Randy Post
Encyclopedia
Background
Randy Post was born September 28, 1968 in Davenport, Iowa, the oldest of two children. Post was born in the Quad CitiesQuad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
area of Illinois. He was raised in rural Illinois on a very small farm. Being fairly isolated allowed Randy's imagination to soar. Much of his time as a child was filled with imagining and drawing unearthly creatures and beasts, many of which have manifested themselves into Randy’s work as an adult.
Post's ambition was not to be a fantasy illustrator: "I originally went to school to become a veterinarian... I eventually decided it wasn't my bag and went into advertising design at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
. But I realized I didn't have the patience or love for it after my junior year, so I went into illustration (which I loved more) with every intention of working in advertising."
Just prior to graduation from Northern Illinois University in 1994, rk post started freelancing the fantasy gaming industry doing interior illustration for several major game companies, gradually teaching himself how to paint with acrylics and eventually oils. Some of his freelance work was for TSR
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, including Red Steel, Cutthroats of Lankhmar, and Spells & Magic. rk garnered a full-time staff illustration position at TSR in September 1996, painting cover illustrations for games and novels. Post soon began working on two projects: the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
setting for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
game, and the new Alternity
Alternity
Alternity is a science fiction role-playing game published by TSR in 1998...
science fiction role-playing game. "My first published painting after coming to TSR was The Great Modron March for the Planescape setting. I always loved Planescape and was glad to get to work on it. The look embodied everything that I liked and wanted to try." Regarding the level of influence he felt he had on the overall look of the Alternity game, Post said "a little and a lot, actually. Alternity started a year or two before I came to TSR. When I got there, most of the game itself was designed, along with the various aliens. I took them and helped define them visually."
Career
TSR was purchased by Wizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
soon after Post was hired. Post had the opportunity to illustrate cards for Magic: the Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
, and also painted covers for Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
magazine. By 1999, Post had three sons. WotC and rk parted ways in the winter of 2000 and he now doubles as a full time freelance illustrator still contracting occasional assignments through the subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and as a 2D and 3D artist for Gas Powered Games. Most recently, he finished working full time as a 3D environmental artist for Sony Online Entertainment in May 2008.
Post was nominated for an ASFA Chesley Award, for Best Gaming-Related Illustration, in 1999 for his work Alternity: Player's Handbook
Alternity
Alternity is a science fiction role-playing game published by TSR in 1998...
(cover), and again in 2002 for his work "Lightning Angel (card art for Magic: Apocalypse Expansion)".