This image, which I've titled Storm Peaks, is one that I believe reflects my overall workflow pretty well, because it has combined 2D, CGI and brainstorming elements.
When I start, the first step is going to be the brief, from a client or from myself. Here I wanted a mountain environment, with dramatic lighting and Gothic ruins. While working on this piece, I wanted it to be a homage to the art of the legendary The Lord of the Rings artist John Howe, who captures Middle-Earth so well.
While I admire a lot of artists, I've never really been inspired by a single particular artist. What really inspires me is, simply, nature. I totally love to transcribe the beauty of nature in terms of playing with depth of field and different lenses; especially when I shoot photos. I like to picture them in a natural history style and think it makes the image more believable.
Usually, the challenge is more technical than being about finding inspiration. When I start on a project or with a brief, I begin with research and find things that inspire me.
I'd describe my style and aesthetic as very realistic and photographic. Specifically, I like to play with depth of field and natural light to depict natural environments. I'm always trying to bring more storytelling to my images, and that's what makes an image stand out.
1 Seek out the right references and moods
To get going, I picked out a mountain photo that I particularly liked to get an idea for the lighting, angle and composition, as I thought it would give me a good head start. Additionally, I drew inspiration from photographs of buildings, snakes and fish as starting points for the fantasy elements, which includes dragons and a ruined hilltop fort; essential motifs in John Howe's work.
2 Inspiration to preliminary sketch
Esta historia es de la edición June 2024 de ImagineFX.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 2024 de ImagineFX.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
A Tribute To Akira Toriyama
Remembering a legend Artists from across the world pay homage to the influential manga artist and genius creator of Dragon Ball
First Impressions
The illustrator reveals his journey through the world of art
DEVELOP 3D SKILLS FOR CONCEPT ART
Gaëlle Seguillon creates a breathtaking fantasy environment by combining a selection of techniques within her workflow
DRAW FUTURISTIC VEHICLE DESIGNS
John A. Frye uses just a single brush to transform his messy thumbnail into a bold and colourful hard-surface creation
PART 5: SIMPLIFY THE VALUE SCALE
Charlie Pickard introduces his top advice for achieving strong values in your artwork to create clear and powerful imagery
Charles Ratteray
Page-turner Library meets laboratory in the artist's studio, packed with inspiration and a mix of media
How to tell a story in an image
Narrative masters Tanya Combrinck talks to four artists about using visual elements to imbue their work with personal and universal human stories
ILLUSTRATE A MAGICAL CHARACTER
For this illustration, I was asked to create a fun, bright image with the theme of making artwork magical by the developers behind the digital drawing app Clip Studio Paint.
First Impressions - Glenn Arthur
Influences from Disneyland shape the artist’s work
THE ART OF BRIAN SUM
Dominic Carter talks to the mech master about honing his cyberpunk visions, character designs, and his new artbook