Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Michelle Pfeiffer, among others, have joined Tim Burton in the remake of popular soap opera of Dark Shadows. Find out the full cast, the plot and see some photos at IMDB. One thing seems reasonably sure: this is one vampire that won’t sparkle.
Of course, here’s a look at the original black and white opening credits. What do you think? Can Tim Burton pull it off?
It’s appropriate that today, I’ve spent most of my afternoon working on a book about dragons. Hint: it’s from one of IMPACT Books’ best-selling, most-loved authors and the art, as usual, is gorgeous!
The Daily Mail has a great gallery of images of the celebrations happening in the East, and the colors and celebrations are absolutely captivating! I think it’s a sign that this is going to be a prosperous, great new year!
So why not celebrate by picking up a copy of one of these three favorite IMPACT Books?
Here at IMPACT headquarters nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a copy of Dracopedia. That’s why we’ve put together a list of our favorite dragon books, DVDs and downloads. Make all the dragon-lovers on your gift list happy with these top picks:
It’s been a great year at IMPACT Books and we’d like to share some of our highlights with you! Learn how to draw some of our most popular subjects with the help of these free tutorials and then gift someone with your artwork–and a copy of one of the books they come from, too! When learning a new skill is this fun, everyone benefits!
If graffiti is more your style, check out Scape Martinez’s demonstration on how to create your own abstract letters. Scape Martinez shares his vast graff knowledge with you in Graff and Graff2.
Extreme Face Painting went wild this Halloween, but makeup special effects can be used for all kinds of reasons and seasons. If you have your own Miss Piggy, why not show up to a screening of The Muppets in fine style?
Let’s face it: One of the very reasons we love drawing fantasy is the fact that the possibilities are virtually unlimited! You can populate your world with all kinds of great creatures, weird foliage, cityscapes as far as the eye can see and so much more. You want humanesque characters with wings? Why not?
Here are ten awesome resources for creating great fantasy backgrounds and companions for your characters.
And you want to know what’s even cooler? We have some great sales events coming up in the next several days starting with free shipping on Thursday. And with the temperatures cooling and the holidays coming, it’s kind of like I made your Gift Wish List for you!
Artist Brittney Lee is a woman after my own heart: Her blogspot profile reads “I love drawing and chocolate.” Well, I can add that I love the art of Brittney Lee to my sentence, and I have no doubt that you’ll be blown away, too. Check it out.
Her works remind me of chocolate, in fact. She uses color in such a rich, vibrant way, and the work is sweet, but not artificially so.
For books that show you great techniques for collage, animated and comic art, check out these IMPACT and North Light books:
Check out these escape pods currently being designed! They hold up to four people and float on water. I could see this being the basis–and the setting–for a futuristic fantasy story. Anyone want to draw that comic?
Direct from the front lines of the fantasy and gaming industry, IMPACT author and digital art pro Gary Tonge shows you how to get more out of Adobe Photoshop and make the most of your CG art in his newest book, Digital Painting Tricks & Techniques. With lessons and step-by-step demonstrations covering beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, you’ll find solutions to everyday challenges and inspiration for taking concepts that extra step to greatness.
Check out this free demo on creating image texture for a sneak preview …
Add Image Texture Quickly
This effective technique for quickly adding asymmetry to break up a clean and sterile image is best used while you are working up details. The additional layering of noise and brush effects can help you loosen up as well as augment the overall feel of the piece. While this is a simple technique in principle, it is important that you do not over texturize the image and lose the original details underneath the overlay.
1. Paint the Subject and Establish the Light Source
Paint a quick shape onto a new layer. The background should consist of only a simple color at this point. Be sure to establish the direction of the light source
2. Establish Scale Reference and Add Shadows
Establish real scale reference. (See Chapter 7 for more information on scale.) Here I placed two pilots in the shade of the closest craft. To help solidify these elements together, paint in some simple shadows
3. Add Detail and Texture
To add texture and interest without having to spend a long time detailing it, take a photograph
of a piece of concrete and play around with the colors a little. Once you have an interesting image—most importantly, nothing with repeating or strong lines—simply grab the entire layer from the layers palette and drag it onto the main image. Scale this new layer so that it fits the image beneath, and set the blend mode to Screen. At the same time, set the opacity to about 20 to 30 percent.
4. Flatten the Image and Continue Painting
You might find that certain parts of the overlaid texture stand out more than you want. To rectify this, simply select a soft large eraser brush and gently rub those areas out. (Set your brush to 50 percent opacity so you do not accidentally remove all the overlaid texture.)
When you are happy with the effect, flatten the image and carry on painting. You can very quickly paint over the image with a couple of custom patterned brushes (see Chapter 1) to help break it up a little more. The end result is an interesting and textural image without the time needed to paint details.
Digital Painting Tricks & Techniques hits the shelves in mid November, but you can pre-order a copy today in the NL Shop. And for more great digital painting instruction, be sure to check out Gary’s first book,Bold Visions.
Judging from the fan reaction to Irene Flores’ first book, Shojo Fashion Manga Art School, manga is as popular as ever. For those of you in the Ohio area, set your calendars for January 27-29 2012 for Ohayocon.
Those of you who are new to Anime/Manga conventions and would like to check one out, then Ohayocon can prove to be a great introduction into the “con” culture. Ohayocon is held annually in Columbus, Ohio and provides its patrons with workshops and panels from some of the leading voices in the Anime and Manga industry. A nice sized convention that brings more than 1,000 people to indulge in all that is Anime and Manga culture.
