Valerie Valusek

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Greyhawk Creator
Valerie Valusek
Valerie Valusek, c. 2009.
Nationality:American
Born:1952, Flint, MI
First Greyhawk work:The City of Greyhawk
Notabale works:CoG boxed set map an int. illustrations

Valerie A. Valusek is an American artist whose work has appeared in over a hundred gaming books and scores of magazine articles, including many Greyhawk products.

Personal life

Valerie Valusek was born in 1952[1] in Flint, Michigan. She has lived throughout the Midwest, in Kansas, Missouri, and in Colorado as a child and again in her 20s.[2]

She is the older sister of Jay E. Valusek, who mentions her in his autobiography.[3] She has one other brother.[2]

Valusek is an admitted animal lover, including dogs, cats, and horses. She began participating in equestrian riding at the age of four and says she immediately had a lifelong passionate ardor for them. Her first memories of her art are of drawing horses.

"I started drawing horses at the age of two. Basically, the first time someone put something in my hand that would make a mark on paper—I made horses. I pitched fits because I wanted a horse so badly. [By the] age of four, my parents got me riding lessons. I was gobsmacked IN LOVE with horses. ... but my dad got a job offer to be a professor at Western State University in Gunnison, Colorado, so we moved from Ann Arbor Michigan to Colorado. End of my lessons. I was heartbroken, but in Colorado I got other chances to ride now and then. ... When I was 11 or 12 we moved to within two miles of a livery stable in Wichita, Kansas, and I used to ride my bike over there and volunteer—doing horse care, answering phones, sweeping, shoveling [manure], feeding, whatever—to work off an hour ride."[2]"

She continued to ride through the early 2000s and is an avid enthusiast.[2][4] Valusek had an Arabian gelding named Ariel for 24 years (1980-2004) whom she adored and trained herself, because she couldn't afford a trainer.[2][5] It was difficult to manage the expense of his boarding as a struggling artist, so she worked as a stable hand and trainer to provide for him, calling it her "second career alongside my art."[2] Other horses she's cared for include three mares named Janny, Bria, and Jewel;[6] and another horse named Jasper she rode and took care of in the late 70s.[2][7] She also owned a pair of Borzoi hounds (one male, one female) in the 90s to early 2000s of whom she was very fond.[8] Several cats have called her home theirs as well, including Sugar, Asha, Willow, and Fëafelmë ó Våra Talwi (called "Fëa"), whom she says are "a huge part of my personal life."[2][9] She has also had a rat named Sybil.[10]

Valusek is an avid Sims player and is involved in fan-communities for the game franchise online. She has played various editions of the game as far back as SimCity in the 90s, including Sims 1-4.[2]

Career

A closeup of poster map from CoG (1989) showing the High Quarter and Clerkberg.
The City of Greyhawk isometric, illustrated by Valusek (1989).

Just before she began working on D&D products, she was doing scrimshaw which she'd learned from a dealer, and then did on her own.[2] She was well into her career when she took her formal art classes—she'd been entirely self-taught until that point. She took Color Theory in Madison, WI in 1991, and it had an incredible impact on her artwork.[2] She began taking digital art courses in 2001 at Wichita Area Technical College, as well as another community college in St. Charles, MO.[2] Valusek also attended St. Louis Community College - Merramac where she found the digital art program much to her liking.[2]

Larry Elmore gave Valusek her first interview with the art department of TSR in 1983 and her first project began in 1984.[2] She illustrated for TSR from 1984 to 1998[1] largely in black-and-white interior art, but also a few pieces of cover art, as well as various illustrations in other products.

One of the most prolific interior artists of second edition, her artwork has graced the pages of more than 100 game books and scores of magazines. She produced interior illustrations for many D&D books and Dragon magazine since 1985, as well as interior art for several Dragonlance novels, and cover art for the 1992 module Rary the Traitor. She has also produced some artwork for other games including Paranoia (West End Games), Torg (West End Games), Changeling: The Dreaming (White Wolf), and Legend of the Five Rings (Alderac Entertainment Group).[11]

After her career at TSR, beginning in 2002 Valusek did photo retouching for several years for two wedding photography studios. She also worked designing stained glass windows for churches. In 2007, she was hired as a production artist by a large format printing company and worked there for 13 years, until the global pandemic in 2020.[2]

When signing her professional artwork, Valusek says, "I always requested to be credited as 'Valerie A. Valusek' [with the middle initial]. Because my signature is a stylized VAV. The two Vs form the outside and the horizontal slash forms the A"[2] (see infobox example).[2]

Valusek no longer illustrates, but writes to provide herself with a creative outlet.[2]

On January 26, 2023, the original painting she created for the cover of the novel Winged Magic (1996) sold for $8,500 USD. It had been in the collection of a former TSR employee after they'd passed.[12]

The City of Greyhawk

Valusek did all of the interior illustrations for The City of Greyhawk (1989) boxed set.[13] Her artwork was the first to depict the city. It was one of the only cities to ever be depicted this way, and it makes this map a singular example for the World of Greyhawk, and her work influenced later maps and continues to influence depictions of the city.

The following year, in Falcon's Revenge (and the whole Falcon Series), Ken Frank would follow her lead and use the same architectural styles to depict the city.[14] Valusek's art showcased everything from gardens and buildings,[15] to daily life in the city—a blacksmith at his forge,[16] guardsmen at city gates inspecting carts[17] and marching at the barracks,[18] shady dealings in the River Quarter,[19] sailors on the river quay,[20] ships and barges on the Selintan River[21][22]—and citizens hard at work,[23] gambling,[24] carousing,[25] or fighting in the streets.[26]

Her poster map in The City of Greyhawk boxed set is the most illustrative looks at the city in a map. It is a creative isometric view of the city, similar in style and appearance to a "tourism map" or "amusement park map" where the features and buildings are exaggerated in size. The map is lavishly detailed, with minor narrative elements like ox carts, people walking near markets, mounted people on horses, statuary, garden benches, strange gladiatorial apparatuses in the Free City Arena, and magical energy crackling from atop the University of Magical Arts. Though there are clearly a variety of architectural styles depicted throughout the city, including onion-domed towers, pyramids, tents, and even "hobniz-holes" in Burrow Heights, the predominant facade of the city's buildings is of half-timbered "Tudor" style. As might be expected in a pseudo-medieval metropolis, a dizzying array of structural materials can be found illustrated in the map, including stone, thatch, tile, shingles, timber, and brick-and-mortar.

Published works

The following are some of the notable products for which Valusek has illustrated.

The cover of WGR3 Rary the Traitor (1992). Art by Valerie Valusek.

Greyhawk works

Rulebooks/Sourcebooks

  • DMGR1 Campaign Sourcebook and Catacomb Guide (1990)
  • DMGR3 Arms and Equipment Guide (1991)
  • PHBR1 The Complete Fighter's Handbook (1989) ISBN 0-88038-779-3
  • PHBR4 The Complete Wizard's Handbook (1990)
  • PHBR7 The Complete Bard's Handbook (1992)
  • PHBR12 The Complete Paladin's Handbook (1994)
  • MC3: Monstrous Compendium Vol.3: Forgotten Realms Appendix (1989)
  • MC11 Monstrous Compendium Forgotten Realms Appendix (1992)
  • Wrath of the Immortals (1992), boxed set

Magazine

Dragon
Issues # 96, 98, 110-11, 123, 126, 130, 136, 127, 129, 150, 202, 237, 238, 268, and Annual No.2 (1997).
Dungeon
Issues # 3-5, 7-9, 10, 12-14, 19, 49, 64
Polyhedron
Issues # 30, 33, 35, 37, 41, 43, 44, 123, and "Introductory Issue".

Adventures

  • B11 King's Festival (1989)
  • HHQ5 Fighter's Challenge II (1994)
  • OA7 Test of the Samurai (1989)

Dragonlance

  • Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home (1987)
  • PG1 Player's Guide to the Dragonliance Campaign (1993)
  • DL12 Dragons of Faith (1986)
  • DL15 Mists of Krynn (1988)
  • DLA1 Dragon Dawn (1990)
  • DLA2 Dragon Knight (1990)
  • DLA3 Dragon's Rest (1990)
  • DLS1 New Beginnings (1991)
  • DLT1 New Tales: The Land Reborn (1993)
  • Time of the Twins, Dragonlance Legends (2001) ISBN 0-7869-1804-7
  • War of the Twins, Dragonlance Legends (2002) ISBN 0-7869-1805-5
  • Test of the Twins, Dragonlance Legends (2002) ISBN 0-7869-1804-7

Forgotten Realms

  • PG2 Player's Guide to the Forgotten Realms Campaign (1993)
  • Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (1993)
  • Maztica (1991)
  • Menzoberranzan (1992)
  • The Moonsea (1995)
  • Pages from the Mages (1995)
  • Wizards and Rogues of the Realms (1995)

Volo's Guides

  • Volo's Guide to Waterdeep (1992)
  • Volo's Guide to the North (1993)
  • Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast (1994)
  • Volo's Guide to Cormyr (1995)
  • Volo's Guide to the Dalelands (1996)
  • volo's Guide to All things Magical (1996)
  • FR4: The Magister (1988)
  • FR6: Dreams of the Red Wizards (1988)
  • FR10: Old Empires (1990)
  • FR13: Anauroch (1991)
  • FRQ1 Haunted Halls of Eveningstar

Novels

  • "Lady of the Winds: Pick a Path to Romance and Adventure", (1983)
  • HeartQuest 5:Moon Dragon Summer (1984)
  • HeartQuest 6: Lady of the Winds (1984)

References

Notes

Citations

  1. ↑ a b Valusek, Valerie. About Valerie Valusek. Facebook. Retrieved on 24 January 2023.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Valusek, Valerie. From a private interview with GreyhawkOnline. Kristoph Nolen. (26 January 2023)
  3. ↑ Museum of Voices: An Autobiographical Miscellany (June 2004)
  4. ↑ Valusek, Valerie. Valusek horseback, photo from 1982. Facebook. Retrieved on 27 January 2023. "1982 age 5 (I was 30)."
  5. ↑ Valusek, Valerie. Some pics of the Arabian love of my life, Ariel. Facebook. Retrieved on 24 January 2023. "It's National Day of the Horse. Here are some pics of the Arabian love of my life, Ariel, who my life revolved around for 24 years. I miss him so."
  6. ↑ Valusek, Valerie. Cover photo. Facebook. Retrieved on 24 January 2023. "Ariel (age 19) and his mares, Janny left, Bria right, 1996."
  7. ↑ Valusek, Valerie. Me on Jasper in Lamartine. Facebook. Retrieved on 24 January 2023. "Me on Jasper in Lamartine at the top of Ute Creek Road, Idaho Springs Co. Mt. Evans in the background. March 1978"
  8. ↑ Valusek, Valerie. Reply to George Takei. Facebook. Retrieved on 24 January 2023. "I had two beautiful Borzois back in the 90s to early 2000s. My female was tall, but my male was so tall his head was at the height of my rib cage when he was standing."
  9. ↑ Valusek, Valerie. Fëafelmë at 7-8 weeks.. Facebook. Retrieved on 24 January 2023. "Fëafelmë ó Våra Talwi. It's Quenyan Elvish (the most noble Elvish language of Lord of the Rings). It means "Whim of the Heart with Dirty Feet"."
  10. ↑ Valusek, Valerie. Willow meets Sybil!. Facebook. Retrieved on 24 January 2023.
  11. ↑ Valerie Valusek. Pen & Paper RPG Database , 28 June 2003. Archived from the original on 10 March 2005.
  12. ↑ eBay.com. Original TSR 'Winged Magic' cover art. (2023)
  13. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.1.
  14. ↑ WGA1 Falcon's Revenge (1990).
  15. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.62, Gem of the Flanaess.
  16. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.73, Gem of the Flanaess.
  17. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.40, Gem of the Flanaess.
  18. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.11, Folks, Feuds, and Factions.
  19. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.80, Gem of the Flanaess.
  20. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.5, Folks, Feuds, and Factions.
  21. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.31, Gem of the Flanaess.
  22. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.47, Folks, Feuds, and Factions.
  23. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.31, Folks, Feuds, and Factions.
  24. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.61, Folks, Feuds, and Factions.
  25. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.83, Folks, Feuds, and Factions.
  26. ↑ The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.87, Folks, Feuds, and Factions.

Bibliography

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