A guide to drawing fantasy worlds that covers barbarians, Vikings, the Medieval world, wild creatures, faerie realms, and gothic characters.

There is only one Final Fantasy. Through more than a dozen wildly diverse adventures, from the release of the first game in 1987 to the most recent expansion on the story, the international influence of the game is legendary both inside the video-game industry and throughout popular culture. It is a tale of bold heroes and heroines, breathtaking landscapes and terrifying creatures. Through Final Fantasy, names like Luneth, Refia, Rosa Farrell, Cecil Harvey, and many others have become household names to millions of players across the globe.

Twenty-four hours ago Gil MacDonald and his men had been fighting off an ambush in a Vietnam jungle. Now, thanks to some kin of spell, they were in the middle of this Fantasy Land filled with flying dragons, wizards, crazy castles and dispossessed princes.

When artists and designers explore or create a fictional setting, the milieu must be completely fleshed out, explained, and designed. In this book, comic and gaming art veteran Mark A. Nelson explores and demonstrates his methods for fashioning visually stunning, believable environments for fantasy creatures and characters. Scores of images and step-by-step examples illustrate how variation and experimentation lead to fresh, original designs for otherworldly beings, their environments, and their stories. Nelson discusses how to find ideas and borrow from history to add the strength of realism to a fantasy world. In describing the best ways to establish a habitat, he offers specifics about climate, terrain, flora, and wildlife. He shares insights into founding societies in terms of their means of survival, manner of warfare, spiritual practices, style of dress, and levels of technology. All visual creatives who work with imaginative material — illustrators, comic artists, and writers — will take a lively interest in this source of inspiration and practical knowledge. "In sixteen breezy-yet-surprisingly-concise chapters he covers everything from visual problem solving to spirituality to warfare to transportation, not with the idea of giving the reader lessons to copy by rote but rather as prompts to develop their own original concepts. If I were suggesting three books every budding artist should have at their fingertips they would be Figure Drawing for All It's Worth by Andrew Loomis, Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist by James Gurney, and, most definitely, Mark's Fantasy World-Building." — Muddy Colors

Go where no artist has ever gone before. Bizarre terrains, enchanted forests, futuristic metropolises, ornate palaces—these are the places where adventure dwells. In this fun and fiercely original book from celebrated fantasy artist Tom Kidd, you'll learn how to set the scene for epic tales of adventure. Discover where Kidd finds his best ideas, the methods behind his glorious color sense, and how he turns it all into exquisite skies, glittering cities, spectacular rock formations, stormy seas, magnificent forests and other bold, breathtaking vistas. Learn to draw and paint fantastic settings in a way that makes them utterly believable Get imagination-sparking approaches for dreaming up these strange new realms, seeing the world around you with fresh eyes and finding ready inspiration in the most ordinary of places 13 step-by-step demonstrations show how ideas are developed into dynamic color oil and watercolor renderings, with some discussion of digital techniques This book is your ticket to destinations of absolute wonder and bizarre beauty. Thrill your viewers by transporting them to locales so vast and unreal, it will take their breath away.

The Incredible World of Japanese Fantasy Films Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan: these manifestations of Japanese postwar psyche are among the most amazing creations of modern cinema. These heavily illustrated work takes an inside look at the story of these movies which is supplemented with interviews with Toho actors, directors, screenwriters and the all important special effects men.

The book kicks off with "Ant's Army," a tale set against the Austrian backdrop. Antara, an industrious ant, transforms her colony into a formidable army to protect her homeland. The narrative unfolds a harmonious blend of fantasy and environmental consciousness, showcasing the strength that unity holds in the face of adversity. The journey continues with "Chess of Death," returning to the Austrian environment. The narrative introduces a high-stakes, magical chess game that entangles the lives of its players, weaving a gripping tale of strategy, consequences, and the pursuit of victory in the face of peril. "Barbed Whip" unfolds against the mystical ambiance of the Czech Republic. Valeria, a skilled warrior, wields a magical whip in her pursuit of justice against a malevolent force threatening her homeland. The story is infused with Czech cultural elements, providing a vivid and immersive experience. Moving on to "Crying River," the book explores a haunting tale set in the Czech landscape. A river with mystical properties reflects the emotions of those who traverse its waters, creating a poignant narrative that delves into the interconnectedness of nature and human emotions.

Offers advice for would-be science fiction writers, covering such topics as setting, plot, character, and dialogue, as well as the mechanics of grammar, tense, sentence structure, and paragraph transition.

Learn how to bring to life the most exciting warriors and heroes. Armed with your pen and paper, let battle commence! Discover how to draw and paint male and female warrior archetypes, from the ancient legend of Thor to the valour of King Arthur. Explore anatomy, color and lighting techniques, and discover how to render combat, armor, weapons and clothing. Become a master fantasy artist with ten easy-to-follow step-by-step projects.

The 50th Anniversary catalog from one of the world's leading dealers in great vintage pulps, comics, & science fiction.