iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

Ironically I've been busy today because I'm playing D&D with a bunch of gays, you can't make this up

Photo of character sheet on an ipad, a couple of D20s and a ongoing combat on a grid map

Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

"An elf and a demon" is so funny. I guess we're just letting whoever write whatever... Mr. Power, your story is yours to tell 💛

Article image description reads "D&D artwork released for Pride month, depicting an elf and a demon in a romantic embrace" (it's half-elf and a tiefling. Romantic is right though)

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

Some favourite sketches from a life drawing session with the lovely @davidieuan.bsky.social, from before I left London. Should I start a thread with all my life drawing, or do people prefer separate posts? What's the consensus here? #art #lifedrawing

A 3/4 portrait sketch of a man with a mustache, done with coloured pencil in blues, yellow and pink.

A colour pencil sketch of a nude man on his knees, arms hanging as they touch the floor, in shades of purple and blue

A colour pencil sketch of a nude man, sitting back in a relaxed pose, in shades of pinks and blue

A quick sketch of a man standing with an arm up and over his head, and a leg up propped onto a bed

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

Late to the game as always, but MCM London is happening right now and I'm there!

Image reads "Find me at MCM London, Artist Alley P-24 (Last row, up from AA stage, facing the food court)"

A photo of my table setup, with a tall display of prints and playmats on both sides

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

Here's Shaarif, drawn at @edfirth.bsky.social's East London Life Drawing a while back. #art #lifedrawing #queerart

Sketch in colour pencil (mostly magenta, yellow and blue) of nude man sitting on a big fluffy pillow. Annotation in the corner - 20 mins.

Sketch in colour pencil (mostly reds, yellows and blues) of nude man reclining in a pile of pillows. Annotation in the corner - 30 mins.

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

🌼 WHITESTONE IS FOR LOVERS 🌸 a t-shirt for @criticalrole.bsky.social - inspired by vintage postcards, I loved figuring out ways to adapt my usual style to a new format. (I also did the lettering, which isn't particularly complex but I'm proud all the same) #art #criticalrole

Laura Bailey holds up Whitestone Is For Lovers t-shirt

Illustration of a sunny cityscape - Whitestone, with its huge castle and mountains in the background. A huge tree with golden leaves towers above it all. Lettering reads "Whitestone Is For Lovers"

Illustration detail - Whitestone Castle overlooks the town

Illustration detail - flowers and leaves in the foreground of the illustration

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

So these guys kept me going for hundreds of hours while working (specially during the pandemic), helped me learn a game I love, have made me feel many feels. Then I was asked me to do a t-shirt for them, got a shout out from Laura Bailey, and I can't get over it. 💛 @criticalrole.bsky.social

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Maybe this is a thread where I keep record of games I play? Anyway, you probably don't need anyone else to tell you how mind-blowingly good DISCO ELYSIUM is but I finished it a while back and it truly shook me to my core

Key art from the video game Disco Elysium - a horse statue in a decaying urban landscape, against a cloudy, explosive bright orange and yellow sky. On the statue, the small silhouette of the protagonist, fist raised to the sky as he holds a bottle.

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Okay fine, if you were to TWIST MY ARM for 4 more games...

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Introduce yourself with four video games (I JUST played Outer Wilds and it immediately shot up to "wow this might have changed my life")

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

I haven't posted life drawing sketches here before, but people seem to like them over on Instagram! I might add a few more through the week, but take a look at the currently available ones here: www.ricardobessa.com/store?catego...

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

I've gone and done it! My shop is LIVE, right here: www.ricardobessa.com/store In addition to the usual prints, art books and MtG stuff (including APs, playmats and tokens), I'm also selling original life drawing sketches with proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestinians. Thanks for looking 💛

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

I'm opening my shop for a few days! But more importantly, I spent an exhausting morning attempting to photograph my STUFF in an appealing way. So now you all must see these

Photo of Magic The Gathering artist proofs, reads: Shop Opening! 1st - 7th December, ricardobessa.com/store

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

This is usually organised on Instagram, but posting here! I'm doing portfolio reviews this Friday morning aimed at people from marginalised/underrepresented communities. I have a couple of slots left, link for details! www.instagram.com/p/DC1f_-eKtN...

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

QRP your sketch vs final work Let's be honest, my sketches are usually way messier. I think I was just trying to impress #art #mtg

A sketch depicting a bunch of burly men chilling in a hot spring, with a landscape in the background and bear-shaped clouds

The previous sketch, finished and coloured, as the card Bearscape for Magic: The Gathering. Text reads: "Enchantment. Exile two cards from your graveyard: Create a 2/2 green Bear creature token." Flavour text: "They built a refuge with their bear hands."

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

Post your most popular art from twitter Easily the bakers 🥖 It's an oldie, it's from a time when I was only just starting to feel comfortable making visibly queer work, so it has a special place in my heart.

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

Also anyone who brings me treats from across the world has my heart FOREVER, thank you so much @alababwa.bsky.social 🥺

A box of chocolates from Hawaii, called Hawaiian Host!

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

I haven't had these artbooks in stock for a few years, excited to bring them back one last time 💖

A photo of two artbooks with colourful covers (A Tiny Art Book and Another Tiny Artbook)

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

On my way to Thought Bubble! Hopefully see a few of you this weekend 🤗

Promo image with illustration of Tamiyo (Magic: The Gathering) background. It reads "I'll be at Thought Bubble, Redshirt Hall, E10"

Map to find Table E10 in Redshirt Hall at Thought Bubble Comics Festival

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

Created an email label so I can easily find (and copy/paste) emails where I've decided to explain why I won't work for free 😬 (I swear these emails are not as condescending as this label makes me sound)

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 09/07/2024

It's #PortfolioDay! I'm Ricardo, Portuguese illustrator in London drifting around in your fantasy games and your (often queer) book covers. 👋 Links! 📸 instagram.com/rbessaaa/ 🐦 x.com/rbessaaa

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 18/04/2024

Illustrators... do you ever DESIGN? I've wanted to have some simple branding for a while but I'm so ignorant of typography and co. I struggled for far too long with this thumbnail for a comic con, just to find a font that feels acceptable. I might need to look into a skillshare or ten.

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 16/04/2024

I did this illustration for the MtG Modern Horizons 3 Gift Bundle 🌸 one of the coolest projects I worked on last year. I will take anything that lets me draw a flowing cape

Close up of of a bright scene featuring Tamiyo, floating and performing magic, the sun behind her

Full box art for the illustrated packaging of Magic: the Gathering Modern Horizons 3 Gift Bundle

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 04/04/2024

I've been telling myself I need to used BSky more and this is as good a start as any. Going to @thoughtbubbleuk.bsky.social once again, see you there! 🤗

Illustrated graphic reads: "I'm exhibiting at Thought Bubble Comic Convention. 16 &17 November 2024, Harrogate, England"

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 22/09/2023

On my way to Bristol for PrideCAF - my first convention appearance in a couple of years! Probably carrying too many prints and books for a one day event BUT super excited to finally bring some signed Bearscape + Collective Voyage MtG artist proofs!

Promo image for PrideCAF - "Table 10, 23rd of September, The Station, Bristol"

Signed Magic: The Gathering artist proofs

Prints of illustration with a bunch of sexy bakers

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 13/08/2023

I just want people to know this is a book that exists, and that Queer Britain is also a museum that exists

A book titled "They Came To Slay, The Queer Culture of D&D" by Thom James Carter, next to a paper bag from Queer Britain museum

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Ricardo Bessa ✏ @rbessaaa.bsky.social · 07/08/2023

New platform, new introduction! I'm Ricardo, a UK based Portuguese illustrator. My work lives somewhere in the cross section of Fantasy and Gay www.ricardobessa.com www.instagram.com/RBessaaa

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