Customer Reviews:
How to Draw and Paint Fairies: From Finding Inspiration to Capturing Diaphanous Detail, a Step-by-Step Guide to Fairy Art.......2007-09-27
I haven't had time to actually sit down and try painting, but the book was beautiful and I enjoyed looking through it. It was fun to let my imagination dream a little.
you can teach an old dog..........2007-03-18
...a new trick or two. i got more out of this book than just fairies...tips for the cobweb filled artist! trying to find the time and get back into my passion for art, i believe this book has done it! peace, angie
How To Draw Faeries.......2007-03-13
I think this book is fabulous. It helped tremendously. I like that the book explains the different mediums to use.
One Of The BEST Books On The Market For Learning Fairy Art!!!.......2007-03-01
The detail in this book is absolutely AMAZING!
This book is NOT for the complete beginner.
I would classify this book as being for the more advanced artist.
Explanations are clearly given in great detail.
I actually purchased this book for myself then GOT a SECOND copy from a friend of my mine who KNOWS just how intricately I draw fairies.
She didn't think I had the book yet so she sent it to me!
Definitely one of the all time BEST books ever made on designing fairies.
You will NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!
How to Draw and Paint Fairies.......2007-02-20
The book was beautifully illustrated and the several mediums explained in detail. The choices in designing a Fairie from the choices given of the faces and clothes were well detailed. I am enjoying trying new ideas and mediums.
Book Description
From initial concept through to finishing touches, for the first time, Boris and Julie give an in-depth description of how they paint their masterpieces, taking the reader through every stage of the creative process. As well as teaching the main techniques, the premiere fantasy-art team shows the reader how to use a wide variety of media to create a whole range of different types of painting, and explain how they create the effects for which they are so renowned, such as Julie’s legendary “metal flesh,” with its mix of fluidity and hardness contrasting with the sensual softness of the skin. Illustrated throughout in full color, the Practical Guide to Fantasy Art includes step-by-step photographs that Boris and Julie have taken as they’ve worked as well as a selection of their finished art appealing to art students and fantasy-art admirers alike.
Customer Reviews:
Great Help........2007-01-04
Truly helpful and a Great Help with learning textures and techniques from professional artists. Certain pictures of Boris Vallejo's and Julie Bell's work are shown in a step by step process that you can follow in your own works. If you are not interested in learning how to paint this book is also a great collection to admire, either way you will not be disappointed. It's truly helped me with my digital painting I cannot wait until I have the free time to practice the techniques shown in the book.
genuine sham.......2006-10-06
The claim that step by step the artists reveal their secrets is a sham, they reveal nothing, and their text is just airy rap about nothing. The artwork must be their left overs, including several pages devoted to a tedious ad campain for a fruit juice. In addition there are several ridiculous repeated images just for fill out. A shoddy and hastily book put together for self promotion. It's amazing how two such capable fantasy artists dont have the IMAGINATION to put together the genuine article. Buy this only if you are a die hard fan with no sense of discrimination!
Boris/ Bell rulez!.......2006-03-15
painting technics and a lot of work, and coposition tips. Its not for beginners , but essential!
Boris reveals more but not all.......2006-02-25
I'm hungry for Boris's painting technique. The first book of his was enlightening but skipped the critical part of his process, rendering the final product. This book gets closer to revealing his and Judy's magic but still left me wondering how many things are accomplished. It is an essential book for anyone fascinated by Boris and Judy's painting technique just don't expect to be shown how they do everything.
great tips.......2006-01-22
This book could help any artist; no need to have an interest in Fantasy. Lots of good tips and the art is great. I found it inspiring and anxious to try out all the good advice.
Book Description
For more than 70 years, fantasy fans have followed the exploits of Conan through novels, comic books, and movies. This book, the first-ever illustrated guide to Robert E. Howard's most beloved character, is a genuine treasure chest of Conan lore, following Conan through the ages, through his different careers, as he meets friends and foes and travels across the Hyborian continent.
Click through on the images below to see sample pages from Conan: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Savage Barbarian:
Includes a foreword by Todd McFarlane. Created in full cooperation with Conan Properties International, LLC. Features character profiles, maps, art from original paperbacks, comic books, video games, and more.
"Conan of Cimmeria remains as vital today as he did when he first emerged from the pages of Weird Tales three quarters of a century ago to trample the jeweled crowns of earth under his sandaled feet. This gorgeous new volume, lavishly and beautifully illustrated, is a testament to his enduring popularity, a treasure for fans of Robert E. Howard, and a splendid introduction to the Hyborian Age for new readers. If you don't know Conan, you don't know fantasy."
--GEORGE R.R. MARTIN, author of #1 New York Times bestseller A Feast for Crows
"Robert E. Howard dreamed Conan the Cimmerian for himself, and set him free to roam the world of his own Hyborian soul; but first in his years at Marvel Comics and now with this encyclopedic culmination, Roy Thomas dreamed him for all of us, and made that world come vividly to life within our own."
--MICHAEL CHABON, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and Wonder Boys
"No one has done more to popularize Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian than Roy Thomas, whose thrilling stories and brilliant editing propelled the world's favorite barbarian to the list of Marvel Comics' best-sellers for more than a decade. And now Roy has brought his knowledge and skills to bear in this ultimate guide, a fan's dream come true."
--STAN LEE, creator of The Amazing Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-08-02
A very nice, bigarse square book, by Roy Thomas of Conan comics fame. It goes chronologically through Conan's adventures in the comics format, and is profusely illustrated throughout as it details his history, as well as the history and geography of the lands of the Hyborian Age.
Fans of Conan comics will dig it, but Conan fans in general should be happy to have a look at this.
Roy Thomas' Ultimate Guide to Conan.......2007-02-19
Roy has put in one place the reasons why Robert Ervin Howard will live forever in the hearts of fans of the Heroic Pulp Fiction.It is an excellent 'Baron's Review'for cribbing for an exam on the Conan Saga (which should be a course in college along with courses in Stephen King's literary world).For both the fan and the novice this is a must have on the shelf with all of Howard's Works.
3 and1/2 stars For Comic book Conan fans... only........2007-01-08
I hate to be the naysayer in the lot because this book is, for the most part, beautiful to look at. However, this is not for the serious reader of Robert Howard's Conan. From an artistic perspective I'm glad to see this book, but there are some considerable exceptions which keep me from endorsing it. There is a lot of representation from comic books, which is fine but there are a considerable amount of images missing, and too many from both old and recently reprinted art that is below the quality a book like this one should require. There is a lot of Cary Nord's artwork from the current Dark Horse series. While I like his work it seems to pad the book out more than it is highlighting the subject. There are reprints of some very nice Barry Windsor Smith art, which is unfortunately culled from the recent Dark Horse reprints featuring horrendous new digital color (some obscures Barry's original linework so badly as to blot it out entirely with garrish results). What is missing are the stellar talents of artists like Michael Kaluta (he did stunning cover art for the comics and the magazine), more Gil Kane, Val Mayerick, more Neal Adams (again, a vivid cover artist for the magazine line), the weird and wonderful pin-ups and illustrations done by Armando Gil and countless others. Instead we get a lot of the current artist and old John Buscema who, while a decent to sometimes great Conan artist he is not represeented well in these pages since his bread and butter pages, proofed from newsprint pages, make up the vast majority of his work. He did better work, particularly when he inked his own pencils.
On the plus side, the recent illustrations from the new Del Rey editions are also presented here. Those artists, Mark Schultz, Gary Gianni and Gregory Manchess are joined by older Conan artists like Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo, the late Nestor Redondo, Doug Beekman, Earl Noram and others.
The forward written by Todd ("I can't remember what Conan I read first")McFarlane is not terrible exciting or indicative of his love for the character. It's more like the editors decided to go with a name related to comics as opposed to someone who really sank his teeth into the subject. This brings me to the decent but altogether less than stellar writing by former Conan comic scribe, Roy Thomas. His descriptions of Conan and his world are quite good, unfortunately a lot of the things included in this book are stories straight out of Roy's scripts and not part of Howard's written work. Will this book be updated later with Kurt Busiek's filler strories from Dark Horse as well? Well, no update will be required yet because a Busiek creation named Janissa is in this book.
What can I say? This is not a terrible book. It is a another in a line of missed opportunities.
For people who are Conan fans and only read the comics, well this book was made for you. The rest of us will still be left waiting for the real deal to come along.
I liked it - but I didn't like it........2007-01-07
I so wanted to enjoy this illustrated guide into the world of Conan yet, even after reading it, I still have my reservations. The artwork and imagery alone is a blast! I've always loved the grand mythos of Howards characters as seen or dreamed through the eyes of top-noch artist. But it's the so called chronological events of Conans life-long saga that leaves me with a rather bitter taste in my mouth. Much like the "Star Wars" expanded universe, I find it hard to validate these additional stories of Conans travels. I have nothing against the musing of Conans high adventures by other various story tellers. I've read many Conan books in my time that were not written by howard but I have always seen them as "Separate Works" of fiction.
Anyone could write a story about what happens to Odysseus after he returns home to Ithica to reclaim his throne but no one would ever dare to officialize it as part of the original Homeric myth. You don't see anybody writing additional stories to JRR Tolkiens "Lord of the Rings" trilogy or Stephen Kings "The Dark Tower" sereies either. If Marvel decided to continue the exploits of these characters through the medium of comics, I don't think anyone would complain. Certainly not me. Yet the events of these comics would never be added to any kind of visual companion guide of the original stories. I don't see how Robert E. Howards work should be excluded from this norm. A book of artwork involving Conan is a great idea but three quarters of the chronology that can be read from "Conan: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Savage Barbarian" just doesn't hold weight for me. So I'am definitely torn here.
Please get your Howard info elsewhere!.......2006-11-04
I cannot believe that in this age of enlightenment regarding how much Robert E. Howards creations have been diluted over the years by the likes of deCamp, Carter and Thomas to name a few and that we are only now in the last decade been able discover Conan, Kull, and Kane as REH wrote, I get to see a review of this "Ultimate guide"
actually aplauding the literary rape ocf the amazing body of work Howard created.
To give him the praise he does deserve though Thomas could visually adapt REH's original stories of Conan
very well, my favourite being his adaptation of Red Nails illustrated by Barrry Smith, *however* this does not excuse all the pap that was presented as authentic Conan over the years. It is sad that in the centenary year of Howard's birth that the most available "guide" to Howards gives such aplause to non Howard work and that actual Howard scholarship is still limited to low print works by genuine REH fans.
If you want to know abot howards charaters please buy any of Del Rey's Howad TPB like The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane , The Coming of Conan The Cimmerian et al, and Bran Mak Morn The last king.
Green Trilobite
Book Description
Here in a single volume is a practical, comprehensive training course for budding illustrators working to master comic book art, graphic novels, fantasy posters, sci-fi book covers and illustrations, and computer games. The author, a highly successful fantasy artist, teaches the basics of human anatomical drawing and musculature, as well as perspective and composition. He then instructs on ways to distort, develop, and transform the human figure, giving it features that range from monstrous or magical to super-agile or larger than life. Detailed artist's references and step-by-step instructions show how to build bodies that truly stretch the imagination—mighty alien warriors, kick-boxing cyber-punks, and mega-muscled superheroes, to name just a few. Art students also learn how to show their characters in many different dynamic action poses, such as flying, spinning, punching, and jumping, as well as how to express each character's emotions through facial expressions. More than 300 color illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Anatomy for Fantasy Artists: An Illustrator's Guide to Creating Action Figures and Fantastical Forms .......2007-07-24
This is a good book if you want to learn how to draw action figures that are real life people not creatures
Li'l anatomy.......2007-03-25
Thankfully, I was able to browse at this in my public library before buying it. The title doesn't reflect on the actual book. While the illustrations were clear and quiet a few were lovely the book failed to explain how the artists used anatomy and how they determined how to compose their figures. for an anatomy book, this falls horrible short. There about a handful (literally one handfull) of pages with live models. The images are of various sizes and almost on top of each other. More annoyingly for what few live model poses we are given the best are put inbetween two pages. You'll have an annoyign crease righti n the middle of the picture. It's not that hard to fill in the gaps, but certain details are lost from this type of placement.
Also when going into skeletal structures he might have used a real model skeleton instead of sketches. You don't get an adequate understanding of dimension with a pencil depiction alone. Also, most of the book is dedicated to the common characters of comics (e.g. the barabarian, the female robot, Muu the fatman, Brutus the hulk). All these characters really show are sketches at different angles with bullets with brief common sense info.
Plus the anatomy of most of the characters arenot really explored. It would have been nicer had they compared the exagerated features with realistic features.
Overall , despite some talented artists' contributions, this book fails in teaching anything abotu anatomy.
Art Essential.......2007-01-12
This is not only a great book but a wonderful guide on drawing great action figures. There are many tips and tricks I recommend in here and it not only looks at just one detain but many perspectives in drawing fantasy characters.
Good supplement.......2006-11-29
Get Drawing and painting Fantasy Figures and/or Fantasy Worlds first. This book is good if you can't get enough of source/guide/inspirational material.
Of Course, R. Crumb said "Wanna know how to draw better? Draw. Wishing won't make it happen!" and that's the first and best advice. Still, I have all these books I mentioned and do not regret my purchase!
Human Anatomy taken to the fantasy max.......2006-11-08
When I think of the subject of anatomy I think of the human shape. And this is what this book does. It takes a really good look at the human form both male and female and then it expands on this to the limits of fantasy art by also delving into distortions of the human form in the shape of goblins, ogres, wizards, cyborgs and dwarves. This is what I was looking for in a fantasy anatomy book. How to take the human shape and expand it in new expressive ways.
Strong points: Every single page has at least ten drawings - the book is absolutely stuffed with lots of illustrations and drawing
In particular there is a strong focus on communicating action in your drawing - this stays true to the action figures part of the title.
Large section of actual photographs of a male and female in various action poses; this a real handy reference.
Some nice complete drawings of the human skeleton and human musculature - these are good references.
Special Bonus: Glenn Fabry takes you through a 19 step process of doing an actual painting from first sketch to completed painting. This really helps in understanding the process of an artist.
Weak points: the beginning sections on practicing drawing, getting inspiration and understanding light are rather sparse but I consider these to just be review like in nature .
This is a really good book but it isn't aimed at teaching you how to draw. This book is aimed more at people who have some drawing ability already and want to learn about the ins and outs of anatomy in the fantasy genre. The title pretty much says that point: It is anatomy for fantasy artists
Book Description
The unique Japanese cartoon style known as manga, with its exaggerated stylistic characters and vivid colors, has caught the attention of America. Now, with the advent of digital tools like Photoshop and Painter, manga artists have discovered new ways of bringing their artwork to life and onto the computer -- with astounding results!
This complete guide presents a wealth of information by exploring the digital possibilities of creating manga-style artwork. It details the entire process, from initial rough sketches, to the finished color image, with in-depth instructions and illustrations that demonstrate the intricacies of each technique. It also deals with a variety of inking and coloring styles.revealing the secrets of how to achieve smooth, highly detailed line art directly on screen, how to recreate the appearance of traditional animation with cel-art techniques, and how to achieve a soft, dreamy, or traditional look with airbrush, watercolor, and painting tools. It also explains how custom backgrounds, special effects, and the use of filters can add the finishing touches that exemplify professional results.
Customer Reviews:
New to Computer Coloring? Pick this book up!!!.......2007-09-30
When I first got Photoshop, intent on learning how to color my drawings in that comic book style, I didn't know where to start. So, I started surfing Amazon for computer coloring books, and bought a few. Some of them were good, some just plain awful, but of all of the ones I bought, this is certainly the best.
"Digital Manga Workshop" is an excellent introduction for amateurs looking to get their work colored via computer. It provides handy, step-by-step guides on the process, and is extremely useful. Even the novice Photoshop user (much of the book focuses on the use of Photoshop, much to my delight) will have no trouble following their instructions. I cannot recommend this highly enough.
A great intro to digital coloring.......2007-02-11
As many have already stated, this book has little to specifically to do with manga. I personally think the title and drawing style were probably chosen to be more catchy and specific than just "digital coloring." There's no shortage of digital artwork out there that has nothing to do with manga or anime style, and this book is relevant to anyone wanting to learn to color their artwork digitally, regardless of how it's drawn.
Whereas many web coloring tutorials are either very locked in about techinque or horrendously general, Digital Manga Workshop covers several specific options. It shows not just how to color in the typical cel style of a lot of digital artwork, but also airbrush, painting and watercolor styles as well.
The book gives instruction in both Photoshop and Painter depending on which is best suited for the style being covered and even offer some low-to-no cost alternatives to those programs.
The book also covers the important step before and after the coloring process, such as scanning and digitally inking drawings so you have god base to start with, and export so all your hard work doesn't end up as a blotchy web graphic.
Digital Manga Workshop definitely isn't the be all/end all book of digital coloring, but considering the wealth of information covered for such a low price, it's surely a worthwhile book to have around
Misleading title; really digital anime style.......2007-01-19
I wish I could give this book a good review. Unfortunately, I can't. The title is very misleading. If you expect this book to teach you how to draw manga images digitally (as I did), you will be very disappointed. 99.9% of all manga images are black and white, and use frames, speech bubbles with text, sound effects, black and white line effects, and tones (black and white patterns that read as gray when printed). This book does NOT cover any of this.
It also contains some ludicrously incorrect information. For instance, it says that unlike American comics (where you have a penciler, inker, and letterer), Japanese artists do everything themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth, as any interview with a mangaka (Japanese manga artist) or perusal of the copyright page will tell you. In fact, most manga are created by a primary artist and several assistants.
Here's an even worse example. In the introduction to digital inking, they say, "In manga-style artwork, inked lines are usually contour lines...the linework of a character's hand would depict the outline of the fingers, but wouldn't show shading, wrinkles, or folds in the skin. It is up to the colors to show depth and texture." Um, except, manga is published exclusively IN BLACK AND WHITE. There are no colors! Have they ever read a manga? My mind boggles. Pick up any manga and open it and you will see for yourself. They go on to say, that "inking techniques such as hatching, stippling, and spotting black...are atypical in manga style art, but can be employed for stylistic purposes to achieve a distintice look."
This would be news to CLAMP, the studio that created many manga bestsellers, who are famous for their beautiful black and white line work. Or to, well, any of the mangakas, really.
This book teaches very basic color, digital techniques in anime `cel' style. It focuses on Photoshop and Painter, and ignores Illustrator and the manga-specific software (such as ComicWorks and Manga Studio) completely. They don't even cover the fact that most Japanese mangakas as well as most American digital art, is done on the Mac platform.
I gave it two stars because it does teach some simple techniques to create layered, color digital art, but these techniques are better covered in the many free online tutorials available on the web or in other, more comprehensive art technique books.
Fantastic.......2005-10-09
I love this book, I picked it up after I saw the interview on G4tv and fell in love with it. My art has expanded so much since I read this book. I've been thinking about using my computer for my art for a long time and when I saw this I said to myself " wow this was just what I'm lloking for." If you even think you would enjoy this style of art I highly recommend this book.
Digital Manga for Dummies........2005-09-22
With the ever increasing popularity of manga art, Digital coloring and CGing have became something common nowadays. Lindsay Cibos and Jared Jodges work you through everything you'll need to make the backbone of an excellent manga character--from the character itself to the coll background behind it. This is a MUST HAVE for any aspiring manga artist--and this book makes it easy for anyone with a computer to use.
Customer Reviews:
A decent reference, but doesn't live up to the claims.......2007-03-14
I'm not saying "don't" buy this book. I'm saying buy it used at a considerable discount. It's got some useful information and and few 'exercises' that are helpful, but overall it's kind of flaccid. It's worth a read or two.
My son loves this.......2007-03-04
My son likes to write fantasy stories and plays D&D with his friends. He was thrilled with this book! It gives backgrounds and historical facts as well as advice and tips. The one feature I think is helpful is the vocabulary in reference to castles and costumes of the time periods often found in fantasy stories. Celebrated authors write essays on several subjects, so the information is not without merit. After all, they sold their stories. I am not the one reading this book, but I will say that my son is 16, and teenagers don't get excited over much, so if he was thrilled, you know it must be good!
What a Disappointment. .......2006-05-30
This book has very little content, just random facts that lack any sort of overall cohesion.
The chapter on Africa talks only about ancient Egypt. The chapter on trade, commerce and law has nothing on trade.
It's also boring.
No no no...........2005-12-04
The entire concept of writing fiction of ANY kind is to use your imagination mixed with the things that you know. A book to TELL you how to write fantasy does not make a bit of sense! If you are building a world, use common sense and round it out, smooth the edges, be as 'realistic' as you can for a Fantasy story. The problem with Fantasy these days is that all Elves are the same; all Dwarves are the same, all Goblins are the same...every book written is basically a carbon copy of the last one. These races DO NOT EXIST in our world, therefore you cannot say they MUST be one way or another. Get back to IMAGINATION - just use the sense you were given. TRUE old fashioned imagination has created the BEST books ever read.
Not as Complete as the Title Suggest.......2005-10-12
It's definately a good starting point for a reference library, yet it still seems to leave a lot out. For example, it does little to explain world-building and gives less-than-detailed examples in a lot of the book's sections. Most of the info in the book can be found with a search engine. I recommend it only for those of you who want to build a decent reference library.
Book Description
Simple instructions for illustrating everything Manga.
This guide teaches manga lovers how to create their own characters and stories. From bodies to the nuts and bolts of “mech” (manga for anything mechanical), readers will learn all the basics necessary to start rendering the exotic worlds and creative characters that attracted them to manga as readers. Over 200 illustrations will show readers exactly how to draw everything from heroes to vehicles to backgrounds.
• Manga is the fastest-growing segment of the publishing industry, with 2004 sales projected to reach 120 million, up 20% from 2003
• There are few instructional manga books that are truly instructional and even fewer with this guide's step-by-step directions
• The single most comprehensive source for learning all the manga basics
Customer Reviews:
Great for Beginners like me!.......2006-11-10
This book is a great starting place for beginning manga artists such as myself. It gives real in-depth information and photos to give the artist/reader a good idea of what features should ideally look like. It gives an awesome starting point for poses and features, and even a little background information. There are sections for young, teenage, and adult males AND females, including sections on specific features. I'm thrilled to have made this purchase, and I recommend it! Especially to beginners.
Grandson says yes!.......2006-07-20
I gave this guide to my grandson, age 12, for a summer project. He said to give it 5 stars. He has produced some exceptional pictures. Even took it with him for a one week camping trip. Kudos to John Layman.
Not what I needed.......2006-05-24
This book is okay for beginner, so it was a little to basic for what I was looking for. If you've never been introduced to drawing Manga before, then this book is good for you. It vaguely goes over different nose styles (personally it could've done the same with eyes) and it could have gone over action and poses more, but again, I'd recommend this book for a beginner.
Good if.........2006-03-02
This is a good manga book if you want to be able to make manga comic books, make proportianal bodies and have basic training in making little creatures! It also explains difference between Japanese and American. By the way if your a beginner its fine for you, but if you want to understand well, you might need little experience.
:.:ROLO:.:
A survey not just of how to draw, but covering the basic differences between Japanese and Americanized manga.......2005-10-11
If you're a manga fan thrilled with the Japanese-style comic art which comprises the medium, and wish to know how to draw your own, then The Complete Idiot's Guide To Drawing Manga Illustrated is for you: a survey not just of how to draw, but covering the basic differences between Japanese and Americanized manga. From typical manga characters and their props to using the symbols and sound effects involved in drawing the manga style, this covers all the basics,
Book Description
The world of chivalry and sorcery comes to life under the familiar and prolific artistic guidance of Damon Reinagle. With his characteristically warm tone and easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, Reinagle takes young artists on drawing adventures into the magical realm of elves, trolls, wizards, kings and fairies. Final drawings jump from the page with brilliant color to help inspire would-be knights and ladies to truly immerse themselves in creating their own fantastical worlds. Part of the Learn to Draw Series--Ideal for children 11-14 years old! From initial concept to finished art, the Learn to Draw series provides young and beginning artists with practical step-by-step instruction in a warm, friendly voice.
Customer Reviews:
Step by Step Guide to transform imagination into reality.......2002-04-23
Step by step instructions help your budding young artist transform imagination into reality on paper. From organizing materials to tweaking the drawing with your own personal style, DRAW Magical Fantasies provides easy instructions and a light approach to drawing fantasy characters. A great follow-up to 1-2-3 Draw, another book in this series of art books.
Book Description
Visions of future worlds have always captured the imaginations.Images of towering cyber-cityscapes, awesome uninhabitable planetary worlds, sleek super-cars and space cruisers, strange mutant beings, and terrifying alien life forms have spilled from the feverish minds of fantasy sci-fi illustrators for as long as the genre has existed. Today, as more and more artists are switching from traditional media to the digital world of computers, the images being created are breathtakingly realistic.
Featuring works from the world's best sci-fi artists, Digital Sci-Fi Art begins with an examination of the traditional styles and sources of sci-fi imagery then analyzes the new digital tools available to today's illustrators. The heart of the book comprises a detailed survey of the key techniques involved in creating digital sci-fi art -- with step-by-step walkthroughs showing how specially-created pieces are produced. The book ends with a showcase of some of the best contemporary work being produced anywhere in the world.
Customer Reviews:
What a P.o.S........2007-02-28
"A step-by-step guide to creating stunning, futuristic images" is on the front cover of the book. Yet none of the examples have more than ten steps. For images this detailed, there are about a thousand steps the "author" omitted. The artwork is excellent, but the tutorials are an absolute joke. Do yourself a favor and type in "sci-fi art" in google images, and save your money.
A collection of beautiful images.......2007-01-06
It is no more than this. It has some fair techniques on how to achieve several effects, but someone cannot expect to learn how to make digital sci-fi art.
Also, it seems a little outdated now, even though the copyright says 2004.
My opinion is do not waste money on some collection of outdated artwork and look for something else.
Sci.......2006-04-27
I really enjoyed reading this book and the pictures are marvellous. Also, the way it covers Sci-Fi with the usage of various software is revealing. Very good!
Another great book by Michael Burns........2006-03-30
This book makes a great coffee table book for those who like great Sci-Fi computer art. And it also makes a great learning and reference book for those who want to create similar art of their own. It helps to be artistic and have software knowledge in order to make great artwork of your own, which people do curse this book for. But the examples (and there are many) found in this book will only promote creativity and conquer modeler's block.
It is good.......2006-02-17
This book is really more of a book full of images that inspired me to do more sci fi art work. it has a cpl of pseudo tutorials that are good. If you are doing this for the first time i would suggest something else. But as a person who needs inspiration for actually sitting down and doing something I would suggest this book. It has a whole range of really well done artwork that u can get tons and tons of ideas from.
Customer Reviews:
Good, solid advice.......2007-09-14
I liked much that this book had to offer for the beginning writer of speculative fiction. I appreciated the sections on building worlds and on writing well. I also gained a lot of practical advice in the last section, about the "nuts and bolts" of being a writer. However, there were times that my mind drifted while reading. The book also leaned towards science fiction and, since I prefer writing fantasy, I found myself longing for more specific info in that arena. All in all, this was a very solid choice in beginning my journey as a fiction writer. I gleaned nuggets that I can use right now in preparations. However, the book was not earth-shattering or life-changing. A good but not great resource.
Writing For Pleasure or Profit.......2006-08-11
Orson S. Card provides a great over view of the writing process while keeping it specifically to speculative fiction. Easy to understand, easy to follow.
Great Book.......2006-06-24
In this book, Orson Scott Card uses his own experiences to illustrate the process of writing. Fans may appreciate his personal stories - I certainly enjoyed hearing about where some of his ideas came from and how they were developed.
Beyond that, however, he gives practical and inspirational advice about how to write that can be applied to any genre (although he focuses on SF and fantasy). Definitely a must-read for anyone interested in writing.
Good, Short, Beginner's Book.......2005-06-17
This book is an excellent resource, summarizing why and how one writes science fiction or fantasy. Other Amazon reviews back up this opinion.
The book is a bit larger (length and width) than a paperback and a bit thin at 140 pages, 3 of which are the index.
The book is a beginner's book, and only a passing familiarity with science fiction and fantasy is needed to understand the occasional name-dropping of books and authors. The language used is at the late middle-shcool/early high-school level. The book is broken into easy-to-digest sections within chapters, and reading the book is a joy rather than a chore.
A second edition of this book has been printed, and I do not know what changes have been made. This edition is $CHEAP$ but worth more than you will pay for it.
An excellent beginning/intermediate writing book.......2004-12-29
Mr. Card has focused on writing science fiction well. However, the book is as much about writing well as it is about writing science fiction. I don't write science fiction, but I enjoyed and learned from this book. Thank you Mr. Card.
Books:
- How To Draw Manga Volume 19: Super-Deformed Characters Volume 2: Animals (How to Draw Manga)
- How to Photograph Your Life: Capturing Everyday Moments with Your Camera and Your Heart
- How to Start a Faux Painting or Mural Business: A Guide to Making Money in the Decorative Arts
- I Am Plastic: The Designer Toy Explosion
- Incredible Light and Texture in Watercolor
- Indigo
- Josef Albers: To Open Eyes: The Bauhaus, Black Mountain College, and Yale
- Kaleidoscope: Ideas And Projects to Spark Your Creativity
- Kamikaze, Cherry Blossoms, and Nationalisms: The Militarization of Aesthetics in Japanese History
- Landscape Painting Inside and Out: Capture the Vitality of Outdoor Painting in Your Studio With Oils
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- History: Fiction or Science
- Daughter of the Empire
- Thermodynamics of Polymer Blends, Volume I
- You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down
- Basic Blueprint Reading and Sketching
- Compton Gamma Ray
- Ball Four: Twentieth Anniversary Edition
- Fairfield Porter: Catalogue Raisonne of the Oil Paintings, Watercolor, and Pastels
- Unfold/Enfold hc
- Master Flower Finder: Nature Study Guild
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Watercolor Fairies: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating the Fairy World
Drawing Faeries: A Believer's Guide
Great Book of Fairy Patterns: The Ultimate Design Sourcebook for Artists and Craftspeople
500 Fairy Motifs
The World of Faery: An Inspirational Collection of Art for Faery Lovers
