by 10 people |
Welcome to The Beauty of Fantasy Art lens! Here, you'll find links to great fantasy art, tutorials on how to draw it, books to both help you out and inspire you, and mechandise featuring art with a fantasy flair.Â
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.
And yet, 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.
The Fantasy Encyclopedia
by Judy Allen
Fantasy Encyclopedia
Amazon Price: (as of 12/12/2009)
I came across this little beauty in my local bookstore's bargain bin, but let me tell you - it is well worth the full price. Beautiful artwork from a variety of artists compliment well-organized descriptions of creatures and beings from mythology and folklore. From the little folk to Dracula, there's a nice spread across cultures and time periods. As an extra bonus, little boxes scattered throughout guide you to books and movies featuring each creature. Whether you're buying this for the assembly of artwork or the concise yet enjoyable descriptions, you'll love this book.
Very Cool Fantasy Art Books
When you need a kick in the muse or just something pretty to look at
Fantasy Workshop: A Practical Guide
Boris Velejo is one of the classic staples of fantasy art, and any artbooks including his work are well worth a look through.
Amazon Price: $21.80 (as of 12/11/2009)
Myth and Magic: The Art of John Howe
John Howe's artwork is amazing. This is the guy who Peter Jackson called when he really wanted to visualize Middle Earth, which Howe has been drawing for years. But there's more than just Tolkien to this guy, and this book presents not only his comments on art, but a beautifully diverse selection of his work, from childrens' books I want to hunt down to illustrations of the old Arthurian legends. Fantasy art lovers, BUY THIS BOOK!
Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 12/11/2009)
John Howe Fantasy Drawing Workshop
If you liked the book above, you'll love seeing exactly how he does it! This book features ten step-by-step projects that show you how this particular master works, and will help you find your own way.
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 12/11/2009)
Draw & Paint the Realm of Faerie
Another great how-to book, one focusing entirely on everything Fairie, from the basic materials to how details make or break a picture.
Amazon Price: $15.63 (as of 12/11/2009)
Fantasy Workshop: Mastering Digital Painting Techniques
ImagineFX is a magazine devoted entirely to digital sci-fi and fantasy art - and this is a collection of some of their most helpful tutorials. I only recently discovered ImagineFX, but every single issue has been well worth the price. I can't imagine this collection being any different.
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 12/11/2009)
Like Looking at Fantasy Art?
Check Out Kit's Favorite Fantasy Art Sites
- A. Meyer's Gallery
- This is my personal art gallery on DeviantArt. I deal primarily in art that has some sort of fantasy element, whether the subjects are centaurs, elves, ancient gods, or gods reborn into the modern world. Check it out, and be sure to stop by my Favorites section for some truly amazing artwork.
- The Artwork of Jenny Dolfen
- Jenny Dolfen is a fantastic illustrator, and her use of watercolors is masterful. Her compositions are powerful and dynamic, and you will enjoy your visit here.
- Heise's Gallery
- Are you looking for stunning digitally-rendered photo-realistic character studies? Then check out Heise's work and be amazed.
- Linda Bergkvist's Gallery
- Beautiful. *ahem* Let me rephrase that: jaw-droppingly beautiful artwork that is so skillfully executed that it rivals photographs of some sort of unseen realm. Visit here and be amazed.
- Meadowhaven
- The artwork and writings of Adele Sessler. I've watched her work evolve for years, and she is one of the artists that never ceases to inspire me to strive to draw better. Lovely scenery and composition, especially. Also contains some of her writings.
- Sandara.net
- Sandara is another artist I've been watching for years, and her amazing work still fills me with a sense of wonder. A great place to find inspiration!
- Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
- This artist shows a mastery of that tricky medium known as watercolors in her beautiful, ethereal masterpieces. Whimsical, surreal, and well worth a look for any fantasy lover.
- 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.
Kit's Latest Fantasy Art
Spirits
This is a character of mine by the name of Mato. My favorite part of this one was drawing the fox and deer spirits that give this pic its title. It's not high fantasy, but still definitely fantasy.
To learn more about them, see the full-size pic, and see more of my work, visit my DeviantArt Gallery.
Want to Learn to Draw?
Great Tutorials to Help You Improve
- 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
Animal Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form
Like drawing those mythical beasts? They're going to look awfully silly if you don't have a good understanding of animal anatomy. Fantasy creatures may be spawned from the imagination, but the centaur's still part horse, the dragon's still reptillian, and the griffon's still part bird/part lion. Knowing your animal anatomy will help your fantasy creature look all the more real.
Amazon Price: $31.50 (as of 12/11/2009)
How To Draw Manga: Next Generation Supersize Volume 1 (v. 1)
The How To Draw Manga books by Ben Dunn (and others associated with Antarctic Press) are a fantastic hodgepodge of tips, tricks, and tutorials by some of the great non-Japanese mangaka. You may be noticing a lot of manga books on here and wondering why. Here's the thing: all the basics crucial to great manga are crucial to great art, no matter what the style: dynamic composition, perspective, emotion... All those great things. And the Antarctic Press series offers a fantastic and refreshing approach to all these things. Check it out!
Amazon Price: $14.96 (as of 12/11/2009)
Dynamic Figure Drawing
Once you have that basic understanding, you'll want some sort of reference for those dynamic action poses that don't always show up too often in real life.
Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 12/11/2009)
"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
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!
Learning to Draw III: Use Your Imagination
Branching out into fantasy
DragonArt
While your typical fantasy critters can be drawn by mixing and matching real animal bits, it certainly doesn't hurt to see how other great artists put their animals together. Neon Dragon is a well-known web artist, and this book will show you how she constructs her beautiful beasts. A great resource!
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 12/11/2009)
Drawing and Painting Fantasy Landscapes and Cityscapes
This is a great book. It takes you through the positives and negatives of the most common art media, then through the basics of drawing - including such necessary elements as composition, color theory, mood and drama, and distance, depth, and scale - and then moves on to creating your own fantasy realms. There's also a beautiful gallery at the back to give you a little inspiration. Definitely a must-have for any aspiring fantasy artist!
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 12/11/2009)
DragonArt Fantasy Characters: How to Draw Fantastic Beings and Incredible Creatures
The newest offering from J. "Neondragon" Peffer. This book features step-by-step directions on how to draw a whole crew of fantasy folk, from brave warriors to beautiful fairies. Her easy to follow steps and fantastic artwork encourage you to create your own unique characters. Definitely a good buy!
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 12/11/2009)
Fantasy Artist's Figure Drawing Bible: Ready-to-Draw Characters and Step-by-Step Rendering Techniques
This book is three things in one: a guide to fantasy characters, a techniques manual, and an idea goldmine. The section on how to successfully compose a work of art is concise and easy to follow, with lots of visual aids, and the walk-throughs of each character type give you a great starting point for developing each one. Even better, though, this book encourages you to really create your OWN version of each character, and gives you things to keep in mind as you give each one your own personal touch. This book is a great kick-start to the imagination.
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 12/11/2009)
ImagineFX Magazine: For the Digital Fantasy Artist
Inspiration and Art Tips
Now, you may notice that it comes at the hefty price of nearly $16. 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!
Subscribe to ImagineFX Magazine
Imaginefx
Amazon Price: $145.72 (as of 12/12/2009)
Get all those hints, tips, workshops, and works of art delivered right to you door - and save money in the long run!
Practice and Improve Online!
Where to go to show off your art and get some good Constructive Criticism
- 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!
Kit's Fantasy Stuff at CafePress
Original Kitsune64 Merchandise
Satyr Song Keepsake Box
Price: 23.99
Unicorn and Butterfly Kids Sweatshirt
Price: 20.99
Mermen Journal
Price: 13.99
Other Great Fantasy Stuff on CafePress
My Dragon Doesn't Like You Kids Sweatshirt
Price: 17.99
Yin Yang Dragon Women's Long Sleeve Dark T-Shirt
Price: 28.99
Forest Shamanka Faerie Fairy Journal
Price: 10.99
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! ^_^
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- dc64 dc64 Mar 15, 2009 @ 11:07 pm
- I'm with you girl, fantasy art is beautiful, and your introduction picture is one of my favorites of all time.
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- daoine daoine Dec 8, 2008 @ 9:51 pm
- I love your Xmas fairy - she's so cute and sassy.
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Reply
- allysa allysa Sep 7, 2007 @ 12:54 am
- love fantasy art and anime, two of my favorites are dragon ball and samurai-x. ^_^ 5*!
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 ha...
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