JEShields and the Art of Love

James Shields is, in my opinion, the premiere artist in the OSR. His strong line work, dynamic images, and the sheer diversity of what he can bring to life through his art leaves me in awe. James's work was a cornerstone in bringing the visual style of White Star (and especially White Star: Galaxy Edition) to life. It's as if he were somehow reaching into my brain and drawing out how I saw the world of my pulp sci-fi opus.

But James is more than just a guy who can create images for sci-fi, fantasy, cyberpunk, post apocalyptic, modern, or pretty much any other genre of games. He's a Good Man. I have been thrilled to have James's work appear in many of my own products. I am humbled and honored to call him a friend. His generosity, as a creator and as a person, knows no bounds. He's enthusiastic, supportive, and a great guy to talk to. On a professional level, his comissioned work comes back on time and he maitains strong communication the whole time. I can't think of an artist I'd rather work with more than James.

If you want to see just a sample of his work, check out JEShields, his company. He's got hundreds of stock art images from a myriad of genres - and he's even kind enough to make many of them available for free or at a PYWY rate. In spite of his amazing talents, James uses his gifts to be a pillar of the OSR. He does what he does out of love of this community and love of the games we all play.

He wants to bring more art to us all. Maybe you're a publisher looking for more images for your products, or maybe you've seen James's work in products you've purchased. In either case, James's style has probably shaped a game you know and love. So, I'm asking you as a fellow gamer, to help him bring his Kickstarter to life. I've seen what he's got planned, and the price points he's offering for Backer Rewards are worth it at twice the price.

Do it because you love gaming. Do it because you love seeing more art in your books. But most importantly, do it because there's a man who is making these things as an act of love. Please support his continued growth as one of the greatest visual minds in the OSR today.