Dark fantasy art fans and gamers alike will rejoice at today’s release of veteran fantasy illustrator Tom Baxa’s new art book Blood Rituals: The Art of Tom Baxa. Baxa’s art for notable games like Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, World of Warcraft tcg, Darksun, L5R, Shadowrun, miniatures and more has been in high demand for years, and is available now for the first time in this one comprehensive collection.

Said longtime Tom Baxa fan and veteran illustrator Dave Dorman, “Tom’s characters step right out of your most horrific fantasy nightmares with exquisite detail. For gaming and horror fans, this is the art book to buy this month.”

Tom Baxa’s paintings are known for their energetic and dramatic feel; his characters crackle with an in-your-face threat that is both menacing and captivating at the same time.  His confident brushstrokes, painterly approach, and rich color sense imbue each painting with life.

Blood Rituals: The Art of Tom Baxa highlights this master illustrator’s work and shows an impressive and inspiring range of inventiveness.  His creature designs are intriguing and spark the imagination, compelling viewers to ponder the character’s culture, influences, and all too often, tortured lives.  Gruesome monsters with gnarled flesh are ripped and scarred until any semblance of normalcy is eradicated and a new form of wretchedness is unleashed. Baxa’s range shines through with additional sections on his Wicked Fairies® characters, his short stories, sketches and evocative personal work.
Blood Rituals: The Art of Tom Baxa is available through Diamond Distributors at comic and game shops everywhere, or by contacting the Comic Shop Locator Service at 1-888-266- 4226 or www.comicshoplocator.com.  Blood Rituals is on page 352 of Previews May 2012