Create your own fantasy art with this comprehensive guidebook by the lead conceptual designer on The Lord of the RingsTM and The HobbitTM trilogies. Discover the creative processes and intriguing inspirations behind the work of John Howe – lead conceptual designer on The Lord of the RingsTM and The HobbitTM movie trilogies. Through step-by-step drawings and finished paintings, Howe reveals his artistic approach in action: from developing characters to creating atmospheric landscapes, extraordinary architecture and fantasy beasts. In this practical guide, Howe shares tips on everything from building a portfolio to book illustration, graphic novels and designing for the big screen. Develop your own personal style of fantasy art with help from the best in the business with this must-have book. Features a foreword by groundbreaking film director Terry Gilliam, and an afterword by Alan Lee, John’s partner on the conceptual design for The Lord of the RingsTM movie trilogy and Oscar-winning illustrator.

From initial concept through to finishing touches, for the first time, Boris and Julie give an in-depth description of how they paint their masterpieces, taking the reader through every stage of the creative process. As well as teaching the main techniques, the premiere fantasy-art team shows the reader how to use a wide variety of media to create a whole range of different types of painting, and explain how they create the effects for which they are so renowned, such as Julie's legendary "metal flesh," with its mix of fluidity and hardness contrasting with the sensual softness of the skin. Illustrated throughout in full color, the Practical Guide to Fantasy Art includes step-by-step photographs that Boris and Julie have taken as they've worked as well as a selection of their finished art appealing to art students and fantasy-art admirers alike.

This is a breathtaking new practical art course that completely demystifies the drawing and sketching techniques of master fantasy artist John Howe. Learn the basics of drawing as John reveals the secrets behind choosing the best materials and the correct methods for holding and using pencils.

Learn to write science fiction and fantasy from a master You've always dreamed of writing science fiction and fantasy tales that pull readers into extraordinary new worlds and fantastic conflicts. Best-selling author Orson Scott Card shows you how it's done, distilling years of writing experience and publishing success into concise, no-nonsense advice. You'll learn how to: • utilize story elements that define the science fiction and fantasy genres • build, populate, and dramatize a credible, inviting world your readers will want to explore • develop the "rules" of time, space and magic that affect your world and its inhabitants • construct a compelling story by developing ideas, characters, and events that keep readers turning pages • find the markets for speculative fiction, reach them, and get published • submit queries, write cover letters, find an agent, and live the life of a writer The boundaries of your imagination are infinite. Explore them with Orson Scott Card and create fiction that casts a spell over agents, publishers, and readers from every world.

Fantasy painting has a long tradition.It went through a stylistic revolution in the 1980s with the widespread adoption of airbrush as a medium of choice. Now, with the emergence of various computer modeling and rendering applications, fantasy painting is going through another revolution. Digital tools and techniques have made it easier for artists to realize their visions and the images they now create are more vivid, more realistic, and more compelling. A must-have book for anyone working in the area of fantasy art and for anyone who admires the work of fantasy illustrators. "Digital Fantasy Painting Workshop" tackles the genre's three main categories-fantasy; science-fiction; and horror-and employs detailed step-by-step walkthroughs to show exactly how the images are produced. Featuring work from some of the world's leading fantasy artists, the book also explores the "tradigital" movement of mixing traditional and digital skills.

Create your own manga characters! The manga universe is diverse--full of cute chibis, soulful romantics, cunning villains and sassy schoolgirls. Whether you want to tell love stories, create fantasy worlds or explore the drama of everyday life, you can do it with the help of self-taught manga artist and YouTube celebrity Sophie-Chan. You'll learn to draw personality-filled characters and create unique manga stories from start to finish, even if you've never drawn manga before! Inside Manga Workshop: • 30+ start-to-finish demonstrations teach you to draw women, men and children of all ages, perspectives and personality types, including classic manga schoolgirls, the boy next door, businesswomen, rock stars and gothic vampires. • The Face. Using simple shapes, draw different eyes, noses and mouths to create endless expressions, from blushing surprise and happiness to full-blown tears--even cool hairstyles! • The Figure. Follow easy guidelines to create proportionate characters--chibis and children, high schoolers and warriors--and place them in scenes. Plus, learn the secrets to drawing accurate hands and feet, including shoes! • Color. Learn to color your manga with colored pencil, markers and digital drawing programs to reflect setting, genre, time of day and personality traits. • Bonus pages show variations on facial expressions, common poses, extra outfits and how to use each in your story, plus special drawing demos, including an angel, vampire, witch, a magical cat and Chan's own characters. Includes publishing tips, words of advice and insider secrets!

Create characters that leap off the page--and into readers' hearts! Populating your fiction with authentic, vivid characters is a surefire way to captivate your readers from the first sentence to the last. Whether you're writing a series, novel, short story, or flash fiction, Creating Characters is an invaluable guide to bringing your fictional cast to life. This book is a comprehensive reference to every stage of character development. You'll find timely advice and helpful instruction from best-selling authors like Nancy Kress, Elizabeth Sims, Orson Scott Card, Chuck Wendig, Hallie Ephron, Donald Maass, and James Scott Bell. They'll show you how to: • Effectively introduce your characters • Build a believable protagonist • Develop strong anti-heroes and compelling villains • Juggle multiple points of view without missing a beat • Craft authentic dialogue that propels the story forward • Motivate your characters with powerful objectives and a believable conflict • Show dynamic character development over the course of a story No matter what your genre, Creating Characters gives you the tools necessary to create realistic, fascinating characters that your readers will root for and remember long after they've finished the story.

An imaginative science activity book for children.

A collection of essays on writing by instructors of the Clarion West Writers Workshop.