Ways to Create ud EANTASY100 mane to Create FANTASY PLC KES Francis TsaiA DAVID & CHARLES BOOK ‘Copyright © David & Charles Limited 2008 David & Charles isan F+W Publications Ine. company 4700 East Galbraith Road Cincinnati, O11 45236 First published in the UK in 2008 First published! in the US in 2008 “oxt and illustrations copyright © Francis Tsai 2008 Francis Tsai has asserted his right to be identified as author ofthis work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic ‘or mechanical, by photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Acatalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN-13: 978.-1-60061-119-3 paperback ISBN-10: 1-60061-119-2 paperback Printed in China by SNP Leefung for David & Charles Brune] House, Newton Abbot, Devon Senior Commissioning Editor Froya Dangerfield Editorial Manager: Emily Pitcher Dditor: Bethany Dymond Desk Editor: Demelza Hookway Project Editor: Ame Verso Proofreader: Nicola Hodgson ‘Art Editor: Mastin Smith Prodsstion Controller Beverley Richardson Visit our website at www.davidandcharles.co.tk David & Charles books are available from all good bookshops: alternatively yoxt ‘can contact our Orderline on 0870 9908222 or write to us at FREEPOST EX2 110, D&C Direct, Newton Abbot, TQ12 42Z (no stamp required UK only); US customers ‘all 800-289-0963 and Canadian customers call 800-840-5220.Foreword .... 004 Introduction . - 006 Understanding the Basics... +018 Researching the Character ++ 034 Establishing a Process... ..- 056 Developing the Character 076 Communicating with the Viewer ..... ++ 102 Acknowledgments, About the Author, Index..... 128 100 Ways to Create Fenleay Figure aOk A great many people think that art simply flows from an artist’s hand like sparks from a wand; that because art is emotional and evocative, it must somehow happen magically. All by itself. We hear of the Art of Hitting, the Art of Cooking, the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and are deluded into, thinking that it is magic. ‘That it is beyond the average man or woman. In truth, art is the end result of knowing a craft so well that it becomes intuitive and spontaneous. It is the end result of years of growth, which, for most artists, begins the day their first crayon touches their first sheet af paper, Acertain small amount of native talent is essential, but equally important is the desire to learn the rules, the inside knowledge, the tricks. Perhaps the heart and soul are the magic, but knowledge provides the incantation. Francis Tsai is one of those magicians who knows the spells. You might almost think of the volume you hold in your hands as a spellbook, full of the newts’ eyes and dragon’s scales with which we artists ply our craft. Pore through this tome and you will sce revealed the hidden parts of the trade: colour theory, perspective, anatomy, composition, value control and all the rest of the ingredients that go into brewing up one in-your-face monster, invoking a demon from the nether-world, or imbuing a hero with the courage he needs to slay a dragon. Francis is a high-level sorcerer, and he has generously divulged ki here for you to behold. Pay close attention, study the recitations, practice them daily, and you too can do magic. secrets Todd Lockwood iys to Creale Fantasy Figures» OP troduction If you're reading this book, you have probably had at least some interest in creating fantasy art, either professionally or just for pleasure in your spare time. Iam fortunate enough to be able to make a living creating artwork for the entertainment industry, and because of this | often find myself being asked questions about it. How do you get a job as a fantasy artist? What kind of pens do you use? Is it OK to use reference material? How do you know what colours to use? And so on ... My path to my current career was fairly lengthy and roundabout; I didn’t take the traditional art-school route, and in fact never really learned the fundamentals of illustration in any rigorous, orderly way. It was not the easiest or best way to become a working fantasy artist, and Ihad to study every day to ‘fill in the gaps’ in my art education. After a number of years wor ig 8S a concept artist in the computer games industry and as a freelance illustrator for books, comics, films and televi routines that s share with you in this book. Irae nover boo a beter time to be fantasy artist, AS lok ‘our stub itary, ean see many examples of books and fis Uat ae fantasy rlatud, oa last somehow infenced by ‘hind of imagory. Role-playing games have long been a primary surea, but with all the recent advances in flmmaking techwiogy, ‘movies are now able to eowincingly portray the kinds of wotds ‘ings Familiar a fans ofthe fantasy gone. Successful fms ‘often spawn computer games and, insreasingly, mataial can Now ‘the other way to. This only bones the traitonal role-playing ‘me and book markets, all of which results in more appoturities for sila isratrs, This book had long genesis, wich began back when | found that students ard amateur ats (and oven afew professionals) ware asking me eeriain questions time and tne agai. | thought itmight be useful to put together alist of Frequent Asked ‘Question’ on my website. The move | workad on it he fonger and mare involved it became, because there was jst so much ion, [have assembled a few nuggets of knowledge and some workflow em to have a certain degree of success. It is these that I want to ‘material to cover With some ofthe topis, it was hard to convey the information without an accompanying istration to make ‘he point, and it quickly grew beyond thot of a simple FAQ, So Isetitaside ‘few years apo, started writing some short articles about diferent aspects of concept art and illustration for fantasy and science ftion att magazine ImapineFX. A few of the print originally had in my FAQ showed up in these atic, but | was usually at the end of my altted word count before auld convey enough information. It was an intresting lemma — | could present my points ina fait focused way that was limited ‘scope; oF coud cover wide variety of topics in a somewhat supercial way. So, when | was presented with the opportunity to create tis book. | thought it would bo a great way t impart. ‘some ofthe tps fom the erignal FAQ, hopeful in a manner that isboth broad in scope but also specific enough to provide sone sel, practical advice basod on my exporonce.The poleinary sketch in mostilustaton jobs moods to show the art Airector your intention 45 pose and composition go, and also gi some idea of colour and tonal value without being to0detalled or fished 007 nlasy FiguresIntroduction TOOLS OF THE TRADE For an illustrator, tools consist of the actual equipment used to create the artwork. Until recently, these consisted solely of some variation of pencils, ink, paint and years digital technology has advanced paper or canvas. However, in the past few to the point where it can be difficult to tell the difference between art created traditionally and that made on the computer. In addition, peripheral equipment such as scanners and drawing tablets have continued to blur the boundaries between digital and traditional techniques and media. ant. These In my ovm work, |oscasionally use colour media such as woe hits 1 walcnurs or marker pens —thee is definitely o sot of ‘aeloue ar less obvious but ust as important asthe tangible tools, if not ha thasa methods havo that digital modi lacks bu the ‘mora so. These factors have mare todo with an ats’ workfiow advantages of wing drawing and painting software, especially for groblemesolving ability and general apprcach to conveying rovisions and exporinentati, for me make ithe obvious choice information trough ilustratios, and its these that this book in my wen will explore, by looking at diferent ways of developing a sense Th peal euipmant isnot tho ond of the story though of character in your images, as well as maximizing storyteling, Th em too also refers othe sills, uategies and personal creating mond to support an idea, and numerous ater strategies inal and ‘Armodern itustrators studio should contain a combination of tra Aigital oos. a my own studio, rely hes n digital drawing and software, 2s well as perpheraldevies suchas graphics tablets and scanners to aid inthe creative process.Initio, there ae: to develop your personal toolset. Studying and sketching your surtourdings~ people as wel as objets end environments — tains your ipto build up ‘your mental ‘visual vocabulary, as well as improve your ‘active observation stil cee and mind in observational lls, Exercises like this hich simply relers to your ability 1 analyse your suroundings For example, rather than simply noticing that column has boli it, you should study the sttucture to understand why the bol are there. {this collection of preliminary skotches, ve various layouts that use some ofthe same elomes Ait ations. This would have boon diffcut ‘or impossibe todo with ink or pai. materials such as 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Figures Final, eating and maintaining a eeferenes library is seontal, for real-world material, if ye ely just your wamony east yu a hae foris to got close; tis quarentood tat smoce about the cbjet you drawing moon somewore will ow jn you do, ad wl kaya haven’ cane your homework Short of aon to see something fst hand Finding and using phulogiphicveleences is Unenetoe italy ampere Inthe past, sats creed whar ware knew aman flee which consisted of images cine fom newspapers amd waynes al Une illustrator righ fn seta fr reference od, cslumes acai cas, whatever was needed fora particular assignment Thesa men fle wal oxcupy alt of spaco,vually takin up sxvuil filing wep canes, So, yet ier advantage ol wrk va taal is that yu the Internet an store dun your compute, eeu You cov viral neque le 1 abla Find aseonen mags on “This page rom one of my travel sketchbooks shows some notos ‘and observations about « Mayan stein Mexico that visited several oars ago. sketched some ofthe structres as thay appmared, but iso drow cross-section vows, close-up analysis ofthe stonework, ‘and an overhead view ofthe entre location, 009URE DRAWING FOR BEGINNERS For those who have never attempted a figure drawing before, the 100 Ways presented in this book might appear slightly daunting at first. This quick step-by-step demonstration reveals the key processes you need to get you started on your way to creating amazing fantasy figures. A guich gesture | fie sabes | stoner fer the character Step I: Ty tert dts fo este dente without le te tein soking ony iron cout pee bal the bss tmportant exploratory lnework Begin with the Sestare Develop the Shetch ‘The fist nak you make whan aying ou a gure ding should be a single tne that captures the ‘veal stanes or movoont of a characte. Hee, (mre) showing simple standing posture the character wil lan slightly tw the eght, resting his weight on one leg. ve gone ahead and roughly backad inthe ‘masses of the body, head and limbs. Notice the ‘counter pose ofthe hips ta the shoulders ~this shows thatthe body i eactng to gravity. ve dow» quick gesture ‘With the basic structure in place ve started to lay ina more detailed drawing, indicating design ments such a lating details, pouches, belts and varius pieces of equipment. Dot get too detailod or finalized at this stage —it's better to keep moving sround the drawing quickly, not making any firm commitments until you begin to ‘get a sense ofthe overall image. Ths a good time to explore diferent options withthe lines ofthe character’ clothing and gear Step 3: Ginalue the Drawing (Once al the major decisions have been ‘made, va gone back over the drawing witha darker, more definite ine, cleaning Up the sketch and mating things bit ‘lear. The cloak and other ances af Clothing mask the character’ stance Ssomeviat, but raving the underlying structure fimily placed in advance helps tomake the drawing work, even with the ‘added complexity of costume and props= } Practisis necessary in any art activity — be it dance, music or drawing. Taking the time to hone your skills will Only add to your effectiveness as an illustrator and help improve the pathways between mind and hand. “Many atts cary around anotebookin which o record pao sketches, studies, experiments end random thoughts: The advantabe ofthishobit that quity becomes a catalogue of ideas and explorations that you can vist inthe future, ean often be tempting to make every inge na sketchbook a bavi ond fish as posible irdeto mate itarice objet ana work — atin itsel —but goed satsook shuld contain eat work anrouph,srtcy drwigs Al lstrtas ove looking at other ats’ sktuhbooks, but their main function isnt n be sho t othr ple —1 sletcbook sees its purpose whont besines a personal record f your thought processes and ideas, and can bp wat help inspire you in our ongoing work Documentation Just ike in school when you were asked Siew | ‘helpful to provide some documentation | 7 SS hs sketches like this canfom avaliable pa lp esos ‘reconfigured and reused in other situations bee epee tise Gia sisal 4 ‘reliminary and developmental sketches | 1} can often provide ‘seeds for new ideas ante po 1 Fegure Drawing Travel Shetches on though much of fontasy art Making wave sketches fos depicts imaginary and fantastical YoU t0 observe your surroundings beings. itil eos to havea fem ina more engaging vay. and helps basis in reality in oder io be you lear about the way people convincing. Practising figure drawing intract wth thei eraronment with vemndesis valuable oxi, Bing abe to place your ces and allows you to bul up your ats and creotues convincing in toolbox With strong drawing skills and knowledge of anatomy. any setting isa valuable ski 106 Ways to Create Fantasy Figures~\ > VISUAL COMMUNICATION 8 § < 8 § x xo) This is a concept that refers to the way in which an illustrator can convey an idea to the audience, and is one of the fundamental elements that this book will explore. The idea being communicated might be, for example, a mood, a character’s personality, a sense of culture, an emotion, a conflict or an event. Once an idea for an illustration is clearly defined, the process by which the illustrator conveys and preserves the idea is known as ‘visual communication’. Techniques of visual communication include the use of sifhouette, proportion, scale, texture, lighting, hierarchy, level of detail and visual cues. Shouelle Chat sds hey on that ich is aso sometimes refered was the inital ‘read ot» charac The sithovete isthe largest piece of visual information presented to a view, an as such is mre important in tym of fret impressions than ‘ings ke textures, details ad colors. Lighting an late rials (One ofthe basic vs communication skis is the ability to ender different ghting cantons and matetals. The buy t inicating materials losin how thoy eaet to light —etlectiity specular, grain and wexture areal ait that can be afore by lighting, Hierarchy conmunictan iden, Wen yar wees came though stor Paige ero etmiateunecessrynoise and lt, dnd po vive spol of ing nd ect eters ino ues os ne ohne sed tghy it on mei os ict deals rd ets tee hoot pe tel seth Teen tia ona bueno ova, corto td nial ese esi anneion tanesitina sic etch hat ally camel you Sx ie Gndwation of Detail Th bles be cn rf vin ard ie un det. Cetin est Sth 2 ly aco Ingato oct enol outlet aa ce tec ae it det ome set smelt tc ise pcan< < _ DESIGN ‘ It is important to make a distinction between visual communication ~ the transmission of the idea ~ and design the process in which you analyse a problem and formulate a solution. In computer game and film design in particular, a very common misconception about concept art is that it begins and ends with being able to draw or paint well. Rendering skis certiny extremely important tobe able to clearly communicate your design, but thats ‘only part ofthe equation. Keepin mind thatthe ar you generate as character designer isnot the ond Product its simply the means to get to the end oduct, which i the fim, game, television programme, musi Video, or whatever projet tis that you are involved in, ‘One approach to design is to break down the design {ask into manageable chunks - separate sthovate studies frm pose studies and from texture and material studies. The adds are against you ‘iting a home run’ on al hose diferent aspects with one single drawing, ‘Another aspect of design pilosopy to consider is the balance between ‘synthesizing’ and ‘riginating By originating | mean coming up with something ‘completely unique, that noone has ever seen before. Besides being almost impossible to achiev, you run the ‘isk of losing or alinating your audience. Synthesizing refers tothe process of combining diferent familiar ‘elements that ae aly used together. This provides, 2 familiar lnk for your audience and atthe seme time ‘presents thom with something new Design Drawing “isis atm that efersto the roe of anti ou an ining design on pepe Tis process mightinvohe ewig dierent views, XW sus and andre oa. pil tsi saneing you show ou aude. ndit wil cften en un oki mes an almost inemgrehensle. Tegal with his peu stoning 0 explore diferent options an deep a ial dain ides 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Tigures») EDUCATION AND TRAINING One of the most common questions I hear is ‘how do I get a job as a fantasy artist?” In truth there is no clear answer ~ many professional illustrators and concept artists found their way to their occupation through varied and roundabout ways. There are, however, some common elements in many artists’ education and career paths that you could also benefit from. Formal Learning ‘Working san lustator or concept artist requires @ command of basic at skills and ‘eamcepts, which canbe cbtained ia god, wounded at education The typ of leaming ot undergo will havea influ on your chendes of success. In my mind there are two basic educational paths availabe that provide a solid foundation Firsts an illustiation. ‘based eduction, wih sane that concentrates on traitional a skis suchas drawing ‘nd panting colour Uweory, anatomy and perspective. This tends tobe an observational ‘and documentary approach, whore students lea the skills necessary to reproduce wet, {hey sen a ito in avait uf wed. The sacond consists of a design-based education, which woul include ras such as industrial desig, product design, graphic design and Arrhiteeture. This typically liwins students in certain aspects ol visual communication ‘man to mach eld of study, but usually not to the exten that would be ound onan ‘ustation curse lewovor in the last few years, some causes have begun to appear that bur the buna hanveen the two. Computer gama design an entertainment design are ‘now availble as uptions fr thas seoking higher education, which ean lead directly ito ‘ares in fantayy and sien fton art, An education in suc at techniques and/or ant Iustory an also be 9 great help in pursuing this ina oF wor, ‘Aft yluice it ight sem that an lustraton-Lased education is much more useful for "career as fanasy ast, but a desig education can provide some very useful sel for 3 ‘ling ilstiatr tw. My own educational background in arehtecture, anc one ofthe ‘most benef lessons Ike from tis knowing low to formulate a design problem so ‘tut! cu then determine a clear and effective solution Developing Prsonal Slrategies As fay ifs ator ou wil often call upon to visual pele, objet and creatures ‘ha ert xs, or tht are fantasti amalgamation of eal. existing things, Because of tis, ‘duction nition tks wl ort eat rm exposure to cher es of sty too. As nso dese the ore ‘visual vocabulary’ you havo row upon to bttor Exposure to inuences outside our inary aot intrast secs in rer to ul p this eral bry, ‘The best way to accomplish hs ond iis neverending proces) isto expose yousel to 3s many diferent eas an visual stm a possible lets ec tora wha they know, s eaning the dtabseof what you now’ makes yoo moe versatle san ais. avn ova broader ene of material odaComuttes af tase. aM 100 Ways to Create Banteay FiguresGrlroduction 16 > CHALLENGES FOR THE WORKING FANTASY ARTIST One of the keys to success as an illustrator is being able to balance the familiar with the unusual. In other words, as a commercial artist part of the job is being able to create artwork that an audience can relate to. There is a certain level of expectation you have to meet in order to successfully sell your artwork. At the same time, in order to stand out among the many thousands of artists working, in the same field, you have to be able to bring something new to the mix. tis voy dificult to ialy come up with brand row, completely cra ideas and concepts for tery a job you happen to uae tnd como succes with is introduce The strategy 1 new ‘spin’ cn an othenvise fila sujet Theiw ae diferent ways to acramplish this Thy include: combining nla or mages ha are ol commnly associates with cach ther: nuda single strange olin playing with an audience's expectations in aver and unoxpected ways with dovolopiny touts and stalagies such as thnsn already discussed Ls also Iuysesary to pay atontion tothe wrk bey done Uy utes yu tat Yu havo to stay mast of ho kins of ingen Ua sta to be waking Ue biggest irressnn an your ‘aun, what eyes appear to be on Ue wana, and wt Kits ul Uinta of he maith Hn at say tha yu should vay be chasing the marker with your sy 1s portant to fad and shan maintain and Levelup your own voiee in your awork The Loto ie sat 2 you do alu be constantly aware of he eavirmeont iy shoul mara you eo working in, Wiorking with an art director ata large publishing company like Wizard of the Coast or witom his image was ee collaborative process. As your ability fo visualize fantasy worlds and ‘ot have total freedom to draw or paint whatever you want. The ar rector usualy bi Aitferent paris, and creating an illustration becomes a arta problem-solving exercise, where you are trying tind the lusteator you are(ne ofthe fst things you have o establish or yourselt as you bai Project isthe “big pictur’. Your cont may have some ideas about mood ar eo perhaps he wants magica fing armoured hippos in his game, bw thinks thoy ara coo’, As the ati ied this vision tif, you hve tobe able to take a step back and parcel Droject as a whol, so you know what parts are truly important, and ars obscure te big pictur. Do fig hippos ft into the world you are éreating? Hf not, what knd of spin can you put on them so that they mak 100 Uiiys lo Create Fantasy Images lke thie can comatinas bowed large, as game covers, bul more olten will end up as trading cards for mes such an Mage: The Gatharng’. Although the final art or these cards is very small, somatinge ain a a9 {em Ui] wide, the same eare and attontion goes into ‘ach of thes i ‘sense with your vision? This could involve 2 Int of thinking and research on your pat ever before you pu pel o pop This book should in no way be considered asa ceplacemant fora oat education or experince inthe i isl ane working stator collection of idews and strategies; things that sox to hae cd cnsistonty wall orm in the past. My hapa is that ican provide ith some welul information and inspiration on your path to becoming a successful fantasy artis O17Any creative endeavour has a greater chance of success when it is built on a solid foundation. For an illustrator or character designer, a sound footing comprises some basic knowledge and a number of different competences. This section looks at some of the fundamental tools and skills any artist should have in his or her visual toolbox, and will also define some important concepts. laustretion inspite by te Hindu ‘odes Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, fortune, love and beautyUnderstanding the Basics 001 Play with Body Proportions CQHeads for Heights The tam ‘proportions ofovs to waive sees of itferent ares ofa chavocts bud Fut anlasy ma results by alteny sume of Ue dimensions of figs, you can obtain sow visual i nna aan bu i way to ook his oe pa cracters vertical ight nt son the length of thir had, Most cal poop have ropustions of oughly sx ais to ter sgh. By nreasing the ruber of health ina charactor’ star, he oF sim ca hi mad to fel more hero and larger than life. On the othe an,» character that is tower heads fall exhibits more of 2 humorous or eating sive nf hroism This WeADs MEASUREMENT YS ONLY INTENDED TO BE USED AS AROUGH, ‘Genena. eue~oF-Thumes, Uncess THE CHARACTER 13 DEPICTED STANDING STRMGHT UPraND FACING TRE eWER, IFCAN Be DIFFICULT TO Be PeECiCE ABOUT THE NUMBER OF HEADS N THEW reoroerons. The Best woicetoe OF Suess 1 Te Feel - wars 45 Nolet, a TE CuAaacTee’s PROPORTIONS. CONVEY THE SENSE OF 1 PEREONALT oR PSC AUITT THAT YoU Gz: BAStudy Face Dimensions < “002 Leal Head and ace Just as there are ways to distort the body proportions of your character see page 20), the dimensions ‘and size relationships within thei facial features can also bo altered to suggest ifferont personality ‘cits. To begin with, study the proportions ofan ideal head and feo vo hal you kw iw tu deviate from it when deste. The headin prof view ts roughly inside a square. H you examine Ue letures inthe font view, you can sae that the bead tapers gently ra the dome ofthe stl Ue bot ofthe chin, and that the face is approximately the width of ve eyes. A uangl: draw fun 3 point between the eyes tothe widest points ofthe mouth can ha use! tn deteeminn thn width ofthe seas 100 Wags to Create Fentaay Turearting tne thob ts pled. op by the ara, upper When sketching figure, itis often useful to dst the rawing into single gesture or movernant to attempt to convoy a distin visual message. By stating anillustretion with fine of action, you creato an overall sens ofthe ‘motion or atitude ofthe character, which ell subsequent ang an endering shoud adhere ton this ough sketch, decisive stance is establshod by tho foot being spread and the upper torso leaing back to accommodate the weight ofthe weapon. wer to continue working on this image, | would be careful to mintain the sense of posture tat ‘was established with this intial action line, eeThe position of the head is often a goad tudicctor of the ‘personality of the overall pose. The tit{ turn of the bea cos vauch of the inforwaation conic in by language Th re es in the itr ation crrespond to te nls orm by certain paired eleweds in the herr body. Lines draw threugh te shodlers, ‘ips cad ees show bow the body resp te gray when the contre of wats is tted In ite, people rarely ctr thanselves ina perfetly symetica, rigid state —rmre often, they lean tone side or another. or rst their weight on ‘one leg. ringing ths sense of reality into your charastr design can help convince the viewer that your characteris livin, breathing personaly, (One way odo that nan illustration isto use ontrapposto, an ttalian wort moaning ‘counter ose thisilustation the lines tough the his an the shoulders tp in opposite rections =the character shifts her weight to her lf eg, using the ita a8. brace. She tips ner upper bocy to tha lefts her contre of gravity is ver ‘he supporting leg. The result isa dynamic pose, which gives a stong indication ofthe charactors confident attiudo005 Explore Foreshortening and Perspective Understands ng the Basics Ge VAUPVE il theyLearn Colour Theory 100 Ways to to help keep your colour strategy clear. 025007 Indicate Form with Lighting Understanding the BusicsCombine Lighting and Colour Theory 008 Black Drage n the fighting design 027‘Understanding the Basics 028 009 RB Aneniber that Style is not DesignUse Colour with Care 010 the colours re wsch in hy cturated vty the result s garish and. nlc GP re lempting to ly down Sulu nation Wit digital painting software, tan be iteasy to of eolow and this makes v4 up with an oversaturated image, Thats not to say saturated colours are over appropiate, but moderation is usvaly a god idea. One simple approach iso daexnine @ dominant colour, and keep other shades more subdued. ln this illustration, two versions of the same image ae shown wth aitfrent loves of saturation. On the let, nos is fairy desaturated, andthe the image id groen ofthe tentacle ‘pops, making it foal point. On the right, saturated colours have been used al over the image tentacle. Also, blue and re tensity. There sno hard-and-as ule saying that you st isa deliberate design decision itis better to avai he green ofthe three primary colour ata al is, but unless it 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Fegures oREEO. S\ zi 011 Bee Line Art to Save Time Understanding the Bastes CP nein Descgn Sfetches stration and design canbe done ina varity of diferent ina painting, I this sketshbook istration, character design ‘media and using a numberof tachniques. Mostof the artwork ideas were dafted in bck and white with @ pen; most ofthe inthis book takes the form of ether colours ine art or oral details in the image are delineated by te in at. and colour Paintings, or 8 combination of the two. Line work has the {is used in avery simple, almost diagrammatic way, Relying on bef of bing quick and iterative, requiring less of an fine art techniques in the beginning of the design process can investment of time Line art can be used to indicate detail spood things long by allowing you to explore ideas and and texture, wich might sometimes be more labour intensive eolour schemes ina more rapid ess commitiod waySeparate Character Design 012 from Composition Gallen Kings Feyoul Tests are013 Differentiate Between Illustration and Documentation Th peso eretng Understanding the Basics Winged Succubus Se xnanound Drawing¢€ CC a ara a Appreciate the Value \ 014 of Line Weights Ss The King and Queen ‘With painting, tis possible to indicate huge variety of materials, textures and colours, but how ean you conway ‘the same kindof information with ine draving? Compared to painting, ine art has a somewhat inte ability to transit your message; however, one aspect that you do have great contol avers line weight. By varying ‘the thickness and strength ofthe lines that make up dewing, itis possible to communicate fay large amount of information. this lustation, hick lines are used to indicate edges of fous, were ane edge ‘overlaps another. Lighter-weight ines ere used to suggest textures, folds and materials and are much more ‘abundant than th heavy stokes. In general itis beter to be sparing with the thick marks ~ overusing heavy lines undermines the impact ofthe oter lines and can resultin @ mess, unintelligible drawing, 100 Ways to Create Fanteay FiguresCG, NG, A lot of work goes into creating a good fantasy illustration before the artist even puts pencil to paper or makes the first mark on the screen. This section looks at the background work you can do to gain a clear idea of who your characters are and the nature of the world they live in, which will make the design process easier and more enjoyable. It is not necessary to have every last detail determined ahead of time, but rather just the main landmarks — personality traits, occupations or character archetypes — that will provide you with a definite direction and end goal.015 Establish the Character’s Story Batt ile in the CCKUNUnderstand the ~\@ 016 Character’s World 5 7 ome Conds of Ynaurock ‘ne ofthe mest important thing to dotrmine isthe kindof wold that your character inhabits ime perio, climate ad customs, Just ike in ‘ea life, these factors havea significant effet on someone's general appearance. Having 3 deep understanding ofthe world your character ‘comes from provides you with ready answvers to many of the questions you wil be asking yourslf as you craw. This illustration, created forthe fantasy role-playing game ‘Dungeons and Dragons, shows 2 very specifi society made up of romadic desert dwellers, Rather than concentating na single gure fs, ve shown a fail large slice ofthe worl hat the characte inhabit, Ceating imagery lke tis can help maintain a big Picture sense of ther world, which isa tremendous advantage in the design ofan individual character. Exploring diferent condition inthe same envionment can be help in rly establishing ‘the nature of location in your mind 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Figures> 017 Decide on the Character’s Occupation Researching lhe Character The Pink Conch In Ue same way that knowing about acharacta’s word can pave you with many clues in designing ‘8 convincing individual, knowing how a character sms ost other time and energy can alsa bea valuable source of visual inspiration In fantasy Sores and games, main characters are usualy some lian ol attr, aside fram th hor and suypanatural bangs, hare ae plenty of wnspoeple ican, cles and other supporting roles thst yuu igh ike iusto hi ben station I Wirats ofthe Coat, was askod to provide an image of dh sx wun Pk Cone bordel ir occupation has informed he design of tei provocative costumes and eome hither’ oxwessions, TH FANTASY CLEMENT, BANGING We PeaL=wepi visune cles (ax REFERENCING IMAGES. ANTD DESIGNS FROM EAI) Ca weep Mace: Youle WAGES ‘Make connnicina, However, You DONT WANT 12 Fuow FACTUAL keFeeeNces Ree closer, since DOIG 30 Nas Te POTENTIAL TO TAKE The views Our oF THE wokeD JOU. Abe CeeATIWé, [wstEAD, TRE INTENTION SHOULD BE TO REMuMD’ THE) WiEWeR RATHER TRAN moe atuore cadIncorporate Culture019 Keep Your Message Clear Part ofthe task of eretinga successful character iyolves removing o laments that conv o enfuse the message. The Researching the Character izing de ‘more the various ingredients in the illustration contibut {o @ coherent whole, the carer the meaning willbe to the viewer. Inthis imag and prop design are simple and consiste person who alone. He des not wear heavy axmou or cay costume nd defends himself using ante orothor weapons and factors that would have cont harectrisprimailya user of magic, and would crete ambiguity inthe inane th notion thattheMake Notes to Organize e © Your Thoughts Busce new Ostse wopy 1s oat 0 cH Hea Apes usar, am aac pours ks A S008 OF coats ATTENDANTS HARVESTIMG Te GoDLY ELS eUeRstto BY Ws Roby CONetes on a Monster Using written notes to record your ideas isa very usful but sometimes overlooked stepin the charactor design process, When starting out on 2 new ides, notes canbe snd to log fragments of designs that may nt have clear visual epresentation yet, o ‘suggest different directions o investigate atr. You've hoard the ptrasa'a picture is ‘worth a thousand words, but sometimes writen comments can be worth afew pictures ‘oo, Notes can serve as reminders without committing to specific design choices too cary in the characters development 100 Ways to Create Fanteay, FusesResearching the Character F 042, — 021 Know Your Audience Lidtle Cre ar of the people who wil be rk, youtcan keep them ith decision-making as nple, if you ae creating I pays to favour shapes and farms, other hand your audi or young adults 2 more d realtor overly grotesque Ay intention was to orete a fantasy il on that would rovde a way for paonle not familiar with fantasy art (such as young children) to elate to the characte:Explore Character 022 Archetypes: Death Gai. us 043J eseanching the Character 023 .Explore Character Archetypes: The Wizard So UCEREK Ie wizard archetype is wellknown in s olen dopiriod as an older, schotarly figure win has devote his mato of his craft. Rathor than depend on hy his mind in order to magic at, The ke trategy in illavaing a wierd s lo make soma sor af weual reference: rofanee on powers lnyood his nly capabliis. ntisl's Tp Sreciactareh, CUSTOM FAINT wRtisHes Fon RS vittARY ILLUSTRATION FUSED UES CREATED BY ARTIST” STEPHANIE SHIMERDLA, FOR Moke IMPRMATION, 60Explore Character 024 Archetypes: The Holy Man Pea € he he025 /Explore Character Archetypes: The Holy Woman S aS XS 8 > | s eA ight Of Priestess iaExplore Character 026 Archetypes: The Sorceress Telepath 07Researching the Character 048, 027 Explore Character Archetypes: The Hero So nok the Boa weExplore Character 028 Archetypes: The Jester D, aor the oS, Let ge van Useful to create a secondary character Lo wutk wah Ivan story, beta im {Ue primary es Te pst or com qua usally ecornanies the hovn and 350 0 merous foal or nuraive dence, rons a mechanism for exposition in sivatons wh i lux wn his oa night he to ming, Inthe samn wy that adn syol ul complementary clout ean axl viual ek ines vibrancy, inet a small alemant ot umour ean provide walcams relia in an othorwize rim or morbid stoline Facial expressions axe key renting this comedic appeal i with sparkling eyes and nlacti gmles tap a hn agenda Antisl's Tip Some CHARACTER AvCHEDPES RELY Mone HEAVILY ON DIALOGUE AND NasReATTVE INRMATION, {6 CASES SUCH As TTS, AP AW BE USEFUL TO WHAGIWE SHORT SWIPFEIS OF bwaLoaue Of ACTION THAT HELP "D DEFWE HAT THe CHARACTER ABOUT, WAH CeMIIN CHaRactias (ve MeTIMES ROUND IT Hel Pu TO rMaaiNe WHAT THe VOICE OR ACCENT MIGHT SOUND Like; HOw! THEY SPEAL, AND Some UMAUE TURNS OF PHRASE THAT THY MiGaT USE TECHNLAUES LiKE Tus HELP YOU TO GET WSIDE A CHARACTER (AND FILL OUT THE CONCERT: 049 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Fyures029 Explore Character Archetypes: The Beast Reseaxckin ug the ‘haracterExplore Character 030 Archetypes: The Ghost031 Explore Character Archetypes: The Beast Man Lalehecper WM, yslagogue Researching the CharacterExplore Character Archetypes: Familiars bionks Fentagy characters, n particular witches, sorceresses cf her users of magic, wil often be actompanied by Inteltigont eroatures known as faa, ‘Somatimes these fails might be recognizable real-world eeatures (although they should exhibit behaviour quite unlike their natural countespars) 1, as inthis ilustration, they can take the fxm of ‘monstrous or unusual creatures nluding a familiar ‘longside you pray character provides another ‘outlet for expressing a particular personality trait, which s especially useful if he charactar in your scene already has a complex story 100 Way to Create Fantasy Tyres DIFFEREUT , UNRELATIS SAMRCES CaN SOMETIMES RESULT 1 SOME ifBRESTIVG AND WSUAL=U2OKING CRE ATERES ARTIFICIAL Ob MANMADE MaTBBiALS SUCH AS HoULbeD RUBBER OR ANODIZ2ED METALS HAVE SPECIE REFLECTIVE AND COLOUR. QUALITIES TRAT” ARE NOT” NORMALLY ROUND IN NATURE. RENDERING (CREATURES TH MATERIALS DIRE THIS C441 SNE TREH A SURREAL, CTR DL #033 /Explore Character Researching the Character Archetypes: The Winged Character Ch isockeasExplore Character 034 Archetypes: The Golem = rs ym 2 Ma ‘ey “he ; . P< F< } , ~ Pe Ome ) yz A ‘ 7 z Ri * q a Ny j ri om AG a )a Process There are numerous design strategies that can be used to help flesh out your fantasy characters. The tips in this section discuss ways in which ~ your initial ideas and concepts can be developed and refined on paper or on the sereen, exploring and evaluating different directions you might like to go in. These are not limited to specific types of characters, but can be applied to many different situations. ‘The Aboleth isa sea creature Whose design ‘rows inspiration trom reabife animals ut ‘clearly #Greatur of fantasy.Drow High Priestess ‘ne way to approach character design is ofnd 2 major visual ook or distinguishing characteristic that a viewer is abl to identiy and recogni easily. Ti can also serve as ‘2 mnemonic device to remind us ofthe character’ pertinent back story or other ttc information. The hook inthis ilustration the drow priestss's costume, which i heavily based ‘on the spider moti so crucial to drow culture (see page 39). Sha has web pattems ovether skirt ‘and boots, and the angles ad lines inthe eastume, including the gloves and headpiece, reinforce the shapes formed by the wobs Fiala spider grap nthe background bolsters the theme use of rod asa spat colourDetermine a Visual Hierarchy Creature Design Shelohes Creating visual hooks in w character design iselpul or establishing a sold, mamarablo identity. lowever, thase hooks should be limited ro two or hoe at ast ‘uch formation cn ees your messag Determine which of these features st rat important, and keep this hierarchy in mind ‘when designing the character, ln this so shetches fora som’ ntoliget, low-maving plone creature, explore! several trections: variations on sihouee, from tall and skinny to mare rounded and poor shape, floating vreus legs stint ada ints shapes versus amex apn rem Using ail hase citarantdasignoloments on single ilastration woul result in 2 woak, unmeenorable age lavinggonorated these shel, | now need to dacide which to or ‘too aspects fee! mst sje, a a ‘those which is most important visually Respite design cleverts in the wre of bcomotion — witty epportemities for —encing the ak tel tras how the restare woes 100 Uo to Crate Fanteay, Figures q039 Harness the Power of Silhouette Cstablishing a Process to emphsize the Aantastic nature of his appearence / OG (ne ofthe priary was in which we recogrize a characte is thoughts shout, This the ‘main graphic read of charactor. over nd shove deal, tures and to a corn extant even colour From distance dues and details are obscured nd igtng contin can affect how ies ee colour i porcivd, but rely ila characters Cordes) sithovete be altered by environmental conditions. ascedated with A silhouette can be transformed by many diferent Bualdhist fgures factors, such as clothing, tools or weapons, at ancther ino body ste, or even boy parts like horns, tails of tterest in the hooves or wings. This set of thunbnils shows silhouette Some explorations of silhouettes fra painting of anes, the Hindy god. Ganesh is an established figure with certain aspects that | wanted to explore ‘and eaperiment with; the mtu of human and elephant forms, the extra arms, and vious intuments and atofactUse Points of Reference 040 Ao leth In sme instances, a charactor or creature ina fantasy relied on o few familia visual eues to enable the seting wil be alin or orphous enough that itcan become viower to understand the fn of creature. Symmetrical ificut wo get a sense ofthe characters physiology or the features ike the eyes, the paired sts of temas logic behind its design. na case ike hisitcan be hepful tothe triangular fore-fins tl the view that th erat include certain landmarks o points of relerence so that possesses bilateral symmetry (et sight syne, ike ‘viewer can perceive some sort of oider. Far example, in most animals and human bens Wiig these aspects, this design for large creature called an Aboleth, have it cube iu to tel exh abou its shape 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Fryurestems of symmetry just igh you havo made errs,: Aim for Symmetry — Pd H ORMOK Hu ndads of boauy usually depend on eabiiting clos let-sight (tile This isa useful point to remember even ifn eal if poople rarely exbibit perfect yrimeticalfeatres nment desig, the tendency is. 5 grotesque and scary. Physical cue among hunan beings that cath, vigour and atractiveness. Reinforcing this with symmetry inthe costume design as well 2s inthis illsttion, can help to convey the message cf physical perfection 100 Ways to Create Pantesy, FusesEitablishing a Process 043 Try Deliberate Asymmetry Kettle HeadDesign in Profile (Coss Allo these ceracters are more or lsc sywmvetrical wher sewed frown the front Head Sludies /Asthese quick heels slaw, sign eas in peo can ‘too you up to explore different ‘shapes with hong bound by {ne constrains ot symmary, ying {o daw petty symmateical and dey as a go he way ‘thing up a catalogue ot ideas ‘through ntl thu sketenes an desi iterations, Dosey rumerous drawings with this tye Df freedom isa int vay to get tha mind going, simulating the thought process for other desis andillustrations. Norval bewtontsturs contbine with ertifial clemrerds autho fabrics, aroaour od jewelery { Work back ant fart between frond tnd side vews 100 Ways to Create Banteay Ture aCxlablishing a Process 045 Grasp the Keys to Expression046 Drow OInguisilo x 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Fegures In entertainment design projets, sux as games ‘comic books, or role-playing yore mana, characters oten cme tobe closely identified with logos, graphics or cartain ky enous Creating a clear association wit a speiic ‘enlur or enn i. imple ut affective way of fing another dimansion 19 yn cia Comic-book supetheoes a ped example of this rhe tan superhero choracers ae direct asso wil Unit lyus, pai ‘lou exmbinatons tare tee enstome dlosigs. nts ils wpthe: identity Koopng to tie and dos lado ell | wantad cd eolour as put uf is wisuat of tho mayo relatively rated helped establish tho rod asa distinctive desig ent Te cet ‘spoked up again in the oyes ot her familiar as well asin er sal=, 047 . Create Connections Drow Cloves Cilablishing a Pocess 070Don’t Over Invest sce Ouick Monster Sketch |sit possible to achieve a good design in jst one take? Itcan be, but attempting todo so can eeate a situation where you ae oo invested in an illustration o see its faults objectively, because you don't want to walk away fom a painstakingly rendered image. ts usually etter to break the process own into small steps tat you can abandon easly if you decide that thoy ave not working. These {wo sketches are from a series of explorations for Frankensten-like monster. They were cone very ‘icky, with jst enough detail to communicate crtain design ideas. The time invested was ite enough that | didnot fel dejected when | came to discard them in favour of cifrent design later. 100 Ways to Create Fenteay, TureEstablishing a Process 049 Find an Identity in the Face DReli DUANOK V4 Dem ONS al rules. UEstablish a Visual Link 050051 Combine Plant and Animal Influences Green » Bound Proll : § § & S 8 ‘ S 8sPlay the Numbers Game 052 Aelisls Tip Osviousey, ATTACHING A SPELIFIC NUMERICAL VALME TO somerh Not eNTeg (5 MEANT MORE AS A ROLE OF Tubs Fok ReEPMG THe COMEERT Cae i joule uur AS YOU WORE: 2 challonge for characters hat ae «2 blend of different influences {suchas plant and aninal o and my dltormining the eltinpived vampite, 60 per tent othe characteris based propos part to e2ping an actual an normal human featres an proportons. The remaining percentage number in in during te 20 por cent influence is added inthe frm of nou outs of the design process As in tryin colouring, with be skin and wit i 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Frgures_ such as where he comes from, his f Once you have determined the important “concepts and landmarks of a character - favourite weapon, magical powers and so on — there are numerous ways to develop the figure visually so that those important messages are expressed i ina clear way to your audience. This set thought proces: ss to helhh 053 Enhance a Silhouette: Framing the Face Snake B. u€CPL é x < 8 > S ¥Enhance a Silhouette: 054 Altered Physiology King Bee MOS.055 Daianice a Silhouette: Developing the Character Living Clothing Cn mel Weasclen CON.Enhance a Silhouette: 056 Positive and Negative Shapes The Se @ cnific ostDe. loping the Character 057 Enhance a Silhouette: Organic and Inorganic Forms Anlisl's Sp REMED EER TO KEEP ete, BG ANNE DETAIL, SUCH AS THE MASS 0 TENTRCLeS.W Ths IMAGE, SttSeevtENT TO TheEnhance a Silhouette: 058 Animal Forms059 Enhance a Silhouette: Texture and Materials & x : AS § 8 > Ss g x Dias of the VY, ndendank be formed by i tkIntroduce an Element of Strangeness 060 100 Ways to Create 085061 Preserve an Element of Familiarity Ro yal Ongi NECK Developing the CharacterProvoke a Reaction with 062 the Uncanny Valley Of f. Felis Ih tex “uncanny valley wos cui) boyalapanese seine aed Mahi Mod, an eters toa pheno xcs wen» creature or charactor begins 0 very clay esnmbla 3 una ng, sven for ace twn bey ane Tha mora classy someting oaks Mae real pean, th on pally viewer wil foo wth, eta tn nance is 9 ue al any teenc Ur megulanty leas vary disturbing, Hevo the charactors alisticaly ede ‘vil just fe subtle changes 1 his hysilogy ro relct aca infuci. let caus this character wa fe moe tnsoring than, say, Ue isl lita Someries, a vitkewent rece OF ARBOR CaN Patnbe. Some wibeestTus TeIORE op coLcue vAlrATON THAT Caw Be me WI 4 New rece IW Tes exaurce, (ve tery A rrece FROM ANOTHER LLUSTRATION CHoacwerh) Nb Use TF as & SUBICE OVERLAY LAVER MET TO Itonuce Soe Texte 100 Ways to Create Fantesy FiguresDeveloping the Character — Fp 063 Create a Monster: Tried and TrueCreate a Monster: Skin Deep065 Create a Monster: Beauty is the Beast Dride de g eueloping the CharacterCreate a Monster: Tales of the Unexpected 100 Wee ys to Cx 066067 Create a Monster: Elimination ve A " SUNSE consciUess oF ufecicence, eve comer 1S AVERY DIRECT WAY TO. WIT A Peon Eurtwvattus theCreate a Monster: Imply 068 Possession or Infection Do hyau at 093069 Exploit the ‘Save the Cat’ Factor Snell Volatiie ‘Save the Cat’ ise concept described by screenwriter Blake Snyder in his book of he same name. It refers to an inate human characteristic ina hero that allows the audience to identify with him This traits ogit hero ‘who stops to save a cat onthe way to an epic calamity, gives the character an endearing quality that make im alte more human an therefore mare approachable, than a character who is superhuman but who is too op for the cat. This peiminary sketch foran ilusration features acharecter who isa master of many pines. Ihe ort that he wears glasses is uncommon fo a fantasy her, but this instantly gives him factor, aking hm more approachable than the typical muscle-boune barbarian. Developing the CharacterInclude a Set-Piece Prop 070 ve Riso We the benO71 Add a Faithful Steed Kris ight of the Sone Cunt x Qe Gg veloping the CharacterIncorporate an 072 Iconic Symbol=> 073 Use Weapons as Design Tools % > ; 5 Cre Welder A memorable character canbe created using weapons as 2 stating point. In siene fition and fantasy art many icon characters ar identified by their equipment and amour Most commonly, ‘these take the fom of oversized hardware or multiple bades tnt aecemtuate an aggressive ‘appearance. 2 weapan is unusual orprominent enough, it can be used ta form a significant aspect ofa character’ silhouette In this ilustration the warrior caries @ large batleaxe wit a Aistnctive double bladd shape. From this, a secondary design characteristic has been picked aut inthe form of small and spiky tiangulr shapes thet occu ons on his armourShow the ? 074 “Unexpected Reveal’ Wthanis, Cleric of Dagon075 ,Use Overt References to Pinpoint a Character SS b; bcial War Developing the CharacterUse Subtle References 076 to Evoke a Theme Rs than 101One of the most important aspects of fantasy illustration is communicating effectively with your audience. The techniques of ‘visual communication’ examined here show many different. ways in which to clearly convey information in your images. These general practices and considerations are essentially a philosophy of execution, in that they apply no\matter what character, mood, genre or medium you are using to develop your designs. Clarity is the key word. All the moves that go into creating a character should work together to transmit the same message — there should not be any elements that conflict or disagree with others. ‘This large place for Wizards of the Coast showcases a numberof dierent eretares and characters. Putin together this Ilustration took a good deal of planning and volved a number o diferent prectces and tehwiques explored inthis book. (00 Weg te Cre Fenbeiy FieveDebberate stylistic Aourishes interest, gig the ste that the world is being Interpreted. traugh te eyes of a particalar artist a thio sa | ornate carly ond drapery then \ hey wl in real ite \ : A celibate oxoaratd rsyine daving styican sometimes be ppesate n eng 0 conan rll feo design sense Fondo sls can cone romain ot ses; a ison ose a speci approach shoul be mode foal he tnt chasm 2 ivn prj. Hower changing stiles fom ne fete next willy cause carson and won a ary veo thro desig, Auniflorm artis syle ta sles toal ie “ furesin your usuation can bea vr ust ‘ou for conveying me, sd ineing He _ ewer nthe wel you oats, These sketch Morac ok rater ae done in stad "Manner with arlifed boey proband a > ste. y pushing reat bit, expression and “5 > gostures Become rer than ite, Sati aeUse Scale References 078 to Convey Size Lp ide k079 Vary the Scale Within a Single Design Gro adia Ts Of a akgu Me Dhak Communicating with the ViewerFocus Attention with Detail .080 Cini Duele oth Orndet hk081 Hide the Details When Necessary Communicating with the Viewer det ahere 2s, and focused the detailCommunicate Emotion 082 Through Facial Expression R oluctant ad“Rp 083 Use Reactions to Reinforce Drama ‘fom municaling with the Viewer-_ € (2 Draw on the (Cosa Establishing Shot Talenar Of The ‘establishing shot i @ tem borrowed fm fim I efers toa shot that shows @ view of distant Scone in order forthe viewer to understand the location and to len place the action that wll ‘ecu na film or TV context, thsi usually closely followed by interior scenes within the setting shown in the fist shot, which determina th relationship Benween interior and ete a fantasy ‘ustation context, an establishing shot can also be used to cla ailional lsrations showing interior events. This image sets up @ panoramic view ofa city ina foramay valley, Fr this location, the details textures and colours are obscured by ist, but thsi saaandarinexmston that might be found in oter types of images. The character inthe scone conmmunicaes the scale and reintocas the sense of viewing from a distance by echoing the sighines of the viewer. Conon Mai se One 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Tues085 Establish Intelligence in a Non-Human Character Cos sation Communicating wilh the Viewer n2Portray the Full Range of Human Emotions 00 Wy to 086Communicating with the Viewer 14 087 Invoke a Sense of Ceremony and RitualSelect Rendering 088 Style for Best Effect089 Make the Character an Active Player Sp Y Sa THES Va remeunicaling with the Viewer ue"Set Up an Epic Threat 090 ¢ TZ als Unath Placing a char cectiv ils ward angle of view, emphasizing the size of the ns inthe scene, agin highlighting the scale of ho He 100 Ways to € ntasy Figu ees091 Use Lighting for Focus The Massacte al Dellin £@ Fenny image, andin so ‘ora ipports the story element. Communicating with the ViewerUse Lighting for Mood 092 Ruins of 4 Do nasa ID The use of ghtng to create or nance mood is itself a huge aren of study, bt there are some basic concepts you can take advantage of fr fantasy iusto Creating spots of interest in cm environment with coated ight sources con create a feeling of mystery. Light coming from a stung sideways direction also ‘ends to boost the sense of drama in a scene. In ths illustration, a stinct foreground/tackground lationship is set up by convasting warmer, eder ight atts of downlight inthe mide ground, The beams in fron agains the cook light fame the ding tothe sense of isolation. The flowing "magma in the background creates uplghtng on the giant statue, emphasizing the feeling of danger END. | ‘Te lighting onthe gant statues inthe contrast helps draw the viewer's ey, 100 Ways to Create Fenoay Tyra go093 Make Your Subjects Work for You Behold the Communicating with the ViewerShow a Character 094 Looking Off ScreenQ95 Balance Visual Weight Through Colour Pp, PCy ANaces of Cberron Communicating with the ViewerBalance Visual 096 Weight Vertically Pit High Priestess ShetekCommunteating uth the Viewer 097 Enter Stage Left Wel 4 Sp ent @ loneyCreate Depth 098 by Overlapping erent Srio A simple visual eammunication cancpt is that o overtopping forms. might an obvious thing to more cd artists, but the acto placing Some characters or objects in font of others san easy way to eraate a sense of depth in our illistration and establish spatial relationships botwoon the elements in yours ean ~ thee characters stand together with avery ‘whom working with ‘overlapping charactore pay atention othe edges — in some ass inpotan teas ‘te fine to Tose’ the edges, en this image the sompasiton is fit de and who sat the hack. Thi albeit imited - and makes the image mare dn osenting the three characte ina lne with no intersting shapes ‘the inage more angaing, 100 Ways to Create Fantasy FeguresCommunicating wilh the Viewer e renderings inthis book were completed 0p, using digital painting tools fer effects. There in Pho few examples of images ed purely traditionally, mostly some combination af peel ink and markers. Using digital tools to enhance traditional media ber for feut using one rth other by it draw in my and sul in Photoshop preserving much ofthe hand-drawn fol ofthe origial book image Digital painting po «Jong way and can be used to create impressive results. Mowover there eutain eam about a hand raw ine that compa ‘snot yotable ro capture suecesstully software¢ Experiment with all the \ q 00. Tools at Your Disposal Dungeon Waster roy ChEEN | want to end with an example ofa piece that incorporates many f nat all seene. Each of have zones then had to have logical lighting scheme of tha ‘ways inthis book. This large-scale pice was comission by its ove to justi the lou palates ‘Wizards ofthe Coast 3 a four pan! cover fra printed gaming produc ‘The point heres tha ereating a successful ished ilutration isnot ‘Ast involved many different types of characters, some of wiih | was nol ai act sein, We have ack lng numba of mats Uo reali familiar wit, it required considerable preliminary research, sketches characters, refine designs, compose illustrations and to communisate the and studies. The composition became a design askin itself as Ved righ information to Ute auince. Anyone tecniqu by isl wl probably to coma up with diferent mechanisms to justify the fighting and colour rnotresultn-@ perfect ago fi theo is such 2 thing). As you frm your palettes that | wanted to use. The layout sketch reproduced below shows awn warhatits ather than relying on just ane way ar making a habit ot using a hand of favourite techniques asa neh, canstanty try to use the rough arangement ended up wih, which formed the bass forthe dierent ways oil corkinati ! wayys— sm wl tk or en ifernt ‘zones’ af ealour. These zones wore designed to beak up the ol proportions and provide some visual rhythm 2s your view pans across the kinds of ilusrations and san won t = { MN AS ga 38 54 ge 8 E 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Figuresfnouledyments ‘Thanks to the idols, mentors and role models: Sinclair Black, John Buscema, John Byme, Frank Frazetta, Janet Hobbs, Joe Johnston, Ron Lemen, Todd Lockwood, Shirow Masamune, Syd Mead, Craig Mullins, Steven Olds, Neil Peart, Phil Saunders, Farzad \Varahramyan, D. Andrew Vernooy and Dave Wilkins, out the Author Francis Teal isa conceptual designer and illustrator whose artis ‘used in games, television commercials, books, comics and films. He has been working in the games inelustry since 1998, on coneept art illustration and att direction, and has been freelance since 2006. is clients include Wizards of the Coast, Marvel Comics, Warner Brothers, Eidos Interactive, Midway Home Entertainment, Rockstar Games and ImagineFX magazine. 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