Home » Arts & Design » Fine Art » Art History

The Beauty of Fantasy Art

Ranked #5,995 in Arts & Design, #98,697 overall

Welcome to the Beauty of Fantasy Art!

Here, you'll find  a history of fantasy art from the Ancient Greeks all the way up through modern artists. You'll also find links to great fantasy art and places where you can learn how to draw it, as books to both educate and inspire.

Art is, by some definitions, an interpretation of reality as seen through the eye of the artist.  And yet, it is not constrained by the restaints of reality.  It can break all the rules and gives us a glimpse into worlds that exist only in the artist's heart and mind.

That is what fantasy art does.  It lets us peek into a multitude of worlds hand-crafted by the imaginations of other people.  Worlds where anything is possible.  People fly with their own wings, merfolk swim the seas, and magic and science can exist side-by-side.

However, fantasy art does more than that.  It allows us to see our own world through different eyes.  It allows us another look at human nature.  It can critique, explain, and create a sense of dread, awe, amazement, or wonder.

That is what I love about fantasy art.  It can do so very much, and yet, no matter what it does, it still has imagination at its heart.  And that is why I'm devoting this lens to it.

Images for this lens are from Wikimedia Commons and are public domain unless otherwise noted. Full Credits can be found at the bottom of the page.

Where Did Fantasy Art Come From?

Tracing Its Lineage to Way Back When

Grandfather Tells a Story - Albert Anker, 1884In the broadest terms, fantasy art is any art that depicts people, events, or places that exist only in the imagination, whether it be that of an individual or an entire culture, and has some element of the fantastic involved. But where did fantasy art come from?

In short, it came from answering a single question: "What if...?" What if there are monsters lurking in the dark? What if people could turn into animals? What if the fate of the kingdom depended on the quest for a single object?

Almost as soon as people began telling stories to answer all those "what ifs," artists began illustrating them, and that was the very beginning of fantasy art. People would gather around the fire at night and listen to fantastic tales of gods and heroes, of magical beings and chimeric beasts - an entire world, wonderful and terrifying and awe-inspiring, all just beyond the fire's reach or over the next mountain. It was only natural that early artists would start giving those stories visual form.

Most modern fantasy art is still inspired by stories, whether they're the ancient myths of old, the fairy and folktales of more recent centuries, modern fantasy literature, or just the story swirling around the artist's head.
The Dream of the Architect

The Dream of the Architect, by Thomas Cole (1840) 

Roots of Fantasy: Mythology

Timeless Tales and Epic Quests

The earliest stories became the myths of ancient cultures. These tales of all-too-human gods, larger-than-life heroes, mythical beasts, and epic quests provide a rich tapestry from which artists can draw inspiration. They're filled with action, adventure, drama, and romance, with more characters than you can count and more wondrous happenings than you could wish for. While world mythology has been influencing modern fantasy, the greatest influences in the West come from two sources: the Greeks and the Norse.

Both of these mythologies brought similar things to the table: entire pantheons of gods who, while powerful, were certainly not infallible; heroes who often had to go on epic quests for some object or another; and a vast collection of stories that created a deep and complete world within their own mythos.

Thanks to the Renaissance and the interests of Romantic poets and Victorian artists, the Greek myths are alive and well today, and have a strong presence in fantasy art even today.

The tales still ring true: Orpheus, on his quest to rescue his beloved from death; Odysseus's struggle to reach home; Psyche's missteps and search for love. The themes, lessons, and observations on human nature strike a chord within anyone who has ever felt the sting of Love's Arrow or the pain of losing a loved one, the desire to be recognized and admired or the longing for home. When looking for inspiration, an artist need look no further than the vast world of Greek mythology.

However, Norse mythology has had its impact, as well. The stories of the epic struggles of the gods against the inevitability of fate in a world born of fire and ice have long entertained and given humanity pause. Here you'll find the tales of Odin, the warrior who chose to sacrifice an eye for the sake of wisdom; Thor, protector of humanity and wielder of his mighty hammer; Loki, the trickster-god who could help but more often harmed; Freya, goddess of beauty whose chariot was drawn by cats; and many more.

The Norse also gave us such epic tales as Siegfried and the dragon Fafnir, as well as beings like the elves (think more Prince Nuada of Hellboy II than Keebler) and Valkyries. When you read Tolkien or visit Ironforge in World of Warcraft, you can feel the Norse influence.

In recent decades, Western fantasy authors and artists have been drawing inspiration from other mythologies around the world, including Egyptian, Chinese, Japanese, and Native American, adding even more richness and depth to the works we so enjoy. These ancient stories and themes will likely continue to influence fantasy for centuries to come.

Want to Know More About Mythology?

Check out these lenses!

Mythology is a huge and often confusing topic to tackle, especially if you're just starting out. Get your feet wet with these lenses!
Loading

Roots of Fantasy: Folklore

Witches, magic, and the wee folk

Unicorns became allegorical symbols in the Middle AgesStories with fantasy elements continued to be told to pass the time and teach valuable lessons long after Christianity swept across Europe and attempted to stamp out the old pagan religions. Back in the Middle Ages, way before there were movies and before the printing press made books accessible to the public, people continued to pass down stories filled with fantastic elements.

The world remained a magical place, one where atypical children were considered fairy changelings and the souring of milk or sudden ailments were mischievous sprites or malevolent witches. Stories arose to explain old traditions: hanging an iron horseshoe above the door or placing one in or above a crib would keep fairies from swapping your baby for one of theirs; plugging keyholes before bed and keeping a nightlight on will keep an alp away; driving a stake through a corpse's heart will keep it from rising out of the grave as any number of creatures.

These were the creations of folklore, things that had so embedded themselves in the ambient culture as to be practically common knowledge. One no more danced in a circle of mushrooms than stuck their hand in a fire for fear of being abducted by fairies. As the centuries passed, writers and artists drew upon that rich cultural heritage to create new fantasies. Shakespeare drew upon folklore for plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, while Keats wrote of magical lovers in his La Belle Dame sans Merci, never mind how many writers and artists have drawn upon ancient ballads such as Beowulf, Tam Lin, werewolves and vampires.

Writers continue to take elements from earlier folklore to add depth to their worlds, and fantasy artists use those motifs to tap into a cultural subconscious developed through centuries of customs, stories, and popular beliefs. However, folklore is hardly a thing of the past. Many traditions have trickled down into the modern era (ever knocked on wood, sung a lullaby, or blamed Friday the 13th or the full moon for your crazy day?) and modern folklore can still be found today in the form of urban legends.

Learn More About Folklore

Lenses on Folklore and Urban Legends

Loading
Midsummer Eve, by Edward Robert Hughes (1908)

Midsummer Eve, by Edward Robert Hughes (1908) 

Roots of Fantasy: Fairy Tales

Rags to Riches with the Help of Magic

Hey there, Little Red Riding HoodFairy tales are a part of folklore, one over which experts are constantly squabbling in regards to definition. At its most basic, a fairy tale is a story involving some element of wonder. Many have some sort of moral or fall under a certain motif, such as the Magical Animal Helps Peasant or Lost Royalty.

Quite often, they involve a contrast between royalty and peasants - not just any peasants, either. They're usually the most down-trodden you can imagine. Think of Cinderella: even though her father was well-off, she wore rags thanks to her cruel stepmother. The boy from Puss in Boots was a penniless miller's son who inherited a magic cat and ultimately marries a princess.

So what makes a fairy tale a fairy tale? It's certainly not the presence of fairies; while they usually contain some element of the fantastic, fairies are not a necessity in fairy tales. No, the main differences between fairy tales and folklore in general are that fairy tales have a strong narrative element, specific characters, and no specific place. General folklore says you put an iron horseshoe in your baby's crib to ward off child-swapping fairies; the fairy tale tells what happened to the child that was stolen. It wasn't something that happened in the next valley over; it happened once upon a time, in a land far away. Fairy tales also have something else that's very important: an easily recognizable title. When people hear "Snow White" or "The Brave Little Tailor," they know it's going to be a story.

Fairy Tales: Just for Kids?

From Adults to Kids and Back Again

The Brothers GrimmThese days fairy tales are usually associated with children, but that wasn't always the case. Originally, fairy tales were meant for adults. So how is it that these days, when most people think of fairy tales, they think of stories for kids?

Well, you can blame academics and writers. The trend started when folklorists began transcribing these tales and pointedly saying they were children's tales. These writers separated fairy tales from the rest of folklore by collecting them in compilations of stories beginning in the 1600s. In fact, the person who coined the term "fairy tale" was the Madame d'Aulnoy, who released her first book of fairy tales in 1697. Many of her stories are not suitable for modern children in their original form, and how much she wrote directly from the folktales is in debate, but that doesn't matter: she was inspired by them, and her stories still follow common fairy tale motifs.

A contemporary of Madame d'Aulnoy was Charles Perrault, whose stories were also derived from folklore. He is considered the founder of the literary genre of fairy tales, and gave us such stories as Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty.

Fast-forward 150 years and we finally come to perhaps the best known purveyors of fairy tales, Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm. These two brothers wandered around Germany, collecting folktales out of academic interest and thus preserving them forever more.

In the 19th century, authors began openly creating new fairy tales, ones which followed fairy tales tradition even if they weren't directly inspired by any particular folktale. Perhaps the most famous of these was Hans Christian Andersen, who penned such iconic stories as The Little Mermaid and Thumbelina.

Fairy tales found new life in the 20th century with the feature films of Walt Disney. Starting with 1937's Snow White, Disney has been taking classic fairy tales and putting them on the big screen - with their own unique twists, of course, and playing down or flat out removing any adult elements - for the past 70+ years, and these days, most people are more familiar with the Disney versions than any of the originals.

However, in the past decade or so, authors have been returning to the darker side of fairy tales for their inspiration, and fairy tales remain a strong influence on fantasy artists, providing them with rich and varied source material that can range all the way from children's stories to tales of terror. Graphic novelists have really latched on in the past two decades, and the trend of restoring fairy tales to the realm of adults looks like it will continue for quite some time.

Learn More About Fairy Tales

  • SurLaLune Fairy Tales, a collection of annotated fairy tales, plus analysis of common fairy tale tropes and elements, PLUS a heads-up on upcoming fairy tale-based fiction. Great site.
  • Fairy Tales, the Wikipedia article.
  • Arthur Rackham, one of the most famous fairy tale artists.
<i>Tommelise,</i> by Vilhelm Pedersen, 1820-1859

"Tommelise," by Vilhelm Pedersen, 1820-1859 

Fairy Tales and Fairy Tale Art

Loading

Modern Fantasy Art

From the 20th Century On

Dionysus and Ampelus, by A. MeyerToday, it is easier to find fantasy art than ever before. The modern genre really got going in the late 1930s, with Disney's release of Snow White (1937) and Tolkien's The Hobbit (1937), both of which started traditions that have seeped into pop culture and are both going strong today.

Disney's embrace of fairy tales has introduced generations of children to princesses, princes, and magical happenings through beautifully rendered animation. While some of their renditions bear only the vaguest of resemblances to the original tales, they have firmly established themselves in pop culture and the hearts of little girls the world over. Disney is also often a child's first exposure to fantasy, and many young artists today may their first forays into fantasy art in the Disney style.

The work of J. R. R. Tolkien blew the world of fantasy literature wide open, and with it the world of fantasy art. With fantasy novels came the need for fantasy book covers. In time, people began to appreciate and look for fantasy art in the form of prints, calendars, and art books. Role-playing games, video games, comics, and fine art have all contributed to the advancement of fantasy art, and with the internet, it's easier to find great new artists than ever.

Modern fantasy artists draw on everything from the ancient myths and folklore to the creations of authors such as Tolkien and C.S. Lewis to create their own beautiful works of art. Some great places to find modern fantasy art include:

  • Book Covers, Art Books, and Calendars
  • Children's Books
  • Live-Action Movies
  • Animation
  • Comics, Manga, and Other Graphic Novels
  • Artists' Personal Websites
  • Online Art Galleries

Great Modern Fantasy Artists

Everyone's got their favorite artists, and I'm certainly no exception. These are links to those artists who deal primarily in fantasy artwork and whose work astounds and amazes me. I hope you enjoy!
James Gurney
James Gurney is one of those illustrators whose work never ceases to amaze me. He's the genius behind Dinotopia and has done plenty of work imagining the ancient world for National Geographic. Be sure to check out his blog, too, for plenty of insights into the world of the artist, art tips, and fun tidbits.
John Howe
John Howe is the guy Peter Jackson went to when he needed visuals for Middle Earth. 'Nuff said.
The Art of Todd Lockwood
This guy is a fantastic professional artist who has done a lot of work for Magic and Dungeons & Dragons. Even better, he has a ton of his artwork online for your viewing pleasure! If you're looking for beautiful fantasy artwork, be sure to check him out.
The Art of Dan Dos Santos
Another professional artist who does some fantastic work. You've probably seen his book covers. If not, just stop by his site.

Fantasy Artists on deviantArt

More of Kit's Favorites

If you haven't been to deviantArt yet, you've been missing out! DeviantArt is an online community with a focus on art and literature. You'll find all genres and skill levels here, from amateurs just starting out to industry professionals. Many of them also have journals on their profile page, plus links to their personal websites. It is a community, so there are forums and chat rooms to hang out in, and for those beginners, many artists also have tutorials.

To make finding great fantasy artists a little easier, here are some of my personal favorites.
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
If you've read the Realms of Fantasy magazine in recent years, you've seen her work. This artist specializes in elegant and whimsical watercolors, and often shows works in progress.
Kerem Beyit
A professional illustrator from Turkey, this guy's gallery is filled with breathtaking illustrations that combine both detail and dynamic action.
Jenny Dolfin
Another watercolor artist, Jenny Dolfin does quite a few illustrations from her own story. She also has some nice tutorials up.
Cris Ortega
This digital illustrator from Spain specializes in portraits of women with a fantasy flair. Beautiful work, with a lot of dark fantasy.
Jeremiah Morelli
This German illustrator's work ranges from beautiful and haunting to surreal and whimsical. Definitely worth a look!
Kuong Hong
This guy's work is epic. That's the only way I can describe it. Seriously.
SnowSkadi
Looking for fantasy settings that could have fallen right out of the collected works of Tolkien? You'll want to stop here. The word "breathtaking" comes to mind. Also does a lovely job with horses.
Tony Holmsten
In the same vein as SnowSkadi, this is a guy you'll want to check out if you love looking at fantasy world. We're talking airships and waterfall cities here.
Adele S.
I've been watching Adele for around ten years now. She illustrates a rich and complex fantasy world populated with deep characters and beautiful settings. Her style has changed a lot over the years, but her gallery is a joy to look through.
Sandara
Another artist I've been watching for close to a decade, Sandara does everything from beautiful digital paintings of dragons and griffins to video game fanart. World of Warcraft fans, this gallery is a must see!
Melani Sie
This artist's work is beautiful, fantastical, and surreal with an anime influence. Very Hiyao Miyazaki-like.
Vyrl
Vyrl's got a fantastic graphic novel-esque style. She does a lot of comic pages and a lot of character art, all beautifully rendered and set in gorgeous environments
Simone Joslyn Kesterton
This artist works in her own unique style, creating great character designs and crafting lush settings. She also puts up her sketches and doodles, which I enjoy just as much as the finished work.
A. Meyer
This is my own gallery (shameless plug time!). Seriously, though, even if you don't care for my own artwork, you can find a wide variety of very cool fantasy works by other artists gathered in my Favorites section.

Very Cool Fantasy Art Books

When you need a kick in the muse or just something pretty to look at

Fantasy art lovers will adore these artbooks, featuring the work of some of the best and most highly acclaimed artist working in the genre. Some even show the creative process the artist uses to create their works of art.
Loading

Want to Learn to Draw?

Great Tutorials to Help You Improve

I firmly believe that anyone can draw, and anyone can learn to improve. It takes practice, and it takes work, but keep at it, and you'll see yourself getting better and better! Here are a few resources and tutorials that can help you out, whether you're a beginner or just someone looking for a reference.
The Elfwood FARP - Art
Elfwood is well-known as a great community for fantasy artists and writers, and they work hard to help each other out. Thus, we have the FARP section, where various artists have created a collection of tutorials covering everything from the basic use of the tools of the trade to more complex issues, such as composition and perspective.
Art Technique at Epilogue.net
Another collection of tutorials geared specifically towards fantasy artist, mostly focusing on digital media. Covers such topics as color theory, dynamic composition, and landscape creation. The page also provides links to helpful tutorials from Epitome Ezine.
Artgraphica.net
A non-fantasy oriented site, but before you can do anything art-wise, you have to have the basics down. Artgraphica offers free video tutorials online aimed at helping you get those basics down pat.
J.Dillon's Manga Tutorials
Want to learn to draw in the anime or manga style? Then one of the best places to go is Manga University, from the folks who put out those lovely "How To Draw Manga" books. While the books themselves are great, these folks have done something else - they've managed to get the exclusive rights to J. Dillon's online tutorials! If this is the style for you, definitely check it out.
Polykarbon Tutorials
A pretty decent set of tutorials here, covering various parts of the body and whatnot. Definitely worth checking out.
ImagineFX
ImagineFX Magazine is a British publication devoted to digital fantasy and sci-fi art. The pages of the magazine are filled with inspiration, workshops, and help for digital artists of all levels - and the website's no different! Here they offer downloads of some of their most popular workshops, and their forums are filled with other artists works-in-progress (WIPs), sketches, challenges, and finished works. Great place for the digital fantasy artist!

Learning to Draw I: The Basics

What every artist needs to know

Not getting enough out of the online tutorials? Or perhaps you're one of those people who prefer to have a book to sit on your shelves and never threaten to crash? Either way, you're in luck! There are plenty of books available for self-taught artists on the market. The important thing is to find a technique that works for you, both in the actual artistic technique itself and in how it's presented. Here are some you might find useful.
Loading

“Take a drawing class, or keep a sketchbook and draw from life. It'll help your fantasy art, too!”

Learning to Draw II: Visual Aid

from Mark Crilley

One of the most difficult parts of the human body to draw are the hands. Let's face it: they're complex pieces of anatomy. Now, some artists can just take a piece of charcoal and, in a few well-placed strokes, draw a hand all perfect and freestyle. For the rest of us, there are helpful things called "guidelines."

Mark Crilley is the manga artist behind Miki Falls. More importantly, he has a series of tutorials up on YouTube, and one of those tutorials breaks down how to draw a hand in ten minutes, complete with helpful spoken explanations of what he's doing and why. Sure, it's technically manga-style, but one thing manga style does really well is break things down. So, if you want a quick guide to the parts of the hand, check out the video!
powered by Youtube

Learning to Draw III: Use Your Imagination

Branching out into fantasy

After you've got a good grip on the basics, you're all set to start expanding your mind into the realms of fantasy. While a good imagination is all that's really needed to do so, sometimes a little guidance and inspiration from people who have already confronted and overcome the challenges of putting what you see in your head on paper. Here are some great books on how to draw fantasy:
Loading

ImagineFX Magazine: For the Digital Fantasy Artist

Inspiration and Art Tips

As I was scouring the magazine aisle for one of my favorite magazines, something else caught my eye. It might have been the impressive lettering or the beautifully rendered manga girl on the cover, but I picked up my first issue of ImagineFX magazine, and I am so glad I did! Inside was a wealth of tips and hints from professional digital artists, as well as exhibitions of their work. Every month are a different set of workshops, in which an artist walks you through a different technique or aspect of digital art. Readers can write in with their questions or visit the forums, and more workshops can be found on the ImagineFX Website.

Now, you may notice that it comes at the hefty price of nearly $16 per issue. That, my friends, would be because this magazine comes with a CD packed with extras, demo programs, and walk-throughs of each issue's workshops. Definitely worth the extra cost!

Practice and Improve Online!

Where to show off your art and get good constructive criticism

Already an artist? Are you looking for a good online community with which to share your art? Better yet, looking for a place where others can comment on your work? Joining an online art community is a great way to get good advice, constructive criticism, and support, all of which will help you improve. These are some places I recommend, whether you're a beginner or a pro.
Elfwood
This is one of the oldest and best-known online fantasy art communities. There's a wide range of artists here, all the way from complete newbies to pros, all focused exclusively on fantasy and sci-fi art. Recieve comments on your work and visit the tutorials for great art tips! Whether you're scanning traditional art or uploading digital masterpieces, this is the place for you!
Deviant Art
Another great online art community in which you can post your art, receive comments, and share in that sense of community. Unlike Elfwood, Deviant Art is not exclusively focused on fantasy and sci-fi, although both sections are healthy and flourishing in this community. Also, Deviant Art offers the opportunity for a little financial gain with its Print Shop! Buy prints from other artists you love and sell your own!
Oekaki Central
Oekaki Central is a little different from Elfwood and Deviant Art. Instead of uploading your previously done art, you draw in their online programs with either your mouse or, preferably, your tablet. Now, there are lots of oekaki boards out there, but Oekaki Central is for people who are serious about improving their art, with different rooms for different skill levels. If you're looking for a great place with friendly people and lots of constructive criticism freely given, Oekaki Central is the place for you!

Leave Your Mark!

Got comments, questions, or suggestions? Or just want to let me know how much you enjoyed this lens? Well, here's a good place to do it in 300 characters or less! ^_^

  • jptanabe Aug 13, 2011 @ 10:05 am | delete
    Wonderful - I love fantasy art! Blessed by SquidAngel on the Back to School Bus Trip.
  • WhitneyWells Feb 25, 2011 @ 9:46 am | delete
    I love fantasy art! Good content, well put together lens!
  • Blonde_Blythe Jan 5, 2011 @ 1:01 pm | delete
    Wonderful lens! So much interesting information here! :)
  • george185 Nov 22, 2010 @ 2:33 pm | delete
    I've loved fantasy art since I was a little kid. This is probably due to my addiction to fantasy literature and role playing games.
  • JetBlackStudio Sep 28, 2010 @ 8:16 pm | delete
    I've always been a fan of fantasy art. I love some of the classic works you chose to show on here!
  • Load More
Show All

Credits

Giving it where it's due!

All artwork used on this lens comes from Wikimedia Commons, and has passed into the public domain in the United States by virtue of the artists being dead for seventy or more years or have otherwise been released into the public domain unless otherwise noted.

Works Found on This Lens:
  • The Accolade, Edmund Blair Leighton, 1901.
  • The Dream of the Architect, Thomas Cole, 1840.
  • Der Grossvater erzählt eine Geschichte, Albert Anker, 1884.
  • Oedipus and the sphinx, Tondo of an Attic red-figure kylix, 480-470 BC. From Vulci.
  • Wotan Takes Leave of Brunhild, Konrad Dielitz, 1892.
  • Virgin and Unicorn, Domenico Zampieri, circa 1604 - 1605.
  • Little Red Riding Hood, Walter Crane, circa 1875
  • Tommelise by Vilhelm Pedersen, 1820-1859


Works used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License:

Copyrighted Work - used here with permission and not to be used elsewhere without the artist's permission:

by

Kitsune64

Hi!  I'm Kit, also known as A. Meyer.  I have a love of fantasy art, both viewing and creating it.
Despite my fondness for anime-style, I have a firm... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Explore related pages

Related Tags