by danvoltzart
I’m not sure where the idea for this piece came from. Space whales are certainly not anything that I can take credit for inventing. The idea is as old as science fiction (or thereabouts). But I do like the idea of lifeforms that reside in space. It’s just kinda cool. I also like the idea of people doing right by nature. So I the story of this space whale popped into my head. It’s a rare creature, and its centenary […]
Categories: Original Art, Science FIction
by danvoltzart
One of my favorite novels of all time is Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation, although I dearly love the entire Southern Reach trilogy. That novel is what inspired this particular artwork. Which is funny, because it’s not like this painting is necessarily a scene out of the novel. I mean, it could be. But I wanted something that hit the mood more than was a direct adaptation. Hence, the vines and the skeletons. And, if you look really closely at the lighthouse, you might […]
Categories: Fan Art, Original Art, Science FIction
by danvoltzart
The summer in Minnesota has been mostly mild so far. But last week got really, really hot. So, naturally, I started thinking about winter. I think that’s where this piece came from. At first, I was thinking about a ship stuck in the ice. But slowly, it morphed into a more sci-fi-style setting. And, if you crash on an ice planet, you’re definitely going to want to salvage what you can. So the focus of the piece, then, became the […]
Categories: Original Art, Science FIction
by danvoltzart
So, a few months back, I was commissioned to design a starship and create some cool art. The starship would be the setting for a Star Trek Adventures actual play podcast (for those who don’t know, an actual play podcast is kind of like a tabletop role-playing-game radio show… You get to watch other people play an RPG and it’s way more fun than it sounds!). Anyway, the Endeavour herself has some pretty nifty features. The most interesting is the […]
Categories: Fan Art, Original Art, Star Trek
by danvoltzart
Who wouldn’t want a velociraptor as a best friend? I know it’s definitely something I thought about a lot while I was growing up. I mean, sure, playing fetch with your dog is great. It is. But what if you could play fetch with a velociraptor, too? In this piece, I wanted to stay away from the Jurassic Park-style velociraptor. In reality, these animals were much smaller. And I liked the way the smaller critter measures up to the human. […]
Categories: Original Art, Science FIction
by danvoltzart
I really enjoyed making this piece. It’s the third in my “science fiction in the suburbs” series. This piece features a Tyrannosaur making an appearance at the local bus stop. It’s something that, as a child, I imagined quite frequently (especially at bus stops–I always hated the bus stop, and imagining dinosaurs helped make waiting less of an ordeal). The two teens in the piece are reacting to the Rex with two different emotions: sheer joy and absolute panic. And […]
Categories: Original Art, Science FIction
by danvoltzart
This is the second piece in my “suburban fantastic” series. I’ve had this particular image in my head for months, and it’s nice to see it all out on paper. Well, digital paper? You know what I mean. The idea here is that there’s a gigantic, imminent threat–a world-ending threat. And the suburban guy in his nice SUV is just, well, ignoring it. Until it shows up behind him with an incinerator. You can figure out the subtext on your […]
Categories: Original Art, Science FIction
by danvoltzart
Indy author John Wilker contacted me a couple months back and asked if I would illustrate the main characters to his space action/opera series Space Rogues. I jumped at the chance, and I’m glad I did. This project was a lot of fun to complete. There are six members of the crew. From left to right, they’re: Gabe (an Android), Benny, Wil (the captain), Cynthia, Zephyr, and Maxim. I haven’t had the privilege of reading the series yet myself, but it’s […]
Categories: Original Art, Science FIction
by danvoltzart
I’m super excited about this piece, which I plan to be the start of a series of paintings depicting science fiction and fantasy in the suburbs. I know, the suburbs seem kind of… mundane. But that’s what I like about the idea: merging the fantastic with the mundane. It’s also kind of a new style of piece for me–but that’s also what makes it a bit exciting. Okay, back to the piece: velociraptors. Every time I see a flock […]
Categories: Fantasy, Original Art
by danvoltzart
This art is definitely inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder style RPG games. I’ve always loved the art in tabletop roleplaying games, and so this piece was a lot of fun. I can just imagine her breaking in through the window and sneaking up on her prey…. You know, like a rogue assassin type.
Categories: Fantasy, Original Art
