Today we’re excited to welcome American artist and illustrator Paul Carrick to Sorcery: Contested Realm.
Best known for his evocative H.P. Lovecraft-inspired artwork, Paul has spent decades illustrating strange worlds and ancient horrors. Now, he brings that experience to Sorcery, beginning with The White Death, featured in Frost Mage vs. Lavamancer , releasing worldwide on November 13, 2026.
An Imagination Shaped by Illustration
Born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard, Paul grew up in a highly creative family, with both his parents creating children’s books together, some inspired by his own childhood adventures. Most of the art that captured his attention was illustration, so pursuing it professionally felt like a natural path. But one childhood discovery would push his imagination firmly toward fantasy.
“I was exposed to Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as a kid, and that changed everything,” Paul recalls. “I would pore over the illustrations again and again. They were, and still are, very evocative to my imagination.”
Paul went on to study illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design before beginning his freelance career in the early 1990s, working within the same tabletop and roleplaying worlds that had first inspired him. Since then, Paul has created hundreds of illustrations for games and magazines, alongside children’s books, album covers, book covers, and other creative commissions. Now, he finds his way to the Contested Realm.
From Lovecraft to the Realm
For many years, Paul served as a featured illustrator for the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game.
One particularly memorable milestone brought his work into the company of one of imaginative art’s most influential figures. “One favorite moment that always pops into my mind was the great honor of having my art hung next to H.R. Giger’s at a Lovecraft-themed exhibit in a Swiss museum.”
From cosmic horror to medieval fantasy, Paul will be right at home in Sorcery.
Acrylic 1.0: Painting The White Death
If you know anything about Sorcery, you’ll know that we pride ourselves on the hand-painted traditional art that brings the realm to life. When it comes to traditional mediums, acrylic paint is less a choice for Paul and more a familiar language, one he developed over decades of traditional illustration.
“I feel the most familiar with acrylic,” he explains. “It’s what I’ve used the most over the years.”
Its quick-drying-time lets him build and revise an image without losing momentum, particularly with a little help from a hair dryer. It is also forgiving enough to accommodate the changes that occur as an idea takes shape. “Acrylic is also very forgiving. I often wind up repainting sections until I’m pleased with them,” he adds.
This freedom proved essential while creating The White Death. Before making his first sketch, Paul spent several days turning the concept over in his mind, searching for ways to push the idea further or introduce an unexpected twist. He then dove into researching crossbows, studying how they are held and fired to help shape the character’s pose. He also examined forms of arctic camouflage, adapting what he found into medieval design that would feel at home in the realm.
For Paul, every painting is a puzzle, and the challenge with The White Death was how to depict a character whose greatest strength is not being seen.
“I felt the crux of this puzzle was making the unseen seen to the viewer while still trying to preserve what makes this character special,” he says. “A sniper this skilled would probably never be seen in a blizzard, but…that wouldn’t make for a very interesting portrait!”
The solution was to place the figure somewhere between concealment and discovery, bursting forth at the moment of attack.
Painting The White Death for Sorcery also encouraged Paul to leave more evidence of the artwork’s physical creation in the finished image. Earlier in his career, he sometimes felt pressure to disguise those qualities so his paintings would fit more comfortably alongside digital artwork. With Sorcery, the brushwork, revisions, and textures left by the artist’s hand could become part of the illustration’s identity.
“I’ve been asked what software I use,” Paul says, “to which I’ll reply, ‘Acrylic 1.0.’”
Making Room for the Artist
We’re honored to have Paul lending his talents to Sorcery, and thrilled to have the opportunity to share his creativity with the realm.
Giving artists that freedom has been an important part of Sorcery form the very beginning.
“With Sorcery, I am given a lot of free rein to play to my strengths and interests, and there always seems to be plenty of room to put more of myself into the art,” he says. “I think the outcome speaks for itself!”
A Message to the Community
Paul also has a message for the players, collectors, and fans supporting Sorcery and traditional fantasy art.
“I’d extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you who appreciate and support traditional art and artists,” he says. “Sorcery feels like a gaming renaissance, harkening back to the era which first inspired me to paint. None of this would be possible without the players and collectors!”
Explore more of Paul’s artwork at nightserpent.com.
Welcome to the Realm, Paul.
Find more at Paul Carrick's artist page
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