Kevin Long (artist)

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For other people of the same name, see Kevin Long.

Kevin Long is a graphic artist best known for his airbrush paintings and black-and-white illustrations in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. He was the premiere artist at Palladium Books from 1986 until 1995 and served as one of the original contributors to the Rifts role-playing game (RPG) series. Much of his work during this period helped establish the style and tone of Rifts and had a tremendous influence on the quality of art in RPG publications.

Biography

Kevin Long grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan and attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, where he majored in advertising illustration. Upon graduating, Long worked in the local advertising industry. Having completed a five-year stint in his chosen profession, he was lured away by the artistic and creative freedom offered by Palladium Books.[1][2] While there, Long built his reputation as one of the most popular illustrators in the role-playing industry. In addition to having created the dynamic look of various characters, vehicles, and equipment in Rifts, he co-authored a number of other Palladium RPG titles. However, Long left Palladium in August 1995 for unspecified reasons. Certain sources initially made the unequivocal claim that he was "fired",[3][4] while others have more recently suggested that his separation was voluntary.[5] Whichever the case may be, the circumstances of Long's departure have been the subject of periodic discussion and speculation amongst RPG enthusiasts over the ensuing years.[6][7][8][9]

In October 1997, Raven Software hired Long as a 2-D artist. He was responsible for some of the graphics in Hexen II: Portal of Praevus (1998), Heretic II (1998), Soldier of Fortune (2000), Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force (2000), Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix (2002), and Quake 4 (2005).[10] In 2007, Long was the Art Lead on Wolfenstein.[11][12]

Role-playing game credits

Works are listed in order of publication date within their respective categories.

Palladium Books

Nearly all of Long's illustrations appearing in titles released after his departure from Palladium are taken from earlier publications.[n 1] The liberal (and occasionally indiscriminate) recycling of artwork, both within and among their various game series, is a peculiar though fairly standard characteristic of Palladium books.[n 2] Resultingly, it is not uncommon to encounter illustrations that either recur multiple times over the span of a single volume[n 3] or lack some degree of relevance to the subject at hand due to being applied outside of their original contexts.[n 4] It is frequently the case that these illustrations are not reproduced in their entirety, portions having been trimmed away or the image itself reoriented in order to frame and focus upon certain elements or merely conform to space limitations.[n 5] Subsequently, the signature or identifying mark of the artist – traditionally located at or near the margins of the work – may be omitted, which can make it difficult to determine a given illustration's authorship. Such is the case with many of Long's contributions to Palladium; despite having received attribution on a given book's title page, often the sole means of identifying specific instances of his work is through recognition of his singular style and technique.[n 6] (It should be pointed out that Long is not the only artist employed by Palladium, whether past or present, for whom this holds true.)

Beyond the Supernatural

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Additional text and ideas, interior art and photographs.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.

Heroes Unlimited

File:Heroes Unlimited RPG Villain NPC.jpg
Illustration of a superpowered villain non-player character, from Villains Unlimited: A Sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited (May 1992).
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Coauthor, cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Additional text and concepts, interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Coauthor, interior art.

Macross II

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.

Nightbane

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].

Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Coauthor, additional art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Additional text and concepts, interior art.

Rifts

File:Rifts RPG Psi-Stalker Dog Boys.jpg
Illustration of a Coalition Psi-Stalker commanding a pack of mutant Dog Boys, from the Rifts role-playing game core rulebook (August 1990).
Core
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art and paintings.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art, Rifts logo design.
World
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – [Out of Print] Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Additional text and ideas, cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Additional designs and concepts, cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Additional concepts, interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover art; interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Contributing artist.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
Dimension
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover and interior art.
Source
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
Conversion
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and additional art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover and additional art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
Other
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].

Robotech

File:Robotech RPG Veritech Alpha Fighter.jpg
Illustration of a Veritech Alpha Fighter in battloid mode, from The Robotech Role-Playing Game Book Five: The Invid Invasion (May 1988).
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and additional art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and additional art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Additional text and ideas, cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and interior art.

The Rifter

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art; interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover and interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.

Miscellaneous

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover, armour, castle, and additional art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Additional art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [Out of Print] – Cover art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art [uncredited].

Shadowrun

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (SKU 7322) [Out of Print] – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (SKU 7906) [Out of Print] – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (SKU 7910) – Interior art.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (SKU 10662) – Interior art.

Other games

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. – Interior art.

Notes

  1. ↑ In the premiere issue of The Rifter (Smith ed. 1998), which featured one of Long's most iconic images – a ley line walker from the Rifts RPG (Siembieda 1990, p. 133) – on its front cover, Siembieda claimed "there is a pile of Long art done for Palladium that has yet to see publication" (p. 4). Since then, only 11 previously unreleased illustrations have appeared in print, the last instance of which occurred in October 2001.
  2. ↑ To demonstrate, consider what may be Long's most seminal contribution to the Palladium legacy: his work on the Rifts RPG core rulebook (Siembieda 1990). There are 102 individual illustrations to his credit in this particular title (not counted are a pair on which Long and Siembieda collaborated). Of these, six were previously featured in other books. Accounting for all repeat occurrences (13 images appear more than once), what remains are the title and logo, seven colour plates, one colour line illustration, and 66 black-and-white line illustrations – 75 in total. To date, 48 of these images have been reused in 22 titles over five separate game series – primarily Rifts Ultimate Edition (Siembieda et al. 2005) – and in nine issues of The Rifter. One of them has reappeared ten times in seven other titles.
  3. ↑ In Rifts World Book Five: Triax and the NGR (Siembieda & Long 1994), for instance, certain elements of "First-Timer", a short illustrated narrative by Long (p. 25–32), are reproduced elsewhere on pages 10, 15, 17, 24, 80, 124, 164, 165, 172, 206, 214, and 219 of the same book.
  4. ↑ One especially egregious attempt to repurpose an illustration can be seen on page 70 of Mystic China (Wujcik & Siembieda 1995). The original, from Rifts Conversion Book (Siembieda 1991, p. 90), depicts a male elf in the process of weaving an enchantment; it accompanies a description of the elven race from the Palladium Fantasy RPG setting. In Mystic China, however, the image is featured in a section about qi and feng shui. The subject's hair has been lengthened on both sides in order to conceal the tips of his pointed ears (a near-universal racial characteristic of elves in the fantasy genre), and he has also been furnished with a Fu Manchu-style moustache, presumably to give him a more "ethnic" countenance. It cannot be ascertained whether Long or someone else is responsible for these alterations. Given that all of his other illustrations in Mystic China were also taken from other titles, it is unclear whether or not he was involved in the book's production.
  5. ↑ Long's quarter-page illustration in Rifts Conversion Book (Siembieda 1991, p. 83) of a sorcerer atop a mountain – clouds swirling overhead as he calls down a bolt of lightning from the sky – has been featured, at least in part, among four other Palladium titles. Small segments of the image, vaguely centered on the eye of the vortex (and not showing much else), are found serving as placeholders on page 67 of Rifts World Book Two: Atlantis (Siembieda, Sheiring, & Marciniszyn 1992), and again – reframed slightly and turned upside down, for no discernible reason – on page 144 of Rifts World Book 18: Mystic Russia (Siembieda, Sumimoto, & Cartier 1998). In all cases, the illustration's provenance is not indicated.
  6. ↑ There are a number of titles published just before and then following Long's separation from Palladium in which his work was used but his name was not correspondingly listed on their respective title pages. Several of them – Nightbane (Carella & Siembieda 1995, p. 186); The Rifter Number 7 (Smith ed. 1999, p. 70); Rifts Aftermath (Siembieda & Coffin 2002, p. 45); etc. – involve large or otherwise full-page illustrations. In certain cases, there would appear to be a catchall category – such as "other Palladium madmen" in The Rifter – designed to cover any contributors not specifically mentioned, but the work is still listed as "uncredited" for purposes of this section.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [quoting Erick Wujcik]
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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