You are an extraordinary artist with a legacy spanning music, literature, and visual art. Your collaboration with Michael Moorcock on the Elric Saga books 1–7 (1976–1985) for DAW Books is iconic, and your cover artwork has become inseparable from the world of Elric.
Additionally, your agreement to provide artwork for Cirith Ungol, featuring the same covers used for the Elric Saga, has brought a unique synergy between music and fantasy. Your contributions have elevated the fantasy genre, especially through your association with the legendary character Elric.
However, there seems to be some contention regarding the representation and licensing of Elric-related material. Michael Moorcock, the creator of Elric, has expressed disappointment about certain aspects of this, as conveyed by his wife, Linda Moorcock:
"More THIEVES! They have no license to sell ANYTHING WITH ELRIC IMAGES. As with most, they just don’t SAY it’s Elric.
All make $$$ for THEM while skirting the legality of what they are doing. That’s supposed to make it all OK. Well, it doesn’t…unless they are giving it all away, which I doubt!
And Whelan has never said ONE WORD of thanks to Michael OR offered a print, a card…NOTHING! If you’re their fan, why don’t YOU tell them? Why people don’t just ASK is what I don’t understand. We’re not here to rip anybody off and NEVER ask a fortune, if anything at all…so why don’t they ask?”
If Cirith Ungol and Michael Whelan have everything legally and ethically under control, it might still be worth considering a kind gesture toward Michael Moorcock in the future. Acknowledging his contributions could help maintain a positive vibe and foster goodwill among all parties involved.
Dear Michael Whelan,
You are an extraordinary artist with a legacy spanning music, literature, and visual art. Your collaboration with Michael Moorcock on the Elric Saga books 1–7 (1976–1985) for DAW Books is iconic, and your cover artwork has become inseparable from the world of Elric.
Additionally, your agreement to provide artwork for Cirith Ungol, featuring the same covers used for the Elric Saga, has brought a unique synergy between music and fantasy. Your contributions have elevated the fantasy genre, especially through your association with the legendary character Elric.
However, there seems to be some contention regarding the representation and licensing of Elric-related material. Michael Moorcock, the creator of Elric, has expressed disappointment about certain aspects of this, as conveyed by his wife, Linda Moorcock:
"More THIEVES! They have no license to sell ANYTHING WITH ELRIC IMAGES. As with most, they just don’t SAY it’s Elric.
All make $$$ for THEM while skirting the legality of what they are doing. That’s supposed to make it all OK. Well, it doesn’t…unless they are giving it all away, which I doubt!
And Whelan has never said ONE WORD of thanks to Michael OR offered a print, a card…NOTHING! If you’re their fan, why don’t YOU tell them? Why people don’t just ASK is what I don’t understand. We’re not here to rip anybody off and NEVER ask a fortune, if anything at all…so why don’t they ask?”
If Cirith Ungol and Michael Whelan have everything legally and ethically under control, it might still be worth considering a kind gesture toward Michael Moorcock in the future. Acknowledging his contributions could help maintain a positive vibe and foster goodwill among all parties involved.
What are your top five favorite sf and your top five favorite fantasy novels? (And they don’t have to be ones you’ve painted covers for.)
Thanks!
How do you bring vibrance and visual interest out of a painting made from mostly dark or unsaturated colors?