Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist

Front Cover
Andrews McMeel Publishing, Oct 20, 2009 - Art - 224 pages
An award-winning fantasy artist and the creator of Dinotopia, James Gurney instructs and inspires in Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist. Renowned for his uncanny ability to incorporate amazing detail and imagination into stunningly realistic fantasy settings, James Gurney teaches budding artists and fans of fantasy art step-by-step the techniques that won him worldwide critical acclaim. This groundbreaking work examines the practical methods for creating believable pictures of imaginary subjects, such as dinosaurs, ancient Romans, alien creatures, and distant worlds.

Beginning with a survey of imaginative paintings from the Renaissance to the golden Age of American illustration, the book then goes on to explain not just techniques like sketching and composition, but also the fundamentals of believable world building including archaeology, architecture, anatomy for creatures and aliens, and fantastic engineering. It concludes with details and valuable advice on careers in fantasy illustration, including video game and film concept art and toy design.

More than an instruction book, this is the ultimate reference for fans of science fiction and fantasy illustration.

"Gurney's Imaginative Realism is a gold mine for artists who want to create images that sing with authority and delight the viewer with rich otherworldly visuals." --Erik Tiemens, concept artist, Star Wars: Episodes II and III

"Imaginative Realism is an indispensable, flawless reference for vision makers in any discipline to create their own imaginative realms." --Frank M. Costantino, ASAI, SI, FSAI, JARA, cofounder, American Society of Architectural Illustrators

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Contents

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Copyright

Common terms and phrases

acrylic Allosaurus angle animals architecture areas artists background Brachiosaurus brushes C-stand canvas mounted character charcoal charcoal comprehensive color sketch composition costume creature dark detail dinosaur Dinotopia edge elements fantasy figure film final painting Giganotosaurus Glory Lane gouache head Howard Pyle human idea illustration images imagination impasto Irish elk J. C. Leyendecker James Gurney Jean-Léon Gérôme Journey to Chandara light line drawing look magazine maquette mounted to panel Museum N. C. Wyeth National Geographic Oil on board Oil on canvas Oil on panel oil paint Opposite Bottom Opposite Top painters paperback cover Pen and markers photograph picture polymer clay pose pterosaur Published in Dinotopia reference scanpath scene science fiction sculpted shadow shapes silhouette skeleton sketchbook skull story storyboard surface texture thumbnail sketches tonal tone paper usually vehicles viewer vignette visualize Waterfall City wing World Beneath York

About the author (2009)

James Gurney's unique blending of fact and fantasy has won him worldwide critical acclaim. His work has been featured in one-man exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution, the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Maison d'Ailleurs Museum in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, and the U.S. embassies in Switzerland and Yemen. He lives with his wife Jeanette in the Hudson River Valley of New York State.

Bibliographic information

TitleImaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist
Volume 1 of James Gurney Art Series
AuthorJames Gurney
PublisherAndrews McMeel Publishing, 2009
ISBN0740785508, 9780740785504
Length224 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Art / General
Art / History / General
Art / Study & Teaching
Art / Subjects & Themes / Science Fiction & Fantasy
Art / Techniques / General
Art / Techniques / Painting
  
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