind of high quality rendering! Thanks again Pat!

  13. John
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 3:12 PM | Permalink

    Thanks Pat for sharing and shining a spotlight on Phil’s gorgeous work! What a beautiful collaberative!

    I’m starting to count my pennies!

  14. Luke
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 3:26 PM | Permalink

    Truly amazing art, but alas i do not like posters…

    I think he captured the scene just right. It ver close to what i had pictured. I also love his idea of wooden dragons and keeping them small. Very interesting idea.

  15. Robin Deffendall
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 4:01 PM | Permalink

    Im speechless. It’s a good thing I can still type I guess. Phil’s work is just… WOW. Could he do your book covers from now on? Not those (most of) those weren’t awesome already…. Or I could seriously get behind the deluxe illustrated edition idea.

    I’m delighted to add Phil to my Personal Pantheon:

    Patrick is my Personal Writing Deity.
    Phil is my Personal Wish I Did Art Like Phil
    McDarby Deity.

    Can you smell the incense and hear the chanting?

    So thanks, Pat, for the link to His Artistic Awesomeness. Made my day.

  16. Cacki
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 4:07 PM | Permalink

    I… want…. one. Curse my lack of wealth. That is one of the most amazing graphic art peices I have ever seen… period.

  17. Nick
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 4:27 PM | Permalink

    It’s blogs like this that bolster my faith in humanity. Phil clearly does awesome work, and the fact that he was willing to take his own time and money to set this opportunity up for us is great. I think now is the time to remind the family that I would distinctly approve of donations/purchaces in my name this Xmas…

  18. Edith
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 4:30 PM | Permalink

    Gorgeous!!

    And it is *not* an extravagant amount. Seriouly. It’s cheap. I recently bought a fantasy poster from an artist for $60 + shipping.

  19. Captain Joe
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 4:59 PM | Permalink

    Yikes, I was sorely tempted for a high end print, yet the poster will do just fine, methinks. Awesome, awesome stuff, Pat.

    To the fundraiser!

  20. Anonymous
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 5:19 PM | Permalink

    A-MAZE-ING!

  21. Valarya
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 5:28 PM | Permalink

    I believe, like all the other blog-o-sphere readers of yours, I am completely floored by this fellows Digital Art.

    These images are so… breathtakingly beautiful. So much they’re making me feel like I’m in Phil’s faery world. Like I could step through the screen and touch the bark of his dragons. I can already imagine what they’d feel like to the skin.

    Just. Freaking. Wow.

    I don’t believe fantasy-art has captivated me so much. Great find in this one, Pat! :)

  22. LaurafromNY
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 7:01 PM | Permalink

    MUST. HAVE. EET!!!!!

    A while ago I asked if you thought about making a book with art from NOTW. Get this guy to help you and your artist friend make one!

    Will this still be available in January…(birthday gift for me from me)

  23. trinza
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 8:01 PM | Permalink

    Wow, I think I just found a Christmas gift to my walls!

    Sadly, I can’t afford the Awesome Version, I’ll have to stick with the smaller print. What a fantastic piece, really.

    If Name of the Wind ever gets turned into a movie, you must make sure he’s hired to do all of the art concepts!

  24. Robert J. McCarter
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 8:35 PM | Permalink

    Pat,

    This is amazing work, utterly amazing.

    I saw this first thing, and it has been tickling my brain all morning.

    What an experience for you to see a piece of your amazing art turned into another form of amazing art, and done with such skill and fidelity.

    Wow, wow.

  25. Anonymous
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 11:19 PM | Permalink

    Holy FRICK!

  26. shredalert
    Posted December 4, 2009 at 11:45 PM | Permalink

    Yeah. He is a bad ass. Nice!

  27. sparkly
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 12:08 AM | Permalink

    ME want….*pantpantpant*….fantastic. I may have to wait for the second round so I can gather up 40 clams, but I definitely want one.

    Phil is extremely talented, I hope his career as an artist just takes off like an arrow!!

    Well done, Pat and Phil!!

  28. Craig
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 12:23 AM | Permalink

    Pat: can you give a brief description of how his 325 euro posters compare to your $48 posters? On his site we can see the image and a small snapshot of one quote.

    In particular; does his have a border with title like yours? Does his ship flat or rolled? About how much bigger is his? (I’m familiar with A1 size, but “twice as big as the one shown” is an even better description!)

  29. Zack Truel
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 1:13 AM | Permalink

    Wow! What a wonderful and amazing picture! he crazy thing is that when I read the book that is almost exactly how I pictured the whole scene. It is awesome to see it for yourself though, amazing work on his part, and great job describing the scene in your book because that is how I had it pictured.

    Wonderful!

  30. Kvothe's#1FAN
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 7:58 AM | Permalink

    Wow!!! I want one… Soo coool. hehe, by the way Pat, just asking, you would’nt happen to be a fan of Cowboy Bebop are you? Uh… coz usually the “See you later space cowboys” usualy pop up after the ending of an episode. Heheh. :D
    I love your book by the way. Ive tried writing a story myself. (^o^)/
    Havent finished it yet… and i dont know when i’d finish it… its been 4 yrs and my story hasnt made any progress. after reading your book, im determined to make it as great and as epic as yours. Hahah even if its just one fourth as great as yours, id be really, really happy. :)
    I swear i’d finish it, and when i do, I’d be honoured if you could read it and give me some advice and what-not… hahah anyways, I love your book, your my hero. XD
    Take care of yourself, wouldnt want anything to happen to the second book. hahakidding. :)

  31. Anonymous
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 11:10 AM | Permalink

    Pat has already admitted that he’s a fan of cowboy bebop. I quote literally:
    “Everyone in their right mind is a fan of Cowboy Bebop”

    As if we needed another reason to love hin ;-)

  32. Jonathan
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 5:22 PM | Permalink

    I have to say, Phil has done a fantastic rendering of your world. It is 99% what I imagined it to look like. For an artist to achieve that level of accuracy in translating an author’s vision is … incredible. Forty dollars is definitely NOT too much to ask for work like that, especially considering the posters are signed and quoted.

    I live up in Canada (the shipping world’s version of hell) and am unemployed, but I am, instead of wasting my time, writing a book. If I had the money – change that – if it was conscionable for me to spend the money, I would.

    Congratulations to you both: the dreamer and the renderer of the world.

  33. Anna D.
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 8:18 PM | Permalink

    I just ordered one for my husband for Christmas!! So exciting!! We are both huge fans of the book!! Fantastic artwork!!

  34. Valentina
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 9:12 PM | Permalink

    WOW. The art is incredible. Reminds me of John Howe’s work. If you’re a fan of realistic fantasy painting, John Howe is AWESOME. I’ve often paged through many art books of mine imagining what it would be like to see some scenes from your book illustrated by my favorite artists. NOW you’ve introduced me to my next favorite artist. YAAAAAAAY! Thanks for the eye candy, Pat!

  35. Dylan
    Posted December 5, 2009 at 9:45 PM | Permalink

    wow awsome art piece

  36. Max
    Posted December 6, 2009 at 3:49 AM | Permalink

    Is there a digital copy I can use as a desktop background?

  37. Emily
    Posted December 6, 2009 at 9:32 AM | Permalink

    I just bought one. And quite literally went “yay!” and waved my hands around when I got confirmation of the order. This poster is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. The print — if I had that much money to spend on a print I wouldn’t be worrying about how to afford an apartment next year, alas. But the gorgeous poster will definitely suffice.

    Also, I love the Cowboy Bebop reference. One of the great classic animes.

    Hey, Pat, I don’t know if you really read all of these comments, but while we’re on the topic of charity, could I suggest something to you? It’s quick, easy, free, and involves adorable little cartoons of cats and dogs. It’s Free Kibble, and just answering trivia questions about dogs (and cats!) lets you donate free kibble to feed shelter animals. You can even sign up for daily email reminders so you don’t even have to bookmark the site.

    Just throwing that out there. I love this little site, so I wanted to share with a fellow charity enthusiast. :)

  38. Steffi
    Posted December 6, 2009 at 9:34 AM | Permalink

    Is it me or does it not name a price on Phil’s website? I can’t seem to find it.

    Awful timing though–I just spent all my money on a graphic tablet and Corel Painter so that I can, perhaps, one day do art half as impressive and beautiful as that. This captures the scene so perfectly, just like I imagined it.

  39. JESSO
    Posted December 7, 2009 at 1:45 AM | Permalink

    I’m not a poster person myself, but if you make an action figure of it I am all on it.

    On a second note, Pat, if you actually read this, I notice your constantly suggesting books. I tried to wait out for your next book, only reading histories and such, but it’s not cutting it anymore and I need to read a fiction. Maybe your top ten could be posted in a blog. No disrespect to your timely delay, I just need something now. Please, take another five years if the second and third book are even half as good as the first.

  40. Kristine
    Posted December 7, 2009 at 3:56 AM | Permalink

    Hey Pat, the picture is amazing! I’m thinking of buying my boyfriend one of the smaller posters for Christmas and was wondering if you could give the exact dimensions (So I could purchase the correct sized frame).

    Can’t wait for the new book!

  41. Angela
    Posted December 7, 2009 at 7:12 AM | Permalink

    You…
    He…
    I am so overwhelmed by the sheer epicness present in this blog. How does he *do* that?! I so can’t wait to start my graphic design classes next year!

    On the less awesome side of things, I must wait an entire month for my next paycheck. CURSES!!!

  42. Pat
    Posted December 7, 2009 at 7:29 AM | Permalink

    Sorry, they’re 18″x24″.

  43. LaurafromNY
    Posted December 7, 2009 at 3:04 PM | Permalink

    @ Steffi,

    The price is 300 euros, and 25 euros for shipping…so save about $500 US

  44. LaurafromNY
    Posted December 7, 2009 at 3:05 PM | Permalink

    @ Steffi,

    The price is 300 euros, and 25 euros for shipping…so save about $500 US

  45. Kirk L. Shaw
    Posted December 7, 2009 at 3:31 PM | Permalink

    Awesome! Looks like a Komodo dragon on viagra.

  46. Nick
    Posted December 7, 2009 at 4:42 PM | Permalink

    RE: Captions that need to be under that poster.

    “Moo.”

    That is all.

  47. Anonymous
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 12:38 AM | Permalink

    that is amazing. it’s pretty much exactly how i imagined it, although i imagined the draccus different. it’s still awesome though. i wish i could draw like that. if i tried to that, the paper would just end up being a blur of dark blue.

  48. Ceels
    Posted December 10, 2009 at 10:12 AM | Permalink

    I just got a chill. I have never seen a picture that looks so much how I imagined the scene. That is all kinds of uncanny.

  49. Vinny K
    Posted December 11, 2009 at 2:30 AM | Permalink

    Damn! Those posters kick major ass! I’m definitely asking for one for Christmas!

  50. Stewart
    Posted December 11, 2009 at 10:41 AM | Permalink

    I’ve had that photo as my desktop for quite some time now. When I first saw it I was blown away from the detail, and I had to have it. I might just buy one.

  51. Anonymous
    Posted December 11, 2009 at 8:59 PM | Permalink

    My imagination has a slightly better picture, but only just :P…LOVE LOVE LOVE this

  52. Anonymous
    Posted December 12, 2009 at 4:27 PM | Permalink

    I was just wondering ~ If I ordered a poster last weekend how soon it would be shipped?? Thank You for this wonderful art. I can’t wait to give it to my husband for Christmas!!

  53. Anonymous
    Posted December 14, 2009 at 7:50 PM | Permalink

    I just received mine in the mail. It looks great, and the silver ink was an especially nice touch.

    My best to both you and Mr. McDarby,

    ~Derek

  54. jcp
    Posted December 15, 2009 at 3:24 AM | Permalink

    Mine arrived today as well.

    Thin, heavy cardboard tube protected the poster well, and the silver ink signature really popped on the black border.

    Looks really nice – I’d love to see one made for the next book, whenever that is. ;)

  55. Kristine
    Posted December 15, 2009 at 4:49 PM | Permalink

    Mine got dented and the poster bent in transit, right in the middle :( Stupid USPS.

  56. Cindy
    Posted December 16, 2009 at 11:48 PM | Permalink

    HOLY COW. That drawing is amazing! It makes me want to read the book all over again. In fact, I think I will……..

  57. Anonymous
    Posted December 17, 2009 at 11:49 AM | Permalink

    I received mine too. It is wrapped and under the tree!! Thank you so much Pat for this wonderful gift! Cannot wait for my husband to open it next week!!

  58. Logan
    Posted December 21, 2009 at 3:37 PM | Permalink

    The artwork is incredible–exactly how I imagined it.

    @Tyson, the one who “never really loved that scene in the book”, Didn’t seem essential to the story?!? This is the scene when our hero slays the dragon! Albeit in a very different way than it’s been told before. I was floored by this part of the book (seriously, I writhed). So original, so beautiful, and so awesome!

    Having this poster is becoming a case of need. Great work!

  59. JP
    Posted December 23, 2009 at 9:25 PM | Permalink

    That looks super cool. If I get some dough for Christmas hopefully there are some left.
    Though I will have to admit (with some guilt) I will probably put it up on my dormroom. As I don’t live anywhere else or have another spot to put it. :)

  60. Anonymous
    Posted February 3, 2010 at 7:29 AM | Permalink

    Oh god… I clicked the link, and for about 5 minutes the only things I was able to do was let out a sound of pure joy and sit teary-eyed without moving. Oh…. curse the world where a penniless teenager has to be taunted by the existence of such a magnificent image yet be unable to own it mounted proudly upon his wall… sigh.

  61. oiamslain
    Posted September 3, 2010 at 10:53 AM | Permalink

    Not sure if anyone will see this, being as the last post was 7 months ago, but are these posters still available? I just stumbled across this, and I think it’s very close to the coolest thing ever!

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