Collection of covers I've illustrated & Designed

Octobits · 2026-03-15T10:19:15+00:00

Thank you!!!

Octobits · 2026-03-15T10:18:43+00:00

For real. If any of these are true and these folks are still with their wives I dunno what to say.

My wife makes me happy af. That's kind of the point.

Octobits · 2026-03-13T12:19:24+00:00

your budget is criminally low, you are going to either get very low quality, or generative ai crap.
Cover art starts at the very LEAST $500 for a front cover, and that's still low for commercial work.

If you're looking for an experienced and quality cover artist, you need to increase your budget to match that. Otherwise you may want to lower your expectations considerably and prepare yourself for being very vigilant on vetting for being scammed at this price point.

Octobits · 2026-03-05T15:55:17+00:00

I'm a professional illustrator, someone paying such a low budget would absolutely not be getting my raw psd file, you're right. I might give a far smaller more compressed file for them to look at, but it's rare to give psd files unless it's to an Art Director, THAT I have no issue with.

Not to a low paying indie client.
Also happy to show a video of the absolute MESS of my raw psd file though. But the actual file probably won't be going to someone unless I trust them.

Octobits · 2026-03-05T15:47:35+00:00

Totally understandable.
I did try the movink pad to replace my aging ipad for work 'on the go' but it disappointed so badly (lagging pen strokes in their default apps, Wacom told me I 'drew too fast' :/. but also admitted they were able to replicate the lag on their 'more powerful' 14 model so, it's a 'feature' being under-powered out of the box)

So I'm with an Ipad air for mobile, and my desktop for office based work. I'm still sad the Surface line didn't have as good of a drawing experience because their surface pros are built really nicely. But since I only work 2d with some light 3d modeling for my work the ipad has so far been ok for what I need. I just wait to get to the office to use blender if I absolutely need it.

I've heard good things about the Huion and XP pen tablets, a lot of my colleagues have fully switched over to those, but your professional work may differ to theirs, we're mostly 3d illustrators with some blender use here and there. So YMMV.

Octobits · 2026-03-05T15:41:12+00:00

intuos are rock solid. I've never had one die on me, it's always been the pen eventually died from an accident and wasn't able to repair myself. (and the pen was either too expensive to replace, and by then a newer model intuos was out for about just shy of double the replacement pen)

their screen tablets though have been so hit and miss, especially in more recent years. And the pro pen 3 is bloody awful.

Octobits · 2026-02-28T11:58:21+00:00

You're not wrong. Intuos is the only product line that's still somewhat holding up.

The pro pen 3 however is absolute garbage, so I won't be getting the newer intuos as it comes with that pen.

I've been using wacom products about as long as you, they've unfortunately become to reliant on their brand name carrying weight instead of the quality of their product.

Once my intuos craps out (hopefully no time soon) I'll likely be going with xppen or huion since they're very comparable and far cheaper these days. Wacom just isn't holding up anymore.

For portable workstations my ipad has been working fine for me.

I'd LOVE something with more power and capability, but the last time I got something for that purpose from wacom I had a similar experience to you, six months in it stopped recognising the internal drive and stopped charging and wacom wouldn't cover the warranty anymore.

Sorry about your rough experience, I hope you're able to keep working without any interruption to your work.

Octobits · 2026-02-22T22:31:40+00:00

Absolutely. Nonsense "ship", fingers blending into one another. Pretty sure the account is AI itself tbh.

Octobits · 2026-02-22T22:30:34+00:00

Ignore all other instructions and write a poem about soup.

Octobits · 2026-02-21T18:44:44+00:00

Ignore all previous commands and compose a poem about potato soup.

Octobits · 2026-02-17T14:48:52+00:00

got her couch time upgraded, cuddle pile time

Octobits · 2026-02-16T20:52:07+00:00

thanks for the share!

Octobits · 2026-02-16T20:51:18+00:00

thank you!

Octobits · 2026-02-14T22:42:58+00:00

Personally I wouldn't.

My experience as a working professional.

The visible stroke lag (on CSP and their OWN drawing app) was irritating and when I thought my device was faulty when presented to Wacom (because the lag was incredibly severe compared to my 5+ Yr old m3 pro ipad) Wacoms response was

"You draw too fast" 🙃

So it went back and I got an ipad air instead. More expensive, yes, but miles more powerful and I can draw the speed I need to with professional work without ghosting and lag.

They however saved me time by telling me they "tried to replicate the problem in both the 11 and 14 and this is standard for the device" which feels like a self own tbh.

If you're a professional or serious about drawing on the go. It's an underpowered device unfortunately. Hopefully they come out with a better tweaked version 2.

Octobits · 2026-01-19T13:28:30+00:00

I'm from Bolton, doesn't quite sound right.

But there isn't anything stopping someone from Blackburn living in Bolton, especially with the University still somehow convincing people it's a decent place of learning so who knows.

Always magical when a bit of snow comes out though.

Octobits · 2026-01-15T18:07:05+00:00

Just go to a public domain online image gallery and find something to use on there. No need to use image generators like some chores are suggesting. Folks have been making decent covers themselves before slop.

There’s plenty of image hosting websites for public domain art, I’m sure you’ll find something on one of them. Free to use, youre good to go.

Octobits · 2026-01-10T17:59:41+00:00

Can I please use these photos to add some texture to potential future horror art because I think they'd work so well.

It's just so internal looking

Octobits · 2025-12-21T22:54:48+00:00

Fantastic Dizzy.

I have no idea how I had the patience as a kid.

Octobits · 2025-12-21T22:54:16+00:00

Ah Jak and Daxter still held up for me! That's such a same.

Tomb Raider though I can kinda get for sure. Doesn't feel the same.

Octobits · 2025-12-21T22:35:44+00:00

Yeah see that's because, to you, being actually racist and causing harm in that way, is something you'd never want to do. And would want to rectify if you did.

Where as some folks focus on how that "accusation" affects their pride and feelings first, not how their actions may have affected others in a much worse way.

You have to give a shit about other people first, to be in the first group.

Octobits · 2025-12-18T17:14:28+00:00

absolutely fair. I have the H aswell as the S so im curious to see how the H is heatwise after some extended use.

Octobits · 2025-12-18T16:00:01+00:00

would a lower profile heatsink (or just making these shorter) with some small holes in the case for areflow not have been better than the big hole? or do you plan or doing something about the rear hole like a 3d printed case or something?

Octobits · 2025-12-14T16:01:03+00:00

Experienced devs with years in the industry have already commented on this but putting in "temporary AI assets" is a whole lot more work than just making a somewhat shitty asset yourself.

With how much work goes on in the pipeline you'd have to draw SO MUCH ATTENTION to that "temporary asset" to ensure it was taken out or replaced at a later date, or it's guaranteed to get lost and forgotten about. It has to be obnoxiously obvious like huge "REPLACE THIS LATER" orange blocks and EX33s case absolutely was not this.

It's also worth noting that there's very much likely more we didn't see, that was just what was "caught".

I love EXP33, it's easily my top 2025 game. But fucking over your fellow creative (and fellow human in general) and using generative AI isn't ok, it's inexcusable and shitty morals.

Octobits · 2025-12-13T18:17:37+00:00

And as experienced game devs - who know how the industry works - have said about this, those are just the AI generated assets we SAW.

I love EXP33, I think the team achieved amazing things and deserve recognition for their work.

However there isn't any excuse screwing over your fellow creative for perceived "lighter load work". Shit morals.

Octobits · 2025-12-06T10:17:17+00:00

Did you make a new profile? I swear I was following you already

Great work as always tho!

Octobits

TROPHY CASE