I have a Viking for you today. Henrik Rosenborg hails from Sweden where he works as a freelance illustrator and concept artist with a special focus on creature characters.

His fantasy art reminds me of Paul Kidby‘s  covers for the Pratchett books but with a darker much more detailed approach. I also see a lot of Paul Bonner in his stylings although I’m not sure if this is accidental or intended. I’m a big fan of Bonner’s work, by the way. A Nordic thread runs through this collection and appeals to my well-documented interest in Scandinavian folktales.

Below is a small collection of my favorite illustrations from among Henrik’s work. Each image links back to the site of origin. Enjoy!

Henrik’s overall style takes me back to the days of classic fairy tale art where trolls and dwarfs had oversized noses and limbs and were portrayed almost as caricatures of themselves. I also love Henrik’s color composition here as he makes good use of dark and muted colors interspersed with smatterings of brightness. This approach creates a moody atmosphere of a dark world steeped in mystery and magic. And that, folks, is pure fantasy bliss.

Let me know your thoughts below and remember to check out this week’s Art of Science Fiction over on Kōsa Press’ blog.

Cheers!

Woelf