WOODS OF DESOLATION album artwork for "AS THE STARS"

Recently finished album artwork for WOODS OF DESOLATION's upcoming album "AS THE STARS". The album is set to release on February 14th 2014 by NORTHERN SILENCE PRODUCTIONS. This is the first project in a very long time that required me to hand color an illustration and although there was a slight adjustment at first, i had a lot of fun working on this album cover and am very glad i got to use watercolor again for something. Several current projects im working on require black and white paint, but hopefully it wont be long until another project calls for watercolor. More album info and details as well as a preview track "This Autunm Light" can be found on the Northern Silence website as well as the official Woods Of Desolation Facebook page: http://www.northern-silence.de/index2.htm / https://www.facebook.com/pages/Woods-of-Desolation-Official/169396779759552

"Shadow Of The Altar" Original artwork for COUGH now up for sale!

I recently posted another original illustration up on my webstore, "Shadow Of The Altar" drawing/painting which was used for COUGH's 2011 Australian tour. The work is 11 1/2" X 22" Technical pen and gouache on wet media illustration board. View at the webstore: http://lucasruggieriillustration.bigcartel.com/product/shadow-of-the-altar-original-cough-illustration

Work in progress: 5th piece in the series for NUNSLAUGHTER

This is the final sketch ready to be inked for the 5th cover design in this body of work for NUNSLAUGHTER. This cover was primarily inspired by the lyrics of the song "HEX".  Along with some preliminary work for a 7" cover for Australia's SEWERCIDE, inking this piece today will make for a busy finish to a very busy weekend. More to come soon!

EARTHLING shirt design

Shirt design for EARTHLING, from Richmond, VA. I was commissioned for this piece by the bands current label FORCEFIELD records. Its always interesting to work for bands that i have never heard before but it makes it that much better when i am completely blown away upon hearing them for the first time. Check these guys out and make sure to get their awesome debut EP Dark Path, available here at Forcefield: http://www.forcefieldrecords.org/store/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=earthling&x=-328&y=-609

NUNSLAUGHTER cover artwork THE DEVILS CONGERIES VOL. I

This is the first design in an extensive series of work for NUNSLAUGHTER. THE DEVILS CONGERIES VOL. I is composed of NunSlaughter 7" splits and 7" live releases. I am very excited to finally be posting the first design for this project which will roughly span one year. More progress updates and finished work posts to come in the near future!

LOCUSTA back patch design

My first ever back patch design for LOCUSTA.  When the band approached me about doing a back patch, not only was i excited to work on my first patch, but also to work on hand lettering an already beautiful logo by the ridiculously talented "Lord of the Logo's", Christophe Szpajdel. The patches should be available soon. For more information check out Locusta's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Locusta614

DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT poster design

New poster design for an upcoming DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT show in Liverpool. Although for  obvious reasons i wont be able to attend the show, I am very excited to get to do the poster for such and awesome lineup, and also to able to work with color for the first time in a while.

GHOUL/MANIAXE!!! shirt design

Along with pre orders for the album, this MANIAXE!!! shirt will be available at Tankcrimes starting tomorrow afternoon. This design the last page of the comic, and happens to be one of my favorites. More details about the edition i will be having made of the comics to come in the near future!

First look at the GHOUL comic / Hand bound edition to be made!

Here is one of the panels from the MANIAXE! comic that will be included in the first 1000 copies of the album. The album will include both comics, but i will be having screen prints of just the MANIAXE pages made without the comic for Pleasant Screams/Forbidden Crypts, to be hand bound and editioned. More details about this project along with other previews of some of the panels to come in the near future!

BATTLEMASTER shirt design

New shirt design for Richmond's BATTLEMASTER. The design was inspired by lyrics to a song titled "Fearless Penetrator" from their upcoming full length. The shirt and album will be available soon.

ELDER/PET THE PREACHER shirt design

New Shirt design for the upcoming ELDER and PET THE PREACHER European tour. Pen and ink, 2013.

DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT May 2013 U.K. tour poster design.

DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT has just announced a small tour at the end of May, with special guests BOSSK. For the poster design i tried to keep the content of the image consistent with the hoodie design of mine that they posted for sale at the very beginning of the year, while elaborating further into the concept behind the hoodie design. Technical pen, and sumi ink, 2013.

GHOUL comic book!

                                                  (MANIAXE cover art by Jake Karns)

Tankcrimes has recently announced that they will be including a comic book that i illustrated to GHOUL lyrics in the first ever pressing if the legendary album MANIAXE on vinyl. The comic consists of two separate comics, one of the lyrics to Pleasant screams/Forbidden crypts that i did in 2009, and one of the lyrics to the title track MANIAXE that i did late last year. Both songs are two of my favorites off the album, not to mention the homage to PILEDRIVER that ghoul pays in the remastered/re-release of the album in the intro to Pleasant screams. Ill be posting some of the work from the new comic along with detail photos closer to the release date. I am incredibly honored to have any kind of involvement with my favorite album by one of my favorite bands, and it is interesting to have the two comics together and see how my work has changed over the past 4 years.

LOCUSTA shirt design

New design for the death metal band LOCUSTA, based in Ohio. Its always an honor to work for any band that i personally love and listen to on a regular basis, and Locusta is always on heavy rotation. Check them out at their facebook page and make sure to get your hands on their incredible self title full length released in 2010: http://www.facebook.com/Locusta614/app_2405167945

"Witches Cauldron" Original Jucifer flyer art up for sale!

The original artwork for my Jucifer flyer "Witches Cauldron" is now up for sale on my webstore. Framed in a 11"1/2 x 16" black mat, 17" x 21" black wooden frame. Available framed or unframed at: http://lucasruggieriillustration.bigcartel.com/

Original work "Gate of Tartarus" now up for sale!

 I have finally picked up some framing equipment and got my first piece of original art up on my webstore. The Original work is 10" x 15", pen, sumi ink, and watercolor on Strathmore wet media illustration board. The Frame is a 21" x  17" wood frame, that i painted with black acrylic and then smeared pastel chalk into the woodgrain. Available on my webstore: http://lucasruggieriillustration.bigcartel.com/

Upcoming sketchbook show

I've been going through some old preliminary work and other various sketches in order to get ready for a massive sketchbook show that will be happening at The Ashmore Gallery in Savannah from January 18th through the 25th. There will be more than 120 artists participating, each with their own 2' X 12' wall space. These are just a few of the sketches of mine that will be up in the show.