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    100 Ways To Create Fantsy Figures PDF

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    of 128
    10 OWa a ys to C rea te ANT eet ‘A DAVID & CHARLES BOOK Copyright © David & Charles Limited 2008 David & Charles is an F+W Publications Ine. company 4700 East Galbraith Road Cincinnati, OH 45236 iest published in the UK in 2008 Fiest published in the US in 2008 ‘Text 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, Al rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, of transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, by photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Accatalogue 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 Brunel House, Newton Abbot, Devon, Senior Commissioning Editor: Freya Dangerfield Editorial Manager: Emily Pitcher Editor: Bethany Dymond Desk Editor: Demelza Hookway Project Editor: Ame Verso Prootreader: Nicola Hodgson. ‘At Editor: Martin Smith, Production Controller: Beverley Richardson Visit our website at www.davidandcharles.co.uk David Charles books are available from all good bookshops: alternatively you ‘an contact our Orderline on 0870 9908222 oF write to us at FREEPOST EX2 110, D&C Direct, Newton Abbot, TQI2 42Z (no stamp required UK only); US customers «all 800-289-0963 and Canactian customers call 800-840-5220 Contents Foreword .... 004 006 +018 2 034 056 Introduction .. Understanding the Basics ... Researching the Character Establishing a Process... 076 Developing the Character Communicating with the Viewer .... 102 Acknowledgments, About the Author, Index..... 128 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Fuses 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 of paper. A certain 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 see 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 his secrets here for you to behold. Pay close attention, study the recitations, practice them daily, and you too can do magic. Todd Lockwood 100 Ways to Create Fanteay Tyuses Ifyou’ 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. am fortunate enough to be able to make a living creating artwork for the entertainment industry, and because of this 1 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-s ‘chool 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 I had to study every day to ‘fill in the gaps’ in my art education. After a number of years working as a concept artist in the computer games industry and as a freelance illustrator for books, comics, films and television, I have assembled a few nuggets of knowledge and some workflow routines that seem to have a certain degree of success. It is these that I want to share with you in this book. Irhas never bon a beter time to bea fantasy artist As ok ‘around my stu ary, Ian see many examples of books and fis Ural ae fantasy related, or atleast somehow inuenced by this kindof imagory. Role-playing games have long been a primary source, but with altho recont advances in flmmating technology ‘movies are now able to convincingly parry the kinds of worlds ‘and ings fata ofan of tho fantasy gone. Successful films coftn spawn computer games and, creasingly, material can flow the other way to, Ths oly benefits the traditional ole playing game and book markets, al of which rsults in more oppoturities| for stile ilstratrs. This bok had a lng genesis, which began back when | found that students and amateur atists (and even afew professionals) ‘ere asking me certain questions time and time again. thought itmight be useful to put together alist of Frequently Asked ‘Question’ on my website. The more | worked anit the longer ‘and more volved it became, because there was just so much material to cover With some of the tpis, it was hard to convey the information without an accompanying lustation to make the pont andi quickly grew beyond that of a simple FAQ. So Isetit aside, ‘few years ago, | started writing some short articles abut itferent aspects of concept art and ilustration for fantasy ‘and scance fiction at magazine magineFX. A tow ofthe points | rigially had in my FAQ showed up in these articles, ‘but was usually atthe ond of my alloted word count before 1 could convey enough information. twas an interesting lemma — ‘could present my points infil focused way that was limited in scope; or could cove a wide variety of topes in a somewhat supercial way. So, when | was presented withthe opportunity to create this book, | thought it would be a great way to impart some ofthe tips fam the orignal FAQ, hopefully na manner that isboth broad in scope but aso specific enough to provide some useful, practical advice based on my experiance. Tha protiminary sketch in most ilstration jobs ne Arectr your intention a far as pose and composition go, and also give some idea of color and tonal value without being too detalled o ished > _ 007 intasy Figures 00 Ways to Create & 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 paper or canvas. However, in the past few years digital technology has advanced to the point where it can be difficult to tell the difference between art created iS S$ g g x & 8 @ 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 nodia such as ‘work habits that allow an aristto ceate successful art. These wnleecniours nr marker pens —thereisdefiitey a sr of ‘analayue ae less obvious but just as important as the tangible tools, if na ‘har thase methods have that digital media lacks but the ‘moreso. These factors have mare todo with an artist’ workflow, advantages o using drawing and painting software, espocially for prob solving ability and general approach to conveying ‘visions and experimentation, fr me make ithe obvious choice information trough illustrations, and its these that this book ny wa will expire, by looking at ifferent ways of developing a sense he lyse aquipmant is not the end ofthe story, dough of character in your images, as well as maximizing storteing, Tw tem Yon als refers tothe sis, strategies and personal creating mood to support an idea, and numerous ater sratgies, ‘Armoderm illustrator’ studio should contain a combination of tra Agia tools. nny own studio, oy hs onal and creative process In adn, thre are some ater basic general practices that can be used to develop your personal tolset. Studying and sketching your suroundings people as wall as objects and environments mid in bs trains your ional skis. Exercises lke this hep to build up 2s well as improve your ‘activ observation sill, hich simply refers to your ability to analyse your suroundings. For example, rather than simply noticing that a column has alsin it, you should study he structure to understand wy the bolts are there Inthis collection of preliminary sketches, ve croated ‘various layouts that use some ofthe same elements in ‘tforont combinations. This would have been dificult or impossibeto do with traditional materials suchas ink o ain, 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Fagures Finally, creating and maintaining #rference brary is essential Nor ‘wal word materi you rely just your memory thes! yea hope foris to get clase; tis quarantoed that someone samewhere will kr more about the objet you'e drawing Uhan you an wl a yn haven't done your Ramnwork Shoe of going to ace something fist hand finding and using photographic references is Uutefure vitally mort Inthe pas, ilustrators created what were kn as mong flo which consisted of imags cippod from newspapers and magazin Ut Sie odin, eustumes, locals Ea mosques al ling urn ga tnals is that ya ara naw able tnd efron imagen iustratr might fd ust for reference cats, whatever wes nade or particular assignment 0, usually taki mp vobiets. Su, ye ner adv the intanot and store dem un your comput, eeu yout ‘wn viral maequa fle DAI ones Te weeds PREIS asd) Say This page from one of my travel sketchbooks shows some notes and observations about a Mayan sit in Mexico that visited several oars ago. sketched some ofthe stactres as thy appeared, but also drow orss-soction views, close-up analysis of he stonework, and an overhead view of the entre loca 009 _FIGURE DRAWING ~y 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. Onlroduction A gulch yture | line establishes: i % + =H 4 stone for the / iyeltarant Fit character Heo We Tonto E events witha sling oy firm | cownmiiteviends + A Step I: Step 2: Begin wilh the Gesture The fist mack you make whan laying out a figure ‘eawring should be a single line that captures the ‘oma lanes or movornont of a character Here, ve daw quick gesture fine (in rs) showing "simple standing posture; the character wil lean sight tothe ight, resting his weight on one lag. ve gone ahead and ughly blocked inthe ‘masses of the buy, head and limbs. Notice the ‘counter pose ofthe hips tothe shoulders ~ this shows thatthe body i reacting to gravity. Develop the Shetch With the basic stucturein pace ve started to lay ‘na more detailed drawing, indicating design ‘elements such as clothing details, pouches, bolts and various pieces of equipment. Dont get ‘oo detailed or finalized at this stage — it's better tw keep moving around the drawing quick, not making any fim commitments until you begin to ‘get a sense ofthe overall image, This a good time to explore different options with the lines ofthe characte’ clothing and gar eaporatery bnework Step 3: Ginalue the Drawing (Once al the major decisions have been made, ve gone back over the drawing ‘with a darker, more definite line, cleaning up the sketch and making things a bit clearer. The cloak and other atles of clothing mask the character's stance somevrhat, but having the underlying structure fimiy placa in advance helps tomake the drawing wor, even with the ‘added complexity of costume and props | Practis¢ is necessary in any art activity — be it dance, musi¢ 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. Keep a Stetchbook ay ay wd wld ee shetches, studies, experiments andrendom thoughts. The avantade ‘ofthis habit is that it quickly becomes a catalogue of ideas and ‘explorations that you can revisit in the future. ttean often be ‘tempting to make every image in a sketchbook as beautiil and finished as possible — in order to make ita nice object and.a work ‘of art in itself — but a good sketchbook should contain beautiful work ating sony devs Aisi oe gh ct tr ole th tec bp i ‘people ~ a sketchbook serves its purpose when it becomes a personal record of your thought processes and ideas, and can be usad to help reper wk Documentation “nniip nohce sisveaiiod ‘nidieceiods theaoe helpful to provide some documentation dite etek aia shoohes ic om ale ppart of your personal library ~ ideas can be fbcsk elon eens ieee ices tg hd sos a. bt libel et eto ah ofen rent tar eg in other projects. i ne fren hoch of fray at depicts imaginary and fantastical beings, it still needs to have a firm basis in reality in order to be convincing, Practising figure drawing win inemodls avelbleoxie, | ef and allows you to build up your artistic | Gas» ‘toolbox with strong drawing skills end knowledge of anatomy. 100 Ways lo Create Fanteay gure Making travel sketches ores ‘you to observe your surroundings ina more engaging way, and helps you eam about the way people interact with thoi envionment. Being able to place your fires ‘and eretures convincingly in _any setting i valuable sil q OP ntroduction > VISUAL COMMUNICATION This is a concept that refers to the way in whi ‘han 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 convey sand preserves the idea is known as ‘visual communication’. ‘Techniques of visual communication include the use of silhouette, proportion, scale, texture, lighting, hierarchy, level of detail SMhouelte charac sn des on ete fii inl Yea ofa charter Te sib Iso scmetimes ler to a the yest piece of visual information resented ta viewer and as such is more important in terms of first impressions than things ike textures, details and colours and visual cues, Lighting and ONalerials One ofthe basic visual communication skils is ‘the ability to render diferent ighting conditions ‘and materials. The key to indicating materials ett light eet specular, grain and texture are all traits that can be affected by lighting, lies in how they Hierarchy The pay pre ofr deg st communicate an ide Whey avs tr car andor your mesg i cane eight Panig ne worn eliniateuaecasary noise an liter, anit ove vie ies imps thc cfu aig nd ec eects itv commune Hoy sna ingorar utes nde. hs bo sed aight med sete ds eat shud at pt biol htt Tei tire cna brent vo, oem of di nd eave Usa he eae cecton can tina single cle sith tt ly convey designs, Gndication of Dela Theres a balance tobe struck in tems of hen and where to use deta, Creating focus isa game inmolvng color, lighting and detail Implying detail often does the jb as well as carefully rendering every bit of it. In same cases, itis actually preferable so that you don't focus ‘undue attention on paces that donot need it, or th con't help to convey your message 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 certain extremely important tobe able to clearly communicate your desig, but thats only part of the equation. Keepin ind that the art you generate as a character designer i nat the end ‘Product — itis simply the means to get tothe end product, which is the fm, game, television programme, ‘music vdeo, or whatever projet itis that you are involved in (One approach to design is to break down the design ‘as into manageable chunks ~ separate silhouette studies from pose studies and from texture and material studies. The adds are against you ‘iting @ homerun" on all those diferent aspects with one single drawing ‘Another aspect of design philosophy to considers the balance between ‘sythescing’andriginating By originating | mean coming up with something completely unique, that noone fas ever seen before. Besides being almost imposible to achieve, you un the Fisk of losing or alienating your audience, Syntheszing refers tothe process of combining diferent familiar ‘elements that ae rarely used together. This provides familiar link for your audience and atthe seme time ‘resents them with something new. 100 Ways to Create Fanteay Fares Eee ay eae Design Daascing necaurs en eped chrome oat ae ae ese EDUCATION AND TRAINING One of the most common questions I hear is ‘how do I get a job as a fantasy arti 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. Grlroduction Formal Learning \Werking as an ilastrator or coneopt arts equies a command of basic at skills and ‘anceps, which can be obtained ia gon, wellzounded art education. The type of leaming You undergo wil have an influence on your chances of sucess. In my min there re two basic educational paths availabe that provide a solid foundation Fist isan illustation ‘basod duet, wtih is one that concentrates on traitional a skis suchas drawing ‘nd painting, colour teary, analony and perspective. This tends tobe an observational ‘and documentary approach, whore students lam the skis necessary to reproduce what ‘hey sin ea lien varity of media, The second consists ofa design-based education, ‘hic would clude areas such 3s industaldosigr, product desig, grahie design and ‘architecture. Ths typically tains students in certain aspects of visual communication ‘uminan tn ach eld oF study. but wsualy not to the extent hat would be found onan ilustation course Hewover in the lst few yeas, some courses have begun to appear that bur the boundarins hatween the two. Computer game design and entertainment design are ‘ow available as options for thse seckng higher education, which can lead directly into careers in fantasy and science fiction ar. An education in tut art techniques andor art. history ean also be a great help in pursuing this line of work, A fis lance it night seem that an ilustration-based education is much more useful for ‘career as a fantasy artist, but a Uesih education can provide some very useful skls fora finding ilstratr tw, My own educational background isin architecture, and one ofthe ‘most lenelitul lessons Jeane rom tis knowing aw to formulate a design problem so ‘Hol can then detarnina a clear and effective solution, Developing Personal Strategies ‘As fantasy ilistrato, you willoften be called upon to visualize people, objects and creatures ‘hat dn’ exist or that ae fantastical amalgamations of ea, existing things. Bacause of his, an ‘education in traditional at sis wil Benefit greatly from exposure to ather fields of study t00. As ‘anasto designer the more ‘visual vocabulary you have to draw upon the better Exposure to ‘influences outside your primary area of interest is necessary inorder to buildup this mental lira. The best way to accomplish this (and itis a neverending process) is to expose yourself to as many itfrent ideas and visual stimuli as possible. Al atts tend ta draw whet they know, so expanding ‘the database of ‘what you know makes you more versatile as an ats, giving you a broader range cof material to daw from, Taw < Conuttes aF tania, aN Ch em oF f Bi Awco ie : Tite Ae, Laswa Lae cease an mations, wil al help reference date for your fantasy iustrations. e 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Feu > 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. Srtroduction Its vory efit torial cme up wth brand ow, cole ginal ideas and concepts for tary rt job you happon to get. The siaegy "uve and somo success wi is tu introduce a new ‘spin’ cn an otherwise familia subject Thew ate illerent to accomplish his They ineude: combining influunces or images UhaLure ml eommanlyassoiated with each her: inteduiny single strange or lin otherwise very fail imagery paying with an audionce’s expectations in laver and unexoected ways, ‘Along with dovolopng tools and strategies sich a thneo alroady dlscussed itis als racasary tn pay atontion to the wok beng don by utes in your fal Yow have to stay Abvnast of tho kinds of naga Ut soem to be aka Ue biggest imnression an your ‘auianea, wht styos appear to be on Ue wan, and what Kinds ul Uns fel ik "tae of hem is sna to say tha yo shout ays be cay the marker with your sty import to nt and then Levelop your awn vaiee in your artwork The butt ne i that as you da iy should su be constantly aware of the oavironment ‘an marks you aco working in Working with an at director ata large publishing company like Wizards ofthe Coast for whom this image was created isa collaborative process. Asan illustrator you are being hired for your ability to visualize fantasy world and characters, bt you do ‘ot have ttl freedom to draw or paint whatever you want. The art director usually has alist of requirements from a number of Aitferent parties, and creating an illustration becomes atlastin part problem-solving exorcise, where you ae tying to find the best way to satisty many (sometimes conictng) conditions, 016 One ofthe frst things you have to establish for youself as you begin 8 projects the "big picture’. Your cant may have some eas about mood or ‘certain characte, or perhaps he wants magical ing srmoured hippos in his game, just because he thnks they are ‘coo’. As the artist hired to bring be to take ast this vision t fife, you have ob back and pe Project as a whol, so you kn are truly nt pats obscure the big pictur. Do fying hippos ft into the worl creating? If not, what kind of spin can you put anthem so th 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Figures ‘mages lik this can somtimes bo usd larg, 2s game covers, but more often wil end up as trading cards for somes such as‘ Mage: The Gathorng’. Although the Sal ator these cards is very small sometimes as ine a an ‘em (sin) wi the same care and atetion goes into ‘acl of thes ilasteations. sense with your vision? This could ison Int of thinking and research, n yur par, even before you put pencil to paper. This book shoud in no way be considered as. replacement for. good art education or experiance in thy fed ~ itis simply one working lustrato’ collection of ideas and strategies, things tha str to i ily wel so! information and inspiration coming a sucesstl fantasy a consis ‘mo inthe past, My hop i titcanp 17 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. 001 Play with Body Proportions ‘Understanding the Basics ey ee) ee Head, for Heights Th tem proportions frst dno wave sues of itera pars af chi fiueos, you can ob ts boy. Fur Tuntasy in sume visually interesting 1s soled Tec ass INTENDED TO BE USED AS A ROUGH, ‘Genera. euve-or-Thume, Unvess THe CHARACTER 1S DEPICTED STANDING STRAIGHT OPraND FACING THE MeweR, (7 CAN BE DIFFICUT 10 Be PRECISE rwsuls by altering some o the dimensions of nal aman bad One way ook a this to slit ‘ya character's vertical eight into unit base oa the leigh ot tir had. Mast oa poop have proportions of oughly is ams other height By inreasing the oun: of hanes ina character's statue, he ot ‘adicneulbere 0 Mamie rae: lw ca hi made to fol more hero and larger than soaps. The esr woieoe life. On the othe han, character that is fewer oads Pea etseste baer’ cas ‘all exhibits more of « humorous or nating sie 5 voles, 0 Te CiseacTe’s ‘roroarous- cower ie seuse € ero ae a loriNs Bs, Che HME 5 Seal He ad and Face Justa there re ways to distort the body proportions of your charactors (s00 page 20), th dimensions ‘and size relationships within thei facial features can also be altered to suggst different personality ‘tats. To begin with, study the proportions of an ideal hood and face so that you know how Wu deve ftom it wien desired. The headin prof view ts ought inside a square. M you examine te letures inthe front view, you can see that the head tapers gently from the dome of te stl tv Ure bottom in, and thatthe fae is approximately the width of fe oyes. A viangle draw rn 3 po betwen the eyes tothe widest points ofthe mouth can be use n determine the wid ofthe wa 100 Wiys to Create Fantasy Tyures Te ture tons ayoural arcing line thet is pike up by the arw, upper When sketching a figure, itis often usfulto dst the traning ino single gesture or movement to stiempt to comwey a istne visual message, By starting an illustration wth tine of action, you ceate an overall sense othe ‘motion or attitude of the character, which al subsequent raw and rendering should adhere on this ough sketch, decisive stance is established by the foot being Spread and the upper torso leaning back to accommodate the weight ofthe weapon. If were to comtinve working on ths imag, | would be careful to maintain the sense of pasture thet ‘was established with this initia action fin, Use Contrapposto The position of the head is often « geod ladicator of the ‘percenality of the eunrall pose. The tilt(turw of the ead. conveys wach of the information onda in by longue ) The red lines in the listration correspond to the oh angles rowed by verttn peired clnvants in the 7 Irencan body. Lines drawn thrasgh the shoulders, ips and lvees shew be the body responds te gray whey the contre of sates is sabted Counter Pa Inf, people rarely cany themselves ina pertety -ymmevcal rigid state more often, they lean too sie or another reste weight on ‘one le, Bringing tis sense of reality ino your characte dasign can help orice the viewer tat your characters ving, rething personality, (One way tod that nan illustaton isto use ‘contrapposto, en isan word meaning ‘counter pose. Inthsilustatin, the lines through the hips ante souls tpn oppeite directions the charter sts her weight to her eg, using th ight eg as brace. She tips her upper by tothe et so hor eonteof gravity is over tho supporting eg, The suis @ dynamic pose, which dives a song indication of the chraotr's confident attitude. 4 005 /Explore Foreshortening and Perspective Understanding the Busics 024, Learn Colour Theory 025, 007 Indicate Form with Lighting 026 Combine Lighting and Colour Theory th 0 0 008 Black Dragon 009 .Remember that Style is not Design Understand: ng the Basics Teirmp Use Colour with Care 010 Ue al he cleurs hy saturated way the rest is righ od fe Greens the spot or key colser bere: are used in fal the other clasrs 4 subservient to it Seluratio nm Pint h igital panting software, itcan bé tempting to lay down a lot of colour and this makes iteasy to end vp with an oversatuated image. Tats no to say setuated colours are never appropriate, but mo dominant colour, 2 tion is usually a good idea. Or nble approach isto determing a oop other shades mre subduod, In tis ilustaton, two vetsions of ‘the same image are shown with diferent levels of saturation. On the ll, mos ofthe image is fairy desaturated, andthe vivid geen of the tentacle ‘pops’, making it focel point. On the of tho goon nalmost right, saturated colours have been ued ll over the image, reducing the imp t equal intensity. There is na hard-andfast ule saying tet ace. Also, blue ad re, two ofthe thee primary colours, have been use you shoul do ths, but unless it ‘sa deliberate design decision itis better to avoid it 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Fagures bi —a——, 011 iD e Tine Art ia Save Time W, nderstanding the Basics . ening Desig ne Sbeiohe ilustaton and desig canbe done in avait of oF ‘media and using @ number of techniques, Most of the artwork inthis book takes the form of ether coloured ine at or tonal paintings, ora combination ofthe two. Line wok hs the ina painting. In this sketchbook ilutation, character design ideas were dated in black and wtite wth a pen; most ofthe til in the image ae delineated by the line art, and colour {is used in a very simple, almost diagrammatic way. Relying on bonet of being quick and iterative, requiring ess ofan _line art techniques in the beginning of the design process can investment of time. Line art can be used to indicate detail speed things along by allowing you to explore ideas and ‘and texture, which might sometimes be more labourintensive colour schemes ina mire rapid, ess committed way Separate Character Design. 012 from Composition Fallen Kings Layout Tests > 013 Differentiate Between Illustration and Documentation The procs of eetng on scart tavern big veal mele weving back cd forth between ees, correcting iinet peownetry errors Unders landing the Basics caluable exercise in Wi; cs ged a a ss Tru I rtvtund Drawcs CF 032 ¢ Appreciate the Value of Line Weights i ( ou The King and Queen With painting, itis pssibie to indicate a huge variety of materials, textures and colours, but how c the same kindof information with line drawing? Compared to panting linear hes a somewhat limites to transmit your message; however, one aspect that you do have great contol overs line weight. By va the thickness and strength ofthe lines that make up a drawing its possible to communicate a fait large amount of information. In this lustation, hick lines are use to indicate edges of forms, where ane edge ‘overlaps another Lighterweigh ines ere used to suggest textures, flds and materials and are much more abundant than the heavy strokes ln general itis better tobe sparing with the thik marks ~ ovrusing heavy lines undermines the impact ofthe other ins and can result in @ messy, urintligible crewing 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Tyures 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. a 3 na Mags 015 Establish the Character’s Story host Battle in the sy S dQ S ‘s Understand the \&.016 Character’s World , ’ oT Sands of ' Ynau noch. (One ofthe mast important things to determine is tha kind of wold that your character inhabits time perio, cimate and wuss. Just ken ‘ea life, these factors havea significant effect on someones general ‘appearance. Having a deep understanding of tho wold your character ‘comes from provides you with ready answers to many ofthe questions you wll be asking yourself as you draw: This illustration, erated for the fantasy role-playing game ‘Oungeons and Dragons’ shows avery specifi society made up of namadic desert dwellers. Rather than concentrating ‘on single figure frst, 've shown a fit lage slice of the world thatthe characters innabit. Creating imagery like this can help maintain a big Picture’ sense of ther world, which sa tremendous advantage in the design ofan individual character Exploring diferent conditions inthe same ‘environment canbe helpful in Sly establishing the nature of a locaton in your mind 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Figures % Chanacler Resea aching the a > 017 Decide on the Character’s Occupation Co RE Ah Inthe same way that knowing abnut character's word an pave you with many cues in designing ‘8 convincing individual, knowing how a character spends mot af thr ime and energy can also boa valuable sour of visual inspiration In fantasy slotias and games, main characters are usualy some linens, br aida from the heres and supeinaural bangs, there are plenty of townspocplo nurs, clas and ole supporting roles that yu rig ike to laste his eet station lov Wizars of th Loast, as asked to provide an image ofthe sex workers athe Pink Conch bordello, Tir occupation has informer the design of thi Provecative costumes and ‘come hither expressions, Acro NOU Ake DENA FRONARILY LWT FAMIASY CLEMENT, BkuvGING W ea=nowun ves cues (By REFERENCING IMAGES AND DESIGNS tM REALITS) CAN HELP MAKE YOUR IMAGES ‘mabe convincint, However, $ou vont WANT To FOULOw FACTUAL weFeREwces 700 Losey, SINCE DOING 50 Has The POTENTIAL To Take Te viewer OUT OF THE WORLD JOU, Ake CREATING, INSTEAD, TRE INTENTION SHoWLt be TO Rebuy’ THe viewer patiCk TAN EGLICADY aoTe’ EAL WO8LD WPPATION. i! sae Incorporate Culture 019 Keep Your Message Clear 2 Part ofthe task of erat elements that contradict Researching the Character Make Notes to Organize re (I 020 Your Thoughts Ss YOu = mor 8 wont Ke orn ne apes \ bisarreaes, s, | seweese> sy Ws 2opy ae SA 2 tamcaumtatcess rows oes ——— CONetes on a Monster Using witten notes to record your ideas isa very useful but sometimes overlooked ‘stp in the character design process. When stating out on anew idea, nates canbe used to log fragments of designs that may not have a clear visual representation yet, or suggest differnt directions to investigate ater. You've heard the phrase ‘a picture is ‘wort a thousand words’, but sometimes witen comments canbe worth afew pictures to, Notes can sorve as reminders without committing to specific design choices too carly in the character's development todd 7 ATENDAN HARVESTING TRE GopU cL 100 Ways lo Create Fanteay Figure Ry Resec aching lhe Character > 021 Know Your Audience Little ©; Ityou are awere ofthe people ho will be looking at your work, you can keep them in mind toe with decision-making as you design. For example, i you are creating ‘racers that will be seen by young chien, itpays to favour eean line war, simple shapes and forms, right colous. fon the ther hand your audin e. My intention 1 ereatea fantasy ilustration that would fea way for people not familar with fantasy an ich as young chien) to relate tothe Explore Character 022 Archetypes: Death Your Tash Mai us 023 Explore Character Archetypes: The Wizard Oo ECOKER he wizard archetype i well known inthe fantasy word. The gone i often refered to as ‘Sword and ch indicates just how important the magical aspects within. The wird or sorcerer characte is often depict older, scholarly figure wo has devote his life othe study and va of hig erat. Rather than depend on his SOU aching the Character es Re ‘than to develop his indi ste the manic ans. Tho ky strategy in ilstating w wien stoke son Artist's Ts» Srectl eo, CSTOH Pau, meses ay Ke CREATED (0 WBMUCES iene YoU Wl WANT 70 Ue Cena uns OF iahtey OVER AND OVER AGA Flow its. wt 2ARD (LLUSTRATIO.F USER VARIOUS CUSTOM ‘caw Stas PRUSUCS CROATED BY ARSTSIO STEPHANIE Sawteroir. Fok: Moke. weaTON, co (tra BRUSHES OBS IANDAUNCOM, Explore Character 024 Archetypes: The Holy Man Pea. C he hk 025 “Explore Character Archetypes: The Holy Woman r $ : 8 > % x § § Explore Character 026 Archetypes: The Sorceress Telep ath Researching the Character 027 Explore Character Archetypes: The Hero ge Gp Sorok the Brave Explore Character 028 Archetypes: The Jester 100 Wiys lo Create Fantasy 6 Dy we the roy 0 range Iran story, beta lm oa graphic novi fon Useful to croatea secondary character Lo work wil {ne primary les Th jester coi qe ly aecomnanios tho hora an cts aso humorous ft or vatalive deve, growing # mechanism for exposition in situations whee the hw un his a might be ton limiting, fn the ame wry that adn 3 spul uf complementary colour canada visual rk ot ineeasel vba, njeting a smal elamant ot lumour can provila wean ral in anotherwige rim or mori staring Facial expressions ac key spatling eyes and inetinus sil ono the aed SOME CHARACTER. ALCHETVPES RU! Mowe HEAVIUS OW DIALOGUE AND NARRATIVE IWRRRMATION. IN CASES SUCHE A IMS, MP caw Be WserUL 10 WAGINE shoe SNIPPETS OF biALDélle OR ACTION THAT HELP TO DEFINE WHAT Te CHAGGTER (5 ABOUT. WET CERN CuARencrRS UV SOMETIMES FOUND IT” HEL PE. 1O insane WHAT” TREIP VOICE OR ACCENT MIGHT SOUND. LIKE, HOw THEY SPEAK, Ave So UNLQUE TURNS OF PHRASE THAT THey MiGaT use: Teciualies Like THis He. YOU'D GET WSIDE A CHARACTERS HEAD AMD Fu OUT He CONCERT: oy Researching the Character 029 Explore Character Archetypes: The Beast Explore Character 030 Archetypes: The Ghost 031 Explore Character Archetypes: The Beast Man Laleheoper UN ystagogue Tescarching the Character 052 Explore Character 032 Archetypes: Familiars Fantasy charactors, in patcwar witches, soveresses cor other users of mac, wll fton be accompanied boy intelligent creatures known as fans, Somtimes those fairs might be recognizable real-world creatures [lthough they should exhibit Peg ERNE Satie ARIEICIAL OF Mawihtane MATERIALS SUCH AS MOULDED RUBBER OR ANODIZED METALS HAVE SPECIFIC REBLECTIVE AND COLOUR QUALITIES TRAT” ARE MoT” NORMALLY Rou, IN NaTURe. RewDeRNs (CREATURES wil MATERIALS RE TRIS CAN Ive THEM A SlibeEAL, oTReRwaeDLY jaa DIFFERENT , UNRELATED SURCES CaN SOMETIMES ResUCT Wi Some wipesTING behaviour quite uke ther natural counterpats 1,8 inthis illustration, they can take the frm of ‘monstrous or unusual reatures. Including a familiar alongside your primary character provides anther outlet for expressing a particular personality trait. ‘ich especially useful the character in y scene already has a complex ston, 100 Ways to Create Fantery Ture “esearch ng the Chenacter 033 .Explore Character Archetypes: The Winged Character Explore Character 034 Archetypes: The Golem | Etabliki ae 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 screen, 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 eroature Whose design rows inspiration tram reali animals but is clearly arturo of omasy. Bates 035 Create a Visual Hook Establishing a Process pot High Picitein ‘ne way to approach character desig is ofind a majo visual hook’ cr distinguishing characteristic that aveweris able to identify and recogni easly This cag also serve 23 ‘@ mnemonic device to remind ws ofthe character’ pertinent back-story or other tcl information, The hook inthis ilustration isthe drow priestess costume, which is heavily based ‘on the spider mati so crucial to drow culture (see page 3). She has web pattems over her skirt ‘and boots, and the angles and lines inthe costume, including the gloves and headpiece, reinforce the shapes formed by the webs Finally, a spd graphic nthe background bolsters the theme ‘Tho use of rod as a spat colour Determine a Visual Hierarchy ‘Creature Design Shetches Creating visual hooks nw character design shell or establishing a solid, maarable identity. lowevar, thass hooks chould be imitod to two or thao at ust ws ao ‘ch information can cloud your massage. Determine which ofthese feutres is Ue mast lmmporant, and keop this hierarchy in mind hon designing the charac. In this to sketches fora sem-intligent, slows, lant erature, Pw explora several tinction: variations on shove, fem tll ‘and skinny to more rounded and pear shape, floating versus shapes versus Using al hase ciferent dasignoloments on ‘a single illustration wuld esutin a weak ‘unmemorable image. Having gonerated these sells, | now need 1 acide which two or thioe aspects fee! mast apap, al of ‘hose which is most important visually int ait rps om, Resopsable desis enrerts inthe mies of bromtion — witry opportunities for enhancing the alien fel threugh how the crete nies x \ > 039 Harness the Power of Silhouette © ny Establishing a Rocess ba J & GQ & Hand. gestures ' if Coda) ssedated with Buddhist Figures: wt be: silhouette Y x \ th 1 Goce aie pee oa u Ganesh Studies sss pps aa of Gere re Use Points of Reference CNboleth 040 In some instances, a character ce creature ina fantasy ‘oled on afew familiar visual cues to enable the seting wl be alien or smorphous enough that it can become viewer to understand the fn oft eat. Symmetrical dificult to geta sense of the chracter’s physiology or the features like the eyes, the paired sets of teases nd logic behing its design na case ike this it can be helpful to include certain landmarks or pints of relerenee, so that viewer can perceive some srt fer Far example, in this design for arg erature called an Aboleth, | have 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Fryures the posses Jar for fin tell he viewer that tha exaature bilateral symmetry it right snnety ike ‘most animals and uri Lungs), Wilhou these apts, it could be uiicul ta tell much abou is shape, 100 Whigs to Cooate Pinte gare « i % ORMOK Human standards of beauty usually depend on facas and bodies exhibiting clear lot ight (bilateral symmetry Tis is useful point to ranamber, even ifn el life people rarely exhibit perfect symmetrical features, lth eld of entertainment design, the tendency is 10 porray ideals and extremes in character design forthe sake of clay = people are either iaalizad rer grtesqu symmetry i visual ue among human beings that ‘and boaut dl scary. Physical Suggests heath, vigour and attractiveness. Reinforcing ‘his with synmotryin the costume design as well as inthis ius in, can help to convey the messaqe ot physical perfection. Establishing a Process 043 Try Deliberate Asymmetry Design in Profile All of these vnaracters are wore or less sywmsctrical when wed. roms the front As thoso quick shoe sow, designing heads in profile can {roe you upto explore different shapes witha ring bound by the constants a symmetry. eying to draw patty symm and cvdetly faces can gt inthe way tt hung up a catalogue ot idoas ‘through intial thumbnail kets an design ilerations, Doing rurrous drawings with this ype of freedom is. ria way to got the mind going, stimulating the ‘thought process for other designs and ilustrations /, Norval hurian features contbine with artifical elements such a6 tris, arwour on jenelery ( Work back and forth between front and side views 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Fuse Establishing a Process 068 045 Grasp the Keys to Expression Find a Key Colour 046 Drow © nguisito h | . obs In entertainment design projets, such as yams, comic book, or roleplaying yume mans, characters ten co tobe closely idenitied olen cnn ia ile bt of ‘ating another dimansion to yor chaact Comit-book superharoas ara a grad this tehnique— certain spexhor eh direty ed ith Ue logos, ‘lou eamhinations that aha losin. this iusivaiun ui lL wana to st up the deop red colour as par fh visual identity. Keeping the est ofthe image ltivuly ‘moncehromatic and desaturated help tw establish tho red asa distinctive design ela. Tn lor ‘picked up again nthe eyes other fiir as wel fas ine stall. 00 Ways to Create Fantery Figure —e 2, 047 . Create Connections — @ Dro w Olves ve 2 ?. Establishing a Pocess 070 Don’t Over Invest |sit possible to achieve a good design n jut one take? Itcanbe, but attempting todo so can ereate a situation where you ae 100 vested in an illustration to see its faults objectively, bocause you dont want to walk away fram a painstakingly rendered image, Is usually better to break the process down into small steps that you can abandon easily if you decide that they are nat working. These ‘wo sketches ae rom a series of explorations fora Frankerstein‘ika monster. Tey were done very ‘uicly, with just enough detail to communicate certain design ideas. The time invested was litle ‘enough that didnot fet dejactd whan | came to discard them n favour ofa diferent desig ater 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Figure 049 Find an Identity in the Face BReli TMMNOAKY, Dem OnS Extablishing a Process Establish a Visual Link 050 , > 051 Combine Plant and Animal Influences Green Bound Troll Etablshing a Process Play the Numbers Game 052 Antisls Tip OBVIOUSLY, ATTACHING A CONCERT CLEAR IV Yolle MNP AS YOU wort: Durw ah Mall CY Partof the challenge for characters that ‘charactor dosign, itis generally better to be obvious about s plant and your choice. Fr example, in ‘animal, or human and mythologies) s determining the proportion af one part tothe eter K blend of different influences (sc! ilusvation of dow clinspired vampire, 80 percent ofthe characteris based on normal human features and proportion. Th remaining 270 per cont influence added inthe for of non an ty colouring, with blue skin and white hair ring the = - 07s 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Figures Once you have determined the important “concepts and landmarks of a character — _ such as where he comes from, his favourite weapon, magical powers and so on — there are numerous ways to develop the figure visually so that those important messages are expressed in a clear way to your audience. This section looks at Mm ) 053 Enhance a Silhouette: Framing the Face veloping Uke Character Sra he Queen (end many tonds to be the contre of a Fae, which isthe focal n Sorceress Enhance a Silhouette: 054 Altered Physiology Hing io PS. 100 Ways to Create Fanta Developing the Character Rp 055 Behance a Silhouette: Living Clothing Secret Voondanc ‘eye towards important focal pains in the image Enhance a Silhouette: Positive and Negative Shapes 056 ost 057 Enhance a Silhouette: Organic and Inorganic Forms Sransfo amine Nan De veloping he Character Anlislis Tipp covenant suare. Tie weTAus oan ead Enhance a Silhouette: 058 Animal Forms 059 Enhance a Silhouette: Developing the Character Texture and Materials Underdark of ight and dak values, Dro tw of t the € (n page 81 we saw how co A sia, slight can be formed by the ustaosi 1 the natural contrasts bow In this example the character armour and loak are made up of segmented plates and overlapping forms that are separated by darker materials, eating 2 strong outline, Introduce an Element of Strangeness 060 100 Ways to Create Fantasy 085, 061 Preserve an Element of Familiarity Roya Ongi CCK Developing the Chanacter Provoke a Reaction with 062 the Uncanny Valley Helis term ‘uncanny valley’ vias cid Iya Japanese rina names! Masi Morand eters tou phenonanon ta cuts when a ereatre ar charactor begins to vty cnsalyrasambi a wn bing, excep for ann ote key anes Tha mora clasaly scot looks We ral person, tha mo empty viewer wil foo with, unl teeta pa th resornblane 30 eowe tha ary itranen or raglan leas very disturbing, Hove the characte is eaitcally wae with us ew subtle changes this ‘hysinlngy to rfloct aca infu, Te elect causes this charaesrm a far mee vneeting than, sy, Ue isd ist tharacter on page Artist's Tip Someries, A DUAEREMT Prece OF ARTWORK CAN Phrwving Some IntBeestTug YBxtORE oR coLoue VARIATION THAT” CAW BE BASIED (NID A New rece IW Thus examece, (ve Ween a rECE FROM ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION Hyacinth) au user (Fas A SUBTLE OUERLAY LAVER JST TO InTBopuce some TexTBe. 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Figures Develop ny the Character 063 Create a Monster: Tried and True € Create a Monster: Skin Deep 065 Create a Monster: Beauty is the Beast Dviden Developing the Character Create a Monster: 066 Tales of the Unexpected Developing the Character 067 Create a Monster: Elimination Behalelor Create a Monster: Imply 068 Possession or Infection Dolgau ne 069 /Exploit the ‘Save the Cat’ Factor Dre bla o a adoud Save the Ct’ isa concept described by screenwriter Blake Snyder in his book of the same name. It refers to an inmate human characteristic ina hero that allows the audience to identity with him. This tits epitomized in a horo ‘who stops to save a cat onthe way to an epic calamity, It gives the character'an endearing quality that makes 9 therefore more approachable, than a character who i superhuman but Who is too him a itl ma ‘ liminary sketch fran illustration features a charter who isa master of many pins. The fact that he wears glasses is uncommon for fantasy hero, but this instantly gives him the save the ea’ foctr, making hin more approachable than the typical musle-bound barbara Developing the Character Include a Set-Piece Prop 070 Hell Pison ps ts 095 a, 071 Bdd a Faithful Steed Ang fl of the | Meer Ying Hunt Developing the Cenee Incorporate an 072 Iconic Symbol The € So oft ce lO 100 Ways to 073 Use Weapons as Design Tools Developing the Character Ae Welder ‘A memorable character can be created using weapons 2s a stating pint. n science ftion and {antasy art many iconic character are identified by ther equipment and aimout Mast comment ‘these take the form of oversized hardware or multiple bades thet agcentuate an aggressive appearance. if weapon is unusual or prominent enough i be used to forma significant aspect ofa character’ silhouette. in his illustration the warrior caries a large batlaxe witha Aistnctivedouble-blaed shape. From this, a secondary design characteristic has been picked out in the form of smal and spiky angular shapes that cczur at gular locations on his arout Show the 074 ‘Unexpected Reveal’ 075 Use Overt References to Pinpoint a Character Secesficial War Developing the Character Use Subtle References 076 to Evoke a Theme Ro 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 pice for Wizards ofthe Coast showcases a number of diferent creatures and characters. Puting together tis ‘tustration ook a good deat of planning and ivolved «umber of diferent practices and techniques explored in this book, 100 rays to Crete. Fenbaiy Fire DeberotetysticAerishes Co that the world is being interpreted tagh the ges of partial artist Heir and clothing eit wre ornate curling and drapery than \ they wal in rea te \ | Yb Concept | pea a A doliprtly exaggerated or styized drawing Styl can sometimes be anor inhpng Communit a partir design sense ferdrng sts can some tama varity of sobres;adeisiono use a spec aparoach shouldbe mado forall the ferent characters in a ive project Hower chaning ses from ne ur oth nx wil oly caus cancion and won't add any value to character design uniform artistic style tat plist al the “gues in yor ilustation canbe a er useful ‘ool for comeying mood, and inmersng _ eterna word you eae Thse sete “or comic book enracter redone in a styizod Manne, with amplified bay proportions and fac By pushing reality ait, expressions and Use Scale References 078 to Convey Size Spider 079 Vary the Scale Within a Single Design Sica adia MS of Tha akgun Dhak Communicating with the Viewer Focus Attention with Detail .080 Sunlo rd Preds oth Onndeir Communicating with the Viewer 081 Hide the Details When Necessary lain Serag © piece af equipme Communicate Emotion 082 Through Facial Expression 083 Use Reactions to Reinforce Drama he NM Communicating with the Viewer Draw on the Establishing Shot Falenar Uf ‘The ‘establishing sha isa term borrowed from fm refers toa shat that shows a view of a distant scene inorder forthe viewer to understand the location anita cleary place he action that wil ‘cccur Ina film or TV context, his is usually closely followed by interior scenes within the setting shown in the fist shot, which determin the relationship betwoon intrior and exten. ka fantasy ilutraton context, an establishing shot can aso be use to relate akan llastrations showing intorior vents, This image sets up @ noramic view of act ina faravay valley. Ha this cation, the details, tenures and colours are obscured by mist, but this Seenary internation that might be found in oer types of mages. The charactor inthe scene communicaes the sual and enforces the sense of viewing from a dstanco by ochiny the sightines ofthe viewer Ci Wate lays to Cooate Fantasy Tyas 085 Establish Intelligence in a Non-Human Character Communicating with the Viewer n2 Portray the Full Range of Human Emotions 100 “Ways to ‘Crea 086 113 Communicating with the Viewer 4 087 Invoke a Sense of Ceremony and Ritual QHonour Come. of f Res ect With Select Rendering 088 Style for Best Effect 089 Make the Character an Active Player Si yY é Siam CS Communicating with the Viewer 6 Set Up an Epic Threat 090 ating pint fora bring th story to ite for istration, @ group bove tem. The s ofthe creature, the smallest elomonts into scone, again highlighting the seale of he anger they face, phasing fo Create 091 Use Lighting for Focus The OWassacre al Drelli ns ight Communicating with the Viewer Use Lighting for Mood 092 Ruins of Y Donushann enhance moods itself @huge area advantage of fr faa downlight in the middle ground, The beams of light fame the character, adding othe sense of isolation. The flowing ‘magia in he background creates uplightng on the giant tates, emphasizing the eating of danger. eSB. ‘Tho lighting onthe gia background of the soo sense of suspense and dan ‘contrast helps draw the viewer's ye 100 Ways to Create Fantasy Figures Be 093 Make Your Subjects Work for You Bek ld the Post King Communicating with the Viewer Show a Character 094 Looking Off Screen Bre PO. / 095 Balance Visual Weight Through Colour : PGB y Races of Obernon Communicating with the Viewer 122 Balance Visual 096 Weight Vertically Dosw High Priestess Sfeteh 123 Communicating with the Viewer 124 097 Enter Stage Left Coney Bell Spent Create Depth 098 by Overlapping CY nent Srio sual communication a ing to more ex so objets in rot of o en working with overlapping charactors he elements n your scone n this image the enmpos tinoe characters stand together witha very plain backgrau acters, have established who atthe bat it limited — and makes the mage more dyrari than simply resenting the tree characters inline with na intersoctng shapes, 100 “Ways to Create Fantasy Fegures 099 Create Hybrid Art Ye Most ofthe renderings in this too in Photoshop ‘raion ly some combination of pen nk and markers. Using digital tools to enhance traditional media din Photoshop, hhand-trawn Communwating with the Viewer Digital painting programs have come ‘long way and can be used to create impressive results. However tore certain charm about a hand: ine that computor software ot able to capture successtlly 126 Experiment with all the \“ Tools at Your Disposal - Dungeon Waster Seneen | want to end with an example of a pice that incorporates many fat all sen ofthese cones then had to havea logical lighting scheme ofthe ‘ways in this book, Ths large-scale pieee was eammissioned by of its own to just the colour palates ‘Wizard of the Coast a a four panel cover fora printed gaming product Tho point hore is tat erating a succesful ished illustration snot Ast involved many different ypes of characters, some of whi | was nota xact science, We have ook allay ner of mts Uo creas familiar with, it required considerable preliminary research, sketohes characters, refine designs, compose illustrations and to communicate the ‘and studies. The composition became a design task itself, shad Fight information to the audience. Ay one tetwique by itself wil probably to.care up wit diferent mechanisms to justi te igting and colour not esultin a perfect image ff there is such a thing). As you frm your palettes that | wanted to use. The layout sketch reproduced below shows own work hats, rather than relying on just ane way or making a habit ot the rough arangement | ended up wih, which formed the ass fo the usin a handtul of Yavourite techniques asa cnch, constantly try to use

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