INDEPENDENT TTRPG CREATOR ARTIST INTERVIEW: Maple Dragoon

Artists are a group of people that TTRPG people admire, they bring mental creations to life and give them not only a face but an almost photographic snapshop of what they're imagining. Here we've been lucky enough to grab a word with Maple Dragoon, an Australian TTRPG Artist and podcaster over at Reflex Save.

Here's what they had to say...

Totally Pawsome:  As an artist, what comes first for you, the story or a snapshot and why?

Maple Dragoon:  The story has to come first. I don’t doodle as a pastime, or draw anything that doesn’t have a purpose per se. There’s always a fun or dark story behind each creation! That’s usually thanks to all the people that have come to me requesting a picture or drawing the scenes of my podcast (Reflex Save) favourite moments. 

TP:  What would you say sells your art to people?

MD:  Possible that I don’t have a specific style. It’s been described as Painterly or Cartoonish-Realism. It’s not quite like a lot of other artists and definitely a signature of mine that makes it stand out to anyone scrolling across it

TP:  Why the TTRPG space?

MD:  Everyone’s character has a fantastic background! It’s like getting a short story and conjuring up the visual accompaniment for it. I love how enthused people are to sharing their character or monster design, and really getting involved with the minute details. Also knowing that my art will be used in their campaigns is a lovely bonus!

TP:  What is your favourite piece that you've created and why?

MD:  Oh, there’s so many! If I could be cheeky and select 2? The first would be a piece I did for friend who goes by @WintermaneEU and his Female Scourge Aasimar; mainly because I really did improve greatly on how I rendered metal armour. The other would be for the @RollBritannia podcast. I think their show is the only thing I’ve drawn whatever could be considered “fanart”. 

TP:  Coming up with a piece is often an idea that gets written into a journal to come back on. How often do you find yourself working on one piece and another comes to mind and can you give an example?

MD:  Unfortunately I do suffer from Aphantasia, meaning I can’t visualise anything in my head, so I rely heavily on getting people to tell me what to draw. I don’t get epiphanies that inspire me and rarely do I go out of my way to draw anything that have “touched” me. It sounds like a really clinical way to approach art, but it’s been working out well so far!

TP:  What do you think is most inspiring about your pieces and why?

MD:  I think whenever someone see my pictures, they will know (or now know after reading this) 90% of them were done for free because I feel everyone deserves something nice, and if I can offer my skills as an artist to give them that, then I will. Art is typically a medium that comes with a heavy price tag (rightfully so because it’s bloody time consuming!) but at least if I forfeit my need to take money for art, another deserving artist will get paid instead in the future. I want to inspire more people to do nice things for each other.

TP:  Where do you see your artwork taking you in 5 years?

MD:  In more 3rd party modules! It’s been a blast to already have my art in 4 works now and I’d love to continue that journey for many years to come.

TP:  If you were given the time and opportunity to create anything you wanted what would it be and why?

MD:  A coin flip between drawing an entire comic series of my podcast or drawing more Eldritch horror monsters; specifically astronomically huge eyeball beasts staring right into the very soul of a human. I have that 2nd on written down so I don’t forget I should draw that one day! 

TP:  Who do you admire int eh fantasy art community and why?
MD:  There’s no particular one person. I don’t put anyone on a pedestal and say I admire them as there’s so many people that are absolutely fantastic. It would be unfair to single out any one person.

In saying that, Alan Tucker was the first person to ever ask me and follow through with putting my art in a book and I will be forever thankful to him for that. He really is a pillar in believing in fantasy artists and writers and helping them. 

TP:  What got you into TTRPG's in the first place?

MD:  My husband! He introduced me to DND 10 years ago. Before then, I played Scrabble and Cluedo and Dominos. Those were my tabletop games, no RPG at all!