Gosh, I had no idea just how many different types of dragons there are out there, and they’re big scary things, too! Yes, I know, but fantasy art isn’t really my thing. However, if it’s yours and you want to know about dragons, then there’s no doubt that this book is admirably comprehensive both in its coverage and the detail of its instruction.
Author: Tom Kidd, Publisher: Search Press, Subject: Fantasy art
This introduction to fantasy art has the great benefit of simplicity on its side. Stuart Littlejohn has taken what can be a huge subject and distilled it into three very thoroughly illustrated demonstrations that will set you firmly on the right road if you’re just starting out. If you need a little help with the practicalities of the medium, there’s a useful introduction to materials, colour and composition at the beginning, but even more experienced artists will find that the real meat is in the demonstrations.
Author: Stuart Littlejohn, Medium: Watercolour, Publisher: Search Press, Series: Fantasy Art, Subject: Fantasy art, Subject: Landscape
The number of books that has appeared recently on fantasy and fairy painting suggests a strong interest and this latest addition to the Artists’ Bible series deserves to do well.
A catalogue of the many characters from fairyland, it includes descriptions of how to draw and paint them as well as offering suggestions for costumes and facial expressions. My own aversion to the subject is on record, but there’s no doubt that this is well done and presented in a way that makes it easy to find what you want and then to follow the really quite detailed instructions. That the author is a respected artist in the field only adds to the book’s authority and value.
Author: Linda Ravenscroft, Publisher: Search Press, Series: Artist's Bible, Subject: Fantasy art
I have to admit that I’m in two minds about this book. One the one hand, I don’t like it, but that has more to do with the fact that fantasy art tends to bring me out in a rash. On the other hand, I admire it enormously.
So, what’s going on? Well, there’s my acknowledged problem with the whole faerie thing, but I also find some of the finished results unattractive: these are not creations it’s always easy to like. But then I can also see that, if you want to draw young faces and figures, this is a book that really can’t be bettered. Melanie Philips is a professional natural history artist, so she clearly knows her stuff. Fantasy art is her hobby, a busman’s holiday if you will.
There’s a lot of good, basic stuff included, with charts and diagrams showing you how to get the shapes and proportions right as well as examples of the main features – eyes, noses, ears, etc. What Melanie is particularly good on is capturing expressions and she does this with the eye of an illustrator so that, if you want worry, boredom or fear, you get that as well as happy, smiling and the more usual ones. As well as drawing, there’s a certain amount on painting too and this is where, I think, things perhaps get a bit insipid. However, you can’t fault the draughtsmanship and these are figures that really do look right, with the correct proportions and the clothes well rendered. There’s an old adage that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but in this case, I think you can. The picture in the illustration pretty much sums up everything I’ve said, both for and against.
So, if you want to paint fairies, I can’t advise you; you’ll have to make up your own mind. But, if you’re struggling with figure drawing, give this a try. At just under a tenner, it’s excellent value and, even if it turns out not to be exactly what you want, I don’t think you’ll feel you’ve wasted your money. Is that faint praise? I hope not.
Author: Melanie Phillips, Medium: Watercolour, Publisher: New Holland, Subject: Fantasy art, Subject: Figure
This is a rare treat, because it’s not often you get a book on drawing by someone who is themselves a successful published illustrator.
Cliff Wright’s biggest claim to fame is a couple of Harry Potter covers (and you can bet the competition for those is pretty stiff), but he has also written some delightful children’s books himself such as Bear and Kite and The Star That Fell that are characterised by beautiful and sensitive watercolours that stop well short of being cutesy.
What this almost modest-looking paperback offers is a positive masterclass in drawing animals, people and natural history subjects, albeit slightly dressed-up as fantasy art. Cliff conveys more in a few words and drawings than many books don’t even manage in a whole chapter and this is a thoroughly practical guide as well as an absolute eye-opener to the many possibilities available to you. There’s also a good degree of humour – I just love the drawing of a Hippogriff wrapped in a blanket against the snow – and the spread where a self portrait turns into a horse eating a cake (yes, really) is in fact a masterpiece of character development and the use of line.
If you’re an aspiring illustrator, this has to be compulsory reading, but there’s so much more to it as well. It’ll show you how to develop characters, how to draw with absolute economy and how to work from life to art.
Author: Cliff Wright, Medium: Drawing, Medium: Watercolour, Publisher: David & Charles, Publisher: Impact, Subject: Animals, Subject: Fantasy art, Subject: Figure, Subject: Nature
The Artist’s Bible format is ideally suited to this character-by-character guide to populating your fantasy art. There’s everything from Hobbits (here called Halflings to avoid the obvious copyright issues) and Trolls to Amazons and Warriors. Each character is given 6 pages showing a completed painting and basic aspects of design and personality and then ways of developing individuality and the shapes used in the construction of the final drawing.
By no means intended as a masterclass, this is nevertheless a very handy source of reference and even experienced practitioners may find useful tips on dealing with characters they are not immediately familiar with. For the beginner, it’s an invaluable way of learning the many tricks of the trade, although you should be aware that a general manual of drawing and a more basic introduction to fantasy art would be desirable additions to your library.
This is a nicely done little book that manages to be entertaining and amusing as well as instructive.
Author: Matt Dixon, Publisher: A&C Black, Series: Artist's Bible, Subject: Fantasy art
Fantasy art tends to get quite specific and you’ll often find yourself having to make sure you get just the right variety of dragon or dwarf if you don’t want the world to laugh at you.
OK, I’m being unfair, but not as much (if you’re a general reader) as you might think. So, this quite substantial volume offers a good variety of subject matter and pulls together figures, landscapes and buildings so that you can create a complete world without having to refer to a dozen or more different titles.
The result is a consistency of style that’s very welcome and it does have to be said that the results are really rather charming. I’ve remarked elsewhere that I have a specific allergy to fantasy art, but this has won me over. The fairies aren’t too cute, the flowers and plants in the background have a firm basis in reality and the buildings (castles, for the most part) are pretty much architecturally sound. A building inspector would condemn any house built in a toadstool, but that’s building inspectors for you; lighten up guys, fairies have no weight so floor loadings just don’t apply!
Anything like this has a particular market but work with Linda and you should be able to produce results that appeal to a more general audience. The instructions and demonstrations are first class, too.
Search Press 2008
£12.99
Author: Linda Ravenscroft, Publisher: Search Press, Subject: Fantasy art
This is a simple and unpretentious guide to fantasy art that will show you how to build up basic shapes and work toward what can be quite complex subjects. Where it falls down is that there tend not to be any intermediate stages between the simple outline drawings and the finished result, so that the beginner may land up feeling left adrift after the initial stages and the experienced artist get a lot of basic drawing instruction they don’t really need.
If you can square that circle, however, the book offers probably the best selection of fantasy subject matter around. It is a good source of ideas if you use it in conjunction with some of the other books that offer more technical information, albeit with a more restricted range of subject matter.
It’s hard to know where to pitch this. As I said, anyone with only a limited amount of drawing skill is going to feel quickly at sea, so I’m wary of recommending it for children, who would find the starting point of basic shapes particularly helpful. On the other hand, its slight tendency to superficiality might be annoying for the more experienced artist. I think what it comes down to is that you need to have a look at it. If you like the variety and the finished results, then it’ll spur you on to develop your own ideas further. As a basic manual of fantasy art, though, it has its limitations.
New Holland 2008
£9.99
Author: Gary Spencer Millidge, Author: James McKay, Medium: Drawing, Publisher: New Holland, Subject: Fantasy art
I have to admit to an allergy to Fantasy Art; it brings me out in spots. However, if you want a series that puts the Art into the Fantasy, this is it and if you want to see that it’s possible not to leave your creative hat at the door of the studio, Paul will give you some excellent ideas.
Search Press first published 2007, paperback 2008
£7.99
Author: Paul Bryn Davies, Medium: Watercolour, Publisher: Search Press, Series: Fantasy Art, Subject: Fantasy art
I’m not really into Fantasy Art, so my comments have to be limited, but there’s genuine creativity and humour here that should appeal to anyone who’s more into the Art than the Fantasy.
Search Press first published 2007, paperback 2008
£7.99
Author: Paul Bryn Davies, Medium: Watercolour, Publisher: Search Press, Series: Fantasy Art, Subject: Fantasy art