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Well Fed Buff: Dalaran "Apple" Pie
Ever since the first days of WoW, mages have been conjuring up food items out of thin air for the general public. One of the offhand questions I'm asked every now and again is what, exactly, all that conjured food tastes like? I never really had an answer, because I assumed that the answer was "whatever that food happened to be called." Mana strudel? It tastes like strudel. Mana biscuits? They taste like biscuits. The only difference between mana strudel and regular strudel was the ingredients -- the rest was pretty much the same. Which is why, when I ran across this incredibly odd recipe, I was immediately reminded of Azeroth's mages. It was also why I immediately had to create it for myself, and test it out on my family. This apple pie passed with flying colors, and it's so easy to make, you'd swear it was magic. The ingredients list is relatively short for this particular concoction ... oh, and the apples? You can leave those out entirely, we won't be needing them. You heard me. Let's head to the kitchen and conjure up some Dalaran "apple" pie, shall we?
Delicately divine WoW-themed clay creations by Euphyley
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. When I laid eyes on the sculpture shown above, I was immediately impressed with the attention to detail in the lovely reproduction of the Ashes of Al'ar. Sure, I've tried my hand at crafting various things with clay over the years, but I've never done anything quite that technical. It turns out Euphyley, the sculptor who submitted the image above, has a whole host of gorgeous clay crafts she's created over the years. From reproductions of mounts and pets to WoW-themed keychains and more, Euphyley's got a talent for small-scale sculpture that has to be seen to be believed. And when presented with an opportunity to interview her, how could I resist? Check out the gallery for more of Euphyley's work, and read on for some words from Euphyley herself.
Doodlegnome is here to help you find your Valentine
Still not sure what to get that special someone for Valentine's Day? our favorite doodling gnome is here to help by taking your Valentine doodle requests on the forums. So if you're not sure just what to say or how to say it... why not say it with a romantic (maybe) doodle? We can't think of a better expression of affection. If you want a doodle of your own, head to the forums to request one. But if you just want to see the latest Doodlegnome masterpieces, here are our favorites: The traditional Valentine's murloc A story of love and toast Zarhym's Valentine wishes Crithto and Sylvanas' forbidden love Just remember: Doodlegnome is but one gnome and might not get around to all requests.
Icy Veins opens final voting for annual Christmas Card Contest
Icy Veins, home of some of the most popular and up to date class and raid guides, has opened up the final round of voting for their annual Christmas Card Contest. The contest asked for the best original WoW-themed Christmas Cards that readers could come up with, and did readers ever deliver -- out of a staggering 159 entries, 20 were chosen to move on to the final round for voting. Winners of the contest will receive some amazing prize packages from J!NX, TypeFrag, Curse, Ask Mr. Robot and Blizzard. But that's enough about the prizes. What's really cool are the cards themselves, a stunning array of artwork, screenshots, and even some real-life photography thrown in for good measure. From wryly funny to incredibly sweet, the wide variety makes the ultimate winner pretty much anyone's guess. To check out the entries and vote, take a look at the official thread on Icy Veins. Voting ends on December 25, so don't dawdle if you'd like your vote to count. Congratulations in advance to the winners!
Fantasy character artist explodes onto WoW community scene
If you're headed to BlizzCon next month, will you be lucky enough to be wearing a coveted custom name badge by Noxychu? Her whimsical character portraits have become all the rage this year, and Noxychu has even turned out badges for the entire Blizzard community manager staff. As staff artist for Wowhead and well-known WoW "Twitterati," the unassuming Brit has long since had to pause taking on new commissions, and her newfound popularity promises great things post-BlizzCon. WoW Insider: Everyone wants a Noxychu! I'm betting most readers will recognize your name from the artwork you do for Wowhead. Tell us what you do there and how you got started. Noxychu: I'm not sure I have a proper title; I guess just "artist" covers it. I make logos for the various ZAM websites, and I illustrate the occasional contest and guide. I got started with Wowhead by volunteering, I made some badge art for them in 2008, and then after that the occasional Warcraft-themed web comic. And they were bloody awful. I really loved making them, and they were weekly for a while. Unfortunately I'm a terrible at writing scripts, and I have been unable to find a consistently funny writer that is willing to put up with me to try and get the Wowhead web comic back to regular updates.
Get crafty with these faction crest cross-stitch patterns
If you're a WoW-player who cross-stitches -- or you're looking to pick up a new hobby -- crafter SweetestSpot has created cross-stitch patterns for the alliance and horde logos. Cross-stitch WoW creations aren't something we've come across before -- but while cross-stitching may sound like something your grandmother does, we can confirm that these stitched crests would make a fantastic addition to any gaming lair. If you're interested, the patterns are available for sale on Etsy for alliance and horde -- though you'll have to pick up the supplies to make them on your own. Each pattern results in a finished product that's about 6" square, with the alliance pattern using 4 colors of floss and the horde pattern using 7 colors. Not that crafty? SweetestSpot's originals -- alliance and horde -- are up on Ebay, both mounted for hanging on a 7.5" embroidery hoop. Have any cool WoW crafts of your own? Drop us a line and you may be our next featured WarCraft!
Young Welsh player achieves Stood in the Fire every night
Ten-year-old Connor of Wrexham, Wales, has adored World of Warcraft ever since he began watching his mother Emma play during The Burning Crusade. Today, Connor plays a worgen frost mage and has even raided the first three bosses of the Terrace of Endless Spring with his mom's guild. "We have always encouraged him because it helps with his literacy skills," she says. So when it came time to find out Connor what he wanted on his bedroom wall when the family moved to a new home, the young fan was adamant: Deathwing, and plenty of it. Thanks to the talents of family friend and local artist Rachel West (more of her other art at faceART), that's exactly what Connor got. %Gallery-192971% "He loves his pet battles and enjoys looking at older raid content," Emma reports. "All the people in the guild are lovely with him and have helped various times so he can see content of the game." Still, his family seems content to let him get Stood in the Fire every night when he goes to bed ... That's one boy you can truly describe with a "well done, young man, well done."
Blizzard art featured at Seattle museum exhibit
If you live in the Seattle area, you might be interested in the new Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic exhibit that opened this weekend at the Experience Music Project Museum. The exhibit focuses on the evolution of the fantasy genre in the 20th century, and features props and costumes from Xena: Warrior Princess, The Wizard of Oz, Labyrinth, and The Princess Bride. There's also a dragon model designed by the Seattle Opera, a replica of the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones, and hand-edited manuscript pages from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Oh, and if you happen to be interested in World of Warcraft, it also features artwork from WoW and Diablo III. And if that's not enough Blizzard material for you, the EMP is also currently running The Art of Video Games exhibit, which features hand drawn material by Samwise Didier and Chris Metzen from Warcraft and Starcraft. I highly recommend checking out both of these exhibits, and the EMP in general, if you're going to be in Seattle any time soon. As a Seattle resident myself, I love the EMP and visit regularly. It's also in a really neat-looking building! The Art of Video Games exhibit ends May 12th, but there is currently no closing date listed for Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic.
The quest of a lifetime
Here at WoW Insider we're suckers for a sweet story. And this is definitely a sweet story, with a very Warcraft theme. The MK over at Khalanil wanted to make a warcraft-themed proposal, and so got to work, heading over to an unofficial WoW blog by the name of World of Warcraft Papercrafts. Amongst other things, Khalanil found an origami treasure chest, as pictured in the header image above. He also managed to lay his hands on some quest background images, the Morpheus font, and some other WoW assets, that enabled him to put together what must be the sweetest questline we've ever seen. He created three quests, one to find an afternoon tea spot for Lor'themar Theron, the completion of which opened up a quest to eliminate dwarves at a local tea-room, and finally, Clara was sent out to scout a high-price eatery for Trade Prince Gallywix. Completing the final quest granted Clara a Legendary item, which was concealed in the box we saw at the start. WoW Insider particularly enjoyed the stats on this item: +100 Love, +100 Happiness, and, just for good measure, +10 Melee Damage! You never know when you might need it. Do head over to Khalanil to read the full post! [Thanks for the tip, Alex!]
These vintage-style WoW travel posters could level up your decor
Though we've seen a lot of fan art in our time, the retro charm of Josh Atack's Azerothian travel posters struck us. So far there are two: one for Undercity and one for Thunder Bluff, both styled after vintage rail posters. It's hard to say which of the two we like better, but fortunately we don't have to decide, because they're both for sale on his society6 page. So if you're looking to decorate your office -- or your desktop -- with something that expresses your love of WoW without being too overt about it, Josh's art may be just the thing. And if you're not fond of Undercity or Thunder Bluff? Josh plans to keep making these as long as he's having fun with them and he's aiming to get all the faction capitals and Dalaran done, plus a few personal favorites like Zangarmarsh and Winterspring.
Blizzard calls for Christmas craft
The snappily titled Blizzard Entertainment 2012 Dessert and Holiday Art Program is here! Blizzard put a call out on Facebook this morning for Blizzard-themed desserts and holiday cards, featuring art or craft inspired by Diablo, Starcraft or Warcraft. Successful submissions will be featured in Blizzard's facebook gallery, so get your crafting hat on and get creative! If you're looking for some World of Warcraft related inspiration you can check out WoW Insider's World of WarCrafts for some ideas on art, craft, and cake! To enter the competition, simply head over to the battle.net page and fill out the forms.
Michael Whelan forges a vision of Deathwing
If you're a fan of science fiction and fantasy, the name Michael Whelan is likely familiar to you. And even if the name isn't familiar, it's incredibly likely you've picked up a book with Whelan's art on the cover. Michael Whelan has been one of the world's premier fantasy and science fiction cover artists since 1980, with covers that grace the works of Isaac Asimov, Sir Arthur C. Clarke, Anne McCaffrey and many more. In 2009, he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in Seattle -- the first living artist to be included in a distinguished list of notable authors. Whelan was approached for a commissioned piece by Blizzard's Art Director, Jeremy Cranford. The subject? Deathwing. This month's ImagineFX magazine includes a two-page spread of the full painting, but Whelan has also featured a behind-the-scenes glimpse showing the full process behind creating this beautiful work of art on his official website. It's a fascinating look at what that process of creating a piece of art is actually like. There are a tremendous number of steps involved -- including, in this case, a detailed head study of Deathwing, shown above. The end result is a dramatic, bold, beautiful and very Whelan piece, but the post on Whelan's website includes all of the developmental pieces of art as well. Head to Whelan's website for the full story behind this gorgeous piece of art and an illustration of the work it takes to go from idea to finished piece. And if you're interested in a truly unique holiday gift, the head study of Deathwing is available for purchase, too.
Breakfast Topic: Who is that guy in the tapestry?
I was doing my weekly blast through Karazhan for transmog purposes when I noticed that tapestry in the screenshot. Who is that guy? Is that guy Medivh? The same tapestry is hanging in Medivh's bedchamber if you go up and check it out, so it would kind of make sense, but I don't recall Medivh rocking the bare-chested look. Seriously, all that guy needs is a big gold medallion and a panel van. There are actually quite a few such portraits of various people in various places in WoW. I recall paintings in BRD, a portrait or two in Stratholme, various and sundry in Stormwind ... It makes me wonder who these portraits are of and who makes all of them. I kind of wish I could get a game portrait of my characters -- but of course, since I don't have any place to put it, that would be kind of meaningless. Then again, with the amount of time I spend in Karazhan, I could almost say I live there. What about you? Seen any strange or interesting art lately in game? World of Warcraft: Cataclysm has destroyed Azeroth as we know it; nothing is the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from leveling up a new goblin or worgen to breaking news and strategies on endgame play.
Whimsical and sweet Warcraft fan art by Meebles
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. You know, while I love seeing ridiculously complicated and detailed Warcraft fan art, there's something to be said about understated art. There's a certain charm and sweetness that comes with simplicity, and while a lot of Warcraft is understandably brutal -- we are talking about Warcraft, after all -- there's a whimsical undertone to the franchise that adds a different level of appeal to it. And when one forgoes the detailed and raw, one is left with the simple charm and whimsy that Warcraft is notorious for. Today's artist takes a totally different look at Warcraft and reflects it in artwork that is infused with that natural charm and whimsy, without losing the essence of Warcraft itself. Druid Meebles of the guild House of Arathor from the Argent Dawn server (US-A) has been creating artwork for as long as she can remember, playing World of Warcraft on and off since the days of vanilla. Her artwork is infused with light and frothy charm, a far cry from the dark battles against the Destroyer and the Twilight Cult. It's a breath of fresh air, and Meebles was happy to chat with us about both her art and Warcraft, as well. %Gallery-150696%
Fabulous custom Warcraft shoes by Rhonda Vandeputte
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. I am pretty much the last girl on earth that you'd see squealing over a pair of shoes. However, today's submission hit all the right buttons when it arrived in my mailbox. Nice heels? Check. Open toe? Check. Covered in panels of Warcraft comics? Check. ... say what? I did the biggest double take in the world when I realized these are actually pieces and panels of the official Warcraft comics, artfully applied to a pair of shoes. As a comic collector, I can safely say this is probably the coolest use for old comics that I've seen to date. Rhonda Vandeputte has been creating all kinds of crafting projects for a very long time, and her experience definitely shows here. From the carefully chosen panels to the flawless application, these shoes aren't so much footwear as they are fully functional and wearable art. Rhonda was happy to send in pictures of the process in the gallery below and happy to chat about the creation of this fabulous footwork as well. %Gallery-149945%
Kicking off March with Warcraft-themed cakes
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. I have a love/hate relationship with Warcraft cake submissions. On the one hand, I love seeing the creativity put forth and the stylish efforts of confectionary art. On the other, they make me want to bake things, and while I enjoy baking things, I don't eat sweets often enough to warrant making a full-sized cake! Oh sure, I could ask my Dad to devour it, but even he has his limits as far as cake consumption goes. ... not to mention that cake submissions make me kind of hungry, especially when they look as tasty as the cake pictured above. Sara Bryant posted this cake on Reddit a while back and then decided to submit it to us as well. But that's not all we've got for you today. We've also got a couple of sets of perfectly adorable cake toppers, including one from a name you've heard on the site before. Check out the gallery, and meet us after the break for more goodies! %Gallery-31459%
Eye-catching, fantastic fan art by Ginny Higerd
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Bet that header image got your attention, didn't it? It certainly got mine when it appeared in my mailbox! From the details on the armor to the expression on the face, you can't really help but stare and admire. Ginny Higerd, otherwise known as Tsunomi on the Elune server (A-US), has been doing artwork for a very long time, and her Warcraft fan art is the stuff dreams are made of -- well, my dreams of being pretty good at that whole drawing thing, anyway. But art like that also takes a lot of hard work, and Ginny's certainly no stranger to it. What's more remarkable than Ginny's work itself is that you can see the natural progression of skill with each piece that she draws, from early-day scribbles to full-out masterpieces like the image above. Ginny was kind enough to send in a submission for World of WarCrafts -- and heck, with skills like that, how could I not interview her about her methods? %Gallery-148080%
Graphic and bold hunter pet designs by Melissa
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. Most of the time, when you see a piece of Warcraft fan art, it's either depicting a character from Warcraft lore or the character that the artist plays. Sometimes it's a depiction of a moment in Warcraft history, and others, it's just a chance to draw some really fancy armor. You'll rarely see simple landscapes, but you'll see pictures of characters in those landscapes. And you'll see pictures of hunters and their pets, but rarely will you see pictures of the pets all by themselves. But for Melissa Bozarth, hunter pets are just far too appealing not to draw. And draw she does, creating intricate, vectored art of dozens of beloved pets from the Warcraft hunter's stable. We've featured Melissa's artwork before with a Corehound piece she created back in early 2010. Melissa's been happily creating plenty of artwork since then and decided to share both her work and her experiences with us. %Gallery-147285%
Button-eyed Warcraft dolls created by Layla Rei
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. I love putting out a call for submissions because I get bombarded with some of the coolest stuff in response! It seems that dolls and plush toys are in abundance this season, including the sweet duo pictured above, created by Layla Rei. Layla's no stranger to creating dolls; her deviantART gallery has dozens upon dozens of delightful, whimsical creations. It's the tiny little details that makes them so utterly charming. The button eyes remind me of Coraline, and come on -- how could you not love that goblin and those goggles? But here's the kicker behind all of this: Leyla doesn't play WoW. Instead, she created these dolls and others for her sister who does play. For someone who doesn't play the game, Leyla's got a wonderful grasp of the whimsical feel of Warcraft ... and she was more than happy to sit down and chat with us about her delightful creations. %Gallery-146759%
Adorable hand-sewn plush murloc by Katie
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music, fan fiction and more. Sample the whole spectrum on our Arts and Crafts in WoW page. When I was a little kid, my sister and I used to make clothes for our stuffed animals, all sewn by hand. My mother was fine with giving us needles and thread and showing us how to stitch, but we weren't allowed to use her sewing machine. On the one hand, I have fond memories of all the little outfits we made; on the other, I remember quite vividly exactly how many times I accidentally stuck myself with a needle. Sewing by hand is not an easy thing to do at all. Even more difficult than making outfits by hand is making a three-dimensional plush toy. Katie, known in game as Adgie the warlock, not only made the adorable murloc shown above -- she did it entirely from scratch. That's right, the concept and pattern were all her own, and every bit of stitching on the murloc was done by hand, no sewing machine used at all. How impressive is that? But there's more -- this is only the third plush that Katie has made! Katie sent in a whole host of photos of the construction process and her other projects, and she had a chat with me about crafting homemade plushies and World of Warcraft. %Gallery-146123%
