Want more Impact? Just head over to deviantArt and check out our new site! You’ll be able to leave us comments and follow our recent activities even closer now. Plus, you can find out what others are saying about our products! Take a peek at this review from a user on DRAGONART EVOLUTION:http://news.deviantart.com/article/125653/ If you [...]

Desktop looking a little boring? Time to switch out the HP7 wallpaper for something new? Maybe something with IMPACT? Download free desktop wallpaper of fine art featured in IMPACT Books and get exclusive bonus desktop wallpapers by signing up for our e-mail newsletter.

J “NeonDragon” Peffer, IMPACT author of the popular DragonArt series reveals some of her favorite digital art secrets in Digital Dragons. In this DVD, you’ll learn digital inking and coloring techniques and tips for creating special effects all in one place! Includes digital files so you can follow along with “NeonDragon” as she demonstrates her [...]

With the occasional drift of brown, falling leaves, the anticipation of dressing up and painting our faces is overwhelming. Luckily, one of our favorite releases of the year is on special—10% off! What do you have to do to get this great discount? Just watch the video on YouTube and enter the discount code, found [...]

It’s time to get excited about a new event: the Cincinnati Comic Expo. As Cincinnati has witnessed over the years, it is hard work to keep comic conventions up and running (we’ve had only a handful in the past ten-fifteen years). So it’s time to show support and try to keep this one around.

We here at IMPACT understand the need for instant gratification. Sometimes we just aren’t patient enough to wait for books we ordered to come by mail, and sometimes there’s no way we’re getting out of sweatpants to go to the bookstore. Thankfully we solved our own problem with digital downloads.

Lauren Panepinto, creative director at Orbit Books — a top publisher of science fiction and fantasy literature — waxes on how to view and appreciate fantasy art, and reveals her two absolutes for the best of the genre. To learn how to create such realms, check out Tom Kidd’s upcoming book OtherWorlds: How to Imagine, [...]

Graffiti continues to grow as an art form. Graffiti artist and Graff author Scape Martinez talks about current trends and the evolution of graffiti on NBC. They even feature his IMPACT book, Graff, the world’s first how-to graffiti book. It illuminates the important elements of graffiti art, including its history and then shows you how [...]

We’re hip. We’re modern. We’re into social networking. Become a fan/like IMPACT at www.facebook.com/ImpactBooks and check out our Twitter feed at twitter.com/impactbooks.

Nick and Brian Wolfe are many things: twin brothers; artists; face and body painters; WORLD CHAMPIONS. As of last Friday, they are also published authors. Here are a few finished examples from their dazzling new IMPACT book, Extreme Face Painting: 50 Friendly and Fiendish Step by Step Demos. Click here to get your copy online

IMPACT books has a new page on deviantART! Follow us and keep checking back for new art and inspiration.

Ink Bloom is the first how-to art instruction book to feature an original sci-fi epic fantasy story. Follow Hachi and her friends on their quest to strange futuristic worlds, and learn to draw and paint a colorful cast of characters, costumes, weapons, ships and background elements. See how the adventures begin with a sneek peak [...]

New Marvel Releases! Stephen King works with Marvel now?

Did you know that you’ll save 34% by pre-ordering your copy of Extreme Face Painting? Award-winning artists Nick and Brian Wolfe share more than 50 step-by-step demonstrations that turn everyday faces into sweet, funny or frightening works of art. Full of friendly instruction for beginners and fresh inspiration for seasoned painters, this book also includes [...]

Here’s a little visual journey through the IMPACT team’s day at Gen Con. We saw some awesome artists, including our friend Jim Pavelec, who made Hell Beasts, InkBloom (with Chris Seaman) and Wreaking Havoc (with Chuck Lukacs, Thomas Manning, Christo) for IMPACT; had a great time browsing the vendors (possibly bought some furry tails); and loved the costume dance (which we have video of below).

Based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels about slacker/gamer/guitarist/Canadian Scott Pilgrim, the storyline remains roughly the same. The less-than-buff Pilgrim, played by the always awkward (and Canadian) Michael Cera, has to fight the 7 evil exes of Ramona Flowers, the pixie-ish new girl in town with technicolor hair, to win her heart. Some people are worried that the film adaptation won’t do justice to the source material (when do movies ever, really?), but so far Scott Pilgrim vs. The World has a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes and some pretty decent reviews.

Tom Nguyen’s latest book has been recognized by Comicattack.net as a great way to learn how to draw sexy, but still heroic, comic book women. Incredible Comic Book Women with Tom Nguyen: The Kick-Ass Guide to Drawing Hot Babes! is great for beginners and experienced artists alike. Beginning with a “Drawing Crash Course,” Tom expands [...]

Check out IMPACT’s booth at the San Diego Comic-Con (sorry if it makes you a little seasick!).

We here at IMPACT have been passing this link around. It’s ICv2′s Comic-Con wrap-up focusing on the trends and takeaways from the convention. The pop culture blog names off-site elements, the Tokykopop Tour bus, the presence of non-comic TV shows, kids (as in young people/children), the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund party and more as memorable facets of this year’s Comic-Con.

A power-packed, must-have guide for anyone who wants to draw cartoons, artist Harry Hamernik’s latest book is full of skills and insights for creating cartoon characters that pop off the page. Cartoon 360° covers every angle of drawing fantastic cartoon people, from coming up with fresh ideas for an endless assortment of faces, to bringing [...]

So, IMPACT just did Comic-Con. What’s next? Well, we’re packing up and road-tripping it to lovely Indianapolis, Indiana for Gen Con from August 5-8!

DragonArt Evolution, How to Draw Everything Dragon by J NeonDragon Peffer is now available in the North Light/IMPACT Shop! Discover how to draw dragons by following demonstrations with step-by-step instructions for 20 all-new dragons. Learn how to draw dragon anatomy and how to assemble different parts into an original dragon of your very own!

A series of Marvel Comics will be brought to television via the G4 channel in the spring of 2011!

Wanna get published?

For more than 30 years, Artist’s & Graphic Designer’s Market has been telling fine artists, illustrators, graphic designers, and, yes, even cartoonists, where and how to sell their work. And up until now these tricks of the trade have been in book form. But guess what, they’re getting digital!

DragonArt Evolution, the newest book by J. “NeonDragon” Peffer, comes out in early August! Check out the video preview of the book below, and preorder your copy of DragonArt Evolution at the North Light Shop. Enjoy!

This morning we’re looking back on one of Cleveland’s finest, Harvey Pekar. This memorable Toby-Harvey exchange from American Splendor involves two of our faves, White Castle and nerds. IMPACTastic! Check out this great timeline of Harvey by Comics Alliance. ……..

Impact Books, Krause Publications and Comics Buyer’s Guide at Comic-Con International in San Diego!

Mark Crilley is an awesome artist/illustrator/cartoonist/author and the creator of the manga series Miki Falls and Akiko. His Youtube page currently has 100 videos that give advice to artists on how to draw manga, including topics like “How to Draw ‘Realistic’ Manga,” “How to Draw a Female Body, Manga Style,” and “Manga Boby Proportions.”

Get on it! Fiction and nonfiction meet. IMPACT Books is releasing the first-ever (that we know of…if you can find another one…let us know and we’ll send Hachi to kick its you-know-what) how-to draw, how-to paint book that follows a story line. By the guys who gave you HELL BEASTS (that’s Jim) and WREAKING HAVOC [...]

Andy Schmidt, director of Comics Experience, Senior Editor at IDW Publishing and author of The Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels has announced the beginning of his 2010 lineup with industry pros such as Chris Sotomayer and Mark Guggenheim. Check it out! –Mona  

Stop by and wish Chuck Lukacs a Happy Day at his new Fantasy Genesis blog, where he talks about childhood inspiration and his upcoming IMPACT book, Fantasy Genesis, coming soon…

Found these ohsocute zodiac characters via Lindsay Cibos’s blog and DeviantArt page–be sure to check out her DeviantArt page to find out about her latest contest centering around her December 09 IMPACT book, Draw Furries. Enjoy!

Known for his nearly obsessive attention to detail, Wes Anderson has a penchant for including zany, oddly appropriate paintings in his film sets. (Think of the “Aggressively Mediocre/Mentally Challenged/Fantasy Island (circle one)” paintings by Miguel Calderon in Eli’s apartment in The Royal Tenenbaums). Pretty awesome. With this in mind, I couldn’t wait to see what [...]

Andy Schmidt, Senior Editor at IDW, founder of www.comicsexperience.com and author The Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels was interviewed by iFanboy.com in a special edition of Talksplode. You can listen to Andy’s interview here. Learn more about Andy’s book, The Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels.

This interesting telephone sheep art from flickr crossed my desk in the form of a forwarded email, and we agreed it should be shared with all the IMPACT followers. It reminds us that no object should be thrown out, but rather creatively converted into something new…

After spending the entire day speaking with students Halloween Eve at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Scape Martinez recalls one of his favorite student questions of the day: What’s crucial for aspiring artists? Check out Scape’s blog to get his answer. How would you answer the question? Click here to check out Scape’s book, [...]

Jim Pavelec and Chris Seaman’s upcoming IMPACT book Ink Bloom is featured in the current issue of Imagine FX. Check out the article and don’t forget to follow Jim and Chris’s progress on their blog. Ink Bloom will be available in April 2010. Have a great weekend! mary

IMPACT author Steve Ellis is having a busy month in publishing — he’s got two books hitting the shelves within thirty days. Book #1: The Harvey Award-winning online comic High Moon illustrated by Steve and written by David Gallaher recently printed in bound graphic novel format. Check out this stylish promo or buy it on [...]

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What are you carving this Halloween?

      GRAFF author Scape Martinez gears up this week to head to Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, California on Friday, October 30. If you live in the area and you’d like Scape to visit your school, contact us here or visit Scape’s website. You can also write us to get free [...]

Celebrate the amazing feminal strengths of Princess Diana of Themyscira this weekend to benefit Domestic Violence Awareness month. This Sunday, October 25th, two comics shops in Portland, Oregon and Fleminton, New Jersey are raising money for the cause through awesome festivities and Wonder Woman silent art auctions. Don’t worry, you don’t have to live on [...]

Astro Boy opens in theaters tomorrow. Check it out! httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8H6j6afuOM

Fantasy artist and IMPACT author Chuck Lukacs has created a Facebook fan page for his upcoming IMPACT book FANTASY GENESIS! Connect with other friends (including yours truly, IMPACT Books) and get sneak peaks of art and the latest updates. Visit the Fantasy Genesis page Look inside Wreaking Havoc, the book Chuck wrote with this friends, [...]

We’re just days from sending Master Digital Color: Styles, Tools, Techniques, by Brian & Kristy Miller (of Hi-Fi Colour Design) off to the printer. Master Digital Color is the follow up to Hi-Fi Color for Comics: Digital Techniques for Professional Results, the Millers’ first book with IMPACT.  It’s a fortuitous time for the completion of book 2, [...]

IMPACT author Steve Ellis and his High Moon collaborators David Gallaher and Scott O. Brown have won a 2009 Harvey Award for best online comics work. The prestigious award ceremony, named after comic great Harvey Kurtzman, was held Saturday at the Baltimore Comic-Con. Steve won’t have time to rest on his laurels anytime soon. He [...]

Happy Friday everyone! We’re wrapping up the week with a fourth installment of super-awesome designer Wendy Dunning’s exploits at Mid-Ohio-Con: With a Little Help from Your Friends Comic Art Collaboratives and Groups I found that Columbus has a couple of groups of folks that get together to share their art with each other. One of [...]

Fellow IMPACTians, wait no more. Today we bring you badass designer Wendy Dunning’s third installment about her adventures at Mid-Ohio-Con last weekend in Columbus, Ohio: Lots of folks think small press publications when they think indie comics, but nothing is more independent than putting the entire thing together yourself. That’s what Ryan Claytor does with [...]

Yesterday you read about how IMPACT’s super fabulous designer, Wendy Dunning, ran into CBG editor Maggie Thompson and met Tony Isabella. The saga continues today—find out who Wendy ran next! Next on my list was visiting P. Craig Russell to ask him to sign my copies of the Magic Flute. Russell has done a number [...]

IMPACT designer extraordinaire Wendy Dunning, just back from Mid-Ohio-Con, brings us the inside scoop here…

If you haven’t already, check this out. We love this guy…maybe someday we’ll have a book with him? httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbYgmGzVooI

If you love Michel Gondry, you’ll definitely want to … umm … buy some Michel Gondry toilet paper? Yes, that’s right, you can get plush, 2-ply toilet paper printed with the notes, sketches and random thoughts of the writer and director of The Science of Sleep and Be Kind Rewind. Unfortunately, this item is currently [...]

The San Jose Contemporary Art Examiner just published a great article on Scape Martinez’s GRAFF. In the piece Scape describes some of his background, his philosophy of art and teaching art and offers some sage advice to artists of any level. See what all Scape has to say here.

It was pretty cool when Mountain Dew featured the wild art of Stephen Bliss, Nathan Cabrera and Pushead (to name a few) on their Green Label Art bottles in 2008. While promoting their cool factor, they also helped promote what was once an underground art style to the masses. Now, the Los Angeles fashion label, Ed Hardy, takes “art for the masses” to a whole new level…

Large and Loud! Next stop on the high school graffiti tour is Andrew Hill High School in San Jose next Monday, October 6th. Scape Martinez is scheduled to appear, and if past experience is any measure, he’ll ignite imaginations and leave a ton of new ideas behind him. Stay tuned for a downloadable version of GRAFF…coming soon! [...]

The first annual Long Beach ComicCon happens next weekend, October 2-4 and IMPACT author Buddy Scalera will be there hosting several panels including Photo Reference: How to Use Reference to Improve Your Comic Art. Programming includes something for just about everyone, from writers to colorists to movie fans. Word on the street says that Andy [...]

IMPACT author Buddy Scalera will be in attendance at the Long Beach Comic Con next week. As the convention’s programming director, he helped plan all the education panels including an extra awesome one based on his three IMPACT books. So if you stop by, make sure to check out Buddy’s photo reference panel: How to [...]

The yearly New York Anime Festival starts this Friday, September 25, in Manhattan. The show runs through September 27. According to its website the festival “features exclusive and extensive anime screenings, guests from America and Japan, manga, cosplay, video games, live-action Japanese cinema, fashion, food, and the cultural treasures that gave birth to Japanese pop [...]

I keep talking about Shojo Fashion Manga Art School because it just can’t be stopped….

GRAFF author Scape Martinez sent me this picture of his visit to William C. Overfelt High School in San Jose.   And the word is that GRAFF lesson plans have already made it to classrooms there. (Personally, I feel absolutely gypped. There was NO graffiti in MY high school art class.) Stay tuned for more free [...]

Character and casting information for the upcoming Green Lantern and X-Men: First Class movies is starting to leak. Much to the dismay of some fans, it looks like we can expect multiple baddies in Green Lantern. Although the details are unclear, Dr. Hector Hammond and Sinestro will both make an appearance. And actor Tim Pocock [...]

An animated 3D movie of the 1978 children’s book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs opens in theaters tomorrow. Early reviews are favorable and Mr. T plays the character of Earl the police officer. IMPACTastic! Official trailer Mr. T talks about the movie — he loves it and so should you

Artist Lisa L. Cyr’s book Art Revolution keeps getting rave reviews. This time, the online talk show SiDEBAR callout Lisa’s book as one of the three must-have books of the year. SiDEBAR features “four color conversations on comics, art and pop culture.” You can read the entire post here.

In eager anticipation of Shojo Fashion Manga Art School’s November release, here’s author Irene Flores’ 3 easy steps for drawing a scarf…

GRAFF: The Art & Technique of Graffiti is continuing to fly off the shelves and is keeping its creator,Scape Martinez, busy with workshops, signings and school assemblies in the San Jose area. What began as a classroom talk about mainly how to draw graffiti has turned into a full-blown assembly that covers not only how to create graffiti, [...]

In the mood for death, destruction, maybe even the apocalypse? Check out the trailer for the Tokyopop’s Deadman Wonderland here. If you’re looking for something a little more cheerful, why not create your own manga? Check out Shojo Fashion Manga Art School by Irene Flores or Draw Furries by Jared Hodges and Lindsay Cibos. Both [...]

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This guy is simply the best. Don’t you wish you could sit on Saturn’s rings? Watch the latest episode right here on IMPACT and keep your eyes peeled for the harvest moon.

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The post-apocalyptic movie “9,” produced by Tim Burton comes out today, which makes sense because it’s September 9, 2009 (as in 9/9/09, etc.) There are all kinds of interesting beliefs associated with the number 9. In China, 9 in considered to be a lucky number (as is the number 8); however, in Japan the number [...]

Batman: Arkham Asylum lets you witness the graphical power that happens when mixing talented programmers with one of the most beloved heroes of all time. It perfectly borders the fine line between realism and…

While you’re waiting for the release of the official Iron Man 2 theatrical trailer, check out the trailer for the IM 2 video game. It promises all the war machines and explosions you could possibly hope for. Both the movie and the game are set release in Spring 2010. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v8DjHXbigc

For those of you in the NYC area, IMPACT author Andy Schmidt is offering a 6 week intro course on writing for comics. Classes start September 8. You can learn more about course here. Can’t make it to Manhattan? Not to worry! Check out Andy’s book The Insider’s Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels.

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This just in from TOKYOPOP, Domo to make his grand english-language debut today in his very own Manga. Now you can follow his adventures

Check out Sakura’s Bordin Mark Marsinkul draw a caricature of IMPACT editor Kelly Messerly! httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKFWT1qZg2U

North Light Books, IMPACT’s sister imprint, congratulates author Lisa Cyr for her “Artist Spotlight” on The Alternative Pick…

Megan Groves, IMPACT Books’ editorial assistant for the summer, forwarded this article to me. For the record, I think D & D is cool. But seriously guys, it sounds like someone needs a nap. For a no less real, but slightly more reasonable look at the Dragon in D & D, check out William O’Connor’s new [...]

IMPACT co-authors Chris Seaman and Jim Pavelec both received high praise and awards for the awesome work they presented at Gen Con this year. Chris won Best in Show for his entire body of work, which means that he gets to judge the art show next year. Jim won third place for a Star Wars [...]

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Check out this badass Lamborghini inked entirely with Sharpie markers. In 2007, Brett David, 19-year-old CEO/owner of Lamborghini Miami, commissioned local graffiti artist Jona Cerwinske to blanket the $240K vehicle in Sharpie as an edgy promotional stunt. Brett had recently taken reins of the dealership after the passing of his father, and he wanted to assert himself in [...]

Gen Con Indy–the place to go for gaming…and art!

Rainbows aren’t just for leprechauns. They’re the perfect place for you favorite elven character to dance or glide. Follow along with artist Barbara Lanza as she shows you how to paint your own rainbow using acrylic or watercolor paints in just 3 simple steps. Before you get started, you will need: Surface: Watercolor paper Brushes: [...]

If you are interested in gaming, Gen Con is the place to be…

I usually like vampire-themed movies and TV shows (love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel), but I have yet to jump on the Twilight bandwagon (too much teenage angst?). However, I have wondered, what if Buffy and Edward existed in the same world? Turns out I’m not the first to consider what might happen if [...]

Buddy Scalara’s Comic Artist’s Photo Reference: Women and Girls and Comic Artist’s Photo Reference Men and Boys earned three stars from Comic’s Buyer’s Guide in the September 2009 edition. High praise from the longest running magazine about comics.  Click here to learn more about the Comic Artist’s Photo Reference Series and about its creator, Buddy [...]

Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animated adaptation of The Fantastic Mr. Fox opens in U.S. theaters November 13, 2009. The trailer offers a glimpse at what promises to be a fun take on Roald Dahl’s classic children’s story, with Anderson’s hallmark aesthetics. Find out more about the film and check out a slideshow of its production here. [...]

Synthetic humanoids take note, a significant piece of 20th century architecture has popped up for sale in Los Angeles, California for a cool $15 million. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House, built high on a Hollywood hill in 1924, is currently in search of a new replica-destroying owner. Among other films, the house was featured in Ridley Scott’s 1982 [...]

Check out what IMPACT Book’s editorial director, Pam Wissman, had to say about this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. Sounds like it was another hit!

With demonstrations and art from over twenty amazing artists including Dave McKean, David Mack, Marshall Arisman and Cynthia von Buhler, Art Revolution, the inspirational and instruction book by artist Lisa Cyr, has taken bookstores, art supply stores and online shops by storm. Don’t take my word for it though, check out these rave reviews. And Click here for [...]

Ponyo On the Cliff by the Sea opens in U.S. theaters August 14, 2009. Looks like we can expect another winner from Miyazaki! httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BfNtYF94cQ&feature=fvst

For those of you following our story last week about the 2009 World Body Painting Contest, you’ll be happy to know the results are in and the champs reside right here in the US! Brothers Nick and Brian Wolfe of Wolfe Face Art & FX were crowned champs Seedoden, Austria, over contestants from 36 other [...]

According to Entertainment Weekly, an official Twilight Manga from Yen Press is in the works. A pub date is yet to be released, but the novel will feature…

Where the Wild Things Are opens in theaters on October 16. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NOkQ4dYVaM

That’s right, IMPACT Books is returning to San Diego Comic-Con International with our IMPACT University panel, author signings, contests, and giveaways. Stop by and see us at booth #1415, and you can enter to win an original piece of art from legendary artist Bryan Hitch (Ultimates, Fantastic Four, Captain America)! This original hand-drawn sketch is from Bryan’s [...]

Looks like the NeonDragon has braved braved the furry world at Anthrocon. She reports it as not at all creepy like the Internet led her to believe and pretty similar to an anime convention.  Check out photos of her sales table and the Furry Parade. If you want to learn to draw cute animals that [...]

Want to learn how to use your face or body as a canvas for your art? The twelfth annual World Body Painting Festival takes place in Seeboden, Austria, next week. Top-notch instructors from around the world will teach a variety of body-décor workshops, with topics ranging from elaborate face-painting techniques to exotic full-body designs. If [...]

Going to San Diego for this year’s Comic-Con? You’re not alone. Once again the show is sold out. But for those of you lucky enough to score some tickets, make sure you swing by the IMPACT Books booth to see what your favorite IMPACT authors are up to.

IMPACT’s newest manga instructional book is coming this Fall to a store near you. With Shojo Fashion Manga Art School you’ll learn all about drawing people, creating great expressions, clothing your characters, and placing people into settings. Everything you need to bring your manga to life. But, you don’t have to wait…

With 4th of July weekend behind us, it’s time for the IMPACT staff to begin gearing up for San Diego Comic Con–one of THE highlights of the year. If you’re in the area, stop by our booth for author signings, contests and giveaways. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet some of IMPACT’s most accomplished [...]

The world’s beloved King of Pop will soon have his own 32-page comic book. Bluewater Productions, publishers of the pro-lady FEMALE FORCE line of comics (Hilary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Caroline Kennedy and more on shelves now, and Baba Wawa and Oprah coming soon!) are fast-tracking an MJ comic to be released this October. Pre-order your [...]

High Moon, created by writer Scott O. Brown and IMPACT’s Scream author and artist, Steve Ellis, is nominated for 2 Harvey Awards for Best New Series and Best On-Line Comics Work.

The number one fashion workshop for shojo manga is…
Shojo Fashion Manga Art School!
Complete with 14 start-to-finish demonstrations for drawing a range of character “types,” from the girl next door to the punk guy, from single characters to couples and groups, this book will help you bring a world of unique and memorable characters to life … and have lots of fun doing it!

This just in, Dracopedia: A Guide to Drawing the Dragons of the World, by William O’Connor is available now for preorder from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It’s 160-pages of guaranteed dragon goodness! Look for it in book stores and art supply stores everywhere starting in September.

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The Jim Henson Company announced a new publishing partnership with Archaia Comics earlier this week. Kids of the ’80s dance your cares away! Red, Wembley, Mokey and the gang will be one of the first Henson productions adapted into graphic novel format. Reps from both companies will announce the creative schedule for the radish-noshing frenemies [...]

Yes, that’s right. We had to cancel our IMPACT University event that was scheduled the day before ComicCon. Thanks so much to those of you who signed up and expressed interest.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen opens in theaters this coming Wednesday, June 24. While it may not be an Oscar winner, the latest Transformers movie promises to be action packed and full of explosions. Check out the trailer here. Want to create your own transforming robots? Check out MechaForce: Draw Futuristic Robots that Fly, Fight, [...]

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Want great art instruction at the click of a button? You’re in luck! Many of your favorite IMPACT books are now available for purchase on ebooks.com. DragonArt, Dreamscapes, Street Scene and Face Off (just to name a few) are already available, and more are on the way. The downloads can be viewed on tablet PCs, [...]

Hey IMPACTians! What’s 1 hour from Toronto, 2 hours from Buffalo and 3 hours from Detroit? The IMPACTastic Waterloo Arts Festival in Waterloo, Ontario this coming weekend. This eclectic celebration of visual and performing arts aims to expand your artistic consciousness. And hey, IMPACT author David Okum will be there and so will this guy: [...]

Brian Miller, expert colorist and IMPACT author, has just completed two sweet new dvds on digital coloring.

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AHHHHH!!!!! Scream: Draw Classic Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies, Monsters and More by Steve Ellis is now on its way to the printer and will be available in September 2009 (just in time for Halloween!). Preorder your copy of Scream here. You can also see some sample art and pages from the book on IMPACT’s facebook page. [...]

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Good news, everyone! You can sign up for IMPACT’s monthly e-newsletter simply by clicking the link at the top of the page.

What with retro all the rage now, it’s only fitting that an early 1900s adventure novel, Tom Swift, should hit the silver screen…

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Jessica Peffer (author of DragonArt and DragonArt: Fantasy Characters, just in case you’re just joining us) has released her second artistnetwork.tv video, DragonArt Digital Dragons. In this latest offering, she reveals her super shiny secrets for coloring dragons and adding sparkle! It’s now available for download and streaming. Visit artistsnetwork.tv to check out a preview!

Summer hours are now in effect here at IMPACT headquarters, which means our office closes at 3PM on Fridays, which means I’ll be able to catch a matinee showing of Pixar’s Up. Huzzah! Since the release of Toy Story in 1995, Pixar has been batting a thousand, and it looks like Up is par for [...]

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IMPACT University is the single most important even for any artist or writer looking to make it in the world of comics and graphic novels. Don’t believe me? Just check out this list to see why this even isn’t to be missed!

In my hunt for news that you might like to read I stumbled upon an interview with comic book writer David Hine, discussing FVZA: Federal Vampire And Zombie Agency, his new mini series…

Disney’s The Princess and the Frog is set to open in theaters this December. This will be the first traditionally animated movie that Disney has released in theaters in quite a while. (Lately, Disney has been concentrating on CGI animation with its extremely successful Pixar studios.) In the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, Disney released [...]

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Check out this article excerpt from the 2008 edition of Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. IMPACT event coordinator, Greg Hatfield, asks super-star comics and graphic novel writer Peter David about his experiences as a writer. Find out what he has to say below.

This isn’t your English teacher’s Sherlock Holmes! httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4K3aM5H5KM

Let’s face it, aliens are among us. It’s your right—your civic responsibility—to learn the skills necessary to protect yourself, your loved ones, and, ultimately, your planet. Below are 3 ways to do just that thanks to The Alien Invasion Survival Handbook.

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  Scroll down to check out the latest from J “NeonDragon” Peffer. Her first video with ArtistsNetwork.tv is now available for streaming. If you aren’t taken right to the page, just click on either the Workshop Details/Previews tab or the Buy Workshop tab.   And if, by chance, you haven’t yet…check out her first two [...]

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Lisa Cyr, whose new book Art Revolution hits shelves at the end of June, has been selected to appear in this fall’s Spectrum 16, the latest in the series of books showcasing the best fantasy, science fiction and horror art of the year. As a nice bonus, Spectrum is currently spotlighting her demo piece on [...]

If you’re a fan of Star Wars, you’ll want to check out the latest news about IMPACT author and officially licensed Lucasfilm Ltd. artist Randy Martinez. Randy is offering all 9 of his artist return sketch cards from his work on Topps’ Star Wars card. Check out the details here. Also check out Randy’s IMPACT [...]

Do you love supernatural thrillers? Shojo manga supernatural thrillers…?

Check out the new blog by Jim Pavelec and Chris Seaman, two of the authors of the 2008 release, Wreaking Havoc: How to Create Fantasy Warriors and Wicked Weapons. The pair has teamed up again to create another IMPACT book, due for release in Spring 2010.   Learn to draw and paint the fantasy warriors and [...]

After a limited opening yesterday, Star Trek is now showing in all theaters today. I was able to see it in a nearby theater last night and was surprised by the small crowd (fewer than 20 people in the theater). Where were all the trekkies? I was a little disappointed since a large, excited crowd [...]

Let your imagination take flight! This week, David Adams’s gorgeous new acrylic book FairyArt hits shelves. Here are three reasons this book will make you a better otherworldly artist: Over twenty step by steps of fairies in different settings Tons of natural elements to enhance your scenery including butterflies, birds, trees, bumblebees, water reflections, flowers, [...]

The Queen City (a.k.a., Cincinnati, IMPACT Books HQ) has a new ally in its fight against crime. The Shadow Hare is a local 21-year-old guy who dresses up as a superhero and patrols the streets. I’m not sure how serious any of this is, but he was featured on a local news station and then [...]

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtLJOHjtPAs

Come on and join me in taking a break from your week with some Vintage Manga from manga.com. Here’s a clip of The Birth of Astro Boy to get you pumped…

X-Men Origins: Wolverine opens in theaters today, marking the start of this summer’s action packed movie season. Over the next few months we can look forward to Star Trek, Angels & Demons, Terminator Salvation, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Public Enemies, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, [...]

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiHeviygXw8

IDW Publishing released G.I. Joe: Best of Larry Hama last week. Sweet. I love G.I. Joe for oh so many reasons, but here are my top three: The Crimson Guard commanders Tomax and Xamot. To this day, whenever I experience a sudden, random ache or pain I instantly wonder if I have a twin who’s [...]

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixrVnVXwdUw

Now there’s a brand new app on the market, and it fits in just perfectly with what we do here at IMPACT… talk about comics! This app–Comicstrips–is for reading comics on the go, and newsarama.com has an exclusive interview with its creator…

A new preview to the video workshop Hi-Fi Digital Coloring with Brian Miller is now available. Click here to watch the clip and learn about special effects for digital coloring. You can also watch the introduction to the workshop here. The full streaming video is now available on artistsnetwork.tv. Also be sure to check out [...]

Buy Here. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djOl5NIYIVE&feature=channel_page

The Hi-Fi Digital Coloring with Brian Miller video workshop is now available at artistsnetwork.tv. You can check out the awesome preview on the IMPACT home page. Brian is the co-author of Hi-Fi Color for Comics: Digital Techniques for Professional Results.    

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Tn6RE-_eQ

Calling all comic book lovers out there… Hugh Jackman and the staff of IMPACT Books remind you to mark your calendars for May 2: FREE Comic Book Day!

Would you like to learn how to get your comic book published or just how to become a professional comic book writer? Going to be any where near Comic Con in San Diego this coming July? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then check out the IMPACT University Pro Comics and [...]

David Adams loves to portray the fantasy realms of the wee people within a theater of natural intricacy and wonder. His first book FairyArt: Painting Magical Fairies and Their Worlds is set for release on May 6, 2009. Click here to see an album of FairyArt pages and painting on IMPACT’s facebook page. You can [...]

North Light Books, IMPACT’s sister imprint, is proud to have one of its authors share in the fantasy art spotlight. Lisa L. Cyr, author of Art Revolution (on shelves June 30th) has been selected to have her demo piece The Courageous appear in Spectrum 16: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Sept. 2009). Future IMPACT [...]

Newsarama.com posted a review of Comic Books 101: The History, Methods, and Madness by Chris Ryall and Scott Tipton today. Check it out here. The review lists Chris and Scott’s web site as comicbooks101.com, but their web site actually is comics101.com. Check them out here. Writing for Comics & Graphic Novels with Peter David and [...]

In an effort to showcase graffiti in a legal way, Nino Ceritano, graffiti-enthusiast and warehouse/restaurant owner in Blacksburg, Virginia, is hosting a graffiti competition…

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.” What is the world of Jane Austen coming to? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Yes, that’s right, Quirk Books has published a version of Jane Austen’s classic work in which flesh-eating zombies add a certain [...]

IMPACT Books is proud to announce that online registration is now open for the new IMPACT University Pro Comics and Art Workshop, a one-day intensive of comics, graphic novel and art educational programming featuring some of the industry’s top names.
Click the link below to get the full details.

What better place? Scape Martinez, graffiti artist, teacher and creator of GRAFF: The Art and Technique of Graffiti, is taking his message of expression, line, art and being true to yourself into packed high school classes in the San Jose, California area.      For more about what graffiti is and how to create it check out [...]

If you haven’t already, go check out Monsters vs. Aliens this weekend. The film is geared towards kids, but also has enough jokes and kitschy references to keep adults entertained (especially those of the nerdy persuasion). Click here to watch the official movie trailer. Want to create your own monsters and aliens? Be sure to [...]

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipNYLBnv6Dg

Comic Books Resources wrote this little ditty about the upcoming Comic Books 101 by Scott Tipton and Chris Ryall. IMPACT’s sweet new guide on the history of comics hits shelves mid-May. We’ll keep you posted!

The newest IMPACT title, Creature Features: Draw Amazing Monsters and Aliens is set for release on April 8. Here’s a Q&A with the author, Randy Martinez.   Bio: Randy Martinez was born and raised in southern California. The son of two artists, he was destined to be an artist himself. But his road to being [...]

I love Manga and was excited to hear that some designs from TOKYOPOP will be made into T-shirts exclusively featured at…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7U_daf7-l0&feature=channel_page

      Check out the new promo video for Goblinoids: How to Draw and Paint Goblins, Orcs and Other Dark Creatures, by Scott Purdy. This is a truly stellar offering from our IMPACT partners across the pond at David & Charles. The animation in the promo video is done by F+W Media’s own Adam [...]

We’ve been big fans of YouTube for quite some time, and now we have our very own IMPACT Movies YouTube channel. Click here to check it out and become a subscriber. Click here to watch our most recent YouTube video, an introduction to Hi-Fi Digital Coloring with Brian Miller. The full-length streaming video will be [...]

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Tn6RE-_eQ&feature=channel_page

The Super Friends : The JLA :: The Hall of Justice : Union Terminal Give a shout-out to Cincinnati, Ohio, IMPACT fans! The mid-size, midwestern rivertown is home to both IMPACT Books and Union Terminal, the humongous, half-atrium, art deco train station built during the Great Depression and inspiration to the classic ’70s cartoon Super [...]

The Watchmen “Tales of the Black Freighter” came out on DVD and Blu-ray yesterday. Check out a trailer on the Comic Book Resources site.

The Fantasy/Sci-Fi forum at WetCanvas currently has new posts from artists drawing griffons, elves, dragons, war scenes, and more…

Lately, everybody’s talking about GRAFF: The Art & Technique of Graffiti, so I figured it was time to post the Q+A we did with Scape Martinez, the author of this completely cool, how to draw and paint graffiti guide. Born in Newark, New Jersey and now living in San Jose, California, Scape creates with spray [...]

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOTqX8ddLwg

Rufus B. Seder’s massive, moving wall art is true mural magic. Without the use of electricity or moving parts, Seder’s “Lifetiles” seem to move right before your eyes. Seder has created more than thirty Lifetiles installations around the world and has written two children’s books (“Gallop!” and “Swing!”), using similar technology (sort of similar to [...]

The Wolverine is turning 35 this year, and to pay tribute, Marvel has tagged April “Wolverine Art Appreciation Month.” Michael Cavna, comics blogger for the Washington Post, shares a sneak peek of a few of the character-inspired masterpieces on his most recent Comic Riffs post. And for their aesthetic contributions to the comic/art world, IMPACT [...]

Do you have a traditional art piece you’re particularly proud of and please with? Enter it in The Artist’s Magazine Annual Art Competition. There’s a student/beginner division for artists age 16 or over. There are cash awards and all winners will be features in the January/February 2010 issue of The Artist’s Magazine. Click here for [...]

After a much heralded opening, Watchmen is receiving mixed reviews. Don’t get me wrong, in just one week it’s already raked in over $55m and has a respectable 65% rating on RottenTomatoes.com. But it’s just not getting the rave reviews I’d expected. Although the reviews obviously vary, the general consensus seems to be that it [...]

I wanted to share an instructional article I found on WetCanvas. It’s titled “A Method of Drawing Celtic Knotwork – Weaves.” I love the look of Celtic designs, and there’s no denying they make awesome addition to the costumes and weapons of fantasy art characters. Click here to read the article. Maybe you’ll find some [...]

We are three months into 2009, and taking a look back at our bestselling IMPACT art instruction of 2008. Dreamscapes: Creating Magical Angel, Faery & Mermaid Worlds With Watercolor is at the top of our list….

So the name of Peter David’s website is: Peter David, Writer of Stuff. I was over there poking around the other day and noticed he’s made some updates–including a bibliography section. There, you discover the real meaning of “writer of stuff” is, in fact–writer of  bazillion comics, novels, screenplays, articles, nonfiction books, etc. I guess [...]

IMPACT author Buddy Scalera was recently featured in a “10 Questions” interview on ComicsCareer.com. A writer, editor and photographer, Buddy has written for Deadpool, Agent X, Weapon X, X-Men Millennial Visions, Marvel Knights Millennial Visions, Necrotic, 7 Days to Fame and Decoy, and he’s the author of IMPACT’s Comic Artist’s Photo Reference series (People and [...]

Any Legend of the Seeker fans out there? I saw a lot of hype about it when it premiered this fall, and I thought I should check it out, but in my market it’s on Sundays at 7 p.m.—not my prime T.V. watching time, so I missed the first few episodes and then forgot about [...]

Based on DC Comics’ twelve-issue series by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins, the Watchmen is set for release this Friday.  httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VLA0tg5yI0

I’ve always wondered, “How do artists make those cool vinyl characters?” It’s no longer a mystery, and you can do it too…

J “NeonDragon” Peffer, (a.k.a. Jessica Peffer) author of DragonArt: How to Draw Fantastic Dragons and Fantasy Creatures and DragonArt Fantasy Characters, has started a channel on Ustream. Tune in to her show, Neon Dragon Art: A broadcast full of Photoshop mishaps and rad fantasy art, and join in the discussion.  You can ask questions, chat [...]

IMPACT is now on Facebook! We’re just getting started, so please be patient as we build up our page. Click here to check it out. Come back often to find out what’s new at IMPACT, see cool art and post your own art news and images. Become a fan and help us grow!

After successfully storming the big screen three times (with a fourth in the works), the Amazing Spider-Man is swinging onto Broadway in Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark, and he’s bringing some big names with him. The music and lyrics for the show are being written by none other than U2’s Bono and The Edge. This [...]

As we get ready to eat King Cake and crown the King and Queen of the Office later this afternoon, I decided to share some fun cartoons with you reminiscent of this big day…

J “NeonDragon” Peffer (a.k.a. Jessica Peffer) has just left Artistnetwork.tv studios after filming two (count’em TWO) video workshops—DragonArt: Drawing Dragons and DragonArt: Digital Dragons.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO3n67BQvh0

After just two weeks in the theater, Coraline has raked in $18.9M at the box office and has a very fresh 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I recently decided to check it out for myself and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d never seen a 3-D movie before, so I was pretty excited about the goofy glasses [...]

Follow us on Twitter to keep up on the hippest happenings at IMPACT! But please bear with us, we’re just getting started. Tell your Tweeple! Let IMPACT be your Tweetheart!

Maybe I’m late to the party, but I just stumbled upon digital comics in the iTunes store. In my defense, don’t have an iPhone or an iPod touch (still rocking the 2nd gen nano, but some day *sigh*) so I don’t spend a lot of time looking at the apps. (I don’t wear envy well.) [...]

Ever wanted to know how to become an IMPACT author? Click the link below to find out how.

Hell Beasts, Jim Pavelec’s first IMPACT instruction book, just received another glowing review, this time from HorrorNews.net. Click here to read the full review. Check out Hell Beasts and Wreaking Havoc (co-authored by Jim Pavelec, Chris Seaman, Chuck Lukacs and Thomas Manning) for yourself: Click here to buy Hell Beasts. Click here to buy Wreaking [...]

Counterculture rebel and 2008 presidential campaign scapegoat Bill Ayers is set to star in a graphic novel of his very own. But don’t get excited for any federal building blasts or showdowns betwixt long-hairs and suits. This here’s a scholarly affair. Teachers College Press, an erudite liberal New York publisher, has signed on to adapt [...]

Here’s why I think drawing is awesome: 1. You can draw anywhere—with sketchpad you don’t even need a surface to work on 2. There’s no set up 3. There’s no clean up (all play and no work, how great is that) 4. There’s no drying time 5. The materials and supplies are inexpensive (especially compared [...]

Here in Cincinnati we had the Cavalcade of Customs in January, the VTwin Expo last weekend, and in a couple weeks we’ll get a chance to check out new rides at the Auto Expo. I love cars and motorcycles and couldn’t help but think how great these show venues are for artists…

Just in case you missed Andy at the weekend’s New York Comic Con, and well, even if you didn’t, here are some cold (and not so cold) facts about the insider behind The Insider’s Guide to Comics and Graphic Novels. Name: Peter Andrewes Schmidt Nickname: Andy Hometown: Fairmont, West Virginia Current residence: San Diego, California [...]

New York Comic Con 2009 is taking place today through Sunday at the Jacob Javits Center in NYC. If you’re lucky enough to be there, click here to download this handy guide to the educational panels (thanks to Buddy Scalera for providing us with the link!). Several IMPACT authors (Steve Ellis, Andy Schmidt and Buddy [...]

Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick has adapted Neil Gaiman’s (creator and writer of Vertigo’s The Sandman) Hugo Award-winning, internationally best-selling young adult novel, Coraline, as a stop-animation film of the same name. The movie opens in theaters this Friday, Feb. 6, 2009. You can see the trailer at the official Coraline web site. Gaiman [...]

Yesterday I ran across an ad for an art opening featuring the work of illustrator Maurice Sendak. Although the ad was outdated, and the opening in Los Angeles last November, I checked out the website and found a little slice of heaven…

Andy Schmidt dishes up the inside scoop on what really goes on in the world of comic books. The Insider’s Guide to Comics and Graphic Novels hit bookshelves and internet shops everywhere last month, so I figure we’re due for a little insight into the author who so deftly shares his experiences and gathers expert [...]

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mac_kon5eNA

The teaser trailer for Transformers 2 Revenge of the Fallen was released last night during the Super Bowl. Long story short, it was awesome.

Free Comic Book Day is just a few months away (May 2), and I’m pleased to announce that Marv Wolfman has agreed to write the foreword to IMPACT’s 2009 free comic. An award-winning comic book writer, Wolfman is perhaps best known for creating Blade and New Teen Titans. For more on Wolfman, click here. With [...]

Ever the art critic and great thinker, Hobbes has great advice for how to spend a snow day, “[Snow] is like having a big white sheet of paper to draw on.”

The tradition of learning always amazes me. Sometimes I forget, and sometimes I am reminded. Like yesterday. Chris Seaman, one of the authors of Wreaking Havoc, forwarded to us at IMPACT a couple pieces of art created by budding artist, Jordan, age 12. (In case you haven’t heard, we LOVE getting art from readers.) This [...]

Oscar nominations for 2008 films were announced yesterday, and, despite the hopes and predictions of comic fans everywhere, The Dark Knight didn’t make it on the nominations list for best picture. However, as expected, Heath Ledger did receive a nomination for his brilliant and terrifying performance as the Joker. Check out this video to hear [...]

“Music gives a soul to the [DC] Universe” –Plato The background beats for the highly-anticipated Watchmen film (March 2009) are now available for an online look-see. In tween-related news, the suspiciously emo band My Chemical Romance has covered Bob Dylan’s Desolation Row exclusively for the movie. And who’s the lead singer of Your Enzymatic Love [...]

Who’s ready for the new Watchman movie? It’s current release date is March 6, 2009, and it shows a lot of potential with director Zack Snyder, who also directed 300 (which won a Saturn Award) and the 2004 release of Dawn of the Dead. You can check out the movie trailer here. What do you [...]

If you want to have fun with paint, look no further than art instructor, Merle Rosen. I think you’ll enjoy watching her paint in her new videos out from artistsnetwork.tv. Start with…

  Pour, scrape, squirt, roll, layer, excavate. There are a million things you can do with acrylic paints, and Patti Brady has assembled an incredible collection of how-to’s and bold inspiring art in her workshop-style book, Rethinking Acrylic. Check out the book and write directly to Patti with questions and comments here on the book’s [...]

Buddy Scalera, author of IMPACT’s Comic Artist Photo Reference series has organized a host of educational panels for New York Comicon 2009. The panels will be attended by highly-respected industry pros who will discuss the craft and business of creating comics.

Find out who’s attending and read the full press release here.

We’re itching to give away some San Diego Comic Con 2008 exclusive John Howe Forging Dragons posters, signed by the man himself. All you have to do is send your latest and greatest piece of art, and we’ll pick two winners to receive a signed poster and a copy of the book. Just send a [...]

Marvel Comics’ Amazing Spider-Man #583 hits comic book shops today. This edition features a special side story with a nod to history as Peter Parker covers Barack Obama’s inauguration and discovers a situation that requires Spiderman’s help. Half of the covers feature the president-elect. Marvel expects the edition to sell out. Do you have plans [...]

I am looking forward to February as a month for more than just Valentine’s Day now that I stumbled upon the trailer for Coraline, directed by Henry Selick (where have I been…under a rock?). Based on the 2002 book by author Neil Gaiman, the story is about…

Attention all you Facebook users, IMPACT author and artist Harry Hamernik has a created a Facebook ground for Cartoonimals, his latest art instruction title.

Monkey: Journey to the West is the title of a “pop” opera by Gorillaz (one of my fav bands). It opened in November 2008, but so far performances have only been in the U.K., and according to the web site, it looks like the last performance wrapped up Jan. 4. Gorillaz is fronted by four [...]

The Dark Knight proves that, yes, a comic book movie can be considered a “Best Picture!”

BIO Jason Cheeseman-Meyer is an artist, illustrator and writer currently living in Arizona with his wife and two daughters. Formally educated at Oberlin College after a stint at Otis Art and Design, he continues his arts education with artists and illustrators around the country. Jason has been studying curvilinear perspective since 1993. He has brought [...]

BIO Doug Chiang has worked in film and television production since 1986, earning an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards and a Clio Award. As a film production designer, he has worked on The Polar Express, Beowulf and the 2009 Disney film A Christmas Carol. Chiang was design director for the Star Wars prequels [...]

So, I’m sure you’ve all been finished with your holiday shopping for weeks, months even. But just in case…

No question about it, 2008 has been a great year for DC and Marvel movies, and it’s not over yet. The Spirit is coming to a theater near you on Christmas day. Judging from the trailer, The Spirit is going to be typical Frank Miller fare: over the top, but stylish and fun. Take a [...]

Roll out the red rug. Mr. Hugh Michael Jackman has been announced as the host of the 81st Academy Awards on February 22nd, 2009 at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. Contract negotiations are still pending for a statuette trophy makeover. IMPACT Books designer Guy Kelly presents The Wolvaward: In other news, after a brief [...]

BIO 8fish is a jack-of-all-trades creative workshop that has been producing mind-blowing animation, design and illustration for more than ten years. The secret to 8fish’s success is a feisty team of incredibly talented and versatile artists who constantly challenge themselves and each other. Their clients include Nickelodeon, Writer’s Digest, Wendy’s, DirectTV, among many others. Name: [...]

Achieve a successful drawing, even if you’ve never picked up a pencil.

Buddy Scalera has hit the big time. In preparation for the New York Comic Con, Pulse News has run a great interview with the man himself about his work, comics, and most importantly CAPR: Men and Boys.    Check out the whole thing here.

Congratulations to Mirana Reveier, our grand prize winner of a signed Doug Chiang print and a copy of his book Mechanika..

2008 has been a great year for comic fans. We had a record summer for Marvel and DC movies, starting with Iron Man, then on to Hellboy II, The Incredible Hulk, and ending with The Dark Knight as an amazing grand finale. As of this past Tuesday, all four movies are now available on DVD—what [...]

Reviews for The Punisher: War Zone are amassing into two distinct piles since the film’s nationwide release last Friday: nay for the stodgy, uptight Hollywood critics and yay for the erudite fanboys. This is the third cinematic up-to-bat for Marvel’s brutal anti-hero, and what some comics fans say is the closest yet to the original [...]

BIO A freelance artist and illustrator for over 20 years, David Okum has been published in Antarctic Press manga anthologies and other comic books, including six by Guardians of Order. He’s authored four popular books with IMPACT, Manga Madness, Superhero Madness, Manga Monster Madness and Manga Fantasy Madness. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts [...]

For those of you who haven’t seen graffiti in action, read on…

While I may have had some qualms about buying Hellboy II on DVD, I have no hesitation when it comes to The Dark Knight, which comes out on DVD next Tuesday. I have to admit that although I truly enjoy most Marvel and DC movies, I probably wouldn’t be first in line on opening night [...]

Los Angeles Times’ entertainment writer Geoff Boucher has published the final installment of his three-part interview with Neil Gaiman on the LATimes blog, Hero Complex. Check out the interview in full: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

BIO Dermot Walshe has worked in art and animation for that past twenty years. For the last fifteen, he’s worked as a concept artist and designer for films, television and computer games. Currently, Walshe works as a freelance artist in production design, concept development, storyboards, 2D and 3D workbooking and layout. Walshe bought his first [...]

Twilight is here and big and everyone has something to say about it whether they’ve seen it / read it, or not. Just out in the US, Twilight the movie has been dubbed a “cultural phenomenon,” making a big IMPACT on audiences of all ages. How do you weigh in on this new fantasy phenom?

  Time is running out to submit your art to be included in the next IMPACT e-newsletter!  Just send a JPEG of your latest work at 72dpi to: impactbooks@fwpubs.com. If your piece is chosen to showcase in next month’s e-newsletter, we’ll send you a signed print from Mechanika: Creating the Art of Science Fiction With [...]

“Drawing is like reading, a skill learnable by almost everyone.”

Scape Martinez, author of the upcoming GRAFF: The Art & Technique of Graffiti (February 2009), is all about public works and celebrating the communal nature of graffiti–legally.

So, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army was released on DVD last week. Has anyone purchased it yet? I’m thinking about it, but I had somewhat mixed feelings about the latest Hellboy installment. Don’t get me wrong, I love the chocolate-eating, evil-fighting demon from hell, and the artistry was amazing. (You can always count on Guillermo [...]

David Okum’s new book Manga Martial Arts contains over 50 basic lessons for drawing the world’s most popular fighting styles.

IMPACT has teamed up with AintItCoolNews to give away ten signed John Howe “Wandering Fire” posters and free copies of the new book Forging Dragons. Just pick your cast for the new Hobbit movie and it could all be yours.

Hello everyone,
Let me introduce you to my new hero, Captain Fantastic Faster than Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Wolverine, Hulk and the Flash Combined.

You guys have boring names like Brian, Jennifer and Chris. You should try to be more like this guy. I’m thinking of changing my moniker to something like, “The Claw” or “Even Better Than Captain Fantastic Faster than Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Wolverine, Hulk and the Flash Combined.” The ball’s in your court folks.

IMPACT author and artist David Okum will be at the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, for the “Get Your Warhol On” art show and sale.

John Howe, concept artist for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and fantasy artist extraordinaire, has a released a new collection of dragon art.

httpv://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpk7Gfouoiw

httpv://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpk7Gfouoiw

Johanna Draper Carlson Reviews Writing for Comics with Peter David. . . and likes it!

Check out this new book by Buddy Scalera. It’s like having a superhero right in your studio.

So I finally made the leap. I’ve gone from mere comic collector and nerd to full on scary comic guy. I bought a piece of original art. Superman is so freaking awesome and I’ve really been digging the way Renato Guedes has been drawing him. So, I’m at the San Diego comic con working my tail [...]

HBO is getting ready to launch a new series about vampires and they’re using an online comic to provide the back story. Get the delicious details here.

Tired of action-packed comic books about crime-fighting superheroes and sleuths? Then check out the new and exciting Google Chrome comic book! Google, the masters of all things Internet, recently teamed up with comic artist, theorist and writer Scott McCloud to develop a comic book-styled press release for Google’s new open source browser, Google Chrome. The [...]

A little background information on myself, although the main topic of this post is the animation and cartoons of my brother, Mike Mayfield.

A Nintendo spoof by Los Angeles based animator Mike Mayfield.

I’ve been working on John Howe’s latest book Forging Dragons (which is awesome by the way!) and inside there’s a brilliant painting of an inky, ethereal cosmic dragon soaring through space. It’s so good that i just had to read the text to find out what the story was behind the painting. Imagine my surprise then when I discover that this is a painting of the famous dragon Tiamat, from the 70s kids cartoon Dungeons & Dragons!

Our very own Scott Francis had a chance to sit down with visual effects director and Oscar winner Doug Chiang at Comic Con, asking him about the effect of movies on the con and the future of entertainment.

The best 4 days in gaming have come and gone and IMPACT was there. Between panels, games, the art show, costumes and everything else we got home happy and exhausted.  Here are the highlights.  “The Wreaking Havoc Guys,” Jim Pavelec, Chris Seaman and Chuck Lukacs, were kind enough to participate in a panel for us. Their message [...]

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHiTG7je_DE

A bunch of us IMPACT chicks–Mona, Wendy, Jennifer, Kelly, Erika and I–are off to GenCon today (tough work, but somebody’s got to do it). We’re totally looking forward to seeing our friends Chuck Lukacs, Jim Pavelec and Chris Seaman there, as well as the awesome con crowd! The guys are authors of Wreaking Havoc: Create [...]

John Howe’s signings at Comic Con were amazing. The crowds lined up all the way around the IMPACT booth on both Friday and Saturday of the show. John, of course, was very gracious and took time to talk with each fan and draw sketches. Here’s a short video of him drawing Gandalf for a fan. [...]

Check out Brian and Kristy Miller’s site http://www.hifidesign.com/ for everything they’re up to, including their time at the San Diego Comic Con, at which they did a panel on Hi-Fi Color for Comics and participated on our IMPACT Books panel. Great to see them and the tremendous interest in what they do. They’re in Egypt [...]

Check out this interview with renowned fantasy artist John Howe, author of Fantasy Art Workshop from IMPACT Books. John is a widely recognized Tolkien artist and the conceptual designer for the Lord of the Rings movies. I had a chance to meet John at Comic-Con and talk to him about the blending of movies and [...]

100 Days of Monsters author Stefan Bucher shares his thoughts on Comic-Con and talks about his own favorite comics. Stefan’s book is a fun collection of ink blot drawings, stunning design, and wild stories inspired by the monster illustrations. The book even comes with a “Monsters in Motion” DVD, showing Stefan’s innovative illustration techniques. bucherinterview.wav (1.56 MB)

Yeah. You know that Comic Con is cool. There’s exclusive clips of mind-blowing new block buster films and celebrity panels and collectible giveaways and the like. But, you want to know what one of our favorite moments at the Con was? A 10 year old artist named Selina from Santee, CA stopped by the booth [...]

  Check out the following interview with renowned comics writer Peter David, author of Writing Comics with Peter David as well as numerous comic titles including The Hulk, The Dark Tower, X-Men and many others. IMPACT Books and Writer’s Digest Books Publicity Manager Greg Hatfield catches up with Peter at Comic-Con and talks about Peter’s favorite [...]

The staff from IMPACT Books is back in the office after an amazing time at San Diego Comic Con. We’ve got all kinds of great stuff to share with you (which I’ll post in bite-sized chunks). Here’s a few highlights: Our annual IMPACT University panel was a blast offering great instruction from the likes of [...]

Lexington, KY, July 18, 2008 — LexArts announces a series of Comic Art programs in conjunction with the Lexington KY Comic Creators Group and the Lexington Art League for August 2008 including guest lectures, hands on workshops and a gallery exhibit for all ages highlighting comic art from across Kentucky. The Comic Art exhibit will [...]

Just got back from San Diego Comic Con International! Our booth was very busy, panel very successful, and we had a great time meeting with both current and potential IMPACT authors, contributors and readers. Most of the IMPACT team that attended the show got there on Wednesday, in time to avoid the long lines and [...]

I’m thrilled to welcome you to our new IMPACT site. If you’re not familiar with us yet, let me fill you in. Since 2004, IMPACT has provided the best art instruction for fantasy, comics and pop culture styles. We now have over 30 books in our line, including bestsellers DragonArt, Enchanting Fairies, Face Off, Comic Artist’s Photo Reference, Dreamscapes and Hi-Fi Color for Comics. We’ll continue providing you with more great books, of course—cranking out 20+ new ones per year going forward—but with this site, we’ll also provide the best art instruction (and more) online with lots of inspirational art, fantastic teaching and interviews with top-notch creators; links to videos of demonstrations; step-by-step tutorials; the possibilities are endless. Oh yeah, and be sure to check out our schedule for the San Diego Comic Con, which of course is happening right now! We’re at booth 1415. Please stop by and visit us if you’re at the con, and thank you so much for visiting us online!

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I’ve been thinking about color quite a bit lately. Since childhood, I’ve been entranced by certain color combinations. I love the snap of complementary colors and the harmonious quality of an analogous color scheme. There are scientific explanations for why these combinations appeal to my eye, but sometimes it seems I just like what I like! Blue and vibrant yellow; yellow, orange, red and brown; and deep red and lavender are among my favorite combinations. Color gives me so much pleasure and has a profound affect on my daily life as well as on the art and crafts I create.

Here’s a great review of Colleen Doran’s Girl to Grrl Manga. The book is a fantastic guide to drawing authentic looking Shojo Manga. And don’t miss Colleen’s other great instructional book Manga Pro Superstar Workshop, a guide to creating, publishing and selling your own manga comics and graphic novels.

I’m a massive fantasy fan.

I love sci-fi films and video games, and I always have some kind of fantasy novel in my bag. I read them everywhere too – night, day, at home, at work (but only during lunch).

Impact-books.com gives everyone who appreciates fantasy and sci-fi art a community where they can meet like-minded people and get hold of some really cool fantasy and sci-fi art product. Showing how to conceptualise, draw and paint cool art is central to our mission. We’ve therefore got a wealth of downloadable and printed content that will show you how.

Join us for our most exciting Comic Con ever!

Impact is proud to announce that worldwide fantasy artist John Howe, concept artist for the Lord of the Rings films, will be a Special Guest of the Con. John will be the subject of his own Spotlight Panel on Saturday, July 26, at 12:00 noon in Room 3. John’s acclaimed artwork spanning his career will be featured, including never-before-seen concept art from LOTR. Immediately following his panel, John will be signing his IMPACT book, John Howe Fantasy Art Workshop at the IMPACT booth at 2:00 p.m.

I was four years old when my dad came home with a tall thin cardboard package. As a more-than-usually curious little girl it intrigued me, so I begged him to reveal its contents. My dad eventually let me help him unpack the package – it was a red-and-yellow kid’s tent with a huge Spider-Man image leaping towards me, legs pointed forward, one hand gripping his web-rope, the other thrust forward shooting web at an unsuspecting criminal! WOW!