With tips on the best online art schools, generating ideas and finding out what it takes to teach yourself art, there are in-depth features on doodling, painting, quick-fire character designs and capturing the likeness of a range of animals.
Welcome to If you're reading this then you almost certainly have a deep passion for art and improving your techniques. But whether you are just making your first strokes in the industry or you're a seasoned pro with years of experience, this bookazine has something to offer every artist. Featuring expert advice from leading talents in the world of art, this latest compilation of some of the best content from ImagineFX magazine includes tips on improving your doodles, guidance on drawing both people and animals, inspirational sketchbooks from some of our favourite creators and a step-by-step guide to drawing a chaotic fight scene. There are also hints on how to improve your painting, clean your brushes and develop stunning ink art. On top of all this, you will find a…
Do you have what it takes? Art schools provide students with structure and professional feedback, but they're not the only way forward for artists looking to develop their skills. Teaching yourself is more viable than ever thanks to an explosion of easily accessible, affordable online learning materials, and it's an approach that gives artists greater freedom to explore and develop their own unique voice. Of course, the two routes aren't mutually exclusive. But for artists short on time and money, or those looking to switch into an artistic career, the idea that you can teach yourself is especially appealing. “It's not easy to do it on your own,” stresses Irina French, who self-taught out of a desire to save money and look after her baby. “It takes courage and a…
1 Finding resources “We're lucky to have numerous tutorials online,” says Irina French. “T he difficulty is in finding those that will teach you core principles, the fundamentals, so you can build from there. There are some real gems out there; a lot are for free, too.” 2 Staying motivated “Motivating yourself and not giving up is a major factor,” says Irina. “You just have to believe that you'll get better with more learning and practice. It's not always easy, especially because it's hard to separate yourself from your creations. I'd say from a mental health point of view, there are a lot of ups and downs, but with time you find more confidence in your skill.” 3 Mastering new techniques “A few years ago I really wanted to paint with oils and…
Artist PROFILE Gareth Davies LOCATION: England Gareth, also known as Spudonkey, is a senior concept artist working in-house for Coatsink. Other notable clients and projects include Into the Breach, Disney, Bad Robot, Bithell Games and Otherside Entertainment. Growing up, I can't remember not having a pen or pencil in my hand and I was always encouraged to draw by my family. I would constantly doodle through school and moving into university, I learnt to solve problems through drawing, embracing the art principles that would help me to develop these ideas further so others could understand them. Now I have turned these little thumbnail ideas into big ones and fulfilled my dream of working as a concept artist for the video game and entertainment industry. I started as a 3D artist…
CUDDLY LYNXES “I love exploring ways to draw expressive animals, and felt the urge to draw cuddly lynxes. Sometimes it can be hard to find reference of wild animals and their expressions, but since lynxes are large wild forest-kitties, I could easily study domesticated cats and then mimic their behaviour.” IS THERE A SPY AMONG US? “Here's one of my personal favourites, done back in 2013. Did somebody say imposter syndrome?” LUNA “I made some rough sketches for a Swedish book series that I'm illustrating, and these were the first rough character sketches of Luna, the main protagonist.” Artist PROFILE Andrea Femerstrand LOCATION: Sweden Andrea has been freelancing since 2010, working with pretty much anything that includes character development or some sort of storytelling. Her clients include HarperCollins, Wacom, 3Dtotal…
Before I draw the human head, I observe the shape, planes and rhythms. Then I start by capturing shape and gesture, by drawing the major shapes using big strokes and long marks. I can then position features using the vertical and horizontal centre of the face, making sure the angles are correct. Next, I build in the major planes: front, sides, and either top or bottom. The secondary planes are the brow, nose and beginning of the mouth. Then I start to refine the features. If I have time, I add tones and shading. I start by simplifying and massing in the shadow shape to give the illusion of a light source. Next, I add tones in the shadow to soften the edges and create a realistic form. Then I…
