Fantasy Portfolio

Email: Jorge@jorgesantiagojr.com

Updated 6-13-2024

Book of the Usurper Gazetteer Illustrations for Erin M. Evans - These illustrations were commissioned by Erin M. Evans to promote and illustrate the different peoples of her original fantasy novels, Empire of Exiles and Relics of Ruin, published by Orbit Books. Erin provided her notes and references for the inspirations of the people, and I created the art and designed these cards to help present the people online and in pdfs. I wanted to try and illustrate these in the rendering style of Tsubasa Masao, the character artist on Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together.

Empire of Exiles and Relics of Ruin Promotional Illustration - These 2 illustrations were commissioned by Erin M. Evans to promote her two new original fantasy novels. I was sent advance copies of the books, and after sending Erin various sketches and designs, we ended up choosing for me to draw the inciting incidents of both books. Both books are excellent mysteries set in a fantasy universe, so this gave me the opportunity to include some of the rich cultures and incorporate some clues to the story in the illustrations. The first is a sorrowful murderer looking upon his crime, meant to sow doubt as to whether he did this of his own volition. The second is a bloodied young man and a man in a uniform stumbling upon a cave covered in visages of a deific horned woman, as they uncover her skeleton in a crate buried in the earth at their feet. These images were meant to be used as prints, bookmarks, and device wallpapers, so the images were designed to work in all these formats.

Empire of Exiles Full Sized Illustration

Empire of Exiles Bookmark

Relics of Ruin Full Size Illustration

Relics of Ruin Bookmark

Illarys Pitch Art - This is a collection of illustrations and comic pages I created for a graphic novel pitch that I've been working on. The story is about 2 young half-elven children who become refugees while trying to flee their oppressive homeland that is ruled by tyrannical dragons. The book was aimed at the YA audience with some action to boost the coming of age story.

The illustration focuses on the titular character, Illarys, who is keeping a solemn vigil while her little brother Talbot rests against her.

These illustrations were made for the pitch pdf of key moments in the first volume's synopsis. I was inspired by Gary Gianni's work in "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" so I wanted to create drawings that captured that same energy and detail within my own story.

 

Honor Bound - This is a new story I started in late 2023 and my first honest to goodness romance story. Honor Bound follows the story of a young squire named Zheng (They/them) who is in love with Rayner Curran (He/him), the son of the baron to whom Zheng is a squire. When the barony comes under attack of a ruthless bandit queen, the Baron and Zheng ride out to meet the bandit, with the promise that upon their successful return, Zheng and Rayner will marry. Zheng will learn that some promises are easier made than kept. The story will focus on Zheng doing everything they can to make it back safely to Rayner, even defying death to make it home to their love.

The cover for the Ashcan comic, where a wounded Zheng (blue) is seeing visions of Rayner (pink) dissolving into a flurry of raven feathers.

All art created by Jorge Santiago Jr. Book of the Usurper, Empire of Exiles, and Relics of Ruin and the characters belong to Erin M. Evans, the art here is posted with Erin's permission. Honor Bound and Illarys are both written and drawn by Jorge Santiago Jr.

Email: Jorge@jorgesantiagojr.com