Editor’s letter

Welcome to… EDITOR’S CHOICE Three of my top

picks this month…

40

Hello there. When I was reading

through Carlo Arellano’s
workshop (see page 74), I gave
out a squeal of delight on
discovering his method for
projects. He explains that he Pascal Blanché interview
Pascal’s work is brilliant and unmistakable. It was great
approaches every new design to find out more about the man behind the art.
with the acronym F.A.C.T.S.
where F stands for form, A is for 66
archetype, C is for characterisation, T is for tools,
and S refers to its silhouette. He follows this guide
to make sure his art achieves its aim. This speaks to
me. I’m a bit of an organiser and planner myself –
I love a good list.
I kept noticing even more prepping when reading
through the mag… in Anya Jo Elvidge’s workshop
(page 66) she explains how she starts with a mood
board to help see the direction to take. Ashline, our Step into a gorgeous environment
sketchbook guest this issue, takes off to a café for an Delve into the happy place created in 3D then finished in
hour a day to sketch people. She has created a daily Photoshop by video game artist Anya Jo Elvidge.
routine to help bolster her skills.
How about you? Do you have a plan – no matter
80
how big or small? If you could write a list of aims,
what would that list say? It might be a good exercise
for you to think that over. Let me know what your
thoughts are.

Editor-in-chief
claire@imaginefx.com Surreal portraits
Irish lecturer Ken Coleman shares his insightful process
into using a variety of tools to create artwork.

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Contents
Your art 40
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE!

10 FXPosé
Submit your artwork for a chance
to become Artist of the Year!

News and events

22 Find work through social media
Social media can help you get work, but
only if you approach it the right way.

32 Artist in Residence:
Christopher Lovell
This artist balances work and parenthood
while being surrounded by 80s nostalgia.

52

Sketchbook: Ashline
Artist Portfolio “No day is really
Features
40 Artist Portfolio: Pascal Blanché PASCAL the same, and no
production is like
BLANCHÉ
We speak to the French artist with a
colourful career in games, and an even the next one”
more colourful body of work. Pascal on art directing’s appeal
52 Sketchbook: Ashline
Nature and emotions serve as inspiration 22 32
for this self-taught French illustrator.

Regulars
3 Editor’s letter
4 Print subscriptions
8 Resources
38
39
Digital subscriptions
Letters 1,000
50 Recent editions
64 Next month Artist in Residence:
Find work through social media Christopher Lovell
86 Sign up for our newsletter

6
 Issue 191

66 74
Workshops
60 Use dynamic lines in your art
Pietmaen reveals how curves and lines
can generate visual impact.

66 Paint over a 3D environment

Video game artist Anya Jo Elvidge uses
Photoshop to bring a 3D setting to life.

74 Storytelling in your sci-fi art

Paint a sci-fi scene with a sense of
3D environment Sci-fi art
adventure, with Carlo Arellano.

60 80 Create surreal portrait art

Ken Coleman makes use of 3D models,
textures and custom brushes.

98

Character design

80 92
First Impressions:
Paul Lewin

Traditional Artist
88 Traditional FXPosé
Explore this month’s selection of the finest
traditional art, sent in by you!

92 Workshop:
Paint like a 19th Old Master
Howard Lyon looks to artists such as
Lawrence Alma-Tadema and reveals how
he creates a painting after their ideals.

98 First Impressions: Paul Lewin

Discover how colour plays a key role in
Surreal portrait Paint like an Old Master
this Jamaica-born, US-based artist’s work.

7
 Resources

Editorial
Editor-in-Chief Claire Howlett
claire@imaginefx.com
Art Editor Daniel Vincent
Operations Editor Cliff Hope
Contributors
Carlo Arellano, Ashline, Dom Carter, Ken Coleman,
Anya Jo Elvidge, Christopher Lovell, Howard Lyon,
Visit https://ifxm.ag/newart191skills to download Tom May, Beren Neale, Pietmaen
Advertising
this issue’s workshop videos and custom brushes Media packs are available on request
Chief Revenue Officer Zack Sullivan
UK Commercial Sales Director Clare Dove
Advertising Sales Manager Mike Pyatt

WORKSHOP VIDEOS OVER michael.pyatt@futurenet.com, 01225 687538

Account Sales Director George Lucas

2 HOUR george.lucas@futurenet.com, 01225 687331

of video tuto S
International Licensing
ImagineFX is available for licensing. Contact the Licensing
from pro artrials
ists
team to discuss partnership opportunities.
Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com
to watch and Subscriptions – turn to page 4!
learn from! Online orders www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
Customer service www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/en/
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Editor-in-Chief, Creative & Design Claire Howlett
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Discover techniques for painting over a 3D scene ISSN 1748-930X

All contents © 2020 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All
Watch how Anya Jo Elvidge uses 3ds Max and Unreal Engine 4 to create a 3D environment, 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.
before painting over it in Photoshop. Turn to page 66 to read more about her process. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in
England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1
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This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the
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If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/
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Council) certification and accreditation

Learn how to combine textures and references for a portrait

See how illustrator and lecturer Ken Coleman develops a surreal portrait using 3D and 2D
tools, together with custom textures and his own references. Read his workshop on page 82.

PLUS 29 CUSTOM BRUSHES, INCLUDING…

TRANSPARENT HARD BRUSH KEN DRY PALETTE KNIFE KEN THICK PAINT
Future plc is a public Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne
Anya Jo Elvidge uses this custom When used with Layer Masks, As he nears the end of his creative company quoted on the Non-executive chairman Richard Huntingford
brush for blending colours using Ken Coleman is able to bring out process, Ken uses this brush to add London Stock Exchange !ǝǣƺǔˡȇƏȇƬǣƏǼȒǔˡƬƺȸ Rachel Addison
(symbol: FUTR)
the Color Picker in Photoshop. and block in shapes with this brush. paint effects to his artwork. www.futureplc.com Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244

8
 In association with

PLACE TO SHARE YOUR DIGITAL ART

Jess Seto
LOCATION: US MEDIA: Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, Blender, Maya WEB: www.artstation.com/l_aciel

Jess is a freelance concept artist and illustrator. They like

using composition, colour and lighting to draw the eye and
offer a deeper narrative to those who choose to linger.

1 REKO YABUSAME
“Fan art based on a game
called Your Turn to Die. It was
3 4

an exercise in designing
realistic face and lighting.”

2 THE WHITE DOOR

“Environment illustration
based on descriptions from
the game Cultist Simulator.”

3 THE MOTH
“Here’s another concept
based on descriptions from
Cultist Simulator that are
mostly text-based with
minimal imagery.”

4 CONCEPT OF A
CONCEPT
“Creature design based on
Haruki Murakami’s A Wild
Sheep Chase. The sheep was
described as having feelers.”

10 Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth

 4

Congratulations to
Jess, our Artist of the
Month who receives a
copy of Corel Painter
2020, together with
an Ultimate Brush
Pack containing
over 600 unique
brushes, worth over
£1,500, courtesy of
our friends Corel!

We’ll reveal the Artist

of the Year at Vertex
2021, chosen from all
our Artists of the
Month between now
and the event.
www.vertexconf.com

HOW TO SUBMIT
YOUR WORK
Please send us:
• Five high-res
(300dpi) images of
your work, with a title
and a 30-word
caption for each.
• Your name, the
software you use,
location and website.
• 50 words about you.
• A photo of yourself.

5 ECLIPSE
“Illustration for a project based on
Li Chi Slays the Serpent. Thematically
Email this info to:
fxpose@imaginefx.
com
it’s a combination of cyberpunk, More info and T&Cs:
https://ifxm.ag/
horror and Asian occultism.”
artistofthemonth

Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth 11

 In association with

Katherine Souza
LOCATION: US MEDIA: Photoshop WEB: www.katherinesouza.art

Katherine is an illustrator and game designer who’s inspired by myths,

fairy tales and palaeontology. She currently works on The Elder Scrolls
Online and creates her own little worlds on the side.

1
1 TIEFLING PRIEST
“An older piece that still
has much to like about it.
I designed a Tiefling priestess
who’s exploring magicks
even as she ages.”

2 SHEPHERD OF
THE LOST
“This was a piece for Filippo
Magrini’s tabletop game
Darnimar. It’s a moment in the
world’s history that shows
angels roaming the earth.”

3 THE WHITE FROG

OF THE POND
“This was for a frog-themed
zine, but I featured a
lepospondyl, an extinct
amphibian not related to
frogs but just as charming.”

4 ADVENTURE BEGINS
“Here my love of
palaeontology and fantasy
collide. The beasts in the
foreground are based on
cynodonts, a proto-mammal
that we’re related to!”

2 3

12 Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth

 4

Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth 13

 In association with

JB Casacop
LOCATION: Philippines MEDIA: Photoshop WEB: www.jbcasacop.com

“I’m a freelance artist who’s been working in the games industry for more
than a decade,” says JB, who now illustrates tabletop games. He’s also
exploring 3D printing and practising martial arts.

1 2
© 2018 Middle-earth Enterprises under licence to Fantasy Flight Games

© 2018 Middle-earth Enterprises under licence to Fantasy Flight Games

1 BRAVE HALFLING
“An artwork for The Lord
of the Rings card game. I
3

used myself and my practice

sword as a reference.”

2 PAINFUL FATIGUE
“Another LOTR card
game piece. I enjoyed
detailing the clothes and the
expression of this dwarf.”

3 GREEN MAGIC
“This is a personal
artwork that takes its
inspiration from fantasy
literature and features elves
and their life-giving magic.”

4 LULLABY TO THE
EARTH
“My inspiration for this is a
Filipino song called Oyayi sa
Mundo (Lullaby to the Earth).
It’s an ode to Mother Nature.”

5 GOTHIC ANGEL
“A tribute to the 25th
anniversary of Magic: The
Gathering. It’s one of the
games that I hope to make
art for some day!”

14 Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth

 4

Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth 15

 In association with

Madie Bryson
LOCATION: US MEDIA: Photoshop, Procreate WEB: www.madiebryson.myportfolio.com

“Illustrating is a way to relate to others,” says Madie, “so I put personal

experiences into each piece.” As well as freelancing for a multitude of
clients, Madie creates colourful worlds and characters.

1 2
1 MOSCATO & CHEESE
“My character Moscato
(Cat for short) is socially
anxious, so she decides to
bring her pet cat named
Cheese to school with her.”

2 SPY
“Sketched while listening
to intense techno music. It
had me imagining a spy
sprinting through a sci-fi city
while neon lights flashed to
the beat.”

3 AQUATIC DISCOVERIES
“This is my character Isla,
an underwater archeologist,
who’s stumbled upon a giant
bioluminescent jellyfish on an
alien planet.”

4 TRAIN RIDE
“This curious character
saw some pups sticking their
heads out the window, so she
thought she’d try it out, too!”

16 Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth

 4

Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth 17

 In association with

Dahlia Khodur
LOCATION: Lebanon MEDIA: Procreate WEB: www.artstation.com/dahlia

“I’ve loved art and cartoons since I was very young and have always been
attached to Disney,” says Dahlia, who has a passion for creating vibrant
characters and bringing them to life with stories.

2
1 PÜKID
“Cupid grew up into a bullied edgy teen
who goes by the name Pükid! He still loves to
shoot people with love arrows, though!

2 THE CLOWN
“He’s an employee who ended up in a fast
food restaurant chain moping bathrooms and
serving people. His real dream was to
become a rock star.”

3 SPRING
“This is the season of spring embodied as
a character who’s just awoken from a deep
slumber. She walks into the forest spreading
her aura wherever she goes.”

4 NAFT
“Naft means crude oil in Arabic. This
character is a valuable keeper of the
underground black gold.”

5 SARAB
“Sarab is Arabic for mirage. He’s a
wandering desert spirit who lures weary
travellers into his mirages so he can rob them.”

18 Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth

 3

4 5

Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth 19

 In association with

Jemaica Murphy
LOCATION: US MEDIA: Photoshop WEB: www.jemaicamurphy.com

“I love to draw anime-inspired pieces,” says Jemaica. This influence can be

found in a variety of her favourite subjects, including paintings of mythical
creatures such as mermaids, fairies, elves and dragons.

1 2

1 FAIRY DRAGONS
“A whimsical scene of my swamp witch character
Tony, summoning some fairy dragon pals with a
magic spell.”

2 FLOWER FIELD
“A painting made as a commissioned work for
annabelleyako on DeviantArt, of her original fairy
character Reylana.”

3 BLUEBERRY FAE
“I wanted to capture a traditional painterly look
while using digital tools for this picture of a fairy girl,
which was inspired by blueberries.”

4 NATURE FAIRY
Exploring bright colours with my favourite
subject – fairies! My design took inspiration from
Winx Club, a TV show I loved as a kid.”

20 Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth

 3

• Natural-Media® that replicates reality

• Exclusive media types
• GPU enhanced brushing
The latest version of the painting software • Built-in learning resources
that recreates natural media will enable you • Customisable workspace & brushes
to quickly create art in a multitude of styles,
with over 900 fully customisable brushes! www.painterartist.com/en/product/painter

Submit your work: https://ifxm.ag/artistofthemonth 21

 ARTIST NEWS, SOFTWARE EVENTS

AT THE CORE OF THE DIGITAL ART COMMUNITY

“I’m on all the social platforms, because

you never know where the next job will
come from,” says Jan Urschel.

1,000
Find work through
social media
Spread the word Social media can help you get work, but
only if you approach it the right way, says Tom May

The past few months have been “If you don’t get your
art out there then
tough for freelance artists and people who can
illustrators, to say the least. With commission you aren’t
going to find it,” says
projects cancelled left, right and Kenneth Anderson.
centre, and with physical networking
becoming nigh-on impossible, many
have turned to social media as a way
to find much-needed commissions.
There’s nothing new in this, of me work,” he explains. “In time we
course; there’s a long history of artists became close friends, and I had the
using social media to make contacts chance to grow along a great
and advance their career. Freelance art company with an awesome team.”
director and concept artist Cosmin Pretty simple stuff, right – but has
Podar, working with Moon Active, this happened for you? If the
offers a typical example. answer’s no, you’re not alone. For
“I wanted to quit my last everyone who gets a big break
studio job so I reached out through a post or tweet, there’s a
to someone on Facebook dozen people with nothing but sore
for advice, and he offered thumbs and a tension headache.

22
NOSTALGIA IMAGINEFX, FEEDBACK
COLLECTOR INSTANTLY! WELCOME
Christopher Lovell Read a digital copy of The Letters page is
would be the first to ImagineFX wherever your chance to let us
admit that many items you are in the world. and your fellow readers
in his studio harken We’re available for know your thoughts
back to his childhood. Apple and Android about all things
And there’s nothing devices. Try a digital art-related. We love
wrong with that. edition today. hearing from you!
Page 32 Page 38 Page 39

INDUSTRY INSIGHT
IMPORTANT
UPDATES
New social media features
that you may have missed

1 Hide Replies on Twitter

A new feature in Twitter
enables you to hide offensive
responses to your tweets from
public view. While these tweets
aren’t actually deleted from
Twitter, they’re placed behind an
extra click that will take most of
the sting out of the tail.

2 Restrict on Instagram
Instagram now makes it
possible to shadow-ban users
who comment on your images in
offensive ways. As with Twitter’s
Hide Replies, the public will still
ultimately be able to view the
comments by clicking a message
that appears in its place.

3 Hidden Likes on Instagram

Instagram is running a test
that hides the number of Likes
on posts for some users.
However, note that Likes aren’t
disappearing from Instagram
altogether. You’ll still be able to
view how many Likes a post has
received with a couple of taps.

4 LinkedIn Stories
LinkedIn is testing out a
Stories feature in some territories.
Like on Instagram, Facebook and
Snapchat, you’ll be able to share
visual stories that disappear after
24 hours. These will also include
a messaging feature.

5 Instagram Reels
In response to TikTok, and to
capitalise on its recent ban in
India, Instagram is rolling out
Instagram Reels. This feature
enables you to create 15-second
videos with audio, effects
and other creative
tools, which can
then be shared on
your normal feed.

23
 ImagineNation News

“Don’t put too much time

into social media at the
expense of developing
your skills,” says Kenneth.

“I usually post
So what’s the secret to making
personal work on social media work for you and your “The quality of your followers
social media – is more important than how
sketches or made-up career as an artist? In this article we’ll
many you have,” says Jan.
projects,” says look at four of the most popular social
Cosmin Podar.
networks in turn, explain what they
have to offer artists, and how to make Illustrator and character designer
best use of them. Kenneth Anderson (@charactercube)
takes a similar approach. “For me, it’s a
ENGAGE ON INSTAGRAM good way to share work I wouldn’t
The most visual of all the social normally put in an online
platforms, Instagram is the go-to place portfolio. I show my
to see work by artists and illustrators process and just have fun
right now. And people who give work drawing,” he says. “At the
to artists pay it keen attention. same time I’m careful not

Because I’m selling my own products,

I do a lot of promotion and interaction
with my audience on all channels
“Instagram has been the most to post just anything and everything, as
valuable platform for me in terms of I still want my social media accounts to
getting commissions,” says freelance give a good impression.”
artist and illustrator Diego Peñuela To maximise your chances of
(@diegoillustration). “I’ve achieved attracting clients, it’s vital to make
this through posting a mixture of your contact details clear and visible,
personal and commissioned work. I says Diego. “Few of the serious
also post process pics and inquiries I get come in the form of an
the occasional sketch or Instagram DM,” he notes. “They may
experiment. I enjoy seeing have seen my Instagram, but they’ll
other artists’ processes so usually want a more reliable way of
I try to do it myself, too.” communicating. Serious clients still

24
 Artist news, software & events

“I mainly post personal want to see your website and

work or commissions
that I like,” says Diego. communicate with you via email or by
phone, or even in person.”
It’s important, too, to post
consistently, although Diego cautions
against spending too much time on
this. “Personally, 30 minutes per day is
about as much as I can handle,” he
says. “Part of me feels like I should
post more often, but I think that
social media generates too much
anxiety and I’d rather spend that time
taking care of myself and my mental
health, which in turn helps me in my
creative process.”
That said, if you’re using Instagram
to directly sell to your audience,
whether that’s art prints or tutorials,
then you may well need to spend
more time on it. “Because I’m selling a
lot of products with my own brand,
I do a lot of promotion and interaction
with my audience on all channels,”
says concept designer Jan
Urschel (@janurschel).
“When I joined Behance a while “Often it feels as though
back, it helped a lot in getting an it’s too much, but I think
audience,” says Diego Peñuela.
freelancers need to

25
 ImagineNation News

“I’ve made a lot of

friends through Twitter,
and it’s been brilliant for
embrace it without having too
much prejudice about it.”
Behance is one of the social networks
my career,” says
Emmeline Pidgeon.
MEET CREATIVE TYPES ON BEHANCE
best suited for sharing artwork, because
While Instagram is a social network for it was designed with that in mind
everyone, Behance is much more
focused on people working in the Behance infrastructure. One way or can be especially useful if, for example,
creative industries, and so can often be another, it’s a trade-off.” you’ve worked on a collaborative
a better way to attract the right One specific benefit to Behance is project and want to clearly show
people. “Behance is one of the social that posts aren’t centred on one ‘killer where your contribution lay.
networks best suited for sharing image’. You can include as many When deciding what to post, Jan
artwork, because it was specifically sketches, behind-the-scenes images, (www.behance.net/janurschel)
designed with that in mind,” says text and URLs as you like, making it suggests you focus not just on the
Kenneth, who can be found at much closer to a traditional portfolio work you’ve done, but the work you’d
www.behance.net/charactercube. than any other social media platform. like to do. “That’s exactly what I do on
“Figure out which
channel works best for “On the other hand, it might not be This makes it possible for you to show my own Behance page,” he says. “If I
you, and focus most of the best suited for outreach and more of your process and go into want to do more keyframes, I post
your energy there,”
advises Jan. connecting with people beyond the greater depth about your work, which more keyframes. If I want to do more

26
 Artist news, software & events
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
FIVE TIPS FOR
FINDING WORK
How to use social media to
win more commissions

1 Link to a website
“Social media should
complement a solid portfolio
website that shows off your best
work and outlines your
experience,” says Kenneth
Anderson. “Social media can lure
people in, but a professional
website might just get you hired.”

“I use my social media to promote my personal

voice and grow a following around that,” says Diego.
2 Buy ads on Instagram
Illustrator Subi Bosa
(@subi_bosa) has found
advertising on Instagram has
paid off thanks to its targeted use
of data. “Over a few ad runs, I’ve
learned that my prime client is an
African American woman, who is
a mother and posts content about
motherhood,” he explains. “As a
result, I’ve been able to help these
women produce their self-
published picture books.”

“I’ve had clients for some small

3 Post ideas
Illustrator and art director
Jack Noel got the idea for
projects that first contacted me recreating Great Expectations as a
through social media,” says Cosmin.
cartoon series. After tweeting a
mockup via @jackdraws, he was
work on 3D props, I post more of that. inundated by message. “I had
It’s a very simple feedback loop.” meetings at about 10 publishers
in the next two weeks,” he recalls.
HAVE CONVERSATIONS ON TWITTER Egmont Publishing launched the
While Twitter is primarily focused on book in April.
short bursts of text, it’s recently
started to offer a new level of flexibility
when it comes to images. So for
example, you can now add multiple
4 Find a niche
“Find a niche you’re obsessed
with,” says motion designer Ben
images to tweets (up to four) and add Darvill (@bendarvill). “Become
images to retweets, too. Emmeline gives the example of The “Updating twice a week embedded within the
or so is a good balance,
Illustrator Emmeline Pidgeon Lavender Tree, a picture book she but consistency is community, create fans, then rub
what’s most important,”
(@emmelinedraws), tends to post worked on with Aidan Moffat. “That says Kenneth.
shoulders with marketing experts
finished art on Twitter, as well as project came about because I saw a within the niche. It makes sense
revealing new projects. “At tweet from him seeking illustrators for for them to hire people who are
times, I’ve had about 70 a children’s project,” she recalls. knowledgable about their field.”
per cent of my work come “Replying and suggesting myself felt
through the platform,” she
says. “It’s come about by
getting to know people there, or them
really cringey, but I put those feelings
aside and introduced myself, adding a
link to my portfolio. Aidan emailed me
5 Follow hashtags
Illustrator Colin Kersley
(@alt_aesthetics on Twitter)
spotting my work after it’s been a few days later saying he loved my advises, ”Find people you’d like
retweeted, commented on, or work, and got me on board.” to work with and start a
recommended by someone else.” On Twitter, perhaps more than any conversation. Follow relevant
Fundamentally, Twitter isn’t about other platform, everyone wants big hashtags to your work for
visuals but about conversation, so the follower numbers. But Kenneth potential opportunities.”
key is to get stuck in and network. cautions you not to get obsessed.

27
 ImagineNation News

“The creative
community on Twitter
is incredibly supportive,”
says Emmeline.

“I usually spend two to

three hours a week on
LinkedIn, more if I don’t
have much work on,” says
Tahgasa Bertram.

“It’s only natural for people to see

some artists who have followers in the
If you care more about
millions and think they need to aim for
the same thing,” he says. “But you
followers than your art,
shouldn’t confuse the number of you’re heading for failure
followers with ability, or as validation.
Not only is that bad for mental health, ground for artists and illustrators. Yet
but I think it can lead to drawing for in 2020, many are making good use of
the wrong reasons. I’ve been there!” what is essentially the main social
That said, high follower numbers network for business.
may be important for specific Senior concept artist at Ubisoft
purposes. “If you want to become a Sabin Boykinov is among them
brand and sell artwork or art books (www.linkedin.com/in/boykinov).
then having followers is a must,” says “LinkedIn has a
Cosmin. “However, if you’re learning professional focus and
and growing as an artist , followers brings together a huge
should be the least of your concerns.” diversity of people,” he
says. “I’ve received many
TAP INTO LINKEDIN NETWORKS work offers through it,” he says.
Cluttered and text-heavy, LinkedIn “Recruiters look into your profile and
“I spent more time posting personal work on social
media than highly polished work,” says Cosmin. doesn’t look like it would be fertile see the experience you have, then they
send offers or ask questions.”
But beyond signing up and creating
a profile, what can artists actively do
“At my first art festival,
I saw that many artists on LinkedIn? “Follow studios or
used LinkedIn to companies you like and want to be a
present their projects,”
says Sabin Boykinov. part of, and seek connections with

“The best thing about

LinkedIn is being able
to find people with
specific job roles,”
says Tahgasa.

28
 Artist news, software & events

“What I like about

LinkedIn is how
people behave
professionally,”
explains Sabin.

recruiters and art directors,” Sabin “A lot of my personal

DeviantArt, The Dots, Dribbble,
advises. “This will help you understand heroes have modest Dayflash, Twitch and more. So how do
to small followings,
better what kind of portfolio the and they’re still you decide which to concentrate on?
company expects, and how you can doing amazing Our artists all agreed that it largely
work,” says Diego.
demonstrate your strengths. Don’t depends on whom you’re trying to
forget to act professionally, and attract. “So think about who most uses
maintain a good attitude in a particular platform, and whether
conversations and comments.” that’s going to help with finding the
Freelance illustrator Tahgasa work you want,” advises Kenneth. “For
Bertram has been doing just that, at instance, if a particular company you
www.linkedin.com/in/sweatyeskimo. want to work for uses certain social
“I use LinkedIn to find people in media accounts, it might help to focus
specific roles, who are at companies I’d on those to try to grab their attention.”
like to work with,” he Above all, though, don’t let social
explains. “That information media take over your life and rob you
is much more difficult to of your creativity. “My main advice is to
find on other social focus on doing good art first,” says
networks. Once I’ve found Kenneth. “You can have all the social
the right person, I send them examples media accounts in the world, but if the
of my work and a message explaining art isn’t up to scratch then it’s probably
why I’d like to work with them, and not going to help that much. Or as
why my work would be a good fit.” Cosmin puts it: “If you care more
about followers than your art, you’re
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORM heading for failure. So focus on your
There are other social platforms art, embrace the hard times as a
beyond these four, of course: learning experience, and be happy
Facebook, Snapchat, Artstation, with the results.”

29
 Advertising feature

Use your creative skills to put

your stamp on your very own
corner of this island paradise.

Create designs in ID or the creator ID of the items that

you’re looking for. A nine-digit number
prefaced by MO is the design ID, while
MA is the creator code, and you’ll then

Animal Crossing be able to see everything they’ve

created. You can even flick between
regular custom designs and Pro
versions that have been crafted with a
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Personalise your island with these specific clothing item in mind, say.
handy tips for downloading, making and sharing custom designs You’ll also need a paid Nintendo
Switch Online subscription to share
your designs and download new ones.
You might spend your time fishing or the store in the game, head to the The best places to find creator
catching bugs in Animal Crossing: bright pink touch-screen at the back- codes are Reddit, Instagram and even
New Horizons, but custom designs right of the shop and you can connect Twitter, where you can search
can transform your island retreat into to the internet and interact with the #acnhdesigns or #acnhpattern. Note
an architectural masterpiece! Custom Designs Portal. that some more complex designs such
Whether you’re looking for decking, It’s here where all your dreams of as decking or even paths will require
Pixel by pixel, you can
paths, new wallpaper, clothes or intricate paths, fancy decking and perfect your custom more of your limited design slots – so
designs for the much-coveted Simple artsy wallpaper can come true, but clothing to wear around download wisely!
the island – or let others
Panels to switch up the entire look of you’ll need to know either the design model, instead! And if you’re switching out an
your peaceful paradise, there are many existing design, make sure that you
ways to fill your custom design slots. don’t have it anywhere else on your
From the Custom Designs Portal to island because the new art will fill any
making the most of QR codes, here’s a area occupied by the previous
breakdown of how to download, make creation. You don’t want a bed
and share custom designs in Animal decorated with decking, do you?
Crossing: New Horizons.
DOWNLOAD USING QR CODES
THE CUSTOM DESIGNS PORTAL So, the Able Sisters is closed for the
Visiting the Able Sisters store is by far night and you’re still hungry for a
the simplest way to download new custom design or six. Never fear. Using
custom designs in Animal Crossing: your real NookPhone instead of your
New Horizons. Once you’ve unlocked in-game one, it’s possible to scan QR

30
 Advertising feature

codes that you can then download different palette and shape options
into the game. means that spending some time just
First, download the Nintendo Switch playing with all the different options
Online app onto your real-life means you’ll have a better chance of
smartphone. Then, for the first time creating something special in future.
since you started playing Animal Just keep an eye on how things will
Crossing, load up the game and don’t look in the boxes on the left-hand side.
just press A to start. Instead, hit the Unfortunately, you can’t edit any
minus button to bring up the Settings designs you’ve downloaded from the
menu. Here, Tom Nook gives you the internet, so if you want to get creative
option to enable NookLink. with someone else’s work you’ll have
Once NookLink is turned on, log into to start from scratch.
the Nintendo Switch Online app with A great place to feel like a design
the same account you’re using on your master is by switching to the Pro Once you’ve unlocked make it possible for you to paste
the Able Sisters’
Switch with Animal Crossing. This will Designs tab and crafting clothing. clothing store, Mabel (or pictures of KK Slider here in a multi-
Sable) will be happy to panel mural across your floors or walls.
help you with your

Each segment can be designed so creative requirements. It’s okay to miss him during the week.

that you have the perfect custom SHARE YOUR CREATIONS

So you’ve created your art and now
threads to wear around your island you want to share it with the world.
Then head back to the Custom
then enable the game to appear under Here, you can choose from a range of Designs Portal in the Able Sisters and
your ‘Game-Specific Services’ menu six different tops, six dress styles and register as a creator. You’ll be given
on the phone app. Tap it and your very three hats to customise. Each segment your own ID that you can then share
own NookLink will appear with a can then be designed separately so on social media and with friends.
handy keyboard option to type at that you have the perfect custom It’s important to note, though, that
lightning speed, and that all-important threads to wear around your island. when you register you’re adhering to
Custom Designs app. the Nintendo Code of Conduct and
Using this you can scan a QR code TURN YOUR PHOTOS INTO DESIGNS thus have a duty not to upload any
that’s been created either by a If hand-drawn pixel style isn’t quite designs other players might find
previous Animal Crossing game or at enough to sate your design appetite, inappropriate. Once you’ve uploaded
www.acpatterns.com, which we’ll talk there’s a way to bring your real photos your creations, other players who
about in a moment. Once you’ve and art into the game, too. The tools at know your codes will then be able to
scanned the code with your camera, www.acpatterns.com are a great way download your masterworks to their
you can then open the designs app on to design on a bigger screen, but it own islands. Yes, you can feel smug.
your Switch and press the plus button also has an option to convert your
to download the design. existing pictures into pixel format. SHOW OFF YOUR DESIGNS
On a desktop computer you can Finally, you’ve gone to all that hard
MAKE CUSTOM DESIGNS IN GAME select your image, choose the colour work, so what better way to show off
It’s easy to download new innovative scale or even whether you want to go your custom creations than with
and creative designs, but don’t forget moody and monochrome, and the site official merchandise in your shop?
that you have the power to craft your will then produce a QR code for you to Scan QR codes using Approach the back wall of the Able
very own pixelated masterpieces. It download into your game using the your NookLink (part of Sisters and you’ll find a collection of
the Nintendo Switch
takes a bit of time to become used to NookLink QR scanner. The innovative Online phone app) to pre-made designs hanging on the wall.
the Custom Designs tool in your free tool even enables you to choose instantly get your hands Interact with wherever you’d like to
on patterns for use in
NookPhone, but the expanse of segments of the image that would your custom designs. show off your own fashion label and
Mabel will ask if you want to look at the
top or bottom level. Choose your slot
and she’ll then ask which design you’d
like to display instead. Select your item
of clothing and voilà, there it is in all of
its painstakingly designed glory.
The best thing about sharing your
custom clothing designs here isn’t just
appreciating them every time you go
shopping or even your friends being
able to download them to wear, but
the fact that your villagers will
randomly strut their stuff in your
The easy-to-use tools
over at ACPatterns.com freshly designed togs. Nothing says
enable you to rustle ‘job well done’ like Tangy wandering
up bespoke artwork in
no time at all. around in a new jumper.

31
 ImagineNation Artist in Residence

This is Fred – he’s one of my many I’m lucky enough to live in a beautiful
skulls. He looks after my hats and cathedral city. The whole medieval
sometimes sunglasses for me. vibe of the place is very inspirational.

Christopher
Lovell
Pop culture This artist surrounds
himself with inspirational nostalgia
while balancing work and parenthood

About five years ago my partner and I

moved into our home in Somerset, in
south-west England. I saw the potential for
studio space with its large, bright rooms
and high ceilings. Wherever I’ve lived, I’ve
always tried to have some kind of studio environment –
even if it’s just a table in the corner of the room.
I’ve always been a collector of objects that relate to my
interests: action figures, statues, posters, prints and musical
equipment. The studio soon became a hive of madness that
always took visitors by surprise. However, my working
environment is important for me and so I can’t help but
surround myself with my various collections. The energy
this gives me can then be channelled into my artwork.

I painted Medusa a few years ago for a YouTube process video. I then decided to
do a print set of the three Gorgon sisters. This one is Euryale.

32
 Artist news, software & events

In my early teens I discovered the Dark Horse My skating days are long gone, but when Heroin A lifelong passion of mine has been building and painting model kits. A big part
Predator and Alien comics. I collected them and Skateboards released a Judge Death skate deck of the fun is constructing bases for them, like these here. I usually buy clocks and
relished the artwork within the pages. I had to own it! He’s one of my favourite characters. take out the mechanism to use it as a base and build a small environment on.

With my plans to work on lots of

YouTube content, my girlfriend got
me a decent mic for the voiceover
segments. I’d love to produce an
art-related podcast at some point.

I usually have an
inspiring art book or
two close to hand. The
two here are Ratspike,
a rare book featuring
John Blanche and Ian
Miller’s work, and The
Art of Devilman.

33
 ImagineNation Artist in Residence

I paint so many figures

with horns and am
always trying to find
good references, hence
this collection. It’s useful
to have something
to hold, observe the
textures and to test
light sources on.

– Legend of
Urotsukidoji:
the Overfiend was my
first experience of
Japanese anime and it
was mind-blowing for
me as a 12 year old. I’m
still obsessed with it.

Because I had this space, filling it rather than a productive art I have a large collection My partner joined my business
of art books that I’ve
became a bit of an addiction and I was environment. Nowadays it’s far more built up over the years. earlier this year to help me with admin
hunting for stuff on eBay to the point minimalist and (thankfully) action I prefer to look at art on work, packing prints, planning and
the pages of a book
of boxes arriving weekly. I was having figure avalanches are a thing of the rather than online – organising anything that isn’t ‘creating
to intercept the postman and smuggle past. I have a few choice items on there’s something art’. It’s been a huge help and has
nostalgic and far more
stuff in so my partner didn’t notice! display now, which typically have a intimate about it. enabled me to focus on art. It’s also
design aspect that I enjoy looking at. fantastic for our family dynamic. She
FAMILY CONSIDERATIONS My daughter spends a lot of time in
This all changed with the arrival of my
daughter. Baby-proofing my
this room when I’m working, so my
eyes have to be in two places at once.
My studio had become a
workspace became essential and this
soon made me realise that my studio
She’s very creative and will often be
scribbling on pieces of paper and
museum of nostalgia rather
had become a museum of nostalgia demanding my attention, which I love. than an art environment
has a desk on the other side of the
studio that tends to be far less
cluttered than mine, but I insisted that
the large, framed HeroQuest painting
stays above her desk. I’m sure she
Skeletor was one of my loves it really!
favourite characters
when I was a kid. Some I grew up in the 80s and 90s – it was
of these figures are so such an incredible time for toy lines,
rare that they’re an
investment – not music, books, video games and
something I can explain cartoon series. I seemed to have a
easily to my daughter,
who loves to grab them deeper interest in these things than
and bend them into
shapes they weren’t
most people around me. I became
designed for. aware of what I liked in character

34
 Artist news, software & events

I much prefer to be in
I’ve produced a number of my painting room
Alien-related artworks over the working on traditional
years. You’ll find many xenos in paintings and filming
my studio and one of my faves YouTube videos, but
is this one here, perched on my with that comes video
lamp watching over the studio! editing, social media
management and
admin. To keep me
inspired, I make sure
I’m still surrounded by
some of my favourite
characters, action
figures and posters.

These past few years

I’ve been experimenting
with adding gold leaf to
some of my paintings,
with varying results of
success. This one
presented a number of
challenges, but I was
happy with the results,
even though I was close
to scrapping the
painting from
numerous disasters
throughout the process!

35
 ImagineNation Artist in Residence

I’ve been playing guitar since

I was a teenager and before my
career started in art I was a guitar
tutor. I love writing riffs, demoing
tracks and losing myself for
hours with a looping pedal. I try
to get some guitar time in every
day and my daughter is my
biggest fan… my only fan.

design from a young age and

I would spend many hours drawing
my favourite cartoon characters or
creating my own, in a sense practising
art without even knowing it.

DAILY/NIGHTLY ROUTINE
I tend to work all day doing different
jobs/tasks and sometimes it’s dark or
at least dusk before I can even think
about sitting down and painting, which
will mean I’m painting usually until 3am
when I start falling asleep with a brush
in my hand. Then suddenly my
daughter is poking me in the face at
7am. This can be frustrating because
light is so important to an artist –
not just being able to see more, but
also helping me to feel far more capture what childhood me would This is one of my dragons and instead create a more
all-time favourite
focused. However, I’ve become used have related to. My art is very much fantasy artworks. It’s dark and sinister take on things. I
to working this way. I’m completely inspired by my youth, the album from the 1989 board coined the name Dark Nature for a lot
game HeroQuest and it
addicted to the creative process and covers of my favourite bands, anime, was painted by Les of my personal work – I feel this
Edwards. I remember
love what I do so much. comics, and horror and sci-fi movies. getting the game for
captures the essence of what I create.
I felt a connection to fantasy art I knew I wanted to be a fantasy artist Christmas when I was
from an early age. Seeing it in all of its when I was around 10 years old. As my
young and it was one of
my favourite gifts. VARIED SPECTRUM OF CLIENTS
forms would blow my mind and a lot tastes matured I felt less inclined to I’ve been working professionally for
of what I do now is part of me trying to draw buxom barbarian ladies riding about 13 years now, starting off as a
merchandise designer for bands and

As my tastes matured I felt less clothing lines. From this my career has
led me to some incredible and varied
inclined to draw buxom barbarian clients. I’ve seen my work on
everything from video game boxes,
ladies riding dragons… Blu-rays, guitar amplifiers, miniatures

36
 Artist news, software & events

I realised I needed my painting

studio when my daughter was
born. It became hard for me to
focus on my art and painting
traditionally can also be very
messy. Having this room out of
the way enables me to work
traditionally into the early hours,
away from any distractions.

and busts, skateboards and even legal podcast or music playing and losing all
tender collectible coins. I feel very track of time.
fortunate to be in a position now I feel so blessed and grateful that I
where I can be far more picky when it can have my working environments in
comes to client commissions, and my home, that my job enables us to
focus more on the passion projects. spend all day with our daughter, and
After my daughter was born, I made that we all get to experience so much
my painting studio in the attic, which is as a family.
This is a work in
solely for creating traditional work. Christopher is a dark fantasy artist whose progress that I started
Here I can fling paint and make a work is infused with his interests – from six years ago when I
was living in Spain. It’s
terrible mess while I work into the early metal music to 80s cartoons and the something I return to
hours. Of course, I have a number of macabre. His Somerset studio is a shrine to once or twice a year,
but never seem to
inspirational items and art on the walls all of his interests and hobbies from finish. It shall be
to keep me inspired. I love getting into childhood to present day. You can see more completed this year
and I have a lot of fresh
the art zone up there, with a good of his art at www.christopherlovell.com. energy to inject into it.

37
 GET IMAGINEFX
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38
 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, Reader Christian is keen for more Corel Painter articles
to appear in the magazine. Watch this space!
Quay House, The Ambury,
Bath, BA1 1UA, England there’s not much in ImagineFX about
Follow us on Twitter: this software. Is it possible to push your
www.twitter.com/imaginefx collaboration with Corel a bit further
Find us on Facebook: and publish more articles about Painter?
www.facebook.com/imaginefx Christian
Post your art or photos on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/imaginefxmagazine Claire replies Hello Christian, we love
Painter as well and over the years have had
Apology? What a joke many workshops using Corel Painter. This
Hello, I love ImagineFX, but issue, there’s a workshop using Corel Painter Henriette Boldt
genuinely can’t believe your alongside other types of software. I’ll look into Illustration
response to a letter last issue. commissioning a workshop on Painter on its @henridoesart
I don’t think you should have own. Let me know if you have an idea of who
apologised at all. Perhaps due you would like to see lead this workshop.
to recent events you want to
tread very carefully? Either way, How about a podcast?
that person needs to stop being First, I wanted to say how much of a joy it
so sensitive. How can anyone is to read ImagineFX; it’s my favourite
get offended by the colour of a magazine and the only one I subscribe to.
piece of paper? It’s a joke. What Sometimes you say we should tell you
will we get offended by next? Last issue we
what artists we want to hear from and
Chris, UK acknowledged our Patrick J Jones always jumps to mind. I
mistake in referring to
paper as ‘flesh coloured’ in
know you’ve already worked with him,
Claire replies To fill other readers in on a previous workshop, but and it was this magazine that made me
reader Chris disagreed
the letter that appeared last issue, we received with our printed apology. discover him and now I’m hooked on all
a complaint from a reader about the phrase of his lessons. The recent blog post
‘flesh-coloured paper’ that appeared in a past revisiting his articles with the video on Tristan Tait
edition of ImagineFX. The complainant stated figure drawing made me attempt the @tristan.tait
that this was outdated and offensive. I agreed lesson with great success. An interview
and apologised. To be clear: I absolutely meant with him more on his background and
that apology and I stand by it. There’s more life story would be very interesting. But if
than one colour of flesh, so therefore we should you’re looking for someone new, have
explain which colour we mean. I am white. you featured Paul Bonner yet? He is
It’s easier for white people to not get offended another favourite artist of mine.
or be unable to see why offence was caused, One thing I’ve not figured out is how
because we’re usually the ones represented. to draw and read your magazine at the
Recent events have indeed made me think same time. Would be possible as part of
more seriously about what my skin colour the digital downloadable content to have
represents and the benefits that I receive as a interviews with artists in a podcast style.
result of that. I think we need to make this Hearing their story is always interesting
world more inclusive and am happy to make and I could listen while drawing.
steps towards that. Gavin

More Painter Claire replies Gavin, thanks for writing

I’ve started to work with Corel Painter in. Patrick J Jones is always welcome in our
recently and I like it. However, I haven’t DID YOU MISS magazine. We’re big fans of him, he is such a Kait Matthews
found many tutorials on how to use it. THE PREVIOUS great teacher. We have featured Paul Bonner @kaitmatthewsart
PACKED ISSUE?
The interface is different to Photoshop’s a few times here and there, but thanks for
Don’t worry – you
and it’s not always easy to navigate. I’ve can get hold of it reminding us of his talents. As for a podcast, If you’ve created art that you want us to shout
seen that Corel is your Artist of the that’s a great idea but not one we could work about simply tag us on Twitter or Instagram,
at https://ifxm. and use the hashtag #imaginefx
Month partner and I’m a bit surprised ag/buy-190 on at present.

39
Interview

40
 PASCAL BLANCHÉ
DINO BLUES
This is Pascal Blanché’s
“obvious nod to the
master Frank Frazetta,”
but with the French artist’s
unique colour palette.

Artist
PROFILE
Pascal Blanché
LOCATION: Canada
FAVOURITE ARTISTS: Simon Bisley, Richard
Corben, Philippe Druillet, Chris Foss, Frank
Frazetta, John Harris, Moebius, Katsuhiro
Otomo and Drew Struzan
MEDIA: 3ds Max, ZBrush, Keyshot, Photoshop
WEB: www.artstation.com/

matter, and of course that striking

use of colour, makes you feel that
any piece that he posts online could
only have been made by him.

CLASSIC SCI-FI ART

ARTIST PORTFOLIO Of course, for the French-born artist

PASCAL O
ver the years of working who now resides in the digital art hub
on ImagineFX, it’s that is Montreal, Canada, he’d tell you
exciting when you he’s simply paying homage to a distant
discover an artist who age of classic sci-fi art and its

BLANCHÉ
you can identify by practitioners, and that initially colour
their style alone – whether that’s the was the furthest thing from his mind.
ultra-detailed fantasy portraits of Dave “First, I was a real crappy painter,”
Rapoza, the gleaming surfaces in Serge he says. “I mean oils and acrylics…
Beren Neale speaks to the Birault’s pin-up art, or the Old Master
depth and weight of Craig Mullins.
I never managed to understand how
to deal with them, so it took me a long
artist with a colourful career in
´
Pascal Blanche, with his distinct, time to even think about colour in my
games, and an even more colour-rich sci-fi scenes that seem to
sit in their very own dimension, is one
work.” So where did all these reds and
yellows, oranges and greens come
colourful body of work of those artists. His use of 3D from? “I guess I first observed it in
modelling, his otherworld subject artists like Frazetta, Otomo,

41
Interview

XPEDITION 4
A rare piece from Pascal where
the landscape takes prominence
over the human/alien forms.

Druillet, Moebius, Bisley… they all

share the same colouring technics in a
way: lots of contrasted colours and
also very brightly coloured shadows.”
Soon his eye started to crave those
colours. “Cam Kennedy too, in his
Boba Fett comics, had those colourful
shadows,” continues Pascal. “Same
thing in the bright posters of Drew
Struzan from the 80s movies.” That
may all be true, but that copyright
quality of Pascal’s work remains.

FLIPPING BURGERS, GIFTING ART 55 ORACLE

Pascal entered art school in Marseille, Being a “crappy
France, in 1989 when he was 17. There painter” didn’t stop
Pascal going down
he learned drawing, painting, the digital route of
geometry, photography, sculpture and art, and unleashing
his unique vision.
art history, “but it was on the side that
I started to enjoy working on my
Amiga 500, on Deluxe Paint and the living.” This led Pascal to get a job at
first 3D software like Caligari’s Tilt magazine, the first French
TrueSpace, or Real 3D,” he reveals. monthly video game magazine, which
“The course was five years, but I discontinued in 1994. “I managed to
started to work after the fourth year.” find summer work there as an
What was his first paid job? “It was assistant, basically helping out the
in the fast food industry,” he jokes, photographers take screenshots for
suddenly finding truth in his jest. their reports. Then I started to draw
“More than learning how to flip caricatures of the reporters working on
burgers, it really made me realise I the floor, and left them on their desks! WINTER FAERIE double-page illustration for them in
wanted to do something out of my art Soon I was drawing little comic strips.” As well as art directing, Photoshop. “I said, ‘sure’, having never
Pascal teaches the odd
passion for a living,” he says. “It also This cheeky art gifting paid off Gnomon class – this used a Mac let alone Photoshop,” he
focused me to think about working in when, after a year, one of the full-time being the result of a recalls. “But I got the job done…
session four years ago.
art more as a professional industry artists at Tilt became sick and the lesson: never say no to an opportunity,
than trying to sell paintings for a editor asked Pascal to step in and do a and figure the rest out afterwards.”

I started to enjoy working on my CALLING THE SHOTS

Pascal has now been working as senior
Amiga 500, on Deluxe Paint and the first art director at Behaviour Interactive for
a year. Previously he was an art
3D software like TrueSpace or Real 3D director at Ubisoft Montreal for

42
 PASCAL BLANCHÉ

MAKE IT POP
How to use colour, the Pascal Blanché way...
“Most of my colour inspiration comes from the at the centre of my work, but I have almost no
artists I admire. They all have that specific rich control over the final decision. Yellow, blue or
palette tones, and they paint with light. There’s red… it can change up until the last minute.
also my love for comics, where colours convey I tend to avoid having anything grey or white
emotion and attract the eye. I’m more interested in my work. I prefer muted but saturated tones,
by the romanticism than the realism. and almost all the time my Photoshop process is
By painting my models with light and strong about isolated tones on different layers so I can
colours, I discovered how much impact it had on recolour them completely. I ‘crunch’ the colours
the final result, and I guess I’m still continuing to into four to five stark different tones, with almost RAID
Pascal is nothing if not a fan
explore and learn from the experience. It’s a no in-betweens or gradients. That result is of 70s and 80s sci-fi art,
process that’s half-conscious, in the sense that I somehow more restful for the eye. It gives it and loves paying homage
to classic artists like John
know I want stark contrasts and punchy colours more focus, and ends up getting its own vibe.” Harris and Chris Foss.

43
Interview

HUNTERMOON
With the iconic stances
of Frazetta and bright
colours, Pascal’s work
perfectly combines
the golden era with
the digital age.

44
 PASCAL BLANCHÉ

JAAK THE GIANT HUNTER SORCERER

An image from the artist’s Derelict Much like his Jaak artwork, here
Planet world – an ongoing art Pascal plays with the idea of
project with no ending in sight. creating a series of similar
poses with different characters.

The job is not just to decide what

colour the sky is. It also requires lots of
leadership and social skills
At Ubisoft, Pascal was art director bit of everything,” he says, “and that’s
on franchises such as Myst IV what makes me (I hope) a better art
Revelation, James Cameron’s Avatar director. The job is not just to decide
the game, Mighty Quest for Epic Loot, what colour the sky is. It also requires
and Far Cry: New Dawn, on the lots of leadership and social skills,
character side. “The hidden part of especially when it comes to
this industry is that when you work successfully bringing the vision of a
on new titles, there’s a high risk that game to fruition.” Art, says Pascal, is
over 15 years. A normal day as art ARMOURED GOOSE your project won’t make it to the there to support a game, and there’s a
lead totally depends on the period of A self-styled “jack of all shelves,” admits Pascal. “In my career, creative process between his team of
trades,” Pascal loves to
time the game is in production. play with human and it’s happened six times – and not only artists and the game design team, or
Fundamentally, Pascal sets the visual alien forms, epic at Ubisoft! But you still learn from the tech teams, “always finding better
landscapes and organic
guidelines that will become a game’s vehicle design. these experiences.” visual solutions for what the game will
visual identity. He needs to anticipate ultimately require.”
new requests from the game makers AN ALL-ROUNDER As we start talking for this interview,
before they get to his artists. “Part of Being an industry veteran, Pascal has Unreal Engine 5 had just announced
the job is pure art direction, part of it seen it all and describes himself as a its step-up in game graphics for Sony’s
is finding the answers to technical or jack of all trades-type artist. He’s had PS5 – a promise of cinematic-quality
gameplay issues,” he says, “no day is jobs working on the modelling, visuals in gameplay, and phenomenal
really the same, and no production is textures, lighting, animation and even lighting that reacts with the
like the next one… I like my job.” post-production of a game. “I know a environment like never before. Is

45
Interview

this the moment artists will see WARLORD

their work translate seamlessly into Another painting
inspired by the great
game visuals? Pascal, it turns out, is Frank Frazetta, in this
not holding his breath. case his Against the
Gods piece, with “some
“The thing is, I’ve been around Kirby and Druillet
influences” thrown in
enough not to get too exited by these for good measure.
kind of things,” he says. “Sure it looks
amazing, but you need to see it FOSS STATION 77
Pascal seems to sum up so
running with a real game in the back, much of Chris Foss in this
not just a one-character demo… but homage, with its iconic
composition and sense of depth.
the graphical interface does look

I try to not create too much not on weekends or in the summer.”

The Derelict Planet project came about
connection in between each as a homage to “the legendary 70s and
80s artists who inspired me when I
and every design started, as I felt it was my duty to pass
on the torch and keep that particular
promising,” the artist concedes, “and art style alive,” says Pascal.
I would love to finally get to work on Homage it is, but staid riffing on the
games that generates better real-time same style it is not. “I keep my options
lighting, for sure.” open, bring in what I feel adds to the
universe, |but I try to not create too
WORLD-BUILDING FOR KICKS much connection in between each
A place where Pascal has no and every design,” he explains. “I like
restrictions is in the Derelict Planet to keep it as an ongoing process rather
– his personal fictional world that he’s than seeing an end to it.”
been building image by image for Working on a piece, Pascal’s process
years, with no narrative thread or hasn’t changed all that much over the
ultimate business goal in mind. years. Seeing himself more as a
“I mostly work three to four nights a sculptor than a painter, he envisages
week on my personal art,” says Pascal, his subject in motion, striking a pose, HYPERSLEEP
Pascal leaves it up to the viewer to decide whether
“so roughly 10 to 12 hours, although before thinking about theme or this is a scene from a spaceship, or a sunken vessel.

46
 PASCAL BLANCHÉ
CURSED
Pascal chose to draw
on figures from Greek
KEEP YOUR
mythology with this
artwork of a gorgon,
created using 3ds Max,
COMPOSURE
ZBrush, Keyshot and
Pascal gives his views on
finally Photoshop. composition and design
“The story and the pose of the main
subject almost comes before I even
know what the design is going to be.
This is an important element in my
personal work.
I used to draw some little doodles to
help me out with the general look,
almost always starting with a frame
and a few lines. Then comes the pose,
and with the pose the story behind it.
When I have this in place, even
roughly, I let the character come into
existence through my work.
I always look for a strong silhouette
and that comes from my love of
comics and animation. I understood
early on that a clear silhouette and
strong pose gets half of the job done. I
find it hard to think of a design without
having a pose in mind. Clearly, if your
character is a strong warrior wearing
lots of armour or a wood elf jumping
from tree to tree, their design will be
an extension of their activity. So
always think of the action first – then
the design will flow from there.”

47
Interview

NECROMANCER
There are several visual
cues that Pascal likes
to come back to, such
as circular framing
devices and the point
where the mechanical
and human combine.

48
 PASCAL BLANCHÉ

NEXUS 9 HARVESTER 47
This intriguing piece is inspired This is the first image that
by Blade Runner, Naoyuki Pascal created live from start
Kato and Tsutomu Nihei. to finish for an online class.

Keyshot is useful because my scenes

are polygon heavy and it enables me to
render my work at high resolutions
style. “My process goes from 3ds heavy,” he explains, “and it enables me
Max and ZBrush, then to Photoshop to to render my work at very high
rework the colours and give the render resolutions for printing. Then the rest
a warm, painterly look,” he says. of the work is done on Photoshop.”
Because the final image is an
illustration, Pascal isn’t concerned ENERGISED BY MUSIC
with it looking ‘right’ from all angles. When he’s working at home, Pascal
“ZBrush evolved pretty fast and will often listen to ambient records: DANU expanding his personal works to
became the centre tool of my work, soundtracks for Blade Runner, This has become outside the realms of the Derelict
Pascal’s calling-card
but I still use my 3ds Max models and Interstellar, Alien, the original Planet image, combining Planet, and taken up tai chi with his
homage (in this case to
scenes to get a first draft of my of the Apes, the hugely popular MMO HR Giger) with the
wife when they’re not taking their
character in pose... I also reuse a lot video game EVE Online, and some artist’s own aesthetic. daily “long walks in my
my 3D props that I’ve gathered over dark ambient groups such as Cryo neighbourhood, with lots of green
the years,” he says. Then for the Chamber. “Music always put me in the back alleys in the east of town.”
rendering, everything is exported to right mood to start a new work,” he We may all be experiencing a global
Keyshot. “Keyshot is useful because says. Right now though, with crisis, but colour, it would seem, is still
my scenes are usually quite polygon lockdown still a reality in Canada, he’s never far from Pascal’s thoughts.

49
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51
 PROFILE
Ashline
LOCATION: France

Taking her inspiration

from fantasy worlds,
nature and Japanese
culture, Ashline is a self-
taught illustrator who’s
worked as a freelancer for almost a

n a id e-m é moire decade on projects in the video game,

– and a
animation and publishing industries.

insp ira tio n pt artist

She paints concepts, characters and

er ve as con ce covers, uses her sketches as a way to

an d em otions s h illu str ator and develop her skills, and sells her work

Nature ught Fren c online as an independent artist.

is self-ta www.instagram.com/ashline_art
– for th

FOG EXPRESSION:
“This started as a
simple sketch, but later
CALM
“During the quarantine
I tightened the line-work I’ve challenged myself to paint
and coloured it digitally, different expressions as fast as
creating a piece of I can. This has taught me a
personal art.” more efficient way to paint
digitally, moving from
greyscale to colours.”

TEAR
AND
STRUGGLES
“I’m not really good at
expressing myself with
words so I try to do this
through my art. How
I feel often inspires my
artworks on nature
and people.”

52
 Sketchbook Ashline
CLEO
“I like to start a drawing or
sketch with random shapes.
Usually, I have no idea what I’m
going to draw. Most of them
are meditative drawings.”

MELTING
“I tried to visually
express the feeling of
confusion, when it seems
that everything is
melting into one
big mess.”

Usually, I have no idea what

SELF-PORTRAIT
“If I don’t know what to draw, I study. One day I used
I’m going to draw. Most of them
the light from my window to see how it interacted
with my face. I’ll apply this knowledge to are meditative drawings
another piece, I’m sure.”

53
 My sketchbook is like a diary. FIRE
“I love to experiment with

I draw almost every day to express a different mediums and styles.

The red sketches are probably
my favourites. I use a coloured

feeling, an event… anything, really pencil and mix my lines

with brushmarkers.”

54
 Sketchbook Ashline
EXPRESSION:
GRUMPY
“The first sketch I did during the
quarantine. A lot of people have
adapted to this new, complicated
situation, but I haven’t found it
easy. I wanted to express that
particular thought and used
my own face as reference
for the expression.”

PAIR
OF MELTING
FLOWERS
“My sketchbook is like a
diary. I draw almost every day
to express a feeling, an event…
anything, really. I’ve had a hard
time during the quarantine,
but I enjoyed seeing
poppies everywhere so
I mixed everything in
my sketches.”

PEACEFUL
“I don’t expect to create a
good drawing. My passion comes
from this moment I take hold of
the pencil and start making
marks on the paper.”

55
 MELTING FLOWER
“Nature helps me to find inspiration when I don’t
know what to draw. I take a look around me
and always find something!”

EQUINOX
“Each sketch is a souvenir.
My memory is so bad that I’m
glad of this! Looking at them
helps me remember where
I was, with whom, and
the atmosphere...”

Nature helps
me to find
inspiration when
I don’t know
what to draw

EXPRESSION:
SMILE
“I think we all need that kind
of smile – a smile that’s
full of love!”

56
 Sketchbook Ashline
CAFÉ DOODLES
“For my daily routine I go every morning
to a café for one hour. I have no expectations
– I only draw what I want and just
enjoy being outside.”

LOOK
“Different styles? It
doesn’t matter: art is a
big laboratory! The more
I experiment, the
more I learn.”

OWL
“A sketch from a series of
studies I’ve made. I’m
fascinated by this bird.”

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

57
 The number one destination
for digital art news,
views and how-tos
EcrApc_rgtc
@jmobgpcarrm
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Graphic design Art Web design 3D Digital art

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 GET YOUR
RESOURCES
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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

60 66

74

80 This issue:
60 Use dynamic lines
in your artwork
Pietmaen on how curves and
lines can generate visual impact.

66 Painting over a
3D environment
Anya Jo Elvidge uses Photoshop
to bring a 3D setting to life.

74 Storytelling in
your sci-fi art
Paint a sci-fi scene with a sense of
adventure, with Carlo Arellano.

80 Surreal portrait art

Ken Coleman makes use of 3D
models, textures and brushes.

59
Workshops

60
 Artist insight Dynamic lines

Procreate
USE DYNAMIC LINES
IN YOUR ARTWORK
Character designer and 2D concept artist Pietmaen reveals how using
dynamic lines and curves can help to give your art extra visual impact

During university the viewer curious is what keeps me to go with a mermaid. This also fitted
Artist
I had a great teacher motivated and happy every day. with the topic of my first online
PROFILE who taught me the In this workshop I’ll be showing tutorial, in which I explained about
Pietmaen secret of dynamic you how I play around with the Line of Action. Et voilà: my two
LOCATION: Germany lines, which pushed movement during my painting trademarks – mermaids and
Peter Brockhammer, my skill level and became one of my process. I created a similar-looking dynamic lines – combined perfectly
known online as trademarks. This technique, along artwork for a social media post for my news.
Pietmaen, is a Berlin-
based character
with experimenting with different earlier this year, in which I revealed Afterwards, I spotted a couple of
designer and 2D concept processes and styles in the eight years that I was going to launch my mistakes in the original piece. So I
artist who’s worked in since graduating, has helped to shape Patreon account at the end of April. decided to redraw it completely and
games and publishing.
www.pietmaen.com
my current art style. Creating In a lovely coincidence, Mermay was make it worthy of being on the cover
characters, telling stories and keeping just around the corner. So I decided of ImagineFX!

How I create…
A CHARACTER PIECE THAT FLOWS

Playing around with lines Maintain the flow It’s okay to start again
1 Quick dynamic sketches will help you
2 The Line of Action is a well-known first
3 As I mentioned earlier, I wasn’t happy
decide on which direction to take your step to creating dynamic art. I’ll often create with the first version. I like the sketchy look,
artwork in and give you possible options a figure based on a single movement, such but here it was too loose, the mermaid’s
that you could try out – as well as acting as capturing their arms in a certain pose or the hand looked off and I needed to extend it
a general warm-up exercise. You might end motion of their hair. My life-drawing teacher down so it fitted ImagineFX’s cover. So I
up choosing a different sketch instead what advised drawing big and ‘feeling’ your line- went back to the sketching stage and began
you initially had in mind. art. I recommend you do the same. to change those aspects of the artwork.

61
 Workshops

COLOUR TECHNIQUES

Establish the mood Colour blocking on layers

I prefer to use a coloured background in my personal art. This technique involves drawing different areas on their
This helps me to stay within the colour family and makes own layers. I do this with the figure’s accessories, hair,
it easier to choose a contrast colour that best matches it. body and her general silhouette. The benefit is that you
It’s the first easy step towards setting the mood. A bright don’t draw over the artwork while working on a particular
warm colour can create a positive, calming atmosphere; layer. I use Procreate’s default Chalk 1 brush for colouring
a dark greyish blue generates a cold, melancholic feeling. because it adds an interesting, painterly texture.

Jumping around the image Taking stock of my progress

I’ve never been a line-art artist because I could never stick I’ve added a lot since the initial sketch and so I step back
to the structured process. Painting always felt more to see how the image has developed and if anything’s
natural to me because it gives me the freedom to jump lacking. The light’s coming from the right-hand side so
between steps. In this case I start defining the face and I add reflections on the jewels and some bright particles
hair to see where this could lead me to. The individual floating in the water. I also feel that painting freckles on
strands of hair match the sketch perfectly. the figure would make her look more appealing.

62
 Artist insight Dynamic lines
Keep the setting simple Let’s add some texture
Rather than a distracting background and a foreground I want to retain my sketchy lines because they
filled with objects, I want the mermaid to stand out in the add extra movement and give an insight into
piece. However, I don’t want her in a plain environment. my creative process. I use a soft noise brush
With the right brushes, textures and suitable colours you with a darker colour than the one I’m drawing
can still create interesting surroundings that will place the with to add this texture over my lines, which
viewer’s focus firmly on the subject of the artwork. helps to integrate them into the artwork.

Fixing the mood

My chosen background has created a mood
that’s a bit too cold for my liking. My solution is
to put a Darken layer on top at 20 per cent
Opacity, and fill it with a peachy colour. To
push the hand-drawn style further I scan a
sheet of watercolour paper which has a rough
texture and put it on top on a Multiply layer.

Shadow strategy
A common error is to paint black
shadows. There’s always a slightly
blue or violet tone to them. When
you’ve decided on the direction of
the light that’s hitting a character,
put a Multiply layer over your
character, select the character’s
silhouette and start painting the
areas where shadows appears.
Here the light is coming from
where the mermaid is looking. It
conveys a positive mood, which
wouldn’t occur if the character
were staring into the shadows.

PROCREATE
CUSTOM BRUSH:
MAXU SABLE
INKER HARD

CHALK 1

DRY INK

ILYA TULJAKOV
RAZUM_INC_PRO_II

These are the four

brushes I use to create
the sketch on which my
artwork is based. By
adjusting the Opacity
and working on Multiply
layers, my lines stand out
on the canvas, ready for
the painting stage.

Connect with the surroundings

So I’ve decided on the direction that the light and shadows Experiment with light
are coming from. But I also need to show the shadows and Light is never just white. The easiest way to
light already present in the scene. I create a Multiply layer choose a colour for your light is to take the
with the colour of the shadow and a layer on Add mode for dominant colour in your art and work with a
creating light over the character. Then I paint the shadows lighter version of it. Try experimenting with
and light with a low Opacity using a soft brush in the contrasting colours, too. The results might
relevant areas. surprise you – in a good way!

63
Next month
Artist Karl
Kopinski shares
his unique
drawing skills
with you!

64
 Next month

Get better
at drawing
Refresh your fundamental art skills with our
guides to sketching, colour and more!

All this… and more!

Iris Compiet Colour study Get hired by an Sketchbook
interview workshop art director greatness
The traditional Donglu Yu shares We ask the best Devour the
fantasy artist on her creative process ADs in the gloriously detailed
storytelling, folklore for harmonising business what they scribbles from
and more. colour and hue. want from you. Fred Rambaud.

ISSUE 192 ON SALE IN THE UK 4 September 2020

65
 Workshops

Photoshop, 3ds Max & Unreal Engine 4

PAINTING OVER A
3D ENVIRONMENT
Anya Jo Elvidge draws on her experience as a video game artist to
model a 3D environment before bringing it to life using Photoshop

GET YOUR
RESOURCES
See page 8 now!

66
In depth 3D environment

67
 Workshops

The aim of this making bits as quickly as I can, it Photoshop brushes, and a lot of how
Artist
workshop is to create a might be helpful to understand some I make images is about choosing
PROFILE beautiful place from basic 3D modelling. And if you ever placement of shapes, patterns and
Anya Jo your imagination that wish to model your concepts, having colours carefully.
Elvidge perhaps you’d like to a base already modelled saves you Creating beautiful environments is
LOCATION: England
spend time in. Maybe a cosy room, a time because the basic forms are all about finding what you like and
Anya works as a 2D and secret temple or a relaxing café! already there for you to work from. condensing it into an image. If you
3D environment artist at I like to work over a 3D base that Once I’ve made my 3D base and lit work on what you want, and not
video game developer
Rare Ltd. She loves
I’ve modelled in 3ds Max and lit in it in a simple UE4 scene, I’ll begin what you think others want, you’ll
creating colourful and Unreal Engine 4 (UE4). This isn’t overpainting a screenshot where we create work that you love and are
inviting environments. essential, but because the aim of my can start having fun with colour, passionate about. People will love
www.anyatheartist.com
process is getting to the fun decision- lighting and storytelling. I use basic your work when you love it first!

The initial plan

1 When I start a painting I always have a very rough
idea of where I want it to go. I put together a quick mood
board that features inspiring colours, patterns, plants…
anything that’s interesting to me. It could be something as
simple as a pretty colour, or a wall tile design that I like!
Then I start sketching. I’m not concerned about
perspective yet, because the 3D modelling will do that for
me. I just use a Photoshop hard Round brush to get down
some colours and line.

Experimenting in 3D
2 3D is a wonderful resource that enables you to
experiment quickly and efficiently. I make my basic
models such as rocks, plants and boats in 3ds Max, and
then set them up in an Unreal Engine 4 scene. Inside UE4
I just have a Skylight, which controls the shadow colour,
and a DirectionalLight, which acts as the ‘sun’. All models
have a plain grey material applied except the water, which
is transparent blue so I can see under the water.

68
 In depth 3D environment

Considering the composition

3 Now I can start to experiment with composition and lighting, by moving objects around and rescaling them, and rotating my sun until
I have something that I like. I’ve scaled a lot of objects up so the scene feels more intimate and small and have also flipped the composition. This
means the viewer starts ‘reading’ at the left, with the archway in the distance, then naturally reads left to right, to the focal point in the sun.

Sketching over my 3D model

4 My 3D environment is complete and acts as an excellent reference base for painting. However, it’s very simple and doesn’t give me much to
work with, so back in Photoshop I start to draw in the details that I’ll eventually paint. I use the same hard Round brush as for my initial sketch,
and start to have some fun with sketching plants, props and details in the scene.

69
 Workshops

Introducing colour
6 Colour can be difficult to get right so I always make
Making use of values sure I have plenty of reference images for this part. I create
5 Our 3D base provides a good starting point for our values. However, there a new layer and work over my value edits with a hard
are some areas that could be improved. I’m not focused on making the image Round brush with Hue Jitter. I paint quite softly so that
physically correct so much as bending reality to improve the lighting and enhance the values still show through underneath, and roughly
the image. On a new layer with a large Round brush I just colour-pick from the block in some colours to represent different materials
3D base and paint in some edits such as new pools of light, areas of shadow and such as rock, water and plants. At this point the colours
darkening of the foreground. are simple and quite desaturated.

RESOURCES

PHOTOSHOP
CUSTOM BRUSHES:
OPAQUE HARD BRUSH

Brush for painting clean

shapes, lines and edges
used by holding Shift
and left clicking.

TRANSPARENT HARD
BRUSH

Ideal brush for painting

gradients on surfaces,
blending colours using
the Color Picker (Alt).

TRANSPARENT ROUND
BRUSH HUE JITTER

Layering colours and experimenting

This is a good brush
7 A lot of my colour choices come from ‘happy accidents’ when experimenting with layers and layer modes (such as
for the initial colour Screen, Exclusion and Lighten) rather than knowing exactly what colour I’m going to put down for every aspect of the
layers because it adds painting. I begin adding new layers underneath the existing colour layers, and painting in blocks of colour with Hue
colour variation.
Jitter on to see how it looks. I also add new top-level colour layers and keep roughly laying down new colours.

70
 In depth 3D environment

Multiply Layer, 28% Opacity

Vivid Light layer, 67% Opacity

Reintroducing value, but with different Layer modes

8 Painting over with colour causes us to lose our values, so I take my 3D layer with the value edits we made earlier, duplicate it and then bring
it to the top of the layer stack. Then I try the layer on different Layer modes. For mine, I choose Vivid Light. I also adjust the hue of the value layer
so that it’s warmer by going to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and moving the sliders.

Luminosity layer
mode, 59% Opacity
+ Layer Masking

Lighten layer mode,

48% Opacity

Unifying the colours

9 Now that I’ve fixed my values, I make a new layer
and add a simple gradient with the Gradient tool. The
gradient consists of two colours that are relatively similar, 10 It’s painting time!
Now I can start the actual rendering and painting process. Using the
such as orange and yellow or green and blue. I test out Polygonal Lasso tool, I start selecting medium and large areas to paint, such as rock
lots of different Layer modes, and change the Opacity and faces. I use a hard Round brush again, and I often have Hue Jitter switched on for
the Hue (using the method in step eight) of the layer, colour variation. Switching my 3D layer on and off, I fill in one area at a time with
until I find something that I’m happy with. colour, carefully considering where the light and shadow is.

71
 Workshops

A Brightness/Contrast A
Adjustment layer
B
B Foreground foliage painted
C
C Screen layer mode + masking
D Multiply layer mode D

E Linear Light layer mode E

+ masking

After

Before

12 Reconfiguring values and colours

It can be easy to lose sight of values when painting,
Working up detail so I check them regularly. Here I decide to make the
11 Once I have painted colour in the larger volumes I start painting in more painting easier to read by decreasing the contrast in the
details. At this stage I begin working into the water, painting what’s under the water background and darkening elements in the foreground. I
but not the surface reflection yet. I tackle other areas such as foliage and variation use a mixture of Multiply, Linear Light, and Screen layers
in stone colours, such as edge trims. I also add edge highlights, which are a great to push areas back or pull some forwards. I also use these
way of creating the illusion of detail. layers to improve the colours so that they’re less blueish.

Loose render with Hue Jitter

Cleanly rendered area

14 Making the final touches

Lastly, I add small props and details such as plant

13 Rendering and creating clean edges

For the final render, I use a hard Round brush with no Transparency. Holding
pots, fish, water highlights and light sparkles in the air.
These are the highest detail level in my painting, and they
Shift, I tap with my pen to create a ‘dot-to-dot’ of lines, which I then hand-paint with give the illusion of overall detail in the rest of the scene.
colour. This creates clean edges. I use this method in certain areas of the painting so I The light sparkles also add a sense of magic to the
have clean areas to contrast other areas where I’ve left messy brush work and Hue environment. Once I’m happy with these final small
Jitter exposed. I constantly refer to my 3D render for shadows reference. touches, I call the painting done.

72
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73
 Workshops

Photoshop
STORYTELLING IN
YOUR SCI-FI ART
Art director Carlo Arellano breaks down his design process as he
illustrates a science fiction environment with a sense of adventure

74
 In depth Sci-fi art

This concept is part I start with F, where form follows specific thing rather than just a trope.
Artist
of a personal project function. The ship is able to re-enter In this case it would be the idealised
PROFILE that combines the atmosphere like a shuttle and land concept of NASA architecture over
Carlo Arellano pioneering spirit of the like a helicopter, so a flattened airfoil the archetype of the outpost. T is for
LOCATION: US
American West with shape with some large VTOL engine tools, or the necessary props or
Carlo is an art director an alien planet of rugged beauty. nacelles are in order. Next, A for attributes required for the work to
and concept artist with The brief for myself was a small archetype: those recurring themes in function in the game design or
over 20 years of
experience in the game
Western-style military outpost with storytelling that have the ability to narrative. This might be a sword for a
and film industries. the clean and idealistic design of communicate recognisable ideas, like character, but here it’s things like the
https://ifxm.ag/carlo-a late-60s science fiction. Storytelling is a wizard or cowboy. In this case, the communication dish on top of the
incredibly important, and with every archetype is the outpost. settlement. Finally, S stands for
design I approach it with an C is for characterisation, or the silhouette: the shapes that convey
acronym: F.A.C.T.S. unique qualities that make a design a all of the previous qualities.

75
 Workshops

STRENGTHEN YOUR COMPOSITION

Ground your elements

I add colours from the sky on the topside
of the ship and reflected light from the
ground on the underside. This will ground
the object into the scene.

Engage the viewer Create visual effects

Storytelling is important. This goes beyond just creating Using Screen mode on a layer is a great way to add
a mood – the viewer needs to be inspired so they can effects to your work. The values of the pixels in the two
engage in your work. The romantic notion of layers are inverted, multiplied and then inverted again.
“homecoming” is supported by the lovely sunlit day as This yields the opposite effect to Multiply, and results in a
much as the clean-looking home and spaceship. brighter picture that’s perfect for flames or spell effects.

How I create…
AN OUTPOST
ON A FAR-
OFF PLANET
Sketch out my idea
1 I create a rough sketch and then just
eyeball the composition. Normally I might
produce around five thumbnails for a client,
but here I have a clear idea of my objectives
and composition so I begin with a loose
sketch and then study the perspective.

76
 In depth Sci-fi art

Design basics The importance of

One of the questions I ask myself on a
design is, “Can a kid draw it?” Think of
creating mini-stories
Composition occurs internally and in the
the way an X-wing starfighter or the corners of the painting – not just in the
Batmobile can be drawn by a kid. This overall work. Relationships of colour and
ensures that the design is memorable and form in the smaller areas create mini-
that your archetype communicates well. stories that support the greater narrative.
That’s why the ship is a flying saucer with
outrigger engines.

Utilise shadows
Many young artists overlook using
cast shadows to help describe forms,
but you can use shadows as graphic
elements to frame important details.

PHOTOSHOP
DEFAULT BRUSH:
Shadows dictate form Add drama through colour ROUND BRUSH
2 I draw a three-point perspective grid and block in
3 Using overlay, colour and tinting techniques,
with four tonal greyscale values. I correct my perspective I colourise the image and add the hottest highlights, and
I only use Photoshop’s
and study the edges of a surface when I lay in my core edit some of the forms to create more drama or improve default brushes, mostly
shadows. I check if the shadows should be hard to the composition. I then use gradients and fog to taking the Round brush
and flattening the brush
denote a sharp turn, or soft to denote a rounder form. separate the background from the foreground.
shape to create planes.

77
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79
 Workshops

ZBrush, Keyshot, Photoshop & Painter

CREATE SURREAL
PORTRAIT ART
Ken Coleman explains his “rinse wash repeat” approach to
surreal portraiture using 3D models, textures and brushes

In this workshop I’ll rotated to build out the artwork and Once I’m happy with the overall
Artist
show you how I create find more abstract shapes to fill in shape of the composition, I’ll bring it
PROFILE my artwork using my the composition. I start in ZBrush, into Painter and use blender brushes
Ken Coleman own photos, 3D making basic spiral shapes that such as Fractured blender and Stencil
LOCATION: Ireland models and custom resemble organic elements such as oily blender to break it up into an
Ken lectures in game art brushes. The workshop uses ZBrush horns and branches. I then render abstract painting on multiple layers.
and design at Clonmel and Keyshot for creating 3D models these in Keyshot with three layers to Once I’m happy with the overall
Digital Campus in Ireland
as well as designing for
and rendering. Most of the image’s create light, depth and shadow. textures and abstract shapes here,
clients such as Catalyst shape and composition is built in These iterations are then saved as I move the image back and forth
Games, The Cranberries Photoshop with blends of images, Photoshop files with a transparent between Painter and Photoshop
and Morbid Angel.
https://ifxm.ag/ken-c
textures and brush strokes. background, so they can be dragged using masks and adjustment layers to
This process starts with simple into the main composition to build finalise the shapes, tones and details,
shapes that are repeated, flipped and up the overall silhouette. bringing the artwork to completion.

GET YOUR
RESOURCES
See page 8 now!

Finding inspiration at home

1
My son Luke has become one of the main inspirations of my personal work, and I often shoot images of him early in the morning when
bed hair and morning light make a great combination. The main elements I use to start one of my personal works are a strong subject, stock
photos of props, abstract 3D elements, and images of textures and particles that I create myself.

80
In depth Surreal portrait

81
 Workshops

Create some abstract 3D

3 I open ZBrush and select the basic spiral shape.
Prepping the image I press T for Transform to turn it into a 3D model and
2 I chose an image and use the PortraitPro plug-in (https://ifxm.ag/p-pro) to using the Initialise menu, manipulate the shape to
save time on skin editing. My grading process that I use on all my images is to resemble something organic. When I’m happy with the
duplicate the layer, then Image>Desaturate on this top layer, followed by Sharpen> form I make it a Polymesh 3D shape. I then sculpt on this
Unsharp Mask at 150 per cent at 1.5 pixels. I set this layer to Soft Light to give more form using the Snake Hook brush with Sculptris enabled
depth and shadows to my image. I merge these two layers, then using the Camera and a combination of the Fracture brush and Creature
Raw filter I increase Clarity and Shadows and reduce Highlights and White. tools to create abstract organic shapes.

Rendering the model in Keyshot

4 The next step is to bring this model into Keyshot. This is done by selecting
ZBrush Render Menu>Keyshot, then pressing the BPR button. This opens the model
in Keyshot, which I render in these materials: Red Clay, Blue White Rim and
GoZBrush Human Skin. These three materials are then rendered out as PSD files
and combined into one PSD file in Photoshop.

82
 In depth Surreal portrait

Texturing using blend modes

5 I combine all three materials using Soft Light mode
with Red Clay as the base layer. They’re then Merged onto
one layer. I select Image>Adjustment>Curves & Image>
Autocolour to achieve the right tones. I also bring up the
detail and brightness on a duplicated layer with Filter> Taking inspiration from family heritage
Camera Raw Filter. The 3D parts can be either textured in 6 I use the Lasso tool with the Magic Wand to cut out the head and place it on
the composition or by flattening the 3D model and then the project’s canvas. I then start building the overall shape using the abstract 3D
adding textures, again with a Soft Light blend mode. By models combined with my own textures and photos. In this case I’ve opted to use
adding a white background and flattening the image, the my photos of Colombian artefacts, because Luke is half-Colombian and half-Irish. I
3D render can be cut out with the Magic Wand, so that use texture brushes and Filter>Blur>Surface Blur to paint the skin. I also use the
the render and textures are ready for the composition. AKVIS OilPaint plug-in (see www.akvis.com) to help guide my brushstrokes.

COREL PAINTER
DEFAULT BRUSHES:
SPRING CONCEPT
CREATURE

For fine lining and

highlighting, set it to
around five pixels.

FRACTURED BLENDER

I’ll often use this brush to

blend, paint and break
up the image.

STENCIL OILY BLENDER

Building the composition

7 Once I’m happy with the overall layout and combination of layers, blended textures and brush strokes I press
File>Duplicate to make a copy of the project. I go through multiple iterations and often take parts from different On a flattened layer I’ll
versions to build the final composite. I merge the layers to create the portrait, but merge the background separately. paint over the image to
find interesting elements.
This enables me to make an Alpha or Stencil of the subject to copy and paste back into other versions.

83
 Workshops

Paint over the prepped image

8 To prep my image for Corel Painter. I duplicate the subject layer twice and do the same for the background layers. I then save this file out
with the same project name but with ‘PAINTER’ at the end of the file name so I know which version to open in Painter for blending.

Breaking up the image 10 Rinse wash repeat

This old saying sums up my process. I can end up
9 I use a combination of only three default Corel Painter brushes to start to with three to six iterations of the same image. I often keep
break up my image, so that it resembles an abstract painting created with palette one as the master image and then using the Lasso tool
knives. These are found in the Brush palette. In the Blender Brushes menu I use and Quick Mask in Photoshop, cut parts from each and
Fractured Blender and Stencil Oily Blender, and lay down some line-work with the combine them in a master image. I also bring in more
Spring Concept Creature brush that’s found in the Particle brushes folder. Satisfied textures and 3D objects to overlay and blend into the
with my abstract layers, I go back to Photoshop to refine these elements. image. I also reduce the subject’s size by 30 per cent.

84
 In depth Surreal portrait

A B

RESOURCES

PHOTOSHOP
CUSTOM BRUSHES:
FLAT POINT MEDIUM
STIFF

C D
When set to white at
around 8 pixels, this
brush is ideal for lines.

KEN DRY PALETTE

KNIFE

Used with layer masks to

bring out and block in
shape and textures.

KEN THICK PAINT

Using symmetry and abstraction when at a standstill

11 I make a copy of the image, flatten it, duplicate the layer and flip it on itself. Using Blend modes such as Lighten Used with the Color
and Darken (A) I move the top layer over the bottom to find abstract shapes (B). I merge and copy these to new layers Dropper to add paint
effects near the finish.
and cut out the interesting parts (C). These are laid out and dropped back onto the master copy to see what works (D).

13 Adding the final photo elements

12 Colour adjustments
I save a copy as a new version, before merging all
I step away from the image for a day and come back with fresh eyes. I decide
to reduce the size of the neck. I then add a rim glow under the neck on a new layer
the layers of the subject and the background separately using the Lasso tool and apply an orange gradient set to Pin Light blend mode. I
and creating a new Alpha/Stencil. Using this Stencil on a bring back the photographic elements to strengthen the detail and cultural aspect.
new layer set to Soft Light I paint in some dark edges to As the piece nears its finish I decide to create one more copy. I cut up the image
give the silhouette a stronger edge. This adds a new layer again using the original Stencil layers from another file. I reduce the size of the
of depth to the overall composition. Then on a new layer neck, enlarge the head slightly and add Grá, which is Irish for Love written in
I draw more fine lines on the subject. Ogham. This balances out the cultural symbols and the painting is complete.

85
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86
 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

92 98

This issue:
88 Traditional FXPosé
Explore this month’s selection of
the finest traditional art, which
has been sent in by you!

88 92 Workshop: Paint like

a 19th Old Master
Howard Lyon looks to artists
such as Lawrence Alma-Tadema
and reveals how he creates a
painting after their ideals.
98 First Impressions:
Paul Lewin
Discover how colour plays a
key role in this Jamaica-born,
US-based artist’s work.

87
 Traditional Artist FXPosé

SHOWCASING THE FINEST TRADITIONAL ARTISTS

Allison Reimold
LOCATION: US MEDIA: Oil paint, graphite WEB: www.instagram.com/allisonreimold/

Art history, religious symbols and the natural world

are all influences for Allison. “Vibrant colours and
unexpected shapes are also a must in all of my work.”

1 2

1 NIGHTSWIMMING
“The white lily is a symbol of innocence and
purity, mimicked in the young woman’s white
hair and the vibrant moon above her.”

2 LUNA
“An interpretation of the moon and the
creatures that thrive in its glow. I love the
palette, and the little meteors were especially
fun to paint!”

3 MALIBU
“This piece is my homage to the
conflicting perspectives of Malibu. It shows
an idyllic summer playground turning into
an inferno.”

4 POPPY
“This piece puts me in mind of springtime
and the butterfly migrations that are common
in southern California.”

88 Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx

 Inspirational art

Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx 89

 Traditional Artist FXPosé

Kenjay L. Reyes
LOCATION: Philippines MEDIA: Mechanical pens, graphite pencils WEB: www.behance.net/kenjreyes

Kenjay is an architectural student who loves to dabble in illustration,

specifically in doodle art design. His artwork has been exhibited
globally and his style is inspired by nature, fantasies and animation.

1 2

1 PURGATORIO
“A take on Dante Alighieri’s Divine
Comedy that shows a mind visualised.
Purgatorio seeks an abstract
representation of Paradise.”

2 ANTHROPOMETRICS
“This takes a modern perspective of
seeing the Vitruvian Man as a model of art.
The intricate doodling technique creates a
contemporary art style.”

3 HALLOWEEN DREAMS
“A look at what one can see during
dreams. The mystical and the whimsical
take on a whole new point of view.”

4 LIFE AND DEATH

“A study of how we move on from our
painful pasts. Positivity helps one overcome
the wounds of yesterday and grow.”

5 REFORESTATION
“Reforestation seeks to imply a
message from nature. Tears are shed from
those who need attention the most.”

90 Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx

 Inspirational art

4 5

Want to submit your work? Visit http://ifxm.ag/getinifx 91

 Traditional Artist Workshop

92
In depth 19th century Masters

Oils
PAINT LIKE A
19TH CENTURY
OLD MASTER
HOWARD LYON looks to artists such as
Lawrence Alma-Tadema and reveals how
he creates a painting after their ideals

T
he 19th century was a fresh eyes. Once the thumbnails are
wonderful time for art. completed, I spend a little more time
Artists were held in high refining a sketch to flesh out the idea.
regard and the public was For this project I wanted to pay
educated about art. There homage to the artists I love. I was
was a high level of skilled technique lucky enough to have a friend,
on display thanks to the rigorous Birgitte Smoot, that was not only
academic training available. willing to model but help me with
Artists like Lawrence Alma- the costume. My friend, Erin Bjorn,
Tadema, Frederic Leighton and made us a costume that was
William-Adolphe Bouguereau created historically accurate.
works of great beauty and drew upon Paint what delights you and you’ll
inspirations found in contemporary find an audience that feels the same
life, but especially antiquity. They way about your work. Follow me
all followed a similar process, and through these steps as I attempt to
a great amount of planning and create a painting that echoes the
effort was expended before brush Masters I love, then create your own
ever met canvas. painting inspired by your favourite
We can learn a lot from these artists. You’ll learn more about them
Masters and not hurry through the and yourself in the process.
process of creating a painting. Don’t Howard has a deep love and
rush through the thumbnail stage. appreciation for art history,
This is the best and easiest place to and has expanded his work to
explore your composition. When I create paintings inspired by
can, I like to let my sketches sit for a his favourite Old Masters. You can explore
day or two and then come back with his art at www.howardlyon.com.

1 Find inspiration
Here are a few examples of the art I love from Leighton, Godward and
Alma-Tadema. At this stage I’m looking for inspiration for this painting. There’s
a richness in palette and a refinement of line that I find very exciting. How can
you not be inspired by such beauty?

93
 Traditional Artist Workshop

2 Test composition and implying

detail with thumbnails
I create many thumbnails for this painting. Here are four
of them. They aren’t very pretty and are only meaningful
3 Produce a sketch to solidify ideas
I select one of the thumbnails and take it further as a sketch. I did this one in
to me. A quick line or mark can represent a piece of Photoshop, but sometimes I’ll use charcoal or pencil. I like to mix up the materials
furniture or figure. Imagination is important at this stage and tools I use. The goal at this stage is to solidify the idea so that you can gather
and adds a thrill as one imagines the possibilities! proper references and direct the model.

MATERIALS
PAINT
Q Blue Ridge oil paints
on a wood panel.
SURFACE
Q Canvas on wood
panel
TOOLS
Q Rosemary & Co
brushes
Q New Wave Art
Expressionist Confidant

4
artist palette
Use photography as a tool
Q Sakura Pigma
Unless you have the enviable means to have a model in your studio full-time, photography will most likely be an
Micron pen
invaluable tool. Do what it takes to get the very best photo reference possible, but don’t be a slave to your
photographs. You’re the artist, not the camera. Trust your creativity and use all the tools at your fingertips.

94
 In depth 19th century Masters

5 Create a grid and draw out the composition

The painting is 12x16 inches so I make a one-inch grid on the panel and draw my composition. You don’t need to draw every detail,
though I draw in much of the mosaic to take advantage of the dark lines in the final pass. Next, I ink the critical lines with a Pigma Micron pen.

6 Give the canvas a colour tint

I erase the pencil grid and start the imprimatura, or tinting the canvas with colour. This makes it easier to judge the accuracy of
subsequent layers of paint, and the warm colour will show through in places and help to add warmth and vibrancy in a subtle way.

95
 Traditional Artist Workshop

7 Apply a colour wash

I now apply a thin colour wash over the whole
painting. I like to use a medium composed of five parts
turpentine, one part damar varnish and one part stand oil.
8 Use the first pass to gauge your values
The first pass of the painting is underway. I start with the head and hands,
It makes the oil paint seem almost like watercolour and it which makes it possible for me to establish the quality and value range on what is
dries quickly. It also keeps the paint semi-transparent, usually the most important part of a figure painting. When painting skin under cool
which enables the drawing to show through. daylight, I like to keep the shadows warm and lively.

10 First pass complete

9 Pace your efforts
When working through the first pass, it’s important to remember that you’ll
The first pass is now complete. Notice that areas
are still flat and washy, but the values and colours are well
have the chance to go over everything again once it dries. Don’t fall into the trap of established. The fun part really begins where each stroke
trying to add all the polish and finish in the first stage. It takes some experience, but seems to make a big impact and you can choose what
you’ll soon learn when you’re just pushing paint around and when you’re actually parts you want to focus on. I’m about 80 per cent of the
making progress with your artwork. way towards the finish at this point.

96
 In depth 19th century Masters

11 Introduce details to the artwork during the second pass

In my efforts to paint like my art heroes, I have to be meticulous with the details. For the smallest details, buy a medium sized Round with
a very fine tip. This will enable you to get all the detail you need and the brush will hold a good amount of paint.

13 Be sure to frame your work

12 Apply the final touches
I’m almost at the end of the painting. This is the
The painting is finished! I was able to create something that echoes the
artists of the 19th century that I admire. I was aiming for a sense of classicism and
stage to refine the delicate transitions and add subtle elegance. Don’t forget to find a frame to enhance your artwork. I chose a frame
details such as the wrinkles in the hands and veins from the talented people at Masterworks Frames. The frame is handmade and uses
underneath the skin. I also glaze and intensify colours. 16 karat gold leaf for a sense of history and grandeur. The arch of the frame was in
I prefer to glaze with transparent colours and no medium. the back of my mind as I composed the painting.

97
 Traditional Artist Interview

First Impressions
Paul Lewin
Colour plays a key
role in this Jamaican
artist’s work

Where did you grow

up and how has this
influenced your art?
I was born in Jamaica
in 1973 and moved to
the US in 1977. I grew up in Miami,
Florida. Miami is known for being
a very colourful city, and colour is
an important aspect of my work.
There’s a large Caribbean presence in EJIRO
“Part of a new series paintings I’m working on about
Miami, and you can see it in the the potential harmony of technology and nature.”
brightly coloured architecture and
art throughout the city. differ in that this latest work
represents the newer direction my
What, outside of art, has most work is heading.
influenced your artwork through
the years? Is making a living as an artist all
Mostly music and sci-fi films. I love you thought it would be?
playing music while I work, and I HOW LONG ’TIL BLACK Tell us about your first paid Mostly yes, but some things are a bit
grew up watching sci-fi movies and FUTURE MONTH? commission, and does it stand as a more challenging than I expected.
TV shows. I always enjoyed trying to “This is the cover art for the representation of your talent? I love just focusing on my art. I like
re-release of NK Jemisin’s
recreate the art in them. collection of short stories.” The first book cover work that I did being able to set my own schedule
was for the new editions of two of and choose which projects to work
Is there a painting that you saw in Octavia Butler’s books: Parable of on. But the uncertainty and anxiety
your formative years that changed the Sower and Parable of the Talents, that comes with not having a steady
everything? What was it? published by Seven Stories Press. pay cheque makes it hard to know
Yes, it’s called Sugar Shack by Ernie Octavia’s work has been a huge when it’s okay to take a break.
Barnes. It was the first time that I inspiration for my art, so I was very
had ever seen African American honoured. It represents my talent What advice would you give to your
figures depicted in that kind of younger self to aid you on the way?
surreal style, with elongated bodies,
flow and movement.
The art life and real life are To have more patience with my work
and to take setbacks less seriously.
about the journey and not The art life and real life are about the
journey and not the destination.
the destination
How has the industry of art
well since the image used in Parable changed for good since you’ve been
of the Talents is one of my most working in it?
popular paintings. The internet and social media means
artists have a lot more control over
What’s the last piece you finished, their careers than ever before. Much
and how do the two differ? of the art industry has had to change
My last completed piece was the and adapt to this new setting, which
cover and interior art for the re- I think is a good thing.
release of NK Jemisin’s book of short Paul’s work is inspired by African-
KIANGA stories titled How Long ’til Black Carribean and African folklore, and
“This piece was inspired by the Future Month? that was published by science fiction, and you can see more of
connection of African folklore,
nature, and the spirit world.” Subterranean Press. The two projects it at www.paullewinart.com.

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