From wondrous fairy-lands to nightmarish hellscapes, the elements that make fantasy worlds come alive also invite their exploration. This first book-length study of critically acclaimed novelist Patricia A. McKillip's lyrical other-worlds analyzes her characters, environments and legends and their interplay with genre expectations. The author gives long overdue critical attention to McKillip's work and demonstrates how a broader understanding of world-building enables a deeper appreciation of her fantasies.
When artists and designers explore or create a fictional setting, the milieu must be completely fleshed out, explained, and designed. In this book, comic and gaming art veteran Mark A. Nelson explores and demonstrates his methods for fashioning visually stunning, believable environments for fantasy creatures and characters. Scores of images and step-by-step examples illustrate how variation and experimentation lead to fresh, original designs for otherworldly beings, their environments, and their stories. Nelson discusses how to find ideas and borrow from history to add the strength of realism to a fantasy world. In describing the best ways to establish a habitat, he offers specifics about climate, terrain, flora, and wildlife. He shares insights into founding societies in terms of their means of survival, manner of warfare, spiritual practices, style of dress, and levels of technology. All visual creatives who work with imaginative material — illustrators, comic artists, and writers — will take a lively interest in this source of inspiration and practical knowledge. "In sixteen breezy-yet-surprisingly-concise chapters he covers everything from visual problem solving to spirituality to warfare to transportation, not with the idea of giving the reader lessons to copy by rote but rather as prompts to develop their own original concepts. If I were suggesting three books every budding artist should have at their fingertips they would be Figure Drawing for All It's Worth by Andrew Loomis, Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist by James Gurney, and, most definitely, Mark's Fantasy World-Building." — Muddy Colors
Tim White’s paintings give shape to the fantastic, to the might-have-been and what-still-could-happen. With its frequently optimistic tone and obsessive attention to detail, White’s art offers a convincing landscape of the imagi-nation. “A collection of White’s vivid commercial works spanning a decade....the captivating paintings that transport the viewer from the outwardly familiar to the alien skies.” —Publishers Weekly.
First published in 1996, this A-Z features professional tips and step-by-step instructions for a variety of styles, from horror to heroic fantasy and creatures to characterisation. There are entries on all major tools and techniques, such as acrylics, airbrush, animation & computer software, pen & ink and explanations on how to apply each one.
A beautiful visual history book of fantasy art from Romanticism and steampunk to modern illustrations from novels. Art has always been one of the most vivid ways to express people's imagination. Fantasy art illustrates the full range of human fears and dreams, from mythology, the Bible, and the artist's own original and exciting stories. This book describes the history of fantasy art from Romanticism in the 18th century to the modern era by exploring the masterpieces of fantasy artists: William Blake, John Martin, Albert Robida, Jules Gabriel Verne, H.G. Welles, and more. It also shows illustrations from science fiction and fantasy novels such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, poems and stories by Edgar Allan Poe, mystery novels by Agatha Christie, and contemporary fantasy novelists such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Michael Ende. This book illustrates the remarkable transition of fantasy art that occurred in 19th century when steampunk was introduced to the fantasy art world. Steampunk was unique because it was a fantasy-based style that was inspired by a real event, the Industrial Revolution. Today, the influence of steampunk can be seen in everywhere, from legendary films by Walt Disney and Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli. This book will surely satisfy all lovers of fantasy art and literature.
There is only one Final Fantasy. Through more than a dozen wildly diverse adventures, from the release of the first game in 1987 to the most recent expansion on the story, the international influence of the game is legendary both inside the video-game industry and throughout popular culture. It is a tale of bold heroes and heroines, breathtaking landscapes and terrifying creatures. Through Final Fantasy, names like Luneth, Refia, Rosa Farrell, Cecil Harvey, and many others have become household names to millions of players across the globe.
Discover how to paint classic fantasy, imaginative sci-fi, and comic art, with advice on how to tell visual stories, make inspired illustrations, and create strong characters using digital techniques. A core skills section offers basic training on topics such as using custom bruches and rendering realistic materials like cloth, rock, silk, fun, and shinym etal. Artist Henning Ludvigsen presents 20 tips to b etter fantasy paintings including color, texture, and light.
"Traces the history of fantasy art in North America and the UK. Through interviews, guided tutorials, and tips, shows readers how to design, draw, and paint fantasy art using traditional and digital tools"--
