ImagineFX January 2020 Issue 182

FREE!
4 EXCLUSIVE VIDEO TUTORIALS + CUSTOM BRUSHES
HOW TO SUCCEED
AS AN ARTIST
The qualities you need to
conquer the art world!
FEATURING
LOISH
BOBBY CHIU
PABLO CARPIO
IAIN MCCAIG
KARLA ORTIZ
INSIDE PHOTOSHOP
DJAMILA KNOPF’S THREE
STEPS TO BECOME PRO INTO THE
MAKE PENCIL MARKS DARKNESS
WITH CONFIDENCE Use reference to
CREATE VIBRANT create low-light
WATERCOLOUR ART art with impact
We reveal Fatemeh
Haghnejad’s unique
creative process
GET BETTER AT on page 62
New ways to paint ethereal portraits

from start to finish in Procreate ISSUE 182
ITAL MASTERPIECES
JOHN BURTON ON MAKING THE LEAP FROM OILS TO DIG
Editor’s letter
Welcome to… EDITOR’S CHOICE Three of my top

picks this month…
36
Our workshop section is an

important part of what we do.
We’re here to teach you the
skills and know-how to get
better at creating art. However,
it’s not the only facet you need A journey into digital art
John Burton talks about learning to create great digital
to move forward. It’s important art when there are limitless possibilities.
to think about how other
attributes of your personality 60
could assist. On page 22 we take a look at common
traits that successful artists have. In this feature
you’ll glean insight from titans of art, such as Karla
Ortiz, Iain McCaig, Bobby Chiu, Lois Van Baarle
and Pablo Carpio.
They give specific and helpful examples of how
their personality traits have worked in tandem
alongside their brush skills to lead to success. From
having tenacity, to setting out clear goals, I relished Come see us in London!
hearing from artists that I have long admired for Our February art event in London is back and bigger
their professionalism and integrity as much as than ever. See who’s coming: www.vertexconf.com.
I have admired their art. It’s an eye-opening insight
into what else could be important on your journey
70
to flourishing as an artist. It’s actually good advice
to mull over in all aspects of life, not just in work.
Having the right attitude will set you apart from
the rest of the crowd and hopefully set you on
your path. Good luck!
From darkness comes light

Editor-in-chief I’m a big fan of Bryn G Jones’ atmospheric works and I’m
claire@imaginefx.com very pleased that he’s sharing his techniques with you.
@imaginefxmagazine Christmas
@imaginefx gift offer!
Give an ImagineFX
facebook.com/imaginefx subscription to friends
imaginefx.creativebloq.com and family, and they’ll get
free digital special issues!
http://ifxm.ag/ifxnewsletter Turn to page 4…
Sign up for our newsletter!

January 2020 3
Subscribe today
from just £24.99
*
FREE DIGITAL
SPECIAL ISSUES!
WORTH
£40
Discover how to Artist reveal their 100 Best Typefaces

get to grips with inspirations in The presents essential
key 3D concepts in Ultimate Sketchbook fonts for artists
Get Started in 3D Collection and designers
4 January 2020
Your special
Christmas offer
FREE digital special issues worth £40
Enjoy six months of ImagineFX from
just £24.99 – that’s just £3.84 per issue!
Receive every issue delivered direct
to your door
Exclusive text-free covers
for subscribers
A thoughtful gift that keeps
delivering throughout the year
Upgrade to
include digital
for only £5
Instant access any time, anywhere
Never miss an issue of ImagineFX
Available on most digital platforms,
including iOS and Android
www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/ifx/xmas192
or call 0344 848 2852
*Terms and conditions: Savings calculated against the full RRP (single issue price x frequency). Gift is only available for new subscribers and is subject to availability. Please allow up
to 60 days for the delivery of your gift. In the event of stocks being exhausted, we reserve the right to replace with items of similar value. You can write to us or call us to cancel your
subscription within 14 days of purchase. Payment in non-refundable after the 14-day cancellation period unless exceptional circumstances apply. Your statutory rights are not
affected. All gift subscriptions will start in January 2020. Prices correct at point of print and subject to change. Full details of the Direct Debit guarantee are available upon request.
For full terms and conditions, please visit http://bit.ly/magtandc. Offer ends 31 January 2020.
January 2020 5
Give the perfect Christmas gift to friends and family –
a subscription to ImagineFX! See page 4 for details
Contents
Your art 36 46
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE!
10 FXPosé
You submit your work to us and we then
show your gorgeous art to the world!
News and events

22 What traits do successful
artists have in common?
What qualities do you need to make
it as an artist, beside talent and skill?
Pro artists give us their insights.
30 Artist in Residence:
Ciaran Lucas
This Irish artist takes us around his
multicoloured nexus of inspiration,
experimentation and procrastination.
Features
36 Interview: John Burton
A creator of astounding impressionist
landscapes, we meet the traditional
painter who’s now painting sci-fi concepts.
46 Interview: Djamila Knopf Artist Portfolio Artist Portfolio

The German artist tells us about practising
in secret, losing her artistic voice and
being told to try “proper art”.
JOHN BURTON DJAMILA KNOPF
“Art’s never been about “People freak out over
54 Sketchbook: being encyclopaedic, the idea of an artist
Andrei Riabovitchev
Explore the varied sketches of this it’s about being a poet” charging for their time”
animator turned concept artist. John speaks the language of art Djamila on the painting business
Reviews 22 30
92 Software
96 Books
Regulars
3 Editor’s letter
4 Print subscriptions
8 Resources
34 Digital subscriptions
35 Letters
44 Recent editions Artist in Residence:
Successful artist traits Ciaran Lucas
68 Next month
6 January 2020
Issue 182 January 2020
54 70
Workshops
62 Paint ethereal character art
Illustrator Fatemeh Haghnejad designs,
colours and lights a fantasy character.
70 Paint a low-light portrait

See how Bryn G Jones gives his striking
portrait art that late-night feeling.
76 How to organise
Sketchbook:
a chaotic scene
Andrei Riabovitchev Low-light portrait
Bayard Wu controls movement, contrast,
light and colour in a busy composition.
62
80 Core Skills: Flame Painter
Explore the visual effects software’s
interface, with Harvey Bunda.
84 Create better surface textures

Mike Corriero paints specular highlights.
80
Ethereal character art Flame Painter
104 110
Traditional Artist
100 Traditional art FXPosé
Explore this month’s selection of the finest
traditional art, sent in by you!
104 Workshop: Build up

vibrant watercolours
By taking a layering approach to her
portrait art, Margaret Morales is able to
enhance the intensity of her watercolours.
110 Core Skills: Drawing techniques

Timothy Von Rueden explains the benefits
of working with confidence and detailing.
114 First Impressions:

Bryan Mark Taylor
Vibrant watercolours Draw with confidence
The artist on capturing emotions in his art.
January 2020 7
Resources
Getting hold of this issue’s videos and custom

brushes is quick and easy. Just visit our dedicated
OVER
web page at https://ifxm.ag/fantasy182illustration
1 HOUR
of video tuto
from pro artirsials
to watch andts
WORKSHOPS learn from!
Paint an ethereal figure in Procreate

GET YOUR Watch how illustrator Fatemeh Haghnejad paints a woodland elf character, which is based in
RESOURCES part on Hollywood royalty Audrey Hepburn. Turn to page 62 for Fatemeh’s workshop.
1 Go to the website
Type this into your browser’s
address bar (not the search bar):
https://ifxm.ag/fantasy182illustration
2 Find the files you want

Search through the list of resources
to download.
3 Download what you need…

Download the files or watch them
via a bespoke YouTube link.
8 January 2020
Issue 182 January 2020
Editorial
Editor-in-Chief Claire Howlett
claire@imaginefx.com
Art Editor Daniel Vincent
Operations Editor Cliff Hope
Contributors
Harvey Bunda, Dominic Carter, Mike Corriero, Gary Evans, Phil
Galloway, Fatemeh Haghnejad, Bryn G Jones, Ciaran Lucas,
Tom May, Margaret Morales, Timothy Von Rueden, Andrei
Riabovitchev, Garrick Webster, Bayard Wu
Advertising
Media packs are available on request
Chief Revenue Officer Zack Sullivan
UK Commercial Sales Director Clare Dove
Advertising Sales Manager Mike Pyatt
michael.pyatt@futurenet.com, 01225 687538
Account Sales Director George Lucas
george.lucas@futurenet.com, 01225 687331
International Licensing
ImagineFX is available for licensing. Contact the Licensing
team to discuss partnership opportunities.
Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com
Subscriptions – turn to page 4!
Email enquiries contact@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
UK orderline & enquiries 0344 848 2852
Overseas order line and enquiries +44 344 848 2852
Online orders www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
Group Marketing Director
Magazines & Memberships Sharon Todd
Make your watercolours stand out on the canvas Circulation
In Margaret Morales’ workshop video you’ll learn how to build up vibrant watercolours using Head of Newstrade Tim Mathers
layers. Turn to page 104 to find out more about Margaret’s painting techniques. Production
Head of Production Mark Constance
Production Project Manager Clare Scott
Advertising Production Manager Joanne Crosby
Digital Editions Controller Jason Hudson
Production Manager Vivienne Calvert
Management
Editor-in-Chief, Creative & Design Claire Howlett
Senior Art Editor, Creative & Design Will Shum
Head of Art & Design Greg Whittaker
Content Director, Prosumer Nick Jones
Managing Director, Prosumer Keith Walker
Chief Content Officer Aaron Asadi
Commercial Finance Director Dan Jotcham
Printed by Wyndeham Peterborough, Storey’s Bar Road,
Peterborough PE1 5YS
Distributed by Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf,
London, E14 5HU www.marketforce.co.uk Tel: 0203 787 9001
ISSN 1748-930X
All contents © 2019 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All
Create specular highlights Low-light, high-impact art rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or
reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Mike Corriero concepts and paints a fantasy See how Bryn G Jones uses reference for his Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in
England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1
sea creature. His workshop is on page 84 portrait art. Turn to page 70 for his workshop. 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and
is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot
accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You
are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard
SPONSORED to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and
websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are
not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them.
This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the
companies mentioned herein.
If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/
or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you
automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your
submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications,
in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media
channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your
own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees,
agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We
assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and
reserve the right to edit, amend or adapt all submissions.
We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from

responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture.
The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable
managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic
Explore the latest additions to Corel Painter 2020 standards. The manufacturing paper mill holds full FSC (Forest Stewardship
Council) certification and accreditation
Magdalena Proszowska, senior concept artist at Ubisoft, highlights some of the key features of
Painter 2020, including the redesigned interface, Brush Accelerator and colour selection tools.
PLUS 8 CUSTOM BRUSHES, INCLUDING…
HORIZFLATTIP-KNIFE SPLOTCHY LOWGRIT

Mike Corriero’s custom brushes To create the water splashes and This is a palette knife-style brush
includes this one that he uses for water mark effects in his aquatic that Mike uses for mark making
painting his sea creature’s skin. scene, Mike uses this brush. throughout the composition.
January 2020 9
THE PLACE TO SHARE YOUR DIGITAL ART
10 January 2020
Mathieu Lauffray
LOCATION: France MEDIA: Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, Procreate WEB: www.artstation.com/lauffray
“My priority is to work as a storyteller,” says freelance illustrator and concept

artist Mathieu. “I put myself in the mindset of a character, then focus on the
specific emotions of the scene before capturing those feelings on canvas.”
3 4
1 PROPHET
“In this comic book cover
the main character faces the
ultimate evil power without
fear or hesitation. I used a
symmetrical composition
with contrasting colours to
direct the viewer’s eye.”
2 TARZAN
“In this Tarzan movie
concept art, the lead
character is standing with his
people and surrounded by
the huge power of nature.
Despite this, he’s calm and
peaceful. He is the lord of
the jungle.”
3 LONG JOHN SILVER

“Pirates discovering an
unexpected wreck in the
middle of the Amazon jungle.
What happened here? Where
4 AXIS MUNDI
“An adventurer who’s used to going
where no one has gone before faces mist
is everybody? The cave acts and mystery. There aren’t many details
like a window opening onto because I was trying to create an epic and
the unknown.” expressionist mood.”
Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx January 2020 11

Alfonso Elola
LOCATION: Spain MEDIA: Photoshop, Illustrator, Painter, PaintTool SAI, SketchBook Pro WEB: www.artstation.com/elolaillustrator
Concept artist Alfonso works in advertising as an illustrator, but also loves to

design fantasy creatures and surreal anatomy concepts. “My style is
baroque,” he says. “Caravaggio and Ribera are my favourite classic artists.”
2
1 ORGANIC PORTRAIT 16
“These pieces offer an
opportunity to mix fantastic
2 PHASES 01
“Part of a series of
portraits. As its name
3 PHASES 02
“My intention with these
pictures was to draw
characters with elaborate suggests, these pictures anatomy in a baroque way.
detail. In this one I chose a show different layers of Hence the flower branches
harpy and an angel because anatomy, bone, flesh and that are interwoven within
I was practising feathers.” even skin.” the composition.”
4 ORGANIC PORTRAIT 13
“This is from a series of drawings that
I’ve been doing mainly to practise my lighting
and compositional techniques.”
12 January 2020 Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx

4

1

Malcolm Wope
LOCATION: South Africa MEDIA: Photoshop, After Effects, TVPaint Animation WEB: https://malx.artstation.com/
Concept artist, 2D animator and director Malcolm draws from a range of

creative inspirations. “My work has a lot of influences, from Japanese anime,
classical painting techniques and hip-hop,” he says.
2 3
1 NEO SHANGHAI SLUMS

“For this neo Shanghai
environment I tried to
4
imagine a combination of
what a congested Afro-Asian
city might look like.”
2 JAY HYPEBEAST
“The approach with this
rendition of KungFu is Dead’s
lead character Jay was to be
as economic as possible with
my brush strokes.”
3 YUNG PARIS
“I tried to infuse modern
contemporary hip-hop styles
in this costume and mask
exploration of KungFu is
Dead lead character, Jay.”
4 ALEXA
“I designed this
cyberpunk and hip-hop style
costume with the K-pop star
AleXa in mind.”

Henrik Rosenborg
LOCATION: Sweden MEDIA: Photoshop WEB: www.artstation.com/henrikrosenborg
Henrik grew up with tabletop RPGs and was inspired by the amazing art in
the rulebooks. He’s also influenced by nature’s perfect imperfections. “I love
working with colours, texture and volume to bridge my designs with reality.”
2
1 STRUGGLING INVENTOR
“This is a perfect example
of the level of complexity
2 FREELANCE CLEAN-UP
WORKER
“This simple little being says
3 BANNERMAN
“One sketch out of many
that belongs to my personal
that I enjoy portraying in a lot about my style of project, Ö. It’s a tabletop RPG
my art. I like worn, patched painting: there’s delicious I’m building with friends, and
and haphazardly built gear colour variations, volume, it’s the one place where I can
and clothing.” and goofy design.” truly get creative.”
© D-verse Publishing LLC
3
© D-verse Publishing LLC
4 SKROMT RPG COVER

“A recent piece where I got to revisit
my passion for Scandinavian folklore and
the mystical darkness surrounding the
deep forests.”

4
© Bläckfisk förlag AB

1

Felipe Arciniegas
LOCATION: Colombia MEDIA: Photoshop WEB: www.artstation.com/felipearciniegas
“I’ve been drawing since I was a child,” says Felipe, who was intrigued by art
in terms of how films and video games were made. “That led me to studying
industrial design as I tried to find an answer to my childhood curiosity.”
1 THE WOLFPACK
“I tried to explore sci-fi
elements and elegant shapes
3
in this piece. I also wanted to

mix textures such as the snow
and the wolf fur.”
2 BOHEMIAN FISHERMAN
“This piece was made
during a brainstorm in school.
I mixed fantasy elements
with realistic traditional oil
painting techniques.”
3 PEOPLE OF THE LORDE

“Here I explored forms
and shapes in terms of the
role of the people in the world
that I was building. It was a
fun exercise!”

Kai Stevens
LOCATION: US MEDIA: Photoshop WEB: www.artstation.com/vilify
Kai is drawn towards sci-fi and fantasy projects because of the dangers and
consequences found in the magic and technology of those stories. “Many of
my fantasy paintings visit different places and people in the same setting.”
1 2
3
1 EMESE, DUCHESS OF ELONY
“Despite rumours regarding her
unfashionable interest in ancient alchemical
rituals, the Duchess’ lands remain more
prosperous and healthy than her neighbours.”
2 SKYSHIPS
“This was part of a larger story involving
aerial combat. I wanted to stress the human
aspects of airship command.”
3 HUNTING WITCHES
“This was created for a challenge with a
theme of ‘witch hunts,’ and driven by a desire
to show the threats posed by and to both
groups in this setting.”
4 CZERNOCITE SOLDIER
“I started this painting with the shape of
the smoke clouds, and everything else came
from their relative symmetry.”

4

ARTIST NEWS, SOFTWARE EVENTS
AT THE CORE OF THE DIGITAL ART COMMUNITY
“I like to interact and share

knowledge, and social media is
great for that,” says Loish.
22 January 2020
A HAVEN IN TAP INTO GET IN TOUCH
BLUE-GREEN IMAGINEFX WITH US
The walls of Ciaran Have you considered We love hearing from
Lucas’ studio are subscribing to a digital our readers, so tell us
painted blue and green edition of ImagineFX? what’s on your mind
in an attempt to We’re available on iOS and whether you’ve
bounce light around and Android, so you seen something in the
the space. The verdict? can take us on your magazine you’ve loved
It’s working so far! smartphone or tablet! or been inspired by.
Page 30 Page 34 Page 35
“There’s nothing I love more

than having a big challenge,
figuring it out, and conquering
it,” says Bobby Chiu.
What traits do successful

artists have in common?
Bigger picture Besides skill and talent, Tom May asks “Not having clear goals
what other qualities you need to make it as an artist is like climbing a tree to
find there’s no fruit at
the top,” says Bobby.
Can artists succeed on talent alone? His career only took off, Bobby says,
Perhaps. But in the real world, certain when he started setting bigger goals,
personality traits make the art and urges others to learn from his
journey a great deal easier. mistake. Most importantly, your goals
One, believes artist and teacher need to be clear.
Bobby Chiu, is having “You may say, for instance, ‘I’m
clear goals. “When I going to spend this many hours on my
started out, I had small art’, but how are you spending those
aspirations,” he recalls. hours?” Bobby asks. “Are you
“I just wanted to work in practising effectively? It’s like going to
an art department. It didn’t matter the gym to sculpt a ripped body, but
what I did: sweep people’s floors, only doing the treadmill. Just ‘doing
sharpen pencils, or whatever. But that art’ isn’t enough; you have to be
mindset led me nowhere.” specific in your training.”
It’s like going to the gym to sculpt

a ripped body, but only doing the
treadmill. Just ‘doing art’ isn’t enough
January 2020 23
ImagineNation News
“Events and conferences are

the place to be to understand
how this industry really works,”
says Pablo Carpio.
“Talent is a gift you need to assemble

yourself, through motivation, direction,
time, and effort,” says Bobby.
“Sharing my work online began as fun, but also

became a way to sustain myself,” says Loish.
Setting goals, of course, isn’t

enough: you also need the tenacity to
achieve them. Pablo
Carpio, a Spanish concept
artist working at ILM,
offers a good example. As
a youngster, he headed to
It helps if you’re easy to get talent alone,” Iain says.
“Success comes from an
Hollywood with no job or contacts, but
kept going for a full year until he
along with, and a joy if you’re alloy of curiosity,
imagination, passion,
landed his first job. a pleasure to have around talent, craft, hard work,
It was a tough slog, but every time not giving up, doing the impossible,
his portfolio got rejected, it just made day counts in the process of becoming and being in the right place at the right
him more determined. “Instead of better. The time you spend waiting to time, with the right stuff.”
punishing myself, I looked for reasons get a job can be used to learn a new And he offers one more suggestion.
and solutions: what am I doing technique, experiment with a new “It helps if you’re easy to get along
wrong?” he recalls. “Should I meet workflow, or study the work of an with, and a joy if you’re a pleasure to
more people instead of sending artist who you like.” have around,” he says. “It’s not a
portfolios online? Should I improve a necessity to the success of a creative
particular aspect of my work?” SUCCESS CHECKLIST endeavour to be pleasant and have a
Ultimately, going out and meeting Artist, writer and filmmaker Iain good time, but it’s not a detriment
people at events became his turning McCaig, who’s known for his work on either, so why not have both?”
point. And Pablo’s advice to anyone in Star Wars, agrees that tenacity is vital. Iain is known for his open-minded
a similar position is: “Make sure every “I don’t think any artist can get by on and helpful approach to other
24 January 2020
Artist news, software & events
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
“What I’ve always loved is
the creative force behind all
things, whether it’s art, nature
BOBBY CHIU
or life,” says Iain McCaig. The artist and teacher on having
the right attitude to work
How do you stay motivated in

your work?
My methods including staying
organised, setting attainable goals
and making detailed plans. But I
can’t say for certain that will work
for someone else. It really
depends on how your brain
works, what kind of rewards you
crave, and maybe even what you
get out of art.
When someone asks me how
to be motivated, I ask them in
return, why do you think you
lack motivation? It’s an answer
that could be complex and
require a lot of thought and
self-reflection. The other option
is, if you can’t be motivated, then
be disciplined.
Is success about personality,

or the attitude you take?
I love that you bring up attitude
because it’s such an important
thing. Yes, I know lots of
successful artists and they run
the gamut from introverted to
extroverted, pessimistic to
optimistic, self-deprecating to
self-assured. So I believe that
succeeding as an artist is less
about having the right
personality and all about
having the right attitude and
the right perspective.
How important is it to be able

to get on with people?
Art is not as solitary an industry
as you might think. Maybe it is
for some artists, but for those of
us who work on teams for big
projects, your attitude – towards
other people, towards
constructive criticism, towards
people who might not even be
artists directing your art – is vital.
Everyone wants a person who has
a modest, positive, can-do
attitude on their team. Sour
attitudes get old quick.
Bobby is president of
Imaginism Studios and
Schoolism, and helped launch
LightBox Expo this year.
www.schoolism.com
January 2020 25
ImagineNation News
“Creativity is a miracle,” says

Iain. “Anything I can do to
help people experience that
is a pleasure.”
artists, and perceives this not as a media effectively is also becoming

chore, but an opportunity. “I see key to career success. It certainly has
creativity as this giant bonfire of light, been for Dutch artist Loish, who has
with artists circled around the outside, 1.7 million Instagram followers. “The
reflecting a part of the light back with main advantage for me
our individual mirrors,” he explains. “As is being able to do
artists, we’re limited by our particular different things,” she
point of view, but by getting together says. “I can choose
and seeing the light from all the other between client work,
perspectives, we can begin to grasp workshops, speaking at events,
what that creative force really is.” making books, creating personal art,
“The dangers of sharing online
Of course, these days being and more. It gives me freedom and is that you can become
communicative is not just about prevents me from being overly overwhelmed with guilt from not
posting every day,” says Loish.
connecting in person: using social dependent on one specific area.”
I see creativity as a giant

bonfire of light, with artists
around the outside…
“Getting a job takes time. It doesn’t

happen from one day to another, so
don’t panic,” says Pablo Carpio.
26 January 2020
“One vital personality trait to

develop is being honest about
what you need to improve
upon,” says Karla Ortiz.
January 2020 27
ImagineNation News
“I think it’s important to be

authentic on social media,”
says Loish, “but you don’t
have to share everything.”
So how can others replicate her

success? “Don’t post to every social
media,” Loish says. “Focus on one, and
learn what the user experience is.
What’s the platform made to do:
browsing, commenting, discussing, or
liking? Test different kinds of posts,
and get into a flow of sharing and “I’m honestly grateful for the
mistakes I’ve made,” says
posting, as well as following and Karla, “as they’ve given me a
interacting with others. You’ll gain a lot to learn and improve from.”
understanding of that platform, and

find a way to express yourself on it.”
PASSIONATE ART
If setting goals and being tenacious,
“I’ve found that balance – making
open-minded and communicative are time for the things and people
vital, it’s all for nothing without one I love – helps me maintain my
passion,” says Karla.
final trait: passion. It can, though,
Even if it’s something that isn’t super-

exciting – like a box – I’ll find ways to
make that box look as good as it can
actually be a challenge to know what makes you happy by
find your true passion as actually trying it out.”
Karla Ortiz, an award- And how can we keep that passion
winning concept artist alive over time? “I like to find the
working in the challenge in every painting I do,” she
entertainment industry, attests. “When says. “Even if it’s something that isn’t
I went to university, I thought my super-exciting – like it’s just a box –
passion lay in animation, giving I’ll find ways to make that box look
movement to my characters,” she as good as it can.”
recalls. “But when I starting doing the But does any of this matter? Surely
work, I soon realised it wasn’t for me.” if you’re brilliant, you’ll succeed
Her passion, it transpired, lay in regardless? Karla disagrees. “No
© Wizards of the Coast LLC
painting instead. “I discovered what matter how talented an artist is, if

made me happy was giving life to you’re a continuous jerk, you’ll find it
characters via brush strokes, crafting difficult to remain successful,” she
imagery that would describe a singular maintains. “This is a very small
moment in time,” Karla says. “This was industry, and folks like to work with
a valuable lesson: sometimes you only good humans. So don’t be a jerk!”
28 January 2020
“Personality is important, but
in the end the main thing that
speaks for you is your
portfolio,” says Pablo.
“Be yourself. If you’re introverted,

embrace that and find ways to
share it with the world,” says Iain.
January 2020 29
ImagineNation Artist in Residence
Time of old I had about 50 hats in my

collection. Now, precious few remain,
including this panda hat my mum got me!
Ciaran Lucas
Iterating imperfection This Irish artist shows the
evolving successes and mistakes in his nexus of
inspiration, experimentation and procrastination
A mix of Game of Thrones with wanting to work

more with reference in my personal work. I was
a bit overwhelmed with stuff at the time, so this
was a primal scream as much as anything!
Like my work, my
home office has been
evolving over several
years. With every
iteration I experiment
and try new things. Some successes,
some failures. The latest incarnation
is no different!
My workflows tend to change
dramatically depending on the needs
of the project, so currently I’m set up
to be able to switch from keyboard
and mouse, to the Cintiq, to VR and
back easily. Everything is designed for
accessing what I need most with
minimal effort. For example,
bookshelves sit at eye height around
my room, so I can browse what I’m
My tower hides away under the
looking for easily. At least, that was the desk so I can reach all the
idea, but when I realised that the cables I need to, but it makes
itself known with glowing LEDs,
weight of all those books might be too My art books are my touchstones. If I’m low on
whether you like it or not.
motivation or stuck on a problem, I can flick through
much for the walls to handle over these and find something to kick me into gear.
30 January 2020
I’m a big fan of Doctor Who, and this TARDIS is My Iron Legion makes great character reference. Hidden Away is a Venom sketch by the amazing comic book
the perfect size to hide a big block of modelling There’s a lot of articulation in Hot Toys products, artist Declan Shalvey. The glass broke in the last house move
clay should I need it. It’s bigger on the inside! and this figure comes in handy for tricky shots. and so I’m keeping the artwork safe until it’s replaced.
Art events like Trojan

Horse Was a Unicorn
helped me find other
artists like me, and made
me feel like part of the
community – even if we’re
working on our own.
A digital piano with a set of

headphones is perfect for taking
a musical break at 3am without
your neighbours hating you!
January 2020 31
ImagineNation Artist in Residence
Being left-handed means that L-shaped desks

are usually set up backwards. I made sure I
could have a setup where I didn’t have to
twist, strain or precariously perch anything.
My walls are a mix of blues

and green: an experiment to
allow any sunlight bouncing in
to feel as natural as possible
time, I had to mix and match

Souvenirs from Trojan Horse Was a Unicorn over several years
different things. can be found around the place, including sketchbooks filled
with sketches from friends and notes from the event.
I try and keep all my learning
materials closest: notes from art
events, tutorials and reference books
in case I need them. The next layer
radiating out from the Cintiq is all
comics. I used to colour a lot of
comics, and fell head over heels for the
medium. Some books like Blacksad,
Calvin & Hobbes and Fables will always
have a place on my shelf.
PHYSICAL PRESENCE
Next, we have DVDs. Even if I own
something digitally, I like to get around
to owning physical copies of films and
shows that I love. There’s something I’m picky about light, and have five
great about owning a tangible copy of different lamps on the go. They’re
something! On the lower levels is designed to bounce off the walls so I
where I keep all the art books, which don’t get any direct glare on my Cintiq
work great for referencing at chair during the dark hours. My walls are a
height! It’s the ‘art of’ books that mix of blues and green: an experiment
grabbed my eye during university, and to allow any sunlight bouncing in to
I’ve been collecting them ever since. feel as natural as possible. I’m not sure
It’s hard to ignore the digital piano. if it’s worked or not, but I don’t hate
Art is hard and there’s always impostor how it’s working so far! All we can do is
syndrome to fight with, so I try to keep try new things and see if it sticks.
music as a hobby to offset the Ciaran is an art director and concept artist
pressure of trying to improve all the working in Dublin’s animation industry.
time. It’s out of sight as I work, but He’s a fan of colourful work and is powered
This is my vision of the ultimate hipster coffee dungeon. I had a lot of fun playing
there when I need it. around with colour and prop design on this piece. by tea. See his art at www.ciaranlucas.com.
32 January 2020
I have a few lamps in my setup. This

one’s the most flexible, also serving as a
mount for event lanyards, a tripod and
some other bits and bobs.
Music’s my second love, and there’s a mix of things for listening and playing, and
recording scattered all around the room.
A lot of my toys are gifts from friends or keepsakes from studios I’ve worked at
in the past. My love of red pandas and Steven Universe hasn’t gone unnoticed!
My favourite piece of art here is the violin-playing

bear by Kayvon Darabi-Fard. It reminds me to
practise, and the artist’s super-confident charcoal
work is inspiration in itself.
This was one of my first experiments blending 2D and 3D elements

to show Prometheus stealing fire from the gods.
January 2020 33
GET IMAGINEFX
FROM £2.10 PER ISSUE!
iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
GO
DIGITAL!
Our digital editions
come with the same
resources included in
the print edition!
This offer is ONLY available via our online shop

www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/digital
Available on iOS or Android
34 January 2020
Letters
New works that have

YOUR FEEDBACK & OPINIONS grabbed our attention
Contact the editor, Claire Howlett,
on claire@imaginefx.com or write
to ImagineFX, Future Publishing, We’ve just finished a series of Core Skills articles by
Sara Tepes, on how to get the most from Krita.
Quay House, The Ambury,
Bath, BA1 1UA, England know when this is happening, so expect an
Follow us on Twitter: email. Thanks for your support and kind
www.twitter.com/imaginefx comments about the magazine. I loved Q&A
Find us on Facebook: too, but for a variety of reasons I don’t think
www.facebook.com/imaginefx it will make a regular comeback. A special
Post your art or photos on Instagram: edition on one topic is a good idea, though.
www.instagram.com/imaginefxmagazine
More free software
I’ve finally submitted! Love the mag! I’ve been reading it on Henriette Boldt
I discovered ImagineFX in 2010 when and off for a few years now. Thank you @henridoesart
I first began to dabble in digital art and for the Krita workshops. I don’t have
I’ve been a follower ever since. I often much cash to spend on software and I
reread the old issues while I wait for a don’t have an iPad either, which a lot of
new issue, too! Some of these older artists seem to fixate on. I use free
issues made me miss the ‘Artist Q&A’ software like Krita, SketchUp and I’m
section and I’d love to see that come also trying out Medibang.
back. An interesting take on that could Sometimes it’s hard to find the
be to have multiple artists cover one
DID YOU MISS magazine the stores out here. I live in
THE PREVIOUS
particular subject matter. For example, PACKED ISSUE? Chicago and if I’m too late in getting to
how a comic artist uses textures versus a Don’t worry – you the stores downtown, I miss the few
traditional artist or digital painter, or can get hold of it copies that they have.
different approaches to anatomy. at https://ifxm. Charlie A, via email
I’ve seen a few posts on social media ag/buyissue181
counting down the days to the end of Claire replies You know I’m going to say
this century and to use these days you should subscribe so you don’t miss out on
wisely. Since it so neatly ties in with how issues, don’t you?! There’s a fantastic offer on
long I’ve been reading ImagineFX, I page 4. Thanks for the reminder that not
thought a fitting goal for me would be to everyone has an iPad (I don’t either!) and Maria Becvar
get my work published in the magazine. that free software is the only option for some. @becvardoodles
To this end, I’ve also submitted some of There are some great free tools out there.
my work for inclusion in FXPosé.
Thanks for a wonderful magazine! Calendar!
Jonathan, via email Please tell me there’s an ImagineFX
calendar this year! You haven’t done one
Claire replies Yay! Great news that you for a few years now and I miss it. I’ve
have submitted your work to our FXPosé Want to appear in our been subscribing since the beginning
section. I’m pretty sure that you’re lined up FXPosé section? Visit and am old enough to remember that
http://ifxm.ag/getinifx for
for a future edition. I always try to let artists full submission details. you used to give away posters, too. Any
change they can also come back?
Calum, via email
Claire replies Calum, I’m old enough to

remember the posters and calendars, too!
Unfortunately there’s not a calendar this
year. The boring reason is that paper costs
have risen since the last time we did a Michel Hugo
calendar and I just can’t find enough pennies @random_mike_411
down the back of the sofa for it. I’m working
on finding either a poster, art prints or If you’ve created art that you want us to shout
perhaps stickers for an issue later on next about simply tag us on Twitter or Instagram,
and use the hashtag #imaginefx
year, so keep your eyes peeled.
January 2020 35
Interview
W
ith artworks that turn decades painting outdoors and turn it
awesome landscapes to his advantage in the world of
into beautiful visual concept art. Things are all a bit hush-
poetry, and gallery shows hush still, but soon John’s creativity
all around the US, John will be seen on the silver screen.
Burton is a California painter that “I’m currently working for a
fantasy and sci-fi artists are sure to find production company for two
inspiring. His incredible use of colour upcoming feature films,” he explains.
and ability to capture the ruggedness “I can’t discuss details, except that
ARTIST PORTFOLIO of the landforms and the nuances of they’re both in the science fiction
JOHN
light, climate and atmosphere have genre, and the worlds have been very
been honed over decades of plein air inspiring to explore.”
painting using oils on canvases five to This exciting new strand to John’s
BURTON
six feet wide. Looking at his paintings, career began in 2017, with an event
it’s not hard to imagine a dragon coiled called the Art Summit, held at a
around a rocky crag to the side of a mansion by the sea in San Diego.
great mountain, or a star cruiser Organised by John and the concept
alighting at a distant desert base. artist Dylan Cole, the summit brought
Garrick Webster meets the The artist has seen this too, and one together leading artists working in the
traditional painter who’s now of the things that makes him so
interesting is that his latest mission is
entertainment industry and traditional
artists who have shown in museums
creating sci-fi concept art to take the understanding of light, and galleries around the world.
form and colour learned over three Attendees included Bryan
Artist photograph © AGS Photo Art
36 January 2020
JOHN BURTON
ATRAMENTOUS VALLEY
John’s love of sci-fi themes seeps
through in this epic concept piece,
which began life on his iPad before
being painted using Photoshop.
I’m working for a production

company for two upcoming
films… the sci-fi worlds have
been very inspiring to explore
January 2020 37
Interview
Taylor, John Park, David Dibble,
Jonathan Bach, David Levy, Joe Pepe
and Jonathan Berube. The event
opened John up to a whole range of
new creative opportunities.
“The environment of sharing and
learning was so intense, meals and
sleep were getting in the way. My life
changed after that weekend thanks
in large part to Dylan Cole,” he says.
“I have a dream of recreating this event
annually where we can get artists from
all disciplines together and learn from
each other.”
EMBRACING DIGITAL ART

One of the main differences between
concept artists and traditional painters
is, of course, their choice of media.
John, for instance, is an oil painter who
knows how to get the most out of his
brush and a set of thick, messy oil
paints. Concept artists, on the other
hand, use applications like Photoshop,
Painter and various 3D modelling
programs. Since 2017’s Art Summit,
John has embraced Photoshop and
a Wacom Cintiq, and has been
learning how to use them with
intensity and enthusiasm.
So many digital artists today say
they would love to work physically
CRASH SITE
The artist’s deep connection with
with natural media, but John feels like the American West is evident in this
imagined future meeting of cultures.
he’s swimming in the other direction.
Trying to transition from traditional

to digital is like spending years learning
French, then trying to learn Japanese
He’s spent time reflecting on not only possible and what to expect. Because
the transition from paints to pixels, but I knew one artistic language, I always
also what the trained painter can bring knew I could learn a new one – it
to the digital environment. would just take the same commitment
“Even though we’re all artists, trying of hours and effort.”
to transition from traditional to digital
is like spending years learning French, MORE WORKFLOW OPTIONS
then once reasonably fluent trying to For John, the most challenging aspect
learn Japanese,” explains John. has been figuring out a workflow. He
“Knowing the one language helped me was confident about bringing his
see some of the structure behind how a drawing, design and colour sense to
language works, but it was still a new the new artform, but real brushes and
language. When you learn a third colour mixing were being replaced by
language it’s hard, but you know it’s quick keys, software functions and
myriad ways of developing an image. A
Artist digital artist can feather or smudge a
PROFILE mark, or even remove a certain colour
entirely, in a few gestures.
John Burton The big difference he says, is that
LOCATION: US with oils the artist is using their skills
FAVOURITE ARTISTS: John Berkey, Dean
to do a lot with just a brush, some
Cornwell, Nicolai Fechin, John Harris, Gustav
Klimt, Edgar Payne and Joaquin Sorolla paints and a surface, while the digital
ILLUSION OF CHAOS
Working with strong forms first, John adds the
MEDIA: Oils, brushes, Photoshop
artist has so much choice that their detail to build up a story in this concept piece,
WEB: www.instagram.com/johnburtonart reminiscent of the worlds in Asimov’s Foundation.
challenge is to do a little with a lot.
38 January 2020
JOHN BURTON
NEW BEGINNING
John Burton talks about his new art book, Departure
The mixture of excitement and While his digital work leans more
trepidation one feels just before towards science fiction, John is
embarking on a long journey is interested in any kind of world-
something John associates with his building. The book demonstrates
move from traditional to digital art. how he has used his traditional
It’s for this reason that he gave his experience in his approach and
latest book the title Departure. application of Photoshop, which
Inside, he looks at all of the has taken him from selling fine art
key departures and arrivals paintings and into the film industry.
throughout his career. It’s a book “If we think of a major move in our
that showcases the destinations lives, or the moment an astronaut
he’s reached as an artist. “It follows blasts off to explore space, it’s full
my path as a shapemaker from of trepidation and excitement as
oils, gouache and acrylic to the we bridge the familiar to the
digital world-building that takes unknown,” he says.
up the majority of my time these You can order Departures, priced
days,” John says. $40, via John’s Instagram page.
January 2020 39
Interview
You need to reduce your

design so that you don’t get too
enamoured by the idea of showing
every window in a massive city
40 January 2020
JOHN BURTON
NACRE PODS
“The giant Venus fly trap
plants and the pearl-like
structures help anchor the
image in a way that pushes
other elements,” says John.
January 2020 41
Interview
PIONEER TRAILS
One of John Burton’s biggest traditional art exhibitions
took place in Utah, attracting thousands of visitors
Just before John began working in “Preparing for a showing of this size
visual development and world is exhausting and invigorating all at
building, he was involved in a five-year the same time,” says John. “There was
project to create a major historical lots of travel to the locations to
exhibition. In preparation, he painted develop studies and better
over 100 paintings on location and in understand the environments. Then
his studio, refining the final output hours spent in my studio, working on
down to 20 images for the show, design through a hundred value and
entitled Saints at Devil’s Gate. colour sketches.
The art features views of the “This all culminates into some
American West, as they would have reasonably large landscape paintings,
been seen by pioneers crossing the four to six feet wide. It’s mentally and
country in the mid-19th century. They physically draining to paint such large EMIGRATION CANYON
A pioneer trail image of an
went on show at the Latter-Day Saints canvases, but it’s also so rewarding unforgiving landscape,
History Museum in Salt Lake City and when they come close to your initial painted in rough,
passionate strokes.
were seen by over 200,000 visitors. concept,” John reveals.
PRAYER FOR SHELTER

One of the most challenging pieces from the
exhibition, with the storm and dramatic lightning.
DISTANT ECHOES
This painting was based on John’s visit to Mesa Verde National Park. The
artist has used it for the cover of his book, Departure.
“Digital art has so many options spacecraft and lost desert cities. John’s
through Photoshop, 3D software or new artworks are on a par with some
the millions of assets you can purchase of the leading concept artists that have
and apply to your design. It gives you inspired him, and he’s pulled some of
endless possibilities and an infinite it together into a book entitled
level of realism,” he says. “You need to Departure, where it sits alongside
reduce your design so that you don’t many of his finest traditional pieces.
get too enamoured by the idea of John’s experience is capturing the
showing every hair on a beard or every interest of artists far and wide. Earlier
window in a massive city. Art has never in 2019 he was invited to give a lecture
been about being encyclopaedic, it’s and demonstration at the LightBox
about being a poet.” Expo in Pasadena, California. He felt
That poetry is now coming out like he was being welcomed into a new
digitally in portfolio pieces displaying genre and enjoyed connecting with the
dystopic planetscapes, eerie swamp other artists and finding out about
lands, ancient temples, futuristic their work. As this article is being
I’m still creating oil paintings for

TIME UNEXPLORED
exhibits at galleries and museums Here John reveals a
village in the jungle that
across the country… has been lost to time.
42 January 2020
JOHN BURTON
THE DAY EXHALES

Sunset over a desert settlement
as a traveller returns from the
wastes, in John’s concept work.
written, John has just accepted an Fechin passed away in 1955, but was THE SOURCE “Painting only from photos is like
invitation to Pixar Animation Studios part of the Russian Impressionist This digital painting writing a novel about Venice and only
focuses on a glowing
to give another workshop. movement, which had an influence on power source that doing your research online. You may
attracts ships like moths
John particularly because of the way be able to write an interesting book,
STILL PAINTING TRADITIONALLY practitioners applied their paints.
to a flame.
but there will be an element of
Despite this growing reputation in the According to John, it looks like they truthfulness lacking because it’s all
entertainment industry, John hasn’t painted with their fists, with courage second hand,” he says.
forgotten his roots. “On the traditional and bravado. This approach is easy to As we wait with anticipation to find
side of my career I’m still creating oil detect in some of John’s oil paintings. out what movies John’s been working
paintings for exhibits at galleries and That sense of the physical will never on, he’s looking forward to more film
museums across the country,” he says. leave John. Even as he delves deeper production projects. Narrative is an
“I’ve just finished a museum show in into Photoshop and other digital tools, area he wants to explore further, and
Montana, and I’m gearing up for a he believes in painting outdoors and he’d like to develop some of his own
museum exhibition in Taos, New studying the way light falls on forms in stories either for print or the big screen.
Mexico, in conjunction with one of my different locations. It influences how “All while finding a sliver of time to
artistic heroes, Nicolai Fechin.” his digital paintings are created. create a few oil paintings,” he adds.
January 2020 43
Complete your collection!
Recent editions Missed an issue? Here’s how you can order

previous print or digital editions of ImagineFX
Recent print editions
Visit www.bit.ly/ifxbackissues.
Apple Newsstand
Download us from the Newsstand app on your
device or visit http://ifxm.ag/apple-ifx.
Android, PC or Mac
Google News: http://ifxm.ag/google-halfprice
Zinio: www.zinio.com/gb/imaginefx-m2956
Other devices
We’re available via nook on Barnes & Noble
Only the
and Amazon’s range of Fire tablets. most recent
editions are
available in print
WHILE
STOCKS
PRINT AND DIGITAL BACK ISSUES LAST!
Issue 181 Issue 180 Issue 179 Issue 178

Christmas 2019 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019
Video game industry pros help Boost your portrait art skills with Our concept art issue features Kim Jung Gi’s exclusive art graces
you to take your 2D and 3D art the help of Jen Ravenna and Sparth on the cover. Inside is a the cover of our drawing skills
skills to the next level. We explore cover artist Daniel Bolling Walsh. workshop from the legendary issue, which also features pro
Kekai Kotaki’s sketchbook, salute Gain insights on watercolours and concept artist, pro advice from advice on using ArtRage and
the world’s finest concept artists, pencils, and bolster your portfolio Alex Jay Brady, Ben Mauro and SketchBook, an interview with
and speak to legendary art to help you secure a job at Magic: Martin Nebelong, plus we talk to Timothy Von Rueden, and
director Robh Ruppel. The Gathering. Donglu Yu and Ian McQue. Finnian MacManus’ sketchbook.
BUY PRINT EDITIONS

OF IMAGINEFX AT: www.bit.ly/ifxbackissues
44 January 2020
Recent editions
RESOURCES ARE INCLUDED WITH PRINT AND DIGITAL EDITIONS*

September 2019 July 2019 July 2019 June 2019

May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019

January 2019 Christmas 2018 December 2018 November 2018
GET YOUR DIGITAL EDITION
THROUGH THESE OUTLETS:
*Resource files are available from issue 85 onwards.
January 2020 45
Interview
46 January 2020
DJAMILA KNOPF
WHAT I REMEMBER
“This was one of the first
detailed backgrounds I ever
painted and I‘m still pretty
happy with how it turned out.”
ARTIST PORTFOLIO
DJAMILA KNOPF
The artist tells Gary Evans about
practising in secret, losing her artistic
voice and being told to try “proper art”
D
jamila Knopf’s website Not that long ago, it looked like
has a page of FAQs. Djamila was going to quit working on
One of the questions her own craft. Then, when she did
the German illustrator commit to art, she tried to force herself
gets frequently asked is into a style that wasn’t natural. Her
this: can you give me career advice? work became a big success on social
“If you’re an artist wanting to media, but only after practising it in
become a professional,” she writes in secret because the people she initially
response, “I can give you the following shared her work with said it wasn’t
three pieces of advice: 1) Work on your proper art. Behind each piece of
craft 2) Don’t try to force yourself into Djamila’s advice there’s a story.
a style that isn’t natural to you and 3)
Share your work on social media.” WORK ON YOUR CRAFT
Good advice. It’s solid, precise and Djamila doesn’t speak publicly about
applicable to pretty much any line her childhood, except to say it was “the
of work – artistic or otherwise. But kind of upbringing I wouldn’t wish on
MIDSUMMER these three seemingly simple points anyone.” A couple of things got her
“As a child, I used to lie in the grass
for hours and hours, watching come from years of trial and error. through it: one was visiting her
grasshoppers and other animals.”
It’s hard-won advice. grandparents, making fishing
January 2020 47
Interview
GEIST poles, bows and arrows, running

“This is my version of about their garden and exploring the
Yuki-onna, the snow
woman from Japanese surrounding forests, canals and fields.
folklore. I wanted her
face to appear slightly
The other was a group of animated TV
alien and otherworldly.” shows that looked a little different, and
told stories about heroines and magic. COMMUTE
Growing in the 90s, Djamila never “This painting started out with
me wanting to draw penguins
felt connected to her native culture. But and I decided to place them at
she loved anime before she knew it was Shimonada Station in Japan,
right by the sea.”
anime. She was very young when she
started watching shows like Attack
No. 1, about a high school volleyball
team. Djamila loved the show’s main
Moon. She was five when she first saw
it and remembers “being completely
Watching
character and would bounce a mesmerised.” For ages, all she drew YouTube, I got
volleyball off the wall for hours on was Sailor Moon fan art.
end, driving everybody around her These days, Djamila is “very the art education
crazy. Her favourite anime was Sailor schedule-oriented.” She’s up at 8am,
eats breakfast, gets dressed, but there’s I was craving
no great rush. This is one of the perks
of working for herself: she gets to start The app holds appointments and
the day slowly. By 10am, or 11am at illustration tasks, but also things like
the latest, she’s sitting at her desk, birthdays and when to do laundry.
opening her Todoist app and checking Djamila tracks her time on another
what’s needs doing that day. app, Toggl. This helps her work out
how long each task should take and
Artist how long it actually takes.
PROFILE There’s temptation to put all this
down to that old German stereotype:
Djamila Knopf efficiency. But there’s more to it than
LOCATION: Germany that. The first app helps her focus
FAVOURITE ARTISTS: Iain McCaig, Hayao
Miyazaki, Tran Nguyen, Kazuo Oga, Amei Zhao
entirely on art, without nagging
MEDIA: Photoshop, Blender, Alchemy, Copic thoughts about missing her mate’s 30th
Markers, Pentel Poc ket Brush Pen, Winsor & or not having enough clean socks. The
SAILOR MOON FAN ART Newton black ink, Schmincke Acrylics
second app helps separate work and
“This is one of my earliest drawings. I’ve kept because it reminds me of how WEB: www.djamilaknopf.com
much I loved drawing these characters when I was five.” free time. She draws at her sit-stand
48 January 2020
DJAMILA KNOPF
STORY-DRIVEN
ILLUSTRATIONS
Djamila shares tips on how to tell
better stories through your art
“Storytelling is something I’m very passionate about.
In fact, these days I find it difficult to paint something
that doesn’t tell a story. There are two artists I
admire more than any other: Iain McCaig and Hayao
Miyazaki. Incredible storytelling is something they
both have in common. I look at their work and it feels
as though I’ve discovered a missing piece of myself.
I want to create something that can move people
in the same way characters from TV shows
influenced me as a child. There’s such a strong
emotional component that you can introduce to a
piece of art when you include storytelling. It enables
people to connect with your art on a deeper level,
and to immerse themselves in it, because your
personal story can remind them of their own.
I find it a lot easier to start a story when I start out
with a location. If I think of a train station, for
example, I immediately get a couple of ideas what
could be happening there and what characters are
populating the scene. That approach is something
I can recommend for people who are stuck when
trying to come up with stories!
Also, don’t try to come up with ‘clever’ ideas.
There probably are countless paintings of train
stations out there already, but every person has their
own take on it. The design, composition, palette and
mood you choose… that’s what makes it unique.
Finally, I think the basis for successful storytelling
is interaction. That could be a character interacting
with another character, with an animal, with a prop
or with their environment. You could keep it simple:
a kid looking up into the clouds is them interacting
with their environment, and that’s your story. Just try
to have something happen in the scene that makes
WAITING FOR SOMETHING the viewer care – something that they can relate to,
“Growing up, my family never had a car, and whenever
we wanted to go somewhere, we took the train. That‘s even if they’ve never been in the same situation.”
why train stations have a special place in my memory.”
desk – two monitors, a Wacom Intuos

Pro, Photoshop – in sessions of two
hours, then takes a break before getting
back at it. In short, these things help
ensure she’s spending as much time as
possible working on her craft. It wasn’t
always this way.
DON’T FORCE YOUR STYLE

At school and at university, Djamila’s
teachers weren’t particularly fond of
her anime-influenced illustrations.
They suggested she make proper art
(“whatever that means”). This knocked
her confidence. The conflict between
her own influences and the influences
THE SMELL OF RAIN
“This illustration shows
of her teachers meant her art became my character Leigh. I‘ve
had this scene in mind
confused. It had no clear voice. for a very long time and
Unsurprisingly, making a living I actually managed to
capture the atmosphere
from art never seemed possible. I was going for.”
January 2020 49
Interview
She considered art-related authors. It wasn’t enough money to live CROSSING my illustration jobs. I was sure clients
alternatives – graphic design, fashion, on, but it was a start. After her master’s, “I wanted to paint a couldn’t possibly be interested in the
railway crossing, and
makeup – but enrolled in Japanese she went full-time as a freelancer, as I developed the idea, things I liked, so I adjusted to what I
studies at Leipzig University in 2009, working for various publishers and I added the girl walking thought they wanted to see from me.
her dog, as well as the
then switched the following year to art games companies. She tried to mimic ghost-like birds.” But it made me so unhappy that I had
and English education. She completed the style of big-name fantasy artists, to change something.”
her master’s degree in 2017, so she’s a big-name outfits like Magic: the
qualified school teacher. But, halfway Gathering, but realistic rendering SHARE YOUR WORK
through her university programme, wasn’t really her thing. Plus, if she was Djamila was burnt out. She spent
Djamila secretly decided to pursue a months experimenting, questioning
career in illustration.
People freak out over the herself, looking back through old
sketchbooks and returning to her early
ONLINE ART EDUCATION idea of an artist charging for influences. She started over, opened a
She worked on the art her teachers Patreon account, an online store, and
disapproved of by reading books and their time and effort started taking prints and merchandise
watching YouTube tutorials: “I got the to conventions. She was able to stop
art education I was craving and that being completely honest, Djamila taking commercial freelance work and
my school wouldn’t provide. And more didn’t really care about high fantasy. focus entirely on personal projects,
importantly, I learned that there were She’d never read The Lord of the Rings. artwork that meant something to her.
people out there on the internet, She’d never played Dungeons & This new career path wouldn’t have
thriving and making a living doing the Dragons. She was trying to force been possible without social media.
kind of work I was always told was herself into a style that wasn’t natural. Djamila believes her audience – over
inferior and childish.” “Being told that my personal 300,000 followers on Instagram alone
Still at university, Djamila’s aesthetic wasn’t good enough – helped her get a book deal and
DeviantArt page attracted illustration throughout my education probably teaching work with Schoolism (“my
commissions for books by indie made me apply the same mindset to education degree won’t completely go
50 January 2020
DJAMILA KNOPF
GAMEBOY FAR AWAY

“I love the simple
“This is an homage to the elegance of origami
days I spent playing Pokémon animals, so I decided to
on my Gameboy. I started out incorporate them into a
with the red edition and drawing, They have
chose Charmander!” something magical
about them.”
to waste!”). The problem with posting SPRING

online is that her art is constantly “One of my favourite
ink drawings. I always
reposted without credit, and it’d be a enjoy characters
full-time job chasing down everybody chilling out with their
animal companions.”
who did it. The other thing is self-
promotion – still a bit of taboo for
artists. Some people get annoyed when
Djamila promotes a new project,
especially if she’s charging money.
“Nobody expects a plumber to fix
their sink for free, yet people freak out
over the idea of an artist charging for KNIGHT OF WANDS
“This is a tarot card I painted. It’s about
their time and effort. It’s something being daring and adventurous. Instead
that a lot of artists are deeply of depicting a literal knight, I decided to
go with this representation.”
uncomfortable with because they
January 2020 51
Interview
HIDE
“I enjoy masks as a
symbol for a facade
that you put on – to
hide behind or to take
on a new identity.”
don’t want to intrude or come SUNDAY AFTERNOON

across as demanding or greedy. “This one started out
with me wanting to
“I don’t worry about that. This is my paint a girl walking her
job and I constantly post artwork dog, and I decided to
set the scene in front of
without asking for anything. I think, in a little ramen shop.”
return, my followers should be able to
forgive me for promoting something
every once in a while. I still put a lot of
effort into making the posts visually
pleasing and I only put the info in the
caption. People can easily ignore it if
they’re not interested and don’t need to heartwarming, especially since too much, that she’s in danger of
get offended. The ones that do are the drawing at her desk all day can get burning out again?
ones I don’t want around anyway.” lonely. She also makes time for events “It seems like a lot, but the different
as often as possible, meeting up with elements build upon each other and
HEARTWARMING FEEDBACK ENCOUNTER other artists and art enthusiasts. She work together seamlessly,” she says.
But Djamila mostly enjoys social “I painted this scene in recently started a Drink & Draw group But the most important part is making
winter. I always enjoy
media. Talking to followers, getting using the weather as in Leipzig, a city that she feels is new artwork. That’s how I’m able to
their feedback, reading that she’s an inspiration because currently buzzing with creative energy. share content through Patreon and to
it has a big effect on
brightened people’s day… it’s my mood.” But does Djamila worry she’s doing make prints and merchandise that I
can bring to conventions and put up in
my online store.
“I’m in the fortunate position where
everything I create is personal work.
I’ve have a couple of long-term projects
I started and I enjoy jumping around
between them. I don’t want to force
myself to continue working on
something that I’m not excited. This
freedom is what I love most about my
job and it is what keeps me motivated.”
PUTTING ADVICE INTO PRACTICE

Back to Djamila’s advice: “1) Work on
your craft 2) Don’t try to force yourself
into a style that isn’t natural to you
and 3) Share your work on social
Who am I to
deem something
worthy or
unworthy?
52 January 2020
DJAMILA KNOPF
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
“I used to collect branches to make
fishing poles out of them. Of course, EVOKE A SENSE
OF WONDER
I never caught anything with just a piece
of string and no hook or bait.”
Djamila’s nostalgic illustrations stem in

part from taking a child’s viewpoint…
“When it comes to describing my art, the short
version is: ‘I create illustrations that evoke a sense of
wonder and nostalgia,’ because these are the themes
that are most apparent in my work. I didn’t come up
with it myself. It’s just what people have been telling
me over and over again. My goal is to create images
that feel as if they’re taken from animated films – with
a backstory that the viewer can explore.
My illustrations usually start out very vague. I use
Pinterest a lot (www.pinterest.com/djamilaknopf)
and I have a ton of boards with images that inspire
me. If something sparks an idea, I develop it further
by browsing more related images and by writing
down word associations. I have a document on my
phone that includes a list of illustration ideas that I
eventually want to get to and develop further. Right
now, among them are “ghost children” and “girl on a
train with headphones” – just to give a few examples.
That description is pretty much the extent of it at
the moment. The character design, set design, colour
palette and composition are all things I’m still figuring
out. I use a lot of references for a single illustration
because I don’t want to stick too closely to a single
one. For poses, I usually shoot my own reference,
because it’s a huge help with anatomy and lighting.
I find myself gravitating to themes such as nature
in concrete and magic in the mundane. I enjoy
images that are peaceful, contemplative, and bright
and colourful, so that’s what I want for my own work.
The feeling of nostalgia comes from the way I paint
the world. I want to show it through a child’s eyes:
more pure, vibrant and magical than it actually is.”
media.” Like all the best advice, it’s

easy enough to und erstand, but not
so easy to put into practice. So how do
you know when you’ve made it? How
do you know when you’re making
good art, when you’re making
something that’s worthwhile?
“I don’t like describing art as good or
bad because it’s all incredibly
subjective. Who am I to deem
something worthy or unworthy? So
instead of trying to be a ‘good’ artist,
I think it’s a healthier mindset to try to
simply be honest and open.
“None of us are ever going to reach
technical perfection because it simply
doesn’t exist. And there’s always going
to be someone ‘better.’ So instead, just
PAGE OF WANDS strive to be yourself and to channel
“This tarot card stands
for creativity, your personal experiences and
enthusiasm and influences through your work. That
confidence, and so
I decided to show an level of personal connection is what’s
artist at work, because going to make the art stand out more
that’s what I associate
with those concepts.” than anything else.”
January 2020 53
PROFILE
Andrei Riabovitchev
LOCATION: England
Russian-born Andrei
studied engineering in
Moscow, but then found
his way into the animation
industry, gaining
experience in the many different
stages involved in making an animated
film. In 2008, Andrei moved to the UK
and began working in the film and VFX
industry. He’s been a part of many
interesting projects as a concept
artist, including The BFG, Aladdin,
Wrath of the Titans, X-Men: First Class,
gh som e of his The Wolfman and the Harry Potter
es us throu films. Andrei is currently working as a
con cept a r ti st tak

nd Yu ri G agarin! freelance artist.
turned imals a
www.artstation.com/andrei
an ima to r r tra its , a n

The
, w h ich feature po
sketches TIGER FACE
“I love drawing “It’s great to draw a person
animals! They have so using interesting lighting, but the
much personality. most important thing is that there’s
Sometimes they look emotion in their face.”
like humans.”
KIKIMORA
“There’s nothing TOP
HUT MAN
wrong with paper and
pencil if they’re the only
tools you have. The “I love doing studies. There
most important thing should be something in
is to have fun.” a photo that inspires
me to draw.”
54 January 2020
Sketchbook Andrei Riabovitchev
WINTER
“Sometimes I name my
sketch by the time of year:
winter, spring, summer or
autumn. Otherwise, I’ll
just put the date.”
There’s nothing
wrong with paper and
pencil if they’re the
only tools you have
January 2020 55
INKTOBER
STUDY
“When I do a sketch,
I don’t think about
accuracy lines. For me
it’s better to work
when the lines
are messy.”
LEDA
“When you look at a
drawing you should feel
something; it doesn’t
matter how detailed
your sketch is.”
LEICESTER The way the sun

GAGARIN SQUARE
“He was the first
man in space.
“I was on my way to work and
the way the sun came out just
came out just after
Apparently, my father
studied as a pilot in the
same college and
after the rain had stopped was
magical. People were still
carrying their umbrellas. First,
the rain had stopped
same year as
Yuri Gagarin.”
I took a photo, then
I drew it later.” was magical
56 January 2020
SPRING
“Drawing for me is
like meditation. I can
draw for hours
and hours.”
January 2020 57
AMY
“My best creations
are my children. I love
drawing them!”
Sometimes
STUDY I do sketches just
“I love the oriental
style. There’s an ancient
feel to it. I’ve forgotten
to understand the
that feeling since living
in a busy city. subject further
58 January 2020
GRACE
“For a final drawing or
SAMURAI
painting, it’s important to
have a sketch first.”
“Sometimes I do
sketches just to
understand the subject
further. Sometimes I just
go with the flow, with
my heart leading
the way.”
RIOT
POLICE
“You can never do too
much drawing.”
Do you want to share your sketches with your fellow ImagineFX readers? Send us an email with a
selection of your art, captions for each piece and a photo and bio of yourself to sketchbook@imaginefx.com
January 2020 59
TICKETS
ON SALE
NOW
27 – 28 FEBRUARY 2020 | OLYMPIA LONDON
Book your place at www.vertexconf.com
BROUGHT TO YOU BY #vertexconf

GET YOUR
RESOURCES
See page 8 now!
Workshops assets
are available…
Download each workshop’s resources by turning to
page 8. And if you see the video workshop badge,
you can watch the artist in action, too.
Advice from the world’s best artists

62 76
70 This issue:
62 Paint ethereal
character art
Fatemeh Haghnejad colours and
lights a fantasy character.
70 Paint a low-
light portrait
See how Bryn G Jones gives his
portrait that late-night feeling.
76 How to organise
a chaotic scene
80 Bayard Wu controls movement,
contrast, light and colour.
80 Core Skills:
Flame Painter
Explore the effects software’s
interface, with Harvey Bunda.
84 Create better
surface textures
Mike Corriero applies specular
highlights to his sea creature.
January 2020 61
Workshops
Procreate
Illustrator Fatemeh Haghnejad (aka BlueBirdy) reveals how she

designs, colours and lights an atmospheric character in Procreate
For this character of this lovely magazine. You’ll also ideas, but in the end it turned out to
Artist
workshop I’m going to see how, as a full-time freelance be quite difficult for me to finish
PROFILE explain every step of artist, I develop and grow an idea for the piece. The experience ended up
Fatemeh my creative process, an illustration with my client and being more about patience and
Haghnejad including my painting how I follow a set progression of maintaining the excitement of my
LOCATION: Norway
techniques and highlighting the key steps while sticking to the brief. ideas as the illustration progressed.
Fatemeh works from her brushes I use in Procreate. I’ll share Speaking of which, the ImagineFX I found that I had to work hard to get
home studio in Oslo, how I take the illustration from very team gave me the best subject matter past the frustration of messing up
creating art for children’s
books, films and games. rough sketches, to loose thumbnails for an illustration: “Paint a young and feeling stuck. I think these little
www.bluebirdy.net and then all the way through to the female elf.” I found it easy to be battles are all part of the craft as
final render, ready to go on the cover inspired and come up with some fun much as anything else.
GET YOUR
RESOURCES
See page 8 now!
2 Cover thumbnails
I write down keywords that spring to mind as
I create thumbnails of the character who will eventually
Create loose facial studies appear on the ImagineFX cover: green, elf, red, happy,
1It all starts with a brief. The ImagineFX team asks me to illustrate a female elf, playful, contact. I use these prompts to generate small
who will appear on the cover of the issue. The character is to be around 20 years old, sketches, focusing on drawing interesting poses. I want to
with a charm and beauty reminiscent of Hollywood superstar Audrey Hepburn. capture a moment from the character’s life, like a candid
I produce some loose studies, which helps me become familiar with the actor’s snapshot taken during their day. Using this approach can
distinctive facial features and her characteristic gaze. help to make my characters feel real and rounded.
62 January 2020
In depth Ethereal character
January 2020 63
Workshops
Working up the selected sketches

3 I send the drawings to the ImagineFX team for approval. They choose two sketches for me to take further, so the next step is to turn them
into worked-up sketches. The team wants to compare the two and see which one works better on the cover.
PROCREATE
DEFAULT BRUSHES:
BURNT TREE
Useful for adding texture

to a painting – in this
instance the skin.
6B PENCIL
Breaking up the colouring process

This pencil brush is ideal
5 This stage is made up of a few key steps, the first of
for creating clean line-art
Getting to know the drawing which is to create the silhouette. I’ll also take this
for an illustration. 4 In the end the team chooses the sketch that was my opportunity to choose my base colours. These initial steps
NIKKO RULL favourite, which makes me very happy. I really connected enable me to focus on the character and helps me to keep
with it during the thumbnail stage. the painting process clear in my mind. I add the
Taking it to the line-art stage is more than just cleaning individual base colours on different layers, which means
Acrylic is my favourite up the drawing. It’s a chance to get to know the drawing each element can be easily selected and adjusted when
medium and this brush and to become fully aware of every detail, so that you’ll necessary. This type of planning ahead can take some
mimics it well.
know what’s involved once it’s time to start painting. time at the start, but it always pays off later on.
64 January 2020
In depth Ethereal portrait
Isolate elements in the art

5 I carefully separate elements such as the face, hair
and dress, and then use Procreate’s Clip Mask function to
attach them to the silhouette layer. I’ve discovered that
taking this approach means less cleaning up is required at
the end of the painting process. I still strongly connect Generating tones and textures
with my traditional art background, so for a long time 6 I start on the face, using flat colours to pick out details that I want to
I felt these types of digital painting techniques were emphasise. I select Procreate’s default Nikko Rull brush and add my base colours,
slowing me down compared to working with traditional before switching to the Inked Blink brush and drawing key facial elements such as
media on the canvas. However, I’ve come to learn how the eyes and eyebrows. I then go back to the Nikko Rull to go down through the
these techniques can actually save me time. layers and add some texture, using a slightly offset colour to make the tones vibrant.
Directing the painting’s atmosphere

7 Now I’m thinking about emotions in the scene. I want to push a happy, relaxed atmosphere so I use bright orange and green colours that
convey the light and shadow of a gentle afternoon. I’m keen to capture that feeling of a moment suspended in time. I also add the strongest light
source because I want the artwork to feel painterly, drawing on my experience as a traditional painter to keep control of the creative process.
January 2020 65
Workshops
Developing the lighting in the scene

8 To offset my strong greens and oranges I choose a desaturated purple coming into the scene as a blooming light. Because this light affects
the entire scene, the plants will give off a green light as the sunlight passes through the leaves, and this is important to get into the piece. After
I add the colours with a heavy hand, I go back over with a Smudge tool using the Grunge brush to blend and make the transitions. As a final part
of this step I began limiting my darks, because I know the art will appear on the cover, and it needs to be bright and eye-catching.
Constructing the background The leaves act as a framing device for the character: their cast shadows
9 Inverse selecting the character’s silhouette means I can work on help me darken the parts of her that feel a little busy.
the background without worrying about the figure’s edges. I use the Next, I select the white of the background and build up colours to
Lasso tool to select the leaves, painting them in light green tones to imply it’s a sunny afternoon. I add texture using the Nikko Rull brush
echo the happy colour motif of the character, then use a Blur filter to and play with saturation and juxtaposed colour tones. I treat the direct
make them recede into the background so they don’t distract from her. light as initially cold, becoming warmer once it hits objects in the scene.
66 January 2020
In depth Ethereal portrait
10 Rendering the artwork

The first thing I do as I commit to the rendering
stage is to colour my line-art. This helps it to blend into
the painting more easily, in turn aiding the process of
turning a coloured drawing into a painted picture.
Now that the painting is nearing its finish, I want to try
and bring everything together into one lovely package.
My next step is to merge everything into one workable Fixing minor mistakes
layer. I copy and paste them so I still have the individual 11 At this point every little mistake in the artwork start to become obvious. For
layers underneath, but from here on in I treat the painting example, I notice that her ear isn’t sitting on her head correctly, so I use Procreate’s
as a single image. Of course, keeping the original layers Warp tool to grab the point of the ear and pull it closer to her face. I use the Recolor
means I can still go back and select individual elements tool a lot during this step, too. It’s a good way of changing colours and trying out
for working on, and make use of those clean outlines. new ideas that come to you during the creative process.
12 Adding texture to elements

I go back to my traditional roots here as well, using
Procreate’s Stucco and Pencil brushes to add texture. I
draw a myriad of lines to wrap around the various forms
such as the clothing, skin and hair, which soon adds
depth to the character. It’s a great way of creating a solid, 13 Now it’s over to you!
Once I’m happy with the level of texture in the painting I call it finished and
finished feel in your artwork. Another great Procreate hand it in to the ImagineFX team. Feel free to use the techniques I’ve explained here
brush to use is Burnt Tree, which produces especially in your own work, and share the results with me on Instagram using #bluebirdy.
good results when detailing the character’s skin. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
January 2020 67
Next month
Artist and
instructor Oliver
Sin shares his top
tips on how to
draw heads.
68 January 2020
Next month
Get better
at anatomy
Discover new techniques for human and
animal anatomy in our next edition!
All this… and more!

Cool creature Procreate 5 The secret life Gary Villarreal
anatomy tips workshop of freelancers sketchbook
Master artist Aaron Get the most out of An insight into The US-based
Blaise details how the latest brushes what artists do concept artist and
to form and build with Brazilian artist when they’re not illustrator shares
better creatures. Raf Sarmento. creating art. his scribbles.
ISSUE 183 ON SALE IN THE UK 31 December 2019

January 2020 69
Workshops
Photoshop
PAINT A LOW-
LIGHT PORTRAIT
Bryn G Jones walks through his creative process of multiplying values
and lifting blacks to help give his portrait piece that late-night feeling
When exploring I start the painting with a photo to navigate away from the canvas.
Artist
colour, working with a reference that I use to study anatomy Setting stylus pressure to Opacity will
PROFILE close range of values and the behaviour of light. The enable you to make slight
Bryn G Jones forces the artist to give colours in the final piece evolve from adjustments when rendering. Ensure
LOCATION: England more consideration to the colours of the photo by utilising that the Pressure doesn’t change the
Bryn is a small press art the slight variations in hue, the different blending modes in the brush’s size. When selecting the size
book publisher, saturation and brightness. With the Layers panel. Many aspects of this of your brush strokes, go as large as
professional portrait
artist and board game
majority of the painting being dark photo will be carried into the final possible. Don’t start covering areas by
illustrator who’s based and muted, there’s an opportunity piece, so I choose the photo carefully. scribbling back and forth – be bold
in London. here for me to experiment with There are a few techniques that will and cover as much area as you can
https://ifxm.ag/bgjones
impactful highlights without the give you an advantage when applying with each stroke. This will force you
GET YOUR need to push highlighted areas to the paint. Using hot-keys to access the to think more carefully about how
RESOURCES
their extreme states. Eye-dropper tool will reduce the need you apply the paint.
See page 8 now!
PHOTOSHOP
CUSTOM BRUSHES:
FLAT BRUSH
To describe form and mix

colours. Stylus pressure
is on Opacity.
BROKEN/DRY BRUSH
This helps make my

digital work feel like an
oil painting.
MARKER PEN
Gather your references Create the line work

I use this brush to get the 1 My partner has posed for me under a harsh 2 When I’m painting I’ll need the line work to tell me
line work down at the
start of the painting.
spotlight. I’ve angled her face carefully in the light. I where to place the initial strokes. As much as I love
All of these brushes can wanted her eyebrows to cast a shadow over her eyes, and drawing, I want to skip straight to painting, so I quickly
be bought from I wanted the light to catch the chin very slightly. I play trace the key features of the face on a layer above the
https://ifxm.ag/gr-set.
with the shadow shapes as I take my reference photos. photo. I set the line work layer mode to Multiply.
70 January 2020
In depth Low-light portrait
January 2020 71
Workshops
Study the light

4 Not only do I look at where the mid-tones and
Lay the flats quickly highlights are placed, I study where they transition into
3 I create the initial stages of the painting very quickly. With the Brush tool each other. Some transitions are slow and smooth – like
selected I press Alt to bring up the Color Sampler tool – this will really speed up the on the cheeks, and some transitions are fast and sharp
process. I would advise that 75 per cent of the painting should be completed within such as on the sides of the nostrils. I flip the canvas
the first 25 per cent of the time. horizontally to highlight areas that need adjusting.
Paint over the lines

6 The line work is useful for the initial stages of the
painting, but I’ll merge the lines down on to the same
Play with the hair layer as the brushwork. The timing of this merge is
5I paint the hair with large brush strokes. The way the brush strokes fade into important. I don’t want to merge them too early because
the background gives a sense of motion. I avoid painting strands and focus on the things might start to drift as I paint. And I don’t want to
main shape and direction of the hair. I’ll paint a few strands across the face towards merge the pencils down too late because it can be a timely
the end of the piece, but I don’t consider strands of hair to be a priority. process to conceal them.
72 January 2020
Multiply with blue Lift the blacks

7 Now I start to create the low-light feel with a couple 8 Another quick yet crucial part of achieving the muted, low-light aesthetic is to
of tricks. The first trick is to create a new top layer, fill it lift up the blacks. I create another top layer, fill it with dark brown and change the
with dark blue, and change the layer mode to Multiply. layer mode to Lighten. I don’t change the Opacity of this layer. Instead I play with its
I often reduce the Opacity of this layer because the effect Hue, Brightness and Saturation to control how this layer affects the image. You can
can be quite overpowering. find these sliders under Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation.
Creating the character’s mask

9 To create the mask I use the Polygonal Lasso tool
and select the shape of the mask. I deselect the eye-holes.
Instead of applying paint, I increase the brightness of the 10 Developing the highlight effect
With portraits like this, I like to replicate that feeling of being in the city at
selected area and give it a pink tint. This is all done within night. The highlights work really well against the dark backdrop. On a top layer,
the menu bars under Image>Adjustments>Levels and I place a photo of a city at night and change the layer mode to Lighten. This is a free
Image>Adjustments>Color Balance. photo from www.pexels.com so there won’t be any issues with usage rights.
January 2020 73
Workshops
Create a layer mask to manage the highlights

11 To control how much of this highlight layer is visible, I hit the Layer Mask button on the Layers panel. With the Layer Mask selected, I can
paint white strokes to reveal the highlights, and black strokes to conceal them. By default, the Layer Mask will be solid white with everything
visible. I fill the Layer Mask with black at first and then paint the white/revealing strokes.
74 January 2020
12 Refine the brushwork

There are a few areas that need more work. I work
my way around the painting and compare it with the
original photo to iron out any mistakes. To check for 13 The composition of detail
Your viewer’s eye will be attracted to areas of detail, so most of the work needs
errors, I keep flipping the canvas horizontally. I also zoom to go into the subject’s face. The painting will also feel more alive with broad,
out from the painting – traditional painters apply a sweeping strokes. On the shoulders and hair I use a few large strokes, making sure
similar technique by stepping back from the canvas. the most detailed area is around the mask and nose.
14 Apply a canvas texture over the top of the painting

One of my signature moves is applying a canvas texture to the finished piece. This is a high contrast image of a canvas, pasted on to a top
layer, set to either Overlay or Soft Light, and with its Opacity at 15 per cent. I’ve always enjoyed giving my digital work a traditional feel.
January 2020 75
Workshops
Photoshop
HOW TO ORGANISE
A CHAOTIC SCENE
Discover how Bayard Wu controls movement, contrast, light and
colour as he paints a fight scene from his personal art project
76 January 2020
In depth Chaotic scene
This work comes from

my personal series:
Ms Hammer and Orc
Girl. It’s a series of
illustrations telling the
story about two young women – one
is a dwarf, the other an orc.
In contrast with other illustrations
from this series that show armies
clashing on vast battlefields, this
work depicts a much smaller fight
taking place in a harpy’s nest.
However, there are still 10 harpies
attacking Orc Girl, and I know that
I need to take a number of key steps
to maintain clarity in the artwork.
First, I want to keep the focus on
Orc Girl while composing the
different and aggressive movements
of each figure in the scene. Next,
I need to convey the feeling of chaos
while making all the harpies
readable. Finally, I want to develop
Artist the depth of space within the nest.
PROFILE These are the technical problems
Bayard Wu I want to solve in this work. However,
LOCATION: China I’d also like to convey more details
Bayard is an illustrator
about the story, such as revealing the
and concept artist with a environment of the harpies, and
passion for strong exploring the different characteristics
compositions and story
telling. He’s spent over a
of each creature through their
decade working on a movement and expressions. These
range of game projects. factors will take time to address, but
http://ifxm.ag/bayardwu
I know I’ll enjoy the process!
January 2020 77
Workshops
Focal point
A FRENZIED ATTACK Orc Girl’s red hair and shadow on her body
make her the initial focus of the image. Using
a strong colour is a simple way to create the
focal point. It’s more difficult to keep it in
balance with the scene’s overall hue, though.
Strong V-structure
The movement of this fleeing
harpy, Orc Girl and the attacking
harpy on the other side of our
heroine create a strong visual
element in the composition. It’s
the spine of the image. All the
other characters work around this
big ‘V’, and there are other hidden
Vs in the scene, too.
Directing the viewer Skull elements

This highlight on the harpy’s light blue The viewer’s focus now falls on the pile
skin helps to take the viewer’s eye from of skulls. There are details, movement,
the face of Orc Girl, but then releases it shadows and light, and warm and cold
because there’s not much detail here. colours here, but little contrast.
78 January 2020
In depth Chaotic scene
How I create…
RELATIONSHIPS,
DEPTH & DETAIL
Generate depth
Composition layers create depth, but when
these layers contain lots of densely placed
elements, it can led to chaos and confuse the
viewer. I’ll generate contrast using different
colours, shadows, light, and warm and cold
colours to help me avoid this situation.
Deciding on the composition

1 I spend a long time designing the pose of each
character and their relationship with one another.
When you draw one figure, you need to jump into
the scene to see what everyone else is doing. Then
you can see which elements are superfluous.
Depth techniques
2 I choose a cold, dark hue for the environment
around the nest. A warm spotlight creates contrast
between the blue feathers and golden leaves. The
depth is not only created by layers, but also by the
contrast between cold and hot, and dark and light.
Details and focus

3 Adding details is a given, but bear in mind that
Hidden details it’s more important to hide such details than show
I like this foreground area. It takes up a large
part of the image, but you hardly notice it.
them. Controlling the details enables you to control
You’ll find many small details when you the viewer’s focus. They’ll also be pleased to
study it. It’s just another subtle way of discover any hidden features in your artwork.
introducing storytelling into the scene.
January 2020 79
Workshops
Here’s Harvey’s take on Chandra Nalaar, a

Planeswalker from Magic: The Gathering.
Her pyrotechnic skills have been brought
to the fore with Flame Painter.
80 January 2020
Core skills Flame Painter
Core Skills: Part 1

INTRODUCTION TO
FLAME PAINTER
In the first instalment of his series on effects software Flame Painter,
Harvey Bunda shows how to navigate the program’s interface
Flame Painter is a Flame Painter celebrated its 10th layers. All these new features can be
Artist
standalone paint and anniversary this year, and has been applied to a range of creative projects,
PROFILE particle effects package my go-to effects program for such as poster pieces, character
Harvey Bunda that enables you to illustrating particles and – perhaps studies and card game art.
LOCATION: Philippines quickly and easily unsurprisingly – fire effects. Initially, Thanks to its powerful effects
Harvey is Gunship create original paintings, light effects, the program was limited to engine, Flame Painter has been part
Revolution’s creative unconventional designs or fantastic simulating cool-looking flame of my creative toolbox for years and
director and co-founder.
He’s produced artworks
backgrounds. This software from effects, but over the years it’s evolved I’ve used it on every project I’ve been
for Marvel, Hasbro, Escape Motions expands on the and version 4 introduces a raft of involved with in the games industry.
Mattel, Lucasfilm and possibilities of digital painting, innovations, such as new Particle In this series I’ll be showing you how
Wizards Of The Coast.
www.harveybunda.com
providing you with a range of life-like Systems, procedural brushes with to get the most from the software,
organic brushes that will help you to limitless customisation features, starting with an introduction to the
enhance your artworks. and expanded options for vector interface and key tool panels.
Set your canvas size in

this panel. You can also
change its orientation
and its resolution here.
Choose 300dpi if your
work will appear in print
or on posters.
Launching Flame Painter

1 When you open Flame Painter you’ll be greeted by the New Artwork window, where you’ll be able to set the size of your canvas and its
resolution. You can also open an existing artwork – choose these from the left-hand side of the window.
January 2020 81
Workshops
Workspace
Tools panel Navigator
Properties panel
Brush Creator
Colour
Brushes panel settings
Layers
The user interface

2 On the left-hand side is the Tools panel where you can
access all of the program’s tools. The Properties panel sits below
this and enables you to edit the behaviour of your brush, You can change the Particle settings in the Properties panel,
including its Size, Blending and Opacity settings. and determine how your particles will behave on your canvas.
From your selected

brush, the Brush Creator
panel will show you the
settings of the current
brush. Here you can
make your own brushes!
Configure the properties of your brushes in the Brush Creator panel

3 Here you can edit the properties of your selected brush and at the same time set how the particles will behave. You can also save your brush
settings via the right-hand corner of the Brush Creator panel window, or reset the settings to their defaults.
82 January 2020
Core skills Flame Painter
Here you can access

the familiar blending
options of your layers.
The Color panel and the Layers panel

4 You can access the Color panel and adjust the hue, saturation and value settings of a selected colour. On the Layers panel you can access the
various blending options that can be used to adjust how the effects appear on the canvas.
FPA is the native file

format for Flame Painter.
Flame Painter You can also save

supports PSD files, your artwork as a
enabling you to transparent PNG file,
switch between the if you hide the black
program and layer under your
Photoshop for default Flame
maximum flexibility. Painter document.
Saving your painting for working in other art programs

5 When saving your file you can choose from the usual standard image file formats, including PSD and TIF – ideal for exporting into other
painting programs. At the same time Flame Painter also has its own file format – FPA – enabling you to natively save your art .
January 2020 83
Workshops
Photoshop
CREATE BETTER
SURFACE TEXTURES
Mike Corriero shows you how to design and colour a fantasy sea
creature, and then apply specular highlights to make its skin appear wet
This workshop is an go some way towards enhancing the the design itself to surface skin
Artist
introduction to colour, skin’s wet appearance. texture – part of this workshop – and
PROFILE but more importantly This workshop will also cover its backstory. Ask yourself where it
Mike Corriero will explain and show atmospheric depth and how to pose lives and what it eats, and this will
LOCATION: US you how to create an a creature with complex anatomy. I’ll lead into how it hunts down prey.
With 16 years of interesting skin texture. In addition be explaining my methods to help You’ll want to think about how the
experience as a freelance you’ll learn about highlighting wet you improve your workflow when anatomy plays a part in the animal
concept artist and
illustrator, Mike excels in
skin and how bright areas of colouring and rendering the creature. design as it traverses its habitat,
original creature design. highlights produces a wet look. I’ll also show methods on providing which could be a murky swamp, a
He’s had several Wet skin doesn’t always have to be more form to your work and large freshwater lake, and even a
workshops published in
books and magazines
smooth and you’ll discover how to generating a colour scheme that flowing river. The anatomy is geared
around the world. provide both bumpy skin texture works well in the environment. around the environment type and
www.mikecorriero.com with wrinkles and smoother areas There’s a lot to consider when what this creature needs to have to
GET YOUR
with specular highlights, which will concepting an original creature, from successfully live there.
RESOURCES
See page 8 now!
RESOURCES
PHOTOSHOP
CUSTOM BRUSHES:
HORIZFLATTIP-KNIFE
Used for painting most of

the creature’s surfaces
and background areas.
SPLOTCHY
The water splash and

water-mark effects were
created with this brush. Preliminary sketch exploration Final sketch
HORIZ-FLATTIP-
1 Using real-world animals such as the otter and ram 2 When working out the final sketch I try to
LOWGRIT for inspiration are great ways to understand the anatomy, incorporate just enough detail so that I can envision what
but also to gain some ideas on how to include aspects into the coloured version will look like and produce an
your design. Studies of real animals create the basis for interesting and strong silhouette. If I’m working on water-
Most of my mark making any believable creature concept. Here I’ve gone through based creatures I’d rather show it hanging in mid-air and
here was made with this some different heads and played around with the tail provide the appearance of it being under water. This helps
palette knife-style brush.
swirling upwards to produce an interesting look. supply a clear vision of the creature in its habitat.
84 January 2020
In depth Surface textures
January 2020 85
Workshops
Develop a strong silhouette

Starting out simple 4 One of the best things about working this way is
3 To create a strong colour scheme, I’d advise using a relatively light colour and that once you outline the drawing, you can constantly go
a darker tone close together on the colour wheel. For the creature’s ram-like horns back to that layer to reselect the outline to quickly make a
I’ve blended a photograph into the drawing. This saves time and provides a more range of changes and enhancements. The silhouette is an
realistic look to the angles, together with little surface details. important part of design and illustration.
Shadows, highlights and form

6 I’m slowly building up the lighting by separating
forms of the creature with some shadow here and there,
and making a start on the specular highlights on the face.
At this point, enough of the creature’s body is broken up
into lights and darks to make it read clearly. I’ve darkened
Lay down the base texture some of the shadows because this creature is going to be
5 When working on the very base of the creature I like to supply some minor underwater and also because I’m setting up the skin tone
texture details, so the entire image doesn’t look too smooth or flat. At this stage you and base colour for a wet look with specular highlights.
can see that I’ve added a bit of brush texture to give the skin a subtle bumpy effect. Remember that you’re going to work in some other tones
This ensures that as I continue the rendering process, I have something to work with and colours from the environment, and will also have to
and areas aren’t left completely untouched. account for bounce lighting.
86 January 2020
Use a vignette instead of depicting a complex environment

7 Rather than paint an entire scene, I prefer to paint a vignette hinting at what type of environment this creature lives in. This helps focus on
the design while also enabling some bounce light to come from the habitat. You can even add bubbles, debris and other fish swimming about.
Atmospheric depth
8 I’m keeping the silhouette outline as a separate Water brush splashes
element for now, but at this point I’m adding some colour 9 My fun custom brush, which I’ve called Splotchy, mimics wet splashes of
swirls and brush strokes to the vignette. This also helps watercolour paint. I like using it for shapes and will often warp them to create swirls
me to push some elements back further in the space, such or motion effects. This helps add interest to the background as both a visual effect
as the opposing forelimbs, tentacles and tail. and environment element.
January 2020 87
Workshops
10 The right way to approach custom brushes

You don’t want a custom brush that delegates the direction of a design based on shapes. Custom brushes work best when created for
specific painterly purposes, design processes and even graphic design within character environments and clothing. Play around with brush
shapes, Size, Spacing and dual brushes and textures. You’ll often find that a brush which mimics graphite may make it easier to sketch digitally.
Pay attention to light and form

11 Don’t forget that although what we’re painting has a focus on specular highlighting due to the wet skin type, remember how the forms are
broken up with basic lighting. If you take a look at the horn, you’ll notice how lighter tones appear where the lighting is hitting them, but then
within those regions you have even brighter areas, little shadows and other details.
88 January 2020
12 Approaching colour focus

I add violet and purple patterns on the creature and 13 Understanding highlights
Highlights and lighting in general can go from dull to bright shiny dots, all of
around key anatomical areas such as the eye, fins, neck which depend on surface texture. Is it smooth, bumpy, wet or dry? Wet surfaces –
region and even stretching a bit into the antennae. With whether slick or bumpy – will still pick up highlights in the form of specks.
experience, you’ll learn how to take two colours and then Although these specks break up into dots and oblong shapes of light, they absorb
add bounce lighting from the environment, core shadows, most of the lighting in the scene. Water is a natural light reflector, much like a
fading colour or atmospheric haze. This and the prior mirror. Every raised point of a form will gather large and small specular highlights
stages have helped me set up what comes next. based on the form, the location of light and surface texture.
14 Final touches and one last lookover

I have a checklist of things I look for before calling an image finished. Does it feel alive? Do any areas look stiff or awkward? Does it contain
enough balance and variation in the values and level of detail? Does it interest me enough to want to find out more about it? If necessary, I go
back and refine the details, and fine-tune the focal points and general composition. Once you’re happy and feel comfortable calling it complete,
then you know you’re finished and have done a good job.
January 2020 89
Artist’s
Choice Award
Art resources with a five-star
rating receives the ImagineFX
Artist’s Choice award!
The latest art resources are put to

the test by the ImagineFX team…
PRODUCT
5
ON TEST S
SOFTWARE
92 Painter 2020
With 2020 being shorthand for perfect
vision, does this mean Corel has delivered
its best-ever version of Painter?
94 Fresco
We assess Adobe’s efforts at blurring
analogue and digital mediums as it
challenges similar art tools.
97 Framed Drawing Techniques
BOOKS Start using your art to tell engaging stories,
96 Harryhausen: full of passion and emotion.
The Lost Movies
Explore the archive of the stop-motion 97 The World of IT
pioneer and discover his feature films that Take a behind the scenes look at the recent
didn’t make it to the big screen. cinematic adaptations of Stephen King’s IT.
RATINGS EXPLAINED Magnificent Great Good Poor Atrocious
January 2020 91
Artwork by Jesus Viveros
Reviews
Painter’s traditional media
Painter 2020
engine enables you to scrape,
push and blend your oils.
FRESH COAT With its version number also being shorthand for perfect
vision, does this mean Corel has delivered its best-ever version of Painter?
Price £360 (upgrade from previous version, £180) Company Corel Web www.painterartist.com
ow in its 29th year, Corel’s software experience, and gain insights Consolidated Library panels, together
N flagship painting software

provides a raft of new and
updated painting features,
on how best to upgrade your system.
The previous version of Painter had
a cluttered workspace that often
with tool icons that change
appearance depending on your setting
choices, create the impression that
as well as interface improvements. interrupted your creative flow. Painter Corel’s developers have acted on
And its one-off price tag will appeal 2020 now only displays the feedback from artists.
to artists who want to avoid going configuration options that are relevant Painter 2020’s slimmed-down Brush
down the subscription software route You can quickly identify to your chosen tool, which results in a Selector displays sub-categories of
wherever possible. all the installed brushes more streamlined interface. Clever brushes, where you can view Dab and
that will benefit from
Painter 2020 aims to get the most GPU acceleration. grouping of settings within pop-out Stroke previews at a glance. Previously,
from your hardware with the new you’d have to hover your cursor over a
Brush Accelerator tool. This assesses brush to display its Dab shape. The
your system and then applies optimal Brush Selector is highly configurable,
performance settings. Stamp brushes enabling you to display more or less
benefit from GPU acceleration, and you information in the software’s interface.
can choose which brushes receive a As you become more used to the
hardware boost. Corel states you can software we imagine you’d be able to
Artwork by Michelle Webb
“paint up to 20 times faster” with its pare back the interface significantly.
Brush Accelerator, and we certainly
noticed a reduction in lag when COLOUR CONVENIENCE
painting with traditional media brushes. How you choose colour in the software
You can also use the tool to adjust CPU has also been given an overhaul. The
performance to improve the overall highly customisable Universal Color
92 January 2020
Art tools Software
IN FOCUS
ALTERNATIVES
Artwork by Bo Ara
TO PAINTER
Consider these three cheaper
options to Corel’s flagship software
Rebelle
Web www.escapemotions.com
Price £70
If you’re keen to explore

traditional media on the digital
canvas, Rebelle is a significantly
cheaper alternative to Painter. Its
standout feature is its watercolour
engine, developed under
The latest version of
guidance by artist Peter Blaškovic.ˇ
Painter adjusts the
choice of harmonious
colours as you paint.
Krita
Web www.krita.org
Price Free
The Stroke tab contains

options for using
perspective guides and
the Mirror Painting tool.
Artwork by Harvey Bunda
Krita is a professional-looking
program that enables you to
animate as well as paint with its
100 default brushes. It features a
The new Color Harmonies tool Features
Q Performance
highly configurable interface,
powerful vector tools… and is
displays colours that are harmonious to optimisation options
QImproved interface
QRefined Brush
absolutely free!
your current choice, across six modes Selector tool

QNew colour
ArtRage
selection tools
QMirror and
Web www.artrage.com
Wheel has a standard look across all rather than revolution. Right-clicking perspective tools Price £62 (cheaper if upgrading)
tools. There’s now a preview feature, or Cmd-clicking a layer displays a pop- QOver 900 default
brushes across 36
while the slider controls are coloured. out contextual menu with a range of categories
QStreamlined layer
You can also pick your colours using options, which is preferable to having palettes
hue, saturation and value, choose to to access them through the main QBrush Dab and
Stroke previews
pin or unpin the wheel, and even set Layers menu. The options to collapse, QEnhanced library
the wheel in left-handed mode. The lock, select and paste layers are all panels
new Color Harmonies tool displays time-savers that will further streamline
System
colours that are harmonious to your your creative process. Requirements
PC: Windows 7 or 10,
current choice, across six modes Overall, it’s clear that Corel has Intel Core 2 Duo or
ArtRage has a similar layer system
including analogous and taken a three-pronged approach in its AMD Athlon 64 X2 to Painter, and its traditional
CPU, 2GB RAM,
complementary. This feature will latest version of Painter. Tackling how 1.2GB hard disk space
media engine works well once you
benefit both aspiring and pro artists in you paint and how you control the Mac: OS 10.13 or OS get the hang of the paint effects. If
10.14, Intel Core 2 Duo
helping them to achieve the best software, coupled with the ability to CPU, 2GB RAM you’re upgrading from a previous
colour choices in their artworks. configure the best performance from version then it’s significantly
Rating
Layers are a staple of digital art, and your hardware setup, has resulted in a cheaper than Rebelle.
in Painter 2020 it’s a case of evolution slickest version of Painter to date.
++++
January 2020 93
Artwork by Tamaki Terasawa
Reviews
Fresco’s interface is simple and
Fresco
intuitive, making it easy enough
for beginners to get cracking on
APP the canvas quickly.
KEEPING IT REAL This is Adobe’s attempt at blurring analogue and

digital mediums, but does it do enough to challenge similar art tools?
Price Free for six months, then £10/month for the Premium version Company Adobe Web ww.adobe.com
resco is a decent new makes them so appealing to artists Layers in Fresco enable
you to better manage
F drawing tool, which mimics

some of the best elements
of other fine art apps.
and why most digital art programs
miss the mark widely by being too
synthetic or not blending colours well,
your painting, and adjust
certain elements.
However, the software is marred by with paint sitting flatly in layers.

its pricing model, and is slightly While Fresco makes a good start,
underwhelming when compared to with the watercolour brushes working
other established apps. particularly well, it does feel a little
Fresco starts as a free six-month underbaked. First-time users and
Artwork by Kyle T Webster
trial, after which time you’ll have the onlookers will no doubt watch on in
option to upgrade to the paid-for awe as the paint mix and watercolour
version. Yet at £10 a month, Fresco is a bleed into one another on their tablet
high price for hobby artists and non- screens for the first time. However, if
Adobe users in a busy and established you’re an experienced artist, it’ll feel
market where one-off payments for much like a polished but basic option.
apps are the norm. But as part of a
Creative Cloud subscription, it’s LIVE PAINTING The program’s Pixel
another fine tool in the Adobe family. Fresco falls particularly short in its
Oil painting and watercolours are a
tactile, messy pastime. It’s this
most talked-about selling point: the
much-hyped Live Brushes. For those
brushes is where Fresco has
malleable, evocative danger that new to art software, Fresco’s new made the best start
94 January 2020
Artwork by Kyle T Webster Art tools Software
Artwork by Aiko Fukuda

There are options to configure Fresco’s Live
Brushes, depending on the medium you’re using.
Fresco can run on a Procreate. That said, the lack of text

Wacom Mobile Studio
Pro, as well as a good and animation options means, for
selection of Surface many creatives, Fresco will still have to
and iPad models.
buddy up with other programs to
finish the job.
INTUITIVE LAYERS
The option to blend vector, live and
pixel brushes is excellent, and the way
Fresco automatically picks a new layer
As you’d expect, the when doing so is very welcome for
Brush panel can be artists who tend to get into the flow of
detached and placed
Artwork by Kyle T Webster
anywhere on-screen. the piece and forget to do anything

with layers until it’s too late.
This feature will be popular with
artists who have to switch between
apps continuously. This pixel/vector
trick isn’t a new one and has been seen
in Affinity, but the addition of the Live
‘living’ brushes will seem wondrous Flow is determined by pressure alone Features Brushes does set Fresco apart. If
QCompatible with
and an exciting party piece as they aim and not by how much paint is on the Photoshop brushes Adobe can build on this feature and
to replicate real-world mediums. brush. Subsequently, the paint Q1,000 default Kyle T add more depth to the live brushes
Webster brushes
When one delves deeper it’s clear strokes never run out unless you lift QOil and watercolour along with more vector controls and
brush engine
these brushes need more work and the stylus off the screen, meaning QVector and raster
brushes it could start to become a
options to make them living like other those beautiful mistakes and thick brushes daily driver for creatives
QCustomisable
apps such as ArtRage, Expresii and splodges of real oils can’t be interface
If Fresco was a one-off payment of
Rebelle. Watercolours in these apps achieved. There’s no palette knife (as QSelection, mask and £6.99 then we wouldn’t be having the
layers
blend, spread and interact with can be found in ArtRage) to cut into QAuto cloud syncing discussion about whether to buy it or
textures and the tilting and wetness of the chunky paint, either. not – it would be a no-brainer. A fine,
System
paper in a far more believable and The program’s Pixel brushes is Requirements fun tool to have, which could be
unharnessed manner. Loaded with oils, where Fresco has made the best start. Windows : Surface invaluable for many and handy for
Pro 4, 5 or 6, Surface
the Adobe brushes lack depth, sheen, The brush collection out of the box will Book 1 or 2, Surface others. However, with the
Studio 1, or 2, Surface
lighting and texture, producing suit a range of drawing and illustration Go, Wacom Mobile
£10-a-month subscription model, this
artwork that seems a little dead or fake styles, from comic and inking through Studio Pro is too much for most when a creative
iOS: iPad Pro, iPad Air
next to its real-life counterparts. to chalk and painting. Each brush feels (3rd gen), iPad (5th
may only need one killer brush or
There’s only one option for canvas well thought out and can be tweaked and 6th gen), iPad mini feature within it. This will obviously
(5th gen) running iOS
texture, which can be toggled on or to suit most styles. The ability to 12.4 or higher. change as Adobe develops Fresco,
off. The lack of paper textures, which import Photoshop brushes is exciting but right now it’s just awesome for CC
Rating
should affect the paints flow and and shows a clear path for future users, rather than an invaluable one-
drag, result in a bland uniformity. development which could, in time, rival
+++ stop tool for all.
January 2020 95
Reviews
Ray Harryhausen’s Ray’ vision for War

Doré-inspired concepts of the Worlds stayed
for the unfilmed Valley close to the original
of the Mist. story’s ideas.
Harryhausen: The Lost Movies

STOP PRESS Explore the archive of the stop-motion pioneer and
discover his feature films that didn’t make it to the big screen
Author John Walsh Publisher Titan Price £30 Web www.titanbooks.com Available Now
ay Harryhausen is famous to This includes imagery that predates
R millions thanks to his

peerless use of stop-
motion animation. But
1933’s King Kong, which is often
considered the ground zero of Ray’s
interest in animation.
while you may remember his skeleton To help give his sprawling career
fight from Jason and the Argonauts, some structure, Harryhausen: The Lost
or Clash of the Titans’ fearsome Movies breaks his professional life
Medusa, this book reveals that plenty down into predominantly decade-
of Ray’s ideas didn’t come to fruition. sized chunks. Each potential film is
In a star-studded filmmaker’s further sub-categorised into projects
foreword, we learn that unmade films that didn’t make it to screen, footage
aren’t a rare occurrence. Ray himself that was edited out of the final release,
had more than 70 unfinished films to and finally films that he didn’t want any
his name. And with the help of the involvement with.
archive of the Ray and Diana
Harryhausen Foundation, this book
charts the history of those projects.
In some cases imagery
Having dabbled with animation and
filmmaking since he was a teenager,
and test footage from these
there’s plenty of material to examine. lost films still exists Ray’s alternative designs for a giant space beast that
causes havoc in the film 20 Million Miles to Earth.
Unused ideas are always going to better picture of how these sequences
excite the imagination because they’re would have looked with the help of
unable to let the viewer down. And sculpts and behind-the-scenes photos.
given the high quality of Ray’s work, Given that we’re presented with
you know they would have been storyboards and character design
impressive. Notable ‘what-ifs’ include sketches made by Ray himself, there’s
an adaptation of War of the Worlds lots to learn from here. Anyone looking
and character designs for the Morlocks to bring to life their own monstrous
in the 1954 Time Machine film. creations would do well to study why
In some cases imagery and test he wrote-off certain ideas. It’s a unique
footage from these lost films still way to trace an artist’s career, and
exists, while in others all we have is a gives the reader a new perspective on
Ray working on the 1949 film Mighty Joe handwritten note or a record of an work that’s otherwise familiar.
Young. The book reveal concepts of agreement. As for ideas that were left
RATING ++++
ambitious scenes that were never shot.
on the cutting room floor, we get a
96 January 2020
Inspiration Books
Framed Drawing Techniques

MOTION PICTURES Discover how you can start using your art to tell engaging
stories, full of passion and emotion, with the help of these in-depth lessons
Author Marcos Mateu-Mestre Publisher Design Studio Press Price £23 Web www.designstudiopress.com Available Now
or graphic novel artist and
F film art director Marcos

Mateu-Mestre, technically
accomplished drawings can
sometimes be missing an ‘invisible
layer’ of passion and emotion. These
qualities can make an image that
much more fascinating for the viewer.
In this guide, Marcos demonstrates
how he brings together technical
precision with creativity to tell stories
with his illustrations. He also reveals how his methods can aid you with And while the information in its
visual storytelling. pages is useful, the layout and
Split into four chapters, this drawing progression of the book is a little
guide covers inks, pencils, digital tools haphazard. The rather thin-on-the-
and using greys. Sometimes it’s ground digital chapter doesn’t do it
difficult to know who this book is any favours either. But for experienced
targeting because each section starts artists looking to spice up their
with rudimentary drawing advice, portfolio or explore new techniques,
Marcos Mateu-Mestre
addresses space, depth before quickly ramping up to exercises there’s a lot of expertise to enjoy.
and perspective to that demand a strong grasp on
create dynamic flow
in this composition. perspective and anatomy. RATING ++++
The World of IT
CLOWNING AROUND Face your fears by taking a behind the scenes
look at the recent cinematic adaptations of Stephen King’s IT
Author Alyse Wax Publisher Abrams Price £30 Web www.abramsbooks.com Available Now
ith many films, the art accompanied by drawings and
W department is just another

area of the production that
needs to be managed. Not
storyboards from the director. And
watching them evolve through
different iterations and concept artists
so with the IT films. That’s because gives you a valuable insight into how
their director, Andy Muschietti, is an the films were made.
artist himself, and his sketches That being said, it’s puzzling that
helped to shape the look of the films. each film didn’t get its own book.
This could be why the book isn’t There seems to be plenty of material
pitched like so many ‘art of the film’ Andy Muschietti’s to chew over, and some sections feel a
releases. The IT movies are inherently sketch of a fateful little uneven. We get plenty of
meeting between
artistic and their development is two key characters. character designs of Pennywise in its
demonic form, for example, but
comparatively little insight into how its
clown appearance was shaped.
Perhaps leaving us wanting more –
like all decent horror films – is a good
sign, though. The World of IT will serve
as a source of morbid fascination for
both fans of IT and artists in general.
Pennywise the clown takes the form of a spider in
RATING ++++ this concept artwork created by Carlos Huante.
January 2020 97
I« x‫׎דِא׏گ‬ٜ‫בבڟ‬ٜ‫באڡ‬ I« x‫דאِ׏׏گ‬ٜ‫ואڟ‬ٜ‫דאِ׎אڡ‬ I« x‫חחِחگ‬ٜ‫׏אڟ‬ٜ‫ח׏ڡ‬
EVERY 3 MONTHS EVERY 3 MONTHS EVERY 3 MONTHS
THE PERFECT GIFT

FROM JUST £7.50
*
I« x‫׎דِוگ‬ٜ‫ח׏ڟ‬ٜ‫ח׏ڡ‬ I« x‫חחِחگ‬ٜ‫זאڟ‬ٜ‫דאِ׏אڡ‬ I« x‫׎דِחگ‬ٜ‫׎דِד׏ڟ‬ٜ‫ח׏ڡ‬

EVERY 3 MONTHS EVERY 3 MONTHS EVERY 3 MONTHS
ORDER ONLINE AT
www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/xmas197
*TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Savings calculated against the full RRP (single issue price x frequency). You can write to us or call us to cancel your subscription within 14 days of purchase. Payment in
non-refundable after the 14-day cancellation period unless exceptional circumstances apply. Your statutory rights are not affected. All gift subscriptions will start in January 2020. Prices correct at
point of print and subject to change. Full details of the Direct Debit guarantee are available upon request. For full terms and conditions, please visit bit.ly/magtandc. Offer ends 31 December 2019.
GET YOUR
RESOURCES
See page 8 now!
Workshops assets are available…

If you see the video workshop badge then you can watch the artist
in action. Turn to page 8 to see how you can get hold of the video.
Traditional Artist
Inspiration and advice from the best pro artists
104 100
This issue:
100 Traditional art FXPosé
Explore this month’s selection of
the finest traditional art, which
has been sent in by you!
104 Workshop: Build up
vibrant watercolours
By taking a layering approach to
her portrait art, Margaret Morales
is able to enhance the intensity of
her watercolours.
110 114
110 Core Skills:
Drawing techniques
Timothy Von Rueden concludes
his series by explaining the
power and benefits of working
with confidence and detailing.
114 First Impressions:
Bryan Mark Taylor
This artist and tutor is keen to
capture emotions in his art.
January 2020 99
Traditional Artist FXPosé
SHOWCASING THE FINEST TRADITIONAL ARTISTS
Agnieszka Wencka
LOCATION: Poland MEDIA: Oil paint WEB: www.agnieszkawencka.pl
“When creating a picture I initially follow some

generalised impressions, but the majority is created in
the course of the painting process,” reveals Agnieszka.
1 LIGHTNESS
“An innocent face and a calm background
as a contrast to the blue entanglement. I often
present an unreal combination of forms;
sometimes covering or forming a character.”
2 THOUGHTS
A symbiosis of copper and blue tangled
ribbons representing thoughts or emotions
that embrace and sometimes overpower.”
3 TRANSIENSE
“The subtle face contrasts with the wavy,
blown elements. I find it a powerful
combination of calmness and energy.”
4 MOMENT
“Despite the dense, tangled elements
and rich texture, the grey background brings
out the yellow parts. I wanted to capture an
elusive moment suspended in time.”

Inspirational art

Traditional Artist FXPosé
Daniel Zrom
LOCATION: Spain MEDIA: Oil, graphite, ink, watercolour, egg tempera WEB: www.danielzrom.com
Daniel encountered miniature painting and Tolkein at a young age, and was
later bewitched by Pre-Raphaelite works. “I learnt traditional painting
techniques, and continue to blend fantasy and reality in my art.”
1 3
1 MR. JIMENEZ
“This was a tribute to the Old Master José Jiménez
Aranda. And it was an excuse to have fun with different
fabric textures within a limited palette.”
2 STONECRACKER
Coming from a
faraway land, Grunt is
3 THE FAERIE
QUEENE
“I was lucky enough to
4 THE SPOON THIEF
“This was a great
chance to explore
to be feared by his paint this little life-size naturalism in my art and
enemies! I loved royal portrait. I’ll always become obsessed
painting the different treasure the time I was about old, historical
materials and textures.” allowed to be with her.” clothing fashions.”

Inspirational art

Traditional Artist Workshop
104 January 2020

In depth Vibrant watercolours
Watercolour
BUILD UP VIBRANT
WATERCOLOURS
MARGARET MORALES uses painting software to create a strong foundation for her
art, before taking a layering approach to enhance the intensity of her watercolours
W
atercolour is an falling star accompanied by magical from sketching ideas to the final
enjoyable medium birds who help her grant wishes. I’ll artwork. I also want to show you how
to work with be drawing her so that she’s locked I use both digital and traditional
because of the faces with the viewer during her tools to help improve my workflow.
different ways it descent. I want her face to convey Finally, I’ll be sharing my colouring
can be manipulated and the unique friendship and calmness. The flowing process, explaining how I achieve
effects it creates. It’s always been my lines that surround her help present vibrancy and contrast in my
preferred medium because I can the movement and flow of the watercolour paintings.
experiment and seamlessly blend environment. I think the subject is Margaret is a Filipino artist
colours by just letting watercolour perfect for painting with watercolour who’s known for her stylised
work its magic. because of the organic theme. watercolor portraits in surreal
Since I love drawing women in Additionally, the character’s glow will settings, featuring flowing
fantastical and dreamy settings, for
GET YOUR create an interesting atmosphere. lines and vibrant colours. Her art depicts
RESOURCES
this workshop I’ll be creating a starry In this workshop, I’ll be explaining the mysterious tales of women in a dream-
maiden emerging from an abstract my creative process on how I create like state, and you can see more of her
See page 8 now! work at www.margaretmorales.com.
representation of the sky. She’s a this kind of watercolour illustration,
January 2020 105

1 Sketching the idea

Before I begin the drawing, I make
2 Draw and scan the line art
After sketching my initial line art on
3 Edit the composition digitally
Next, I take the image into Procreate
several small sketches or studies to help me paper, I scan the drawing, ready for additional and ensure the face proportions are correct
visualise the concept. I draw elements editing. By transferring the drawing to the and the composition is balanced. I change the
separately or write them down if necessary. digital format, I’m able to make any major positioning of elements and draw any extra
Having these sketches help me focus on the adjustments easily. In this example, I adjust details or backgrounds if necessary. It’s
silhouette of the character, its movement and the contrast in Photoshop, clean any lines and important that I address any issues during the
the overall look of the piece without having to set the image to black and white, which will preliminary stage to avoid any complications
focus on perfecting the lines and details. make it easier to trace later on. during the traditional painting stages.
4 Transferring the line art to watercolour paper

I print the final line art and use a lightbox to trace the drawing on to watercolour paper. The digital references serve as my guide while
tracing, in case I don’t clearly see the lines due to the paper thickness. I then refine the traditional drawing to make it look more like the original.
106 January 2020

5 Working on the colours

To help me identify the right colour combinations
and colour placement, I first paint them digitally. This
6 Creating colour swatches
Next, I test my colour choices on watercolour paper and make swatches of
makes it easier to know the direction of the light and the the ones I’ll use for the painting. I don’t do this on all my illustration projects, but
points of interest that I need to highlight. I chose having a colour swatch guide makes it easier for me to work on the painting without
complementary colours to achieve the highest contrast having to constantly figure out what colours to put on each area. I can also see how
possible so the figure stands out from the background. it’ll appear on paper because the treatment is different from its digital counterpart.
MATERIALS
PAPER
Q Arches 140lb cold-
pressed paper
PAINTS
Q Winsor & Newton
Professional
Watercolours
Q Mijello Mission Gold
watercolours
BRUSHES
Q Trekell Protégé
Round
Q Tintoretto Kazan and
Bronze Synthetic
Q Raphael 803
Quill Mop
OTHER TOOLS
Q Pentel 0.3
mechanical pencil
8 Working on one section at a time Q Acryla Gouache
7 Applying the base colours

I wet the paper with clean water to make the paint
Going back to my colour swatches, I work on the
details of the lightest areas first: the character’s face and
White
Q Finetec Arabic Gold
flow freely. Then I start by applying the lightest wash of the feathers. I focus on painting the sections with similar SOFTWARE
the yellow base colour first. Not only does this add an shades, which helps to make the gradation look more Q Photoshop
underlying tone that helps unify the painting’s natural. I use the wet-on-wet technique to create the Q Procreate
appearance, it also sets the mood of the painting. seamless blending of the colours.
January 2020 107

10 Define the illustration through line work

I like to paint over my lines using small brushes to
9 Building up the colours

When the lightest areas have been established, I apply thin layers of the
ensure that the shapes or the character look more visible
and defined. I also use watercolour for lining because it
greens and blues, making sure they blend over the yellow to show the continuity of makes these elements appear more natural and closer to
the gradients. I also determine what colours will be applied on each section. the colours around them.
12 Letting watercolour work its magic

What I love about watercolour is that it creates
amazing effects without having to constantly control it.
11 Adjusting the colour intensity

I begin filling in each section, adding more layers and using less water to
On some areas of the illustration, I just let the colours
disperse and enable the watercolour to work its way
make the colours appear more saturated. Once the previous layer has dried, around the wet areas. It creates an organic texture and a
I continue to work on the shadows to build contrast and establish a visual hierarchy. unique effect to the painting.
108 January 2020

13 Enhancing the facial features

To add more focus to the face, I bring out the main features by working on the smallest details of the eyes and adding vibrant make-up to
make them stand out. I soften some edges to give her face a rounder shape and add highlights to further define the lips and cheeks.
14 Further rendering
I continue to define the shadows and highlights
wherever necessary, to give the painting more depth.
15 Finishing touches
I’m almost done and happy with the overall look. I finish by adding some
I regularly check the whole image to see what white gouache streaks to enhance the movement of the falling stars, and gold
adjustments are needed to pull the composition together. watercolour paint for extra sparkle and texture.
January 2020 109

Traditional Artist Workshops
Core skills: Part 5

HOW TO MAKE
CONFIDENT MARKS
TIMOTHY VON RUEDEN concludes his series on drawing techniques by explaining
the power and benefits of working with confidence and detailing
T
he final instalment in my I’m not saying that you have to be MATERIALS my drawing abilities. You can never
series on core drawing confident all the time but rather to predict when you’ll make strides in
PENCILS
techniques will focus on trust yourself more and believe in your art, but you can control how
Q HB 0.2mm Orenz
the importance of being your intuition. You have a unique yellow mechanical
hard you work at it. This can lead to
confident while you work voice. It’ll show when you put that pencil you possessing a positive mindset
and what that means. As artists we’re pencil on paper if you allow yourself Q General Kimberly because of that. Be diligent and be
often insecure about a range of issues: to draw without limitations. traditional pencils honest. You’ll be able to share your
who we are, our skill level, how hard Here, I’ll share some of my advice ERASERS voice, but first you have to find and
we work, for example. When you on the matter, because I’ve seen my Q MONO Sero eraser know it yourself.
work from a place of fear, your art own style and skill level evolve over Q Kneaded eraser Timothy is a travelling
will reflect that. the years primarily when I’ve felt the SURFACE independent artist showing
In all my years of teaching, it’s the most confident in myself. This often Q Strathmore Mixed and selling his work at
students who find their inner takes time over a longer duration, Media Paper conventions across the US.
confidence are the ones that progress. and I’m still growing and harnessing See more of his art at www.vonnart.net.
1 Trust your intuition

I’m sure you’ve experienced times when you feel really good when
you’re drawing and it just flows. Time flies by and your piece is coming
together effortlessly. I believe this is when you’re trusting your intuition most
and letting it run the paper. You have a unique sense of where the drawing
should go and that gut feeling is often the best sense of direction!
This piece was a

result of working
slower, but smarter.
And in the end it was
more time-efficient
and less stressful.
2 Work with intention

I was told long ago to never hesitate when drawing and
to create lines with intention. I would learn over years of
This was a recent piece that didn’t have any Sometimes a piece just grows from practice how this would lead to drawings with cleaner strokes
direction or reason – it just felt right and flowed. a starting point and creates a
These pieces remind me that trusting intuition finished illustration that you end up and stronger illustrations. Avoid “chicken scratching” and if you
can create wonderful works! being very proud of! need to slow down, take it easy and draw with intention.
110 January 2020

Core Skills Drawing techniques
I spent the most time

creating this piece then
I ever had before drawing,
totalling over 80 hours.
With over 300 hands,

I knew going in that it
would take a lot of
time and effort, but
the end result is
beyond worth it!
3 Accept that sometimes it’s a marathon, not a sprint

Some of the best pieces throughout art history have taken months, even years to finish. So don’t get discouraged when something seems
to take you longer or ends up being a larger idea to execute than you initially planned. Stray away from instant gratification pieces and work on
drawings that feel purposeful, even if they may take plenty of time and energy to do so.
I have zero problem erasing an area, even if

I spent hours on a section. If it bothers you,
correct it right away.
4 Resist trying to cover up errors with detailing

If you notice a proportion that’s off or wonky anatomy, don’t try to make it look okay with polish and detailing. Correct your noticeable
mistakes promptly. Never leave a piece feeling dissatisfied that you can spot the errors. It’s a bad habit to get into, so I advise breaking it early!
January 2020 111

Traditional Artist Workshops
It can be scary to create from a vulnerable

place, but the best risks have the ability to
result in the best rewards! We all do art to
connect on some level. Whether it’s to
connect, feel understood, or share in your
ideas, be sure to be honest!
5 Share your truth and connect with your audience

We all have our own life experiences and media outlets that funnel to create our taste. That influences what we want to share with the
world. I’ve found my greatest strides as an artist have been when I look to my own life experiences and create work from that. People can feel
your honesty and that’s where a deeper connection is made.
112 January 2020

COMPUTER
ARTS
NEW
ISSUE
NEW
LOOK
Includes: three A4 art

card prints by ground-
breaking creatives
On sale 6 December
SUBSCRIBE NOW AND SAVE UP TO 66 PER CENT
http://bit.ly/ca-subscription
Traditional Artist Interview
First Impressions
Bryan Mark Taylor While the cathedral was burning
This artist and tutor I was struck by how sad yet
hauntingly beautiful it was. It
is keen to capture reminded me of Turner’s work The
emotions in his art Burning of the Houses of Lords and
Commons, and knew at that
moment the emotions I was feeling
Where did you grow needed to be captured in paint.
up, and how has this
influenced your art? What are your painting rituals?
I grew up in Utah I’m an impulsive painter and like
and my passion for to jump into a painting with little
painting came in part from spending pre-planning and a lot of energy,
my childhood outdoors. The red usually with epic movie score music
rock desert of southern Utah is one playing in the background. Later on,
of the most enchanting and alien- I’m much more thoughtful and
looking places on the planet. careful about my composition. At
this stage of the painting, I listen to
What, outside of art, has most science, technology and history
influenced your artwork? books and find many of the subjects
When I was 19 I lived in Italy for a discussed by the authors becoming
couple of years. Being exposed to the a part of my work.
works of the Renaissance was an eye-
opening experience and fostered my How is your art evolving?
desire to learn from the Old Masters. I’m always trying new ways to apply
It also gave me the travel bug that’s the paint. These days, I’m more
led me to exotic places around the interested in the way I paint rather
world, seeking inspiration from a CYCLONE CITY level classes even though I was in than the subject being represented.
variety of cultures. “This piece was inspired by the grade school. The dean helped me It’s the abstraction and power of
kelp forests off the coast of
California. The tides keep the cultivate a love of drawing from life suggestion I find most stimulating.
forests in constant movement
Does one person stand out as being and I wanted to capture a
as well as the imagination.
helpful during your early years? similar feeling in a kind of What’s the most important thing
organic machinery.”
I had the chance to study drawing at What was your first paid that you’ve taught someone?
an art academy in Salt Lake City commission, and does it stand as a I’ve taught hundreds of art students
when I was in the fifth grade. The representation of your talent? over the years both privately and at
dean of the school took an interest In 1995 my high school started a the college level, and the one thing
in my work and put me in college- tradition where they would buy one I’m most proud of is teaching
students deliberate practice
Being exposed to the works methods. I believe learning how to
master one’s craft is as important as
of the Renaissance was an knowing what to master.
eye-opening experience What advice would you give to your

younger self to aid you on the way?
piece a year from the student who Study the fundamentals of great
won the top art scholarship offered design and composition, do
by the state. I was fortunate to win hundreds of master copies, and don’t
the commission that year and have concern yourself with fluffy
the first piece in the collection. techniques or questions about style.
A painter, lecturer, entrepreneur and world
OFF-PLANET MINING What’s the last piece you finished, traveller, Bryan is a true renaissance man.
OPERATION and how do the two differ? His work is found in private, corporate and
“I regularly drive past a gravel
mining operation near my home The most significant painting I’ve museum collections around the world. You
and wanted to capture some of completed this year depicts the can discover more of Bryan’s work by
the industrial mood in a more
atmospheric setting.” recent tragic fire at Notre-Dame. visiting www.bryanmarktaylor.com.
114 January 2020

9000 9001

ImagineFX January 2020 Issue 182

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ImagineFX January 2020 Issue 182

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

ImagineFX January 2020 Issue 182

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

FREE!

4 EXCLUSIVE VIDEO TUTORIALS + CUSTOM BRUSHES

New ways to paint ethereal portraits

Welcome to… EDITOR’S CHOICE Three of my top

Our workshop section is an

From darkness comes light

Sign up for our newsletter!

Discover how to Artist reveal their 100 Best Typefaces

News and events

46 Interview: Djamila Knopf Artist Portfolio Artist Portfolio

70 Paint a low-light portrait

84 Create better surface textures

Ethereal character art Flame Painter

104 Workshop: Build up

110 Core Skills: Drawing techniques

114 First Impressions:

Getting hold of this issue’s videos and custom

Paint an ethereal figure in Procreate

2 Find the files you want

3 Download what you need…

We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from

PLUS 8 CUSTOM BRUSHES, INCLUDING…

HORIZFLATTIP-KNIFE SPLOTCHY LOWGRIT

“My priority is to work as a storyteller,” says freelance illustrator and concept

3 LONG JOHN SILVER

Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx January 2020 11

Concept artist Alfonso works in advertising as an illustrator, but also loves to

12 January 2020 Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx

Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx January 2020 13

14 January 2020 Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx

Concept artist, 2D animator and director Malcolm draws from a range of

1 NEO SHANGHAI SLUMS

Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx January 2020 15

© D-verse Publishing LLC

4 SKROMT RPG COVER

16 January 2020 Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx

Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx January 2020 17

18 January 2020 Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx

in this piece. I also wanted to

3 PEOPLE OF THE LORDE

Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx January 2020 19

20 January 2020 Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx

Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx January 2020 21

AT THE CORE OF THE DIGITAL ART COMMUNITY

“I like to interact and share

“There’s nothing I love more

What traits do successful

It’s like going to the gym to sculpt

“Events and conferences are

“Talent is a gift you need to assemble

“Sharing my work online began as fun, but also

Setting goals, of course, isn’t

How do you stay motivated in

Is success about personality,

How important is it to be able

“Creativity is a miracle,” says

artists, and perceives this not as a media effectively is also becoming

I see creativity as a giant

“Getting a job takes time. It doesn’t