Artist Ruan Jia shares a collection of illustrations for a series of stories that he created in his free time.

In Black Dragon Crown, we are pulled into another galaxy, far beyond the boundaries of our own universe, within the Black Dragon Constellation, an area isolated from other galaxies. The story unfolds on an inconspicuous planet where interstellar immigrants have made their homes since ancient times. As nations and alliances arise to survive and thrive, the limited resources inevitably lead to a never-ending cycle of wars.

Only three pages of text including a Foreword by artist extraordinaire Even Mehl Amundsen.

A word from the artist:

"It has been thirty years since I first discovered the world of comics at the age of seven. Drawing has always been my passion, I watched countless movies, animated or not, and played numerous video games, but through it all, I always found solace and joy in drawing.

I never thought I could become a part of the comic industry, but March 2001, I landed my first job as a game artist. At that time, I felt very lucky to find a job that matched my major, since many classmates of mine went on to work for architectural design firms or advertising agencies.

Therefore, I cherished this extraordinary opportunity. While advancing my career as a game artist, I was continuing on my drawing journey. I started my career as a 3D character artist, since back then 3D-related fields had better employment opportunities than for drawing and illustrating. However, my passion for drawing was much stronger than for creating 3D art. Then, in 2007, a unique opportunity allowed me to switch my career to that of 2D concept artist. Since then, I never again used 3D software or used photos as references.

All the works presented in this collection were drawn using digital pens and Photoshop software, but none of them were created using 3D software or by referencing photo materials. I believe no drawing methods are superior or inferior to any other, I simply chose the drawing style that I prefer. I have always appreciated the effect produced by hand drawing, nevertheless the design ideas of 3D art inspired me to make the light sources in my work more realistic. And I still use basic adjustment tools in Photoshop, such as selection and free transform.

2023 marks my 22nd year in the industry, and this art collection is a testament to my dedication and illustrating journey over the past 22 years."