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ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualReader FXPoséLuisa PreißlerLocation: GermanyWeb: www.luisapreissler.deEmail: info@luisapreissler.deME DIA: PhotoshopFreelance fantasy illustrator Luisa loves character-driven art. She works mainly on book covers, games and comics, and always tries to convey emotions that allude to a larger story in her art.“Watching Sailor Moon as a child made me start drawing early on,” the German artist reveals, “while in my teens digital illustration opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. It enabled me to grow confident with colours, lighting and atmosphere – my favourite things to paint.”In her free time Luisa enjoys reading urban fantasy novels, travelling to Italy and testing out delicious new recipes in the kitchen.Artist critJohn Stanko is excited by what he sees…“Luisa has an excellent sense of anatomy, composition and colour theory, but what makes her art stand…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPROCREATEFor those who haven’t tried this art app, you’re in for a treat! This may be an iPadonly product, but there’s really nothing diminutive about it other than the asking price. And with the latest version, the app just got a lot more powerful. First of all, there’s the interface. It took the team behind Procreate a year and a half of design work to arrive at what you see when you fire it up, and it was time well spent. A set of powerful multi-touch gestures drive common tasks, making the creative process unlike anything else. The two-fingertap to Undo is a good example. The developers designed this gesture so artists don’t need to travel to a button or use a key command – instead, they just tap the…3 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualREBELLERebelle is all about getting your hands dirty – or at least feeling like you have. Think Corel Painter at a snip of the price, and you’re close to understanding Escape Motions’s ambitions with its flagship software.“I love how the program encourages experimentation on the canvas,” says artist Martin Hanschild.“I’ll randomly paint spots, shapes and lines on the wet canvas, to see how colours flow across the screen, and then find interesting structures and shapes to change into characters or landscapes.”His job is made easier with Rebelle’s tools. The Blow tool brings a breath of inspiration to your work – literally, as you can manipulate your watercolour marks as if blowing on the paper. The Tilt control enables you to make the wet media run and drip, or you can…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualSKETCHUPSketchUp definitely belongs in this roundup, especially when top concept artists such as Donglu Yu and Jort van Welbergen are using it for professional (and personal) work. As a piece of computer-aided design (CAD) software, you’d be forgiven for thinking that its sole purpose is creating bog-standard architectural designs. Well, in the hands of an artist the possibilities are practically endless! “I love SketchUp mainly for its speed,” says Jort. “Because actions are relatively simple, the number of key presses for tools and actions are reduced, which means you can work at a faster pace. You won’t have to waste time looking through menus and lists. “Another cool, unique element of SketchUp is that you can copy parts of geometry, like cut-in detail, super quickly – and make patterns quite…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualSKETCHBOOK PROSketchBook Pro is here to make you draw. Where other programs offer tools to design, to build architectural blocks, or to use photos as your starting point, Autodesk’s 2D software is only interested in providing you with a digital canvas and 100-plus customisable brushes to start drawing with. Straight from the off, it’s made to make this goal as easy as possible. “I have plenty of experience with most leading artistic programs,” says Paris Christou, “but the number one reason I chose Sketchbook Pro over the rest is for its userfriendly, fresh, modern environment. You’re not overwhelmed when you first launch the software, unlike most painting applications.” SketchBook Pro’s best attributes are its ‘straight to the point’ access to any tool or action to speed up your workflow. Tools are…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualSKETCHBOOK PROSketchBook Pro is here to make you draw. Where other programs offer tools to design, to build architectural blocks, or to use photos as your starting point, Autodesk’s 2D software is only interested in providing you with a digital canvas and 100-plus customisable brushes to start drawing with.Straight from the off, it’s made to make this goal as easy as possible. “I have plenty of experience with most leading artistic programs,” says Paris Christou, “but the number one reason I chose Sketchbook Pro over the rest is for its userfriendly, fresh, modern environment. You’re not overwhelmed when you first launch the software, unlike most painting applications.”SketchBook Pro’s best attributes are its ‘straight to the point’ access to any tool or action to speed up your workflow. Tools are accessed using…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualThe NO.1 FOR DIGITAL ARTISTS imagineFX panelJia-Ying OngJia-Ying is a freelance artist from Singapore, who has done work mostly for mobile games, books, and dabbles in animation projects every now and then.www.circus-usagi.artstation.comMélanie DelonAs a full-time freelance illustrator, Mélanie spends her time working for different publishing houses and developing her own personal works on a fantasy theme.www.melaniedelon.comTony FotiTony is an artist with Konami who also contributes freelance work to numerous books, trading cards, video games, magazines and advertisements of all types. www.tonyfotiart.comKelley McMorrisPortland, Oregon is the home of freelance illustrator Kelley. State University. Her clients include Disney Hyperion and Scholastic. She also works on the indie video game Crea. www.kmcmorris.comBrynn MetheneyBrynn specialises in creature design, fantasy illustration and visual development for film, games and publishing. She lives and works in Long Beach, California. www.brynnart.com…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualA CONFABULATION OF DRAGONSScott was approached by a private collector for a commission that had only three requirements: it should contain three young women, a Huskie dog and at least one dragon. “Here was a chance to see what I could come up with within a very wide set of guidelines,” he says. “I had been looking for a word that I could use to refer to a group or gathering of dragons, much like a pod of whales or a pride of lions, and I felt that I found what I was looking for in a ‘C onfabulation’ of Dragons. “I envisioned the scene as a great meeting of dragons – a sort of draconian summit, where representatives of the diverse world of dragons would gather and confer. What I liked most…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualA CONFABULATION OF DRAGONSScott was approached by a private collector for a commission that had only three requirements: it should contain three young women, a Huskie dog and at least one dragon. “Here was a chance to see what I could come up with within a very wide set of guidelines,” he says.“I had been looking for a word that I could use to refer to a group or gathering of dragons, much like a pod of whales or a pride of lions, and I felt that I found what I was looking for in a ‘C onfabulation’ of Dragons.“I envisioned the scene as a great meeting of dragons – a sort of draconian summit, where representatives of the diverse world of dragons would gather and confer. What I liked most about this…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualArtist Portfolio JC ParkArtist PROFILEJC ParkLocation: South KoreaFavourite artists: Craig Mullins, Daniel Dociu and Feng ZhuSoftware used: Photoshopweb: www.j-circle.net“I sent a basic portfolio to NCsoft and it invited me in for an interview. I was really lucky”JC Park planned to be an engineer. At least, that’s the career his parents imagined for him. The South Korean didn’t get the grades for engineering college. He eventually completed a major in digital cartooning and began working as an illustrator and concept artist. He’s since built up a huge portfolio of mechs, vehicles and spacecrafts, with designs so intricate, so beautifully engineered, that even his parents must be proud.JC wanted to work in comics. But when he graduated, a decade ago, the comics industry in South Korea was struggling. Meanwhile, the video games industry was expanding…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualWITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS ART FRIENDS“When I started getting more ‘follows’ on ArtStation, that’s when I felt my work was going in a good direction. I got the same reaction from my Facebook page. Indeed, several companies contacted me through Facebook to offer freelance work. This was all relatively recently – almost four years ago.The skills I have, my abilities, are never enough. So every day I feel thankful to the online community and the companies who contact me, because they encourage me to become better. I try to pursue more creative projects, and do work that makes everyone happy. I hope I’ll be doing this for the rest of my life!”…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualVOLTA STUDIOS ART TEST“I think my greatest career milestone,” Even Mehl Amundsen says, “at least in terms of how different life was before and after, was passing the art test for my first in-house job at Volta Studios in Canada.” Even had just dropped out of Falmouth School of Art and was looking for freelancing jobs in Norway. A friend said he knew of a job going in Quebec. “I had barely any notion of where in Canada it was,” he says, “but I buckled down and took on their art test, working at it all summer. “The test was to do a character, going through the usual feedback system that most studios use, and after it was done, to do an environment to put that character in. The brief called for a…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnual‘YOUR CRUMMY DRAWING’Peter was already a successful editorial artist when Disney asked him to design characters for The Hunchback of Notre Dame. They didn’t use much of what he drew, but it was his big break into animation. He’s since learned a few thing about dealing with criticism and compliments. “I take compliments as lightly as possible,” the artist says, “and have a pretty good antenna to help me determine which are genuine and which are just nervously polite. As for criticism, I take that more seriously – though, again, my antennae is crucial here. Sometimes a criticism can come from a personal bias. A piece might have an off-putting element in it – a rat, for instance. However, if enough people don’t get what you’re trying to say, the fault is…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnual‘YOUR CRUMMY DRAWING’Peter was already a successful editorial artist when Disney asked him to design characters for The Hunchback of Notre Dame. They didn’t use much of what he drew, but it was his big break into animation. He’s since learned a few thing about dealing with criticism and compliments.“I take compliments as lightly as possible,” the artist says, “and have a pretty good antenna to help me determine which are genuine and which are just nervously polite. As for criticism, I take that more seriously – though, again, my antennae is crucial here. Sometimes a criticism can come from a personal bias. A piece might have an off-putting element in it – a rat, for instance. However, if enough people don’t get what you’re trying to say, the fault is not…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualDawn CarlosArtist PROFILEDawn CarlosLOCATION: USDawn is a concept artist, illustrator and fine artist from San Francisco. She loves fog, her Telecaster, a good hearty stout, mossy green forests and those mushroom city-looking things that grow on dead trees. The only place she goes without her sketchbook is the bathroom. She’s currently working as a concept artist at WB Games. www.dawncarlosart.com“I love how far you can push the weirdness of aliens but still retain character”“I played the Mass Effect trilogy and my love for all things sci-fi was rekindled”“Played Overwatch and had a horrible losing streak, so gave up and drew the characters instead”…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualStephan MartinièreArtist PROFILEStephan MartinièreLOCATION: USFrench-born Stephan is an acclaimed multi-award winning artist, who was voted one of the 50 most inspirational artists by ImagineFX. Stephan has worked on a range of smash-hit movies including The Avengers, Tomorrowland, Guardians of the Galaxy, I, Robot, Star Wars Episodes II and III, and the upcoming Aquaman. www.martiniere.com“I like doing explorations with no specific stories. This is when I can push myself creatively”“I liked the idea much better than the one the publisher chose, but that’s fine!”…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualCosmin PodarArtist PROFILECosmin Podarlocation: RomaniaA keen artist from childhood, Cosmin built up his painting skills by doing caricature art first, before securing a job at video game developer Gameloft in Cluj. After two years he was promoted to lead artist, and spent a further four years at the company before leaving to become a full-time freelance artist. He says his quest to become a better artist is never-ending, and that he’s his harshest critic. www.behance.net/podarcosmin“I had the urge to draw something gross, that resembled insects…”“I wanted to see how you could make a recognisable face just by scribbling with a pencil”“I imagined how an underground DJ travels with his bulky luggage…”…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualArtist insight BRINGING FANTASY PORTRAITS TO LIFEFantasy portraiture is my favourite subject. Bringing an original character to life is exciting, but can be difficult to achieve. To avoid mistakes and save time I try to follow a few rules. But they’re really just guidelines, so feel free to adapt, change and test other techniques that might better suit your painting process.The most important thing to bear in mind is to take your time. This is the best advice I can give, because nothing good comes from rushing a painting.It’s worth spending time and effort trying to understand how a face ‘works’, such as under a particular lighting setup. Such a skill won’t be grasped overnight. Spend time experimenting with several techniques, and don’t be afraid to fail. I’ve learned – and still learn – a lot…9 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualHOW TO BRING LIFE TO THE EYES1 Capture the eye’s shapeFirst I quickly sketch the shape of the eye. It’s essentially an oval, but you can play a bit with it because nobody has the same eye shape. I quickly sketch my lines so I know where to add the light and the shadows. It’s all about curves because the eyeball is round, and the eyelids must reflect this shape.2 Develop light and volumeOnce I’m happy with the shape of the character’s eye, I can start to apply the colour base, along with some volume and light. The upper eyelid will catch a lot of the light and will give volume to the eye. Here I decide to use a pale mauve for her make-up, which will work pretty well with the blue of her eye.3…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPhotoshop DEVELOP A STRONG LIGHTING SCHEMEBaby Bestiary was a commission I had a lot of fun doing, especially because animals and creatures are my favourite subjects to paint. The client, Metal Wave Games, approached me with a simple brief: to create a mirror composition. I found it a challenge because I needed to make a simple composition look interesting.I usually begin a painting by adopting a workflow that’s used by many artists. I start by producing thumbnails to help me decide on the overall composition, then proceed to put together a basic colour rough, before eventually finalising the colours by rendering the scene. This approach enables me to focus on the composition and the lighting, rather than focusing on developing my brush strokes on the canvas and steadily rendering the painting.Because of the simplicity of…4 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPhotoshopPAINT ICONIC GHOST IN THE SHELL ARTAs a devoted fan of the Ghost in the Shell franchise, especially of its more introspective, psychological side, I jumped at the chance to illustrate a promotional piece for Paramount’s new film. The theme given to me was ‘Identity’. The story is set in the future where humans can opt to have entirely synthetic bodies. However, when one physically becomes an A.I., does it mean that he/she also ceases to be human, or have a soul? Major Motoko Kusanagi is the female lead that often personifies this question, having both depth of character, yet also the ability to become emotionless and inhuman in the line of duty. I felt that a clear composition would be an effective tool to set the mood from the get-go. This explains my choice to…3 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualBlack InkCREATE A SCENE IN BLACK INKirst of all, if you’ve never used Black Ink before, it’s a relatively simple program to use, so you should soon be up and running. My approach to art is straightforward and my techniques can be easily introduced into your own workflow. I’ll be explaining them in detail over the course of this workshop. I generally start a project by first choosing the canvas size and dividing it in four equal spaces. I’ll then sketch rough thumbnails into these spaces, helping me to explore the possibilities of my initial idea while keeping all the concepts in one place. Then I pick a sketch that appeals to me the most, and start to develop a colour palette that fits it. You can do this using a reference image, such as a…5 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualFXPosé TraditionalAbhishek Singh LOCATION: India WEB: www.abhishekart.com EMAIL: abhi.s82@gmail.com MEDIA: Acrylics, gouache Born in Gwalior, India. Abhishek’s childhood was enriched by the vivid stories of India’s ancient myths and folk tales. He recently painted plein air at the Varanasi ghats next to the River Ganges (the riverside steps used for bathing and ceremonies). “With all the frenzy and conversations, the sadhus and people interacting with the painting,” he says “it turned into a very special experience.” IMAGINEFX CRIT “Abhishek’s use of colour is the standout aspect in his compositions, followed by the strong character designs and a real sense of movement. It feels as if these images are just moments from coming to life.” Daniel Vincent, Art Editor 1 GANGA AVTARAM: THE DESCENT OF THE RIVER GANGES Acrylics/gouache on canvas, 6x5ft…4 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualFXPosé TraditionalAbhishek SinghLOCATION: IndiaWEB: www.abhishekart.comEMAIL: abhi.s82@gmail.comMEDIA: Acrylics, gouacheBorn in Gwalior, India. Abhishek’s childhood was enriched by the vivid stories of India’s ancient myths and folk tales. He recently painted plein air at the Varanasi ghats next to the River Ganges (the riverside steps used for bathing and ceremonies). “With all the frenzy and conversations, the sadhus and people interacting with the painting,” he says “it turned into a very special experience.”IMAGINEFX CRIT“Abhishek’s use of colour is the standout aspect in his compositions, followed by the strong character designs and a real sense of movement. It feels as if these images are just moments from coming to life.”Daniel Vincent, Art Editor1 GANGA AVTARAM: THE DESCENT OF THE RIVER GANGESAcrylics/gouache on canvas, 6x5ft “The story of the Ganges: how a river of light…4 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualOils GETTING STARTED WITH OILSThere’s an undeserved mystique around oil painting that has put up some intimidating barriers for some artists wanting to use this wonderful medium. I hope to remove those concerns and provide a basic foundation of knowledge to help you get started.Oil paint is pigment bound in a drying (siccative) oil. The most common is linseed oil extracted from flax seeds, but you’ll also find paint bound in walnut, safflower or other oils. The pigments are generally the same as those found in watercolours, pastels and acrylics.Oil paints offer a richness of colour and its surface allows the creation of beautiful textures. You can paint thick or thin, directly or use glazes. Oils can be used on paper, wood, metal, plastic, canvas and many other surfaces.If you’re just getting started, don’t…3 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualHOW TO USE FileSiloTo access FileSilo, please visit www.filesilo.co.uk/ifx-annual-201801 Follow the on-screen instructions to create an account with our secure FileSilo system, log in and unlock the bookazine by answering a simple question about it. You can then access the content for free at any time, and download it to your desktop.02 Once you have logged in, you are free to explore the wealth of content available on FileSilo, from great video tutorials and exclusive online guides to superb downloadable resources. And the more bookazines you purchase, the more your instantly accessible collection of digital content will grow.03 You can access FileSilo on any desktop, tablet or smartphone device using any popular browser (such as Safari, Firefox or Google Chrome). However, we recommend that you use a desktop to download content, as you…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualDIGITAL ART REVOLUTION!The days of digital art being monopolised by two software behemoths are long gone. Illustrators with tech know-how have started influencing – and in some cases producing – innovative creative software, with artists as their primary focus. The result is a wealth of idiosyncratic yet powerful platforms, each one meeting the various needs of the modern digital artist. Whether you want to go down the route of mimicking natural media (playing with paint in globs, and mixing it impasto on your screen), experimenting with digitised tools and brushes, or digitising your comic art just like a professional, there’s a Photoshop and Painter alternative out there that shouldn’t break the bank… and may even add to it! Here’s our selection of inventive, inspiring, and often eye-opening art software that we think…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualREBELLERebelle is all about getting your hands dirty – or at least feeling like you have. Think Corel Painter at a snip of the price, and you’re close to understanding Escape Motions’s ambitions with its flagship software. “I love how the program encourages experimentation on the canvas,” says artist Martin Hanschild. “I’ll randomly paint spots, shapes and lines on the wet canvas, to see how colours flow across the screen, and then find interesting structures and shapes to change into characters or landscapes.” His job is made easier with Rebelle’s tools. The Blow tool brings a breath of inspiration to your work – literally, as you can manipulate your watercolour marks as if blowing on the paper. The Tilt control enables you to make the wet media run and drip,…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualBLACK INKBlack Ink’s publisher Bleank is honest with its aim. This isn’t art software trying to mimic traditional media. It’s digital embracing the nature of digital. “The thing that I like most about Black Ink is how unpredictable the brushes are,” explains Tony Foti. “There are times when I need to design things with more of a random feel, and it can be difficult to not create something that doesn’t look like a group of shapes. The chaotic nature of some of Black Ink’s more animated brushes keeps you on your toes.” Black Ink isn’t the best software if you want to paint representational art, and currently layers are limited to just eight. But if you respond well to experimental mark-making, there’s plenty here for the interested artist. Bleank had the…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualSKETCHUPSketchUp definitely belongs in this roundup, especially when top concept artists such as Donglu Yu and Jort van Welbergen are using it for professional (and personal) work. As a piece of computer-aided design (CAD) software, you’d be forgiven for thinking that its sole purpose is creating bog-standard architectural designs. Well, in the hands of an artist the possibilities are practically endless!“I love SketchUp mainly for its speed,” says Jort. “Because actions are relatively simple, the number of key presses for tools and actions are reduced, which means you can work at a faster pace. You won’t have to waste time looking through menus and lists.“Another cool, unique element of SketchUp is that you can copy parts of geometry, like cut-in detail, super quickly – and make patterns quite easily, too.”Simplicity…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualARTRAGESquarely positioned in the ‘traditional media experience’ class of digital software, ArtRage has come a long way since it was launched as a straightforward oil-painting program way back in 2007. Version 5, released at the start of the year, came with a more developed pastel and pencil arsenal, perspective guides, more options for customisation and an altogether swifter nature – all welcome changes.Yet the program’s main appeal remains the same. “What sets ArtRage apart is its ability to recreate the flow and texture of oil paint like a malleable medium, right there on the screen,” says Phil Galloway. “The paint behaves as paint should – and for an artist with a fine art background coming into a digital art world, this is key. ArtRage ticks all these boxes for my…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualThe NO.1 FOR DIGITAL ARTISTS imagineFX panelJia-Ying Ong Jia-Ying is a freelance artist from Singapore, who has done work mostly for mobile games, books, and dabbles in animation projects every now and then. www.circus-usagi.artstation.com Mélanie Delon As a full-time freelance illustrator, Mélanie spends her time working for different publishing houses and developing her own personal works on a fantasy theme. www.melaniedelon.com Tony Foti Tony is an artist with Konami who also contributes freelance work to numerous books, trading cards, video games, magazines and advertisements of all types. www.tonyfotiart.com Kelley McMorris Portland, Oregon is the home of freelance illustrator Kelley. State University. Her clients include Disney Hyperion and Scholastic. She also works on the indie video game Crea. www.kmcmorris.com Brynn Metheney Brynn specialises in creature design, fantasy illustration and visual development for film, games and publishing. She…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualThe NO.1 FOR DIGITAL ARTISTS imagineFX panelTan Hui TianTan is a senior illustrator with CDS in Singapore. She has a graphic design background, and so her works feature a strong design sense. www.tanhuitian.daportfolio.comTom FosterBest known for his work on 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, comic book artist Tom also writes and performs stand-up comedy. http://ifxm.ag/tom-fosterTony FotiTony is an artist with Konami who also works freelance for books, magazines and games such as MtG and Fantasy Flight’s Star Wars games. www.tonyfotiart.com…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualThe art of SCOTT GUSTAFSONI’m not proud of my computer illiteracy but I do feel the need to be honest about it and share my situation with others,” admits Scott Gustafson, renderer of gorgeous fairy tales scenes in traditional media. “It’s only through talking about this shameful problem that I think we, as a society, can come to terms with it and learn to deal with those less fortunate among us who neither text nor tweet…”He is, of course, joking here. As a veteran illustrator of 36 years to date (and still counting), Scott has little need of digital tools, versatile as he is with almost every traditional medium – be it oils, gouache or charcoal. Besides, the kind of gloriously detailed and coloured scenes he paints, harking back to the Golden Age of…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualArtist PortfolioJC ParkArtist PROFILE JC Park Location: South Korea Favourite artists: Craig Mullins, Daniel Dociu and Feng Zhu Software used: Photoshop web: www.j-circle.net “I sent a basic portfolio to NCsoft and it invited me in for an interview. I was really lucky” JC Park planned to be an engineer. At least, that’s the career his parents imagined for him. The South Korean didn’t get the grades for engineering college. He eventually completed a major in digital cartooning and began working as an illustrator and concept artist. He’s since built up a huge portfolio of mechs, vehicles and spacecrafts, with designs so intricate, so beautifully engineered, that even his parents must be proud. JC wanted to work in comics. But when he graduated, a decade ago, the comics industry in South Korea was…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualWITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS ART FRIENDS“When I started getting more ‘follows’ on ArtStation, that’s when I felt my work was going in a good direction. I got the same reaction from my Facebook page. Indeed, several companies contacted me through Facebook to offer freelance work. This was all relatively recently – almost four years ago. The skills I have, my abilities, are never enough. So every day I feel thankful to the online community and the companies who contact me, because they encourage me to become better. I try to pursue more creative projects, and do work that makes everyone happy. I hope I’ll be doing this for the rest of my life!”…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualArtist PortfolioEVEN MEHL AMUNDSENArtist PROFILE Even Mehl Amundsen Location: Denmark Fa vourite artists: Paul Bonner, Paul Dainton, Jesper Ejsing, Kim Jung Gi, Karl Kopinski, Alphonse Mucha, Ilya Repin, Hiroaki Samura, Adrian Smith and Claire Wendling. Software used: Photoshop web: http://ifxm.ag/evenamu The art test called for a modern assassin with an old-school weapon. Even Mehl Amundsen created a range of thumbnails, various styles, different anatomical types, then Volta picked the design it liked most. Next, the visual development studio asked him to come up with an environment for his character. The stakes were high for the young Norwegian artist. Even had just quit art school and needed a job. The Quebec-based studio provided him with a 3D mock-up, so he had to learn photobashing and other new skills for the first time. Even worked…8 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualArtist PortfolioPETER DE SÈVEArtist PROFILE Peter de Sève Location: US Favourite artists: Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Frank Frazetta, Heinrich Kley, Arthur Rackham, Roland Topor, Murray Tinkelman and, most inspiring by far, Brad Holland media: Wax crayon, ink and watercolour web: www.peterdeseve.com “For a kid from Long Island, living away from home for the first time, it couldn’t have been more exciting” Peter de Sève, aged 16, a student at Parsons school of art and design, walks through Greenwich Village to the corner of Bleecker and Macdougal Streets. It’s snowing. He finds a table in Café Figaro, the New York coffeehouse whose past regulars include Bob Dylan, Lenny Bruce and Jack Kerouac, where he drinks cappuccinos and draws in his sketchbook. With his drawings, Peter’s trying to impress people – friends, girls too. And…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualArtist Portfolio PETER DE SÈVEArtist PROFILEPeter de SèveLocation: USFavourite artists: Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Frank Frazetta, Heinrich Kley, Arthur Rackham, Roland Topor, Murray Tinkelman and, most inspiring by far, Brad Hollandmedia: Wax crayon, ink and watercolourweb: www.peterdeseve.com“For a kid from Long Island, living away from home for the first time, it couldn’t have been more exciting”Peter de Sève, aged 16, a student at Parsons school of art and design, walks through Greenwich Village to the corner of Bleecker and Macdougal Streets. It’s snowing. He finds a table in Café Figaro, the New York coffeehouse whose past regulars include Bob Dylan, Lenny Bruce and Jack Kerouac, where he drinks cappuccinos and draws in his sketchbook.With his drawings, Peter’s trying to impress people – friends, girls too. And it’s during these quiet afternoons that he starts…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualDawn CarlosArtistPROFILE Dawn Carlos LOCATION: US Dawn is a concept artist, illustrator and fine artist from San Francisco. She loves fog, her Telecaster, a good hearty stout, mossy green forests and those mushroom city-looking things that grow on dead trees. The only place she goes without her sketchbook is the bathroom. She’s currently working as a concept artist at WB Games. www.dawncarlosart.com “I love how far you can push the weirdness of aliens but still retain character” “I played the Mass Effect trilogy and my love for all things sci-fi was rekindled” “Played Overwatch and had a horrible losing streak, so gave up and drew the characters instead”…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualStephan MartinièreArtist PROFILE Stephan Martinière LOCATION: US French-born Stephan is an acclaimed multi-award winning artist, who was voted one of the 50 most inspirational artists by ImagineFX. Stephan has worked on a range of smash-hit movies including The Avengers, Tomorrowland, Guardians of the Galaxy, I, Robot, Star Wars Episodes II and III, and the upcoming Aquaman. www.martiniere.com “I like doing explorations with no specific stories. This is when I can push myself creatively” “I liked the idea much better than the one the publisher chose, but that’s fine!”…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualCosmin PodarArtist PROFILE Cosmin Podar location: Romania A keen artist from childhood, Cosmin built up his painting skills by doing caricature art first, before securing a job at video game developer Gameloft in Cluj. After two years he was promoted to lead artist, and spent a further four years at the company before leaving to become a full-time freelance artist. He says his quest to become a better artist is never-ending, and that he’s his harshest critic. www.behance.net/podarcosmin “I had the urge to draw something gross, that resembled insects…” “I wanted to see how you could make a recognisable face just by scribbling with a pencil” “I imagined how an underground DJ travels with his bulky luggage…”…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualHOW TO BRING LIFE TO THE EYES1 Capture the eye’s shape First I quickly sketch the shape of the eye. It’s essentially an oval, but you can play a bit with it because nobody has the same eye shape. I quickly sketch my lines so I know where to add the light and the shadows. It’s all about curves because the eyeball is round, and the eyelids must reflect this shape. 2 Develop light and volume Once I’m happy with the shape of the character’s eye, I can start to apply the colour base, along with some volume and light. The upper eyelid will catch a lot of the light and will give volume to the eye. Here I decide to use a pale mauve for her make-up, which will work pretty well with the blue…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPhotoshop DEVELOP A STRONG LIGHTING SCHEMEBaby Bestiary was a commission I had a lot of fun doing, especially because animals and creatures are my favourite subjects to paint. The client, Metal Wave Games, approached me with a simple brief: to create a mirror composition. I found it a challenge because I needed to make a simple composition look interesting. I usually begin a painting by adopting a workflow that’s used by many artists. I start by producing thumbnails to help me decide on the overall composition, then proceed to put together a basic colour rough, before eventually finalising the colours by rendering the scene. This approach enables me to focus on the composition and the lighting, rather than focusing on developing my brush strokes on the canvas and steadily rendering the painting. Because of the…4 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPhotoshop CREATING A DRAGON KNIGHTThis is a personal piece, which I completed in under three days. Before this I was busy creating concept art for a film. This assignment had lasted a number of months, and before moving on to my next project I was keen to paint an image that was the opposite of my concept art.I wanted it to be realistic and heavily detailed, and decided to portray the classic fantasy elements of a knight and dragon. However, I still had to draw on my film concept art experience to achieve my goal. Because I was short of time, I used textures to help speed up the painting process.The origins of this piece came from the sandy building image that I eventually used in the background. It gave me the idea of…3 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualRebelle USING BRUSHES IN REBELLEThe Watercolor tool is probably the best tool in Rebelle’s toolkit - it’s also the most commonly utilised as well. However, there’s more to Rebelle than Watercolor - there are many other painting tools in Rebelle that are well worth taking the time to explore.They can be divided into two basic groups: wet media brushes (including Acrylic, Ink Pen and Watercolor); and Dry media brushes, such as Pencil, Marker, Pastel and Airbrush. There’s the Eraser too, which is dry by default but has some special features, as you’ll see.The parameters for all of Rebelle’s tools are set to predefined values to start with, and they work fine ‘out of the box’. But you can tweak them according to your preferences. You can always reset them to the defaults. Remember that…4 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualBlack Ink CREATE A SCENE IN BLACK INKirst of all, if you’ve never used Black Ink before, it’s a relatively simple program to use, so you should soon be up and running.My approach to art is straightforward and my techniques can be easily introduced into your own workflow. I’ll be explaining them in detail over the course of this workshop.I generally start a project by first choosing the canvas size and dividing it in four equal spaces. I’ll then sketch rough thumbnails into these spaces, helping me to explore the possibilities of my initial idea while keeping all the concepts in one place.Then I pick a sketch that appeals to me the most, and start to develop a colour palette that fits it. You can do this using a reference image, such as a photograph, a particular…5 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualBEGINNER’S GUIDE TO USING BLACK INK1 Adjusting the Canvas sizeIt’s important to establish your document sizes before you start working on your project. You can find the relevant option to do this by clicking Image>Resize. Once you open the panel, you can change the document dimension and resolution. You can also alter the dimensions to make your starting image landscape or portrait format.2 Explore the ToolbarThe toolbar lies just below the menus on top. Within it are a good selection of tools including Undo/ Redo, Navigation, Flip canvas, Crop, Lasso, Fill and so on. Be sure to try them out.3 Brush panelPress the small downwards arrow to extend the panel. This will give you access to all of the available brushes. There’s also a panel just on top of the Brush panel where you can…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualOilsGETTING STARTED WITH OILSThere’s an undeserved mystique around oil painting that has put up some intimidating barriers for some artists wanting to use this wonderful medium. I hope to remove those concerns and provide a basic foundation of knowledge to help you get started. Oil paint is pigment bound in a drying (siccative) oil. The most common is linseed oil extracted from flax seeds, but you’ll also find paint bound in walnut, safflower or other oils. The pigments are generally the same as those found in watercolours, pastels and acrylics. Oil paints offer a richness of colour and its surface allows the creation of beautiful textures. You can paint thick or thin, directly or use glazes. Oils can be used on paper, wood, metal, plastic, canvas and many other surfaces. If you’re just…3 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualInk Watercolour Pencil AirbrushMIX STORY ELEMENTS ON A BOOK COVERSubterranean Press contacted me to create full-cover dust jackets for a new and limited edition of Robin Hobb’s Farseer trilogy. In reply to my query about a cover brief, the publisher replied that there was none: I had free rein to do as I wished. Naturally, this sounded like a dream commission, but of course it meant making many decisions above and beyond the actual subject matter: layout, placement of titles, fonts and more. I was intent on installing two things: a proximity to the characters, and a depiction of wide landscapes. I decided that the best way to avoid “posing” characters – equivalent to a modern-day snapshot taken in front of a tourist-friendly vista – was to make use of vignettes. I did all three sketches at once and…4 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualInk Watercolour Pencil Airbrush MIX STORY ELEMENTS ON A BOOK COVERSubterranean Press contacted me to create full-cover dust jackets for a new and limited edition of Robin Hobb’s Farseer trilogy. In reply to my query about a cover brief, the publisher replied that there was none: I had free rein to do as I wished.Naturally, this sounded like a dream commission, but of course it meant making many decisions above and beyond the actual subject matter: layout, placement of titles, fonts and more. I was intent on installing two things: a proximity to the characters, and a depiction of wide landscapes. I decided that the best way to avoid “posing” characters – equivalent to a modern-day snapshot taken in front of a tourist-friendly vista – was to make use of vignettes.I did all three sketches at once and sent them…4 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualHOW TO USE FileSiloTo access FileSilo, please visit www.filesilo.co.uk/ifx-annual-2018 01 Follow the on-screen instructions to create an account with our secure FileSilo system, log in and unlock the bookazine by answering a simple question about it. You can then access the content for free at any time, and download it to your desktop. 02 Once you have logged in, you are free to explore the wealth of content available on FileSilo, from great video tutorials and exclusive online guides to superb downloadable resources. And the more bookazines you purchase, the more your instantly accessible collection of digital content will grow. 03 You can access FileSilo on any desktop, tablet or smartphone device using any popular browser (such as Safari, Firefox or Google Chrome). However, we recommend that you use a desktop to download…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualReader FXPoséLuisa Preißler Location: Germany Web: www.luisapreissler.de Email: info@luisapreissler.de ME DIA: Photoshop Freelance fantasy illustrator Luisa loves character-driven art. She works mainly on book covers, games and comics, and always tries to convey emotions that allude to a larger story in her art. “Watching Sailor Moon as a child made me start drawing early on,” the German artist reveals, “while in my teens digital illustration opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. It enabled me to grow confident with colours, lighting and atmosphere – my favourite things to paint.” In her free time Luisa enjoys reading urban fantasy novels, travelling to Italy and testing out delicious new recipes in the kitchen. Artist crit John Stanko is excited by what he sees… “Luisa has an excellent sense of anatomy,…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualDIGITAL ART REVOLUTION!The days of digital art being monopolised by two software behemoths are long gone. Illustrators with tech know-how have started influencing – and in some cases producing – innovative creative software, with artists as their primary focus. The result is a wealth of idiosyncratic yet powerful platforms, each one meeting the various needs of the modern digital artist.Whether you want to go down the route of mimicking natural media (playing with paint in globs, and mixing it impasto on your screen), experimenting with digitised tools and brushes, or digitising your comic art just like a professional, there’s a Photoshop and Painter alternative out there that shouldn’t break the bank… and may even add to it!Here’s our selection of inventive, inspiring, and often eye-opening art software that we think you’ll benefit…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPROCREATEFor those who haven’t tried this art app, you’re in for a treat! This may be an iPadonly product, but there’s really nothing diminutive about it other than the asking price. And with the latest version, the app just got a lot more powerful.First of all, there’s the interface. It took the team behind Procreate a year and a half of design work to arrive at what you see when you fire it up, and it was time well spent. A set of powerful multi-touch gestures drive common tasks, making the creative process unlike anything else. The two-fingertap to Undo is a good example. The developers designed this gesture so artists don’t need to travel to a button or use a key command – instead, they just tap the screen…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualBLACK INKBlack Ink’s publisher Bleank is honest with its aim. This isn’t art software trying to mimic traditional media. It’s digital embracing the nature of digital.“The thing that I like most about Black Ink is how unpredictable the brushes are,” explains Tony Foti.“There are times when I need to design things with more of a random feel, and it can be difficult to not create something that doesn’t look like a group of shapes. The chaotic nature of some of Black Ink’s more animated brushes keeps you on your toes.”Black Ink isn’t the best software if you want to paint representational art, and currently layers are limited to just eight. But if you respond well to experimental mark-making, there’s plenty here for the interested artist.Bleank had the mobile phone user in…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualARTRAGESquarely positioned in the ‘traditional media experience’ class of digital software, ArtRage has come a long way since it was launched as a straightforward oil-painting program way back in 2007. Version 5, released at the start of the year, came with a more developed pastel and pencil arsenal, perspective guides, more options for customisation and an altogether swifter nature – all welcome changes. Yet the program’s main appeal remains the same. “What sets ArtRage apart is its ability to recreate the flow and texture of oil paint like a malleable medium, right there on the screen,” says Phil Galloway. “The paint behaves as paint should – and for an artist with a fine art background coming into a digital art world, this is key. ArtRage ticks all these boxes for…3 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualCLIP STUDIO PAINTPreviously called Manga Studio, Clip Studio Paint was rebranded by Smith Micro to give artists a better idea of what the software can do. What remains the same is a dedicated piece of kit, with hidden depths, that’s aimed at comic artists and animators. “There are two factors that make Clip Studio Paint stand out from its competitors, especially Photoshop,” says long-time user PJ Holden. “They are its tools for comic artists, and its price. While Photoshop has introduced Perspective Rulers, Clip Studio Paint (back when it was Manga Studio) was doing it first. It has dedicated tools to help quicken flatting, it has a dedicated tool to add tones (aka Letratone, or Benday dots) to artwork that make it simple to go in and alter the density of the…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualCLIP STUDIO PAINTPreviously called Manga Studio, Clip Studio Paint was rebranded by Smith Micro to give artists a better idea of what the software can do. What remains the same is a dedicated piece of kit, with hidden depths, that’s aimed at comic artists and animators.“There are two factors that make Clip Studio Paint stand out from its competitors, especially Photoshop,” says long-time user PJ Holden. “They are its tools for comic artists, and its price. While Photoshop has introduced Perspective Rulers, Clip Studio Paint (back when it was Manga Studio) was doing it first. It has dedicated tools to help quicken flatting, it has a dedicated tool to add tones (aka Letratone, or Benday dots) to artwork that make it simple to go in and alter the density of the dots…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualThe NO.1 FOR DIGITAL ARTISTS imagineFX panelTan Hui Tian Tan is a senior illustrator with CDS in Singapore. She has a graphic design background, and so her works feature a strong design sense. www.tanhuitian.daportfolio.com Tom Foster Best known for his work on 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, comic book artist Tom also writes and performs stand-up comedy. http://ifxm.ag/tom-foster Tony Foti Tony is an artist with Konami who also works freelance for books, magazines and games such as MtG and Fantasy Flight’s Star Wars games. www.tonyfotiart.com…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualThe art of SCOTT GUSTAFSONI’m not proud of my computer illiteracy but I do feel the need to be honest about it and share my situation with others,” admits Scott Gustafson, renderer of gorgeous fairy tales scenes in traditional media. “It’s only through talking about this shameful problem that I think we, as a society, can come to terms with it and learn to deal with those less fortunate among us who neither text nor tweet…” He is, of course, joking here. As a veteran illustrator of 36 years to date (and still counting), Scott has little need of digital tools, versatile as he is with almost every traditional medium – be it oils, gouache or charcoal. Besides, the kind of gloriously detailed and coloured scenes he paints, harking back to the Golden Age…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualDRAWING POE: THE WONDER YEARSSeveral years ago Scott came across an old paperback of Tales of Mystery and Imagination, the collected stories of Edgar Allan Poe, that he had bought when he was about 13. “It not only brought back memories of how fascinated I was by Poe and his stories at that time, but it also got me wondering what Poe would have been like at that same age,” Scott says. “As I thought more about it and then began to research it, the idea of Eddie just seemed to take on a life of its own.” The resulting novel was Eddie: The Lost Youth of Edgar Allan Poe, written and illustrated by Scott and aimed at eight to 12 year-olds. It’s something of a departure from his usual work, not least because…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualDRAWING POE: THE WONDER YEARSSeveral years ago Scott came across an old paperback of Tales of Mystery and Imagination, the collected stories of Edgar Allan Poe, that he had bought when he was about 13.“It not only brought back memories of how fascinated I was by Poe and his stories at that time, but it also got me wondering what Poe would have been like at that same age,” Scott says. “As I thought more about it and then began to research it, the idea of Eddie just seemed to take on a life of its own.”The resulting novel was Eddie: The Lost Youth of Edgar Allan Poe, written and illustrated by Scott and aimed at eight to 12 year-olds. It’s something of a departure from his usual work, not least because all of…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPRACTICE MAKES… AWESOME!1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualArtist Portfolio EVEN MEHL AMUNDSENArtist PROFILEEven Mehl AmundsenLocation: DenmarkFa vourite artists: Paul Bonner, Paul Dainton, Jesper Ejsing, Kim Jung Gi, Karl Kopinski, Alphonse Mucha, Ilya Repin, Hiroaki Samura, Adrian Smith and Claire Wendling.Software used: Photoshopweb: http://ifxm.ag/evenamuThe art test called for a modern assassin with an old-school weapon. Even Mehl Amundsen created a range of thumbnails, various styles, different anatomical types, then Volta picked the design it liked most. Next, the visual development studio asked him to come up with an environment for his character. The stakes were high for the young Norwegian artist. Even had just quit art school and needed a job.The Quebec-based studio provided him with a 3D mock-up, so he had to learn photobashing and other new skills for the first time. Even worked on the test for most of the…8 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualVOLTA STUDIOS ART TEST“I think my greatest career milestone,” Even Mehl Amundsen says, “at least in terms of how different life was before and after, was passing the art test for my first in-house job at Volta Studios in Canada.”Even had just dropped out of Falmouth School of Art and was looking for freelancing jobs in Norway. A friend said he knew of a job going in Quebec. “I had barely any notion of where in Canada it was,” he says, “but I buckled down and took on their art test, working at it all summer.“The test was to do a character, going through the usual feedback system that most studios use, and after it was done, to do an environment to put that character in. The brief called for a modern, Asian…1 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualWHAT’S ON THE MENU TODAY…?“My work often begins with a visual dichotomy of some kind. In this case, my initial doodle had something to do with carnivores at a vegan restaurant, the kind of place you can easily find in a Brooklyn neighbourhood like mine. My wife, Randall, has been a vegetarian since she was 12 and though I tried being one for almost eight years. I realised it just wasn’t for me. That moment, when I first began to rethink my diet, is what this cover is all about. Once I landed on the lion with a salad watching more delicious options walk by, I began to refine the drawing. Originally, I had an anaemic-looking lion, but soon decided on a healthier version. After that, I concentrated on his expression. It’s amazing how…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualWHAT’S ON THE MENU TODAY…?“My work often begins with a visual dichotomy of some kind. In this case, my initial doodle had something to do with carnivores at a vegan restaurant, the kind of place you can easily find in a Brooklyn neighbourhood like mine. My wife, Randall, has been a vegetarian since she was 12 and though I tried being one for almost eight years. I realised it just wasn’t for me. That moment, when I first began to rethink my diet, is what this cover is all about.Once I landed on the lion with a salad watching more delicious options walk by, I began to refine the drawing. Originally, I had an anaemic-looking lion, but soon decided on a healthier version. After that, I concentrated on his expression. It’s amazing how the…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualGenzomanArtist PROFILE Genzoman location: Chile Gonzalo Ordoñez, also known as Genzoman, is a self-taught illustrator who’s spent the past 20 years creating art for video games, magazines, films and card games. You can see examples of his art in Udon Entertainment’s Street Fighter comic, and World of Warcraft. www.genzoman.deviantart.com “Fairies are a fine balance between strong magic and delicate character design” “The Secret of NIMH was my first big inspiration to start drawing when I was a kid…”…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualGenzomanArtist PROFILEGenzomanlocation: ChileGonzalo Ordoñez, also known as Genzoman, is a self-taught illustrator who’s spent the past 20 years creating art for video games, magazines, films and card games. You can see examples of his art in Udon Entertainment’s Street Fighter comic, and World of Warcraft. www.genzoman.deviantart.com“Fairies are a fine balance between strong magic and delicate character design”“The Secret of NIMH was my first big inspiration to start drawing when I was a kid…”…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualArtist insightBRINGING FANTASY PORTRAITS TO LIFEFantasy portraiture is my favourite subject. Bringing an original character to life is exciting, but can be difficult to achieve. To avoid mistakes and save time I try to follow a few rules. But they’re really just guidelines, so feel free to adapt, change and test other techniques that might better suit your painting process. The most important thing to bear in mind is to take your time. This is the best advice I can give, because nothing good comes from rushing a painting. It’s worth spending time and effort trying to understand how a face ‘works’, such as under a particular lighting setup. Such a skill won’t be grasped overnight. Spend time experimenting with several techniques, and don’t be afraid to fail. I’ve learned – and still learn –…9 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPhotoshopCREATING A DRAGON KNIGHTThis is a personal piece, which I completed in under three days. Before this I was busy creating concept art for a film. This assignment had lasted a number of months, and before moving on to my next project I was keen to paint an image that was the opposite of my concept art. I wanted it to be realistic and heavily detailed, and decided to portray the classic fantasy elements of a knight and dragon. However, I still had to draw on my film concept art experience to achieve my goal. Because I was short of time, I used textures to help speed up the painting process. The origins of this piece came from the sandy building image that I eventually used in the background. It gave me the…3 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualRebelleUSING BRUSHES IN REBELLEThe Watercolor tool is probably the best tool in Rebelle’s toolkit - it’s also the most commonly utilised as well. However, there’s more to Rebelle than Watercolor - there are many other painting tools in Rebelle that are well worth taking the time to explore. They can be divided into two basic groups: wet media brushes (including Acrylic, Ink Pen and Watercolor); and Dry media brushes, such as Pencil, Marker, Pastel and Airbrush. There’s the Eraser too, which is dry by default but has some special features, as you’ll see. The parameters for all of Rebelle’s tools are set to predefined values to start with, and they work fine ‘out of the box’. But you can tweak them according to your preferences. You can always reset them to the defaults.…4 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPhotoshop PAINT ICONIC GHOST IN THE SHELL ARTAs a devoted fan of the Ghost in the Shell franchise, especially of its more introspective, psychological side, I jumped at the chance to illustrate a promotional piece for Paramount’s new film. The theme given to me was ‘Identity’. The story is set in the future where humans can opt to have entirely synthetic bodies. However, when one physically becomes an A.I., does it mean that he/she also ceases to be human, or have a soul?Major Motoko Kusanagi is the female lead that often personifies this question, having both depth of character, yet also the ability to become emotionless and inhuman in the line of duty. I felt that a clear composition would be an effective tool to set the mood from the get-go. This explains my choice to present…3 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualBEGINNER’S GUIDE TO USING BLACK INK1 Adjusting the Canvas size It’s important to establish your document sizes before you start working on your project. You can find the relevant option to do this by clicking Image>Resize. Once you open the panel, you can change the document dimension and resolution. You can also alter the dimensions to make your starting image landscape or portrait format. 2 Explore the Toolbar The toolbar lies just below the menus on top. Within it are a good selection of tools including Undo/ Redo, Navigation, Flip canvas, Crop, Lasso, Fill and so on. Be sure to try them out. 3 Brush panel Press the small downwards arrow to extend the panel. This will give you access to all of the available brushes. There’s also a panel just on top of the…2 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPencilAcrylicsCharcoalPhotoshopGET INSPIRED BY DEL TOROOne of my most treasured possessions is a DVD box set made up of the Guillermo del Toro films Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth. I bought it about five years ago on a class trip to London. I hadn’t turned 18, so somebody else paid for it on my behalf. My obsession with film has had a strong influence on the work I do nowadays. Having been only mildly interested in old and new masters of fine art and illustration, I learned most of what I know about visual language, atmosphere and composition from film. Film taught me what it means to have an artistic voice, a vision. Especially del Toro, with his world of eerily beautiful monsters, haunting atmosphere and poetry in both image and narration, showed…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPencil Acrylics Charcoal Photoshop GET INSPIRED BY DEL TOROOne of my most treasured possessions is a DVD box set made up of the Guillermo del Toro films Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth. I bought it about five years ago on a class trip to London. I hadn’t turned 18, so somebody else paid for it on my behalf.My obsession with film has had a strong influence on the work I do nowadays. Having been only mildly interested in old and new masters of fine art and illustration, I learned most of what I know about visual language, atmosphere and composition from film.Film taught me what it means to have an artistic voice, a vision. Especially del Toro, with his world of eerily beautiful monsters, haunting atmosphere and poetry in both image and narration, showed me what…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPencil WatercolourPENCIL AND WATERCOLOUR ARTGet ready to learn how I colour a howling wolf using unconventional methods and materials! Here, I’ll teach you my approach for creating my drawings using a range of media: watercolours, colour pencils and more. I’ll start proceedings with a light watercolour wash and move towards darker heavier marks with colour pencils. This workshop is focused on how to colour using a variety of materials rather that how to draw. To begin, you should first select some heavy-duty paper. I prefer to use Strathmore Smooth Bristol board; however, illustration board, a hot press watercolour paper or a cold press watercolour paper with a smaller tooth will also work. You should also be ready with a watercolour brush. I enjoy using a range of brushes, from flat brushes to round brushes…7 min
ImagineFX Annual|ImagineFXAnnualPencil Watercolour PENCIL AND WATERCOLOUR ARTGet ready to learn how I colour a howling wolf using unconventional methods and materials! Here, I’ll teach you my approach for creating my drawings using a range of media: watercolours, colour pencils and more.I’ll start proceedings with a light watercolour wash and move towards darker heavier marks with colour pencils. This workshop is focused on how to colour using a variety of materials rather that how to draw. To begin, you should first select some heavy-duty paper. I prefer to use Strathmore Smooth Bristol board; however, illustration board, a hot press watercolour paper or a cold press watercolour paper with a smaller tooth will also work.You should also be ready with a watercolour brush. I enjoy using a range of brushes, from flat brushes to round brushes to detail…7 min
