Marathon_Image
Filename: Marathon Image.pict
Size: 1000 x 818 pixels
Date: February/March 1995 (America Online and World Wide Web)
About: Compiler (S'pht) from Marathon. This is first of five pieces of Marathon art Craig did in early 1995.

Speaking about his early Marathon work in a 2013 interview Craig remarked:

"In 1994, I think Marathon came out at the very end of the year. I remember playing it over Christmas break. A few months later, I did some fan art."

Craig described his work on the Compiler image in 1995 as follows:

"I only use PS as the masking function is far ahead of the other programs that I have tried. No 3-d stuff. The compiler took about 30 hours. I did a line drawing first (on paper), scanned that into alpha and started painting. I work from general to specific, meaning large surfaces and forms are blocked in first with a thought to lighting direction and intensity and surface quality. Once it starts to read it will support whatever detail is added later. Sketches are mostly done with no preconceived ideas, just pushing pixels around until something starts to emerge."

And yes, there is a seven in the image long before the number seven became a 'thing' in Marathon.


Compiler_(hires)
Filename: Compiler (hires).pict
Size: 2200 x 1800 pixels
Date: July 1995 (Marathon HyperArchive NorthWest at ese.ogi.edu)
About: In July 1995 Craig sent a larger but modified version of the compiler image to the Marathon Art Gallery at Marathon HyperArchive NorthWest. In this version the blood splatter on the wall where the two Bobs are standing has been removed.


Mullins_14
Filename: Mullins 14.pict
Size: 832 x 624 pixels
Date: May 1997 (Marathon Trilogy Box Set)
About: One of sixteen Marathon Desktop Pictures on the Marathon Trilogy CD.
Smaller version of the original with the blood splatter on the wall.

The compiler image with blood splatter was also used on the Marathon Trilogy CD cover.
(Photograph courtesy of Bob-B-Q)

trilogyboxset22


An early line drawing of the compiler image can be seen in the Marathon Scrapbook (page 22) which came as part of the Marathon Trilogy Box Set. Based on the line drawing the Pfhor fighter attacking the Bob was originally intended to be more prominent in the image.

Screenshot


compiler
Filename: compiler.jpg
Size: 800 x 654 pixels
Date: January 1999 (goodbrush.com)
About: In January 1999 Craig wrote:

"This is the first image of the game Marathon that I did, and can be found on the marathon link, but I include it here at higher rez due to many requests."

Note this is the version without the blood splatter.

Describing this image in a gamasutra.com feature in January 2000 Craig wrote:

"This is the first game piece I did, using paper, pencil, and Photoshop. It was for fun and kind of got me started doing game related stuff. As I worked on it for a while with no pressure, it is pretty refined. I never finished the top left..."


compy
Filename: compy.jpg
Size: 1100 x 900 pixels
Date: July 2004 (goodbrush.com)
About: Slightly larger version of the original at 1100 x 900 pixels. Note this is the version without the blood splatter.

Below are some comments about this image left by people who visited goodbrush.com back in the day.

bumperhead      [Jul 31, 2004 at 10:02 AM]
Dude, I don't know what you did this piece for, but I'd give up a buttock to see this fleshed out in to a full fledged story. Ever consider doing comics? Illustrated books?

geo      [Aug 03, 2004 at 09:46 AM]
This was for Marathon, Bungie. One of the original first person shooter games. Loved the game. Really loved the illustrations. It was great to finish a level and get one of these. Sweet!

Sociopathic Boyscout      [Aug 10, 2004 at 11:03 PM]
Saw this, felt the immediate urge to run to my mac and boot up Marathon 2. Great, as usual.

codenothing.com      [Aug 11, 2004 at 01:03 PM]
wierd, at first i thought this was a factory for manufacturing these demon guys. then i saw the guy bloody on the floor and realized they were attacking. awsome work though

Lt Devon      [Aug 19, 2004 at 03:49 PM]
Actually, this is from a 1994 computer game called Marathon. It was one of the first FPSs. See, this alien race of slavers called the Pfhor attack a human colony ship. The blue guy in th background is a Pfhor, and the red guys are Spht, one of the races they enslaved. As for the guys in the jumpsuits, they're just civilians.

Lt Devon      [Aug 19, 2004 at 03:19 PM]
I wonder what would happen If I fired a grenade at that switch to the top left of those two BOBs, on second thought, I'd rather fire a grenade at those two BOBs.

Ori       [Sep 23, 2004 at 09:49 PM]
Ahh the classic. I remember seeing this in the Marathon Scrapbook and thinking 'wow, that sketch is incredible' and then 'freaking crap, that painting totally blows my mind'. Thats word for word what wen through my head. I just love all the lighting and how the shadows play here.

Radius       [Oct 02, 2004 at 09:12 PM]
This sketch is just crazy. The lighting is done just right. Sorta gives me a haunting feeling...

jin [Jan 06, 2005 at 09:21 PM]
it's a seems to 3d graphic

KillaScrolly       [Feb 01, 2005 at 12:40 PM]
ridiculous lighting and movement. FANTABULOUS!

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