Fire & Axe

Fire & Axe is a classic board game that goes for more than $200 second hand online if you can find it.  It's been out of print for years but, do to popular demand, it's returning with a brand new deluxe edition and Lamin Illustration & Design is pleased to announce that our latest illustration work will grace the cover of Fire & Axe, the newest board game release from Pandasaurus Games and IDW Games coming this May. 

Forgotten Kingdom's: Dream of Ruin

Forgotten Kingdom’s: Dream of Ruin is a hidden object puzzle game for PC and MAC developed developed by Vast Studios and distributed through Big Fish Games in which I was a concept designer.  It was a wonderful project to work on where I was responsible for sketching out all of the characters, backgrounds and prop designs that were subsequently used was the guide for the matte painters to follow.  You can take a look at some of the design work below or visit our Professional Work page HERE!

Modernity District

Story:

This district is a glass and steel monument of watchful control and order for all looking to cultivate their lives among the world's greatest artists in the world's greatest economy.

Inspiration:

"Blade Runner" is an iconic movie that the science fiction genre still pulls inspiration from.  With that in mind I put together a "Blade Runner" inspired city that I wanted to have the feeling of being futuristic, ominous and dark.  The cityscape was a design combination of two of the most densely populated cities in the world, New York and Tokyo.  This reference point lead my painting and design process through my initial idea of a city a little too dark and sparse; to something too industrialized and factory-like to, finally, a large dense metropolis illuminated by street lights and office windows.

www.laminmartin.com

Little Darling

Story:

"From me to you Little one, know that I will always watch over you, I will always protect you and I will always love you.  Carry my example onto your children and you will make me proud."

Inspiration:

To me dragons have always been majestic, wise and loving creatures.  With the idea that they are very family oriented I decided to come up with an image of a mother caring for her baby while walking through a forest.  I really wanted to focus on the warmth of the lighting to parallel the warmth of a mother's love for her child.

www.laminmartin.com

Pixels (2015)

Summer is filled with film production work turning the city of Toronto into a fantasy land of movie magic.  Lamin Illustration & Design was contacted by the dream making powers that be to do illustration work for the upcoming Chris Columbus feature film, Pixels, starring Adam Sandler, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage, Ashley Benson, Josh Gad and Kevin James.  We were extremely excited to contribute to the project and once the film is released in 2015 we'll be posting some of our illustration work for you to see!

Take Care!

Charon

Story:

The rise and fall of the waters parallel the rise of life and its subsequent decent into death.  It's a river that can be rapids or eerily calm amidst the endless hordes of lost souls who wait on its shores for the ferryman to guide them across it's murky depths . . . so long as they have their fare.

Inspiration:

In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon is the name of the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the river Styx and Acheron that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead.  

When coming up with this illustration I decided that instead of the ferryman maneuvering a boat, what if he was the boat.  Why not have the boat as an extension of his lower half and the lantern an extension of his lower jaw.  I also thought that maybe I should make the boat bigger so that more than one person can traverse the waters at one time.  But then I realized that this is a voyage on the way to Hades, and what could be more torturous than standing and waiting in line for an eternity!

www.laminmartin.com

Eleven

Story:

If there’s a cord powerful enough to shake the gates of heaven & hell, believe me, I’m gonna’ find it. 

XOXO, Julie

Inspiration:

The idea for “Eleven” came from my love of bands like Veruca Salt, the Lunachicks and L7.  When forming my love for illustration their music was the soundtrack and source of inspiration for the worlds that I would escape into and I’ll always be eternally grateful.  And of course the title “Eleven” is an homage to the greatest mock band and the greatest rock mockumentary, “This is Spinal Tap”.