A concept for success

Editor’s letter

Welcome to… NO.1FOR DIGITAL ARTISTS IMAGINE FX Whether

Resources

Getting hold of this issue’s resources is easy. Just visit ifxm.ag/206characterdesign

FXPosé

THE PLACE TO SHARE YOUR DIGITAL ART

The Concept Art Awards 2021: Winners

The work of concept artists from around the world are celebrated in this year’s awards

Karla Ortiz

Art life Concept Art Award nominee Karla Ortiz on taking things slower, and maintaining a fitness plan

Don’t stop believing

Something wicked Faerie artist and author Iris Compiet shares how she almost gave up on art, before giving in to her passion

When new worlds collide…

Culture clash Mixing influences can be challenging, Ian Dean meets the art directors behind Amazon Games’ New World

François Gautier

Light and shade The French artist reveals where he uses his inking skills to translate some of his fears and sorrows into intricate line-art

Letters

YOUR FEEDBACK & OPINIONS

THE ART OF PATRICK O'KEEFE

Ian Dean meets the artist who keeps things simple, even in the complex world of Spider-Man

A GRAPHIC WORLD

Reducing the world to its basic forms enables the viewer to fill in the blanks…

ENTER THE SPIDER-VERSE

Patrick O’Keefe’s myriad of experiences collided on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Tristan Tait

Kooky characters – and a couple of unsettling clowns – come to life on the pages of this prolific illustrator’s sketchbook

SHARPEN YOUR CHARACTER ART

Discover how Christophe Young sketches, lines and paints a compelling concept of a dieselpunk samurai character

BALANCE COLOUR WITH LINE-ART

Lauren Brown shows how she applies composition and painting techniques to create nouveau-inspired art

TURNING DABS INTO BRUSH STROKES

Core Skills: Painter 2021 – Part 2

CONTROL COLOUR IN YOUR SCENES

Discover Anton Fadeev’s Photoshop layer techniques and bring a fantasy landscape to life

BRING NEW LIFE TO UNFINISHED ART

In this workshop, Rafael Sarmento explains how to rework an older idea, creating a new illustration in the process

Acer ConceptD CP3271K

SCREEN SCENE A stunning screen for creatives who demand top-notch image quality, but is it good enough to justify its hefty price tag?

THREE MORE 4K MONITORS

Looking for a different screen? Try one of these instead…

Gradients: Color,Form and Illusion

MEETS THE GRADE James Gurney continues to make core art theory approachable, whether you’re working traditionally or digitally

Obliskura

DARK ARTS Steel yourself for the unexpected and explore a fantasy world where the usual genre tropes have been left at the castle gates

Nature Painting in Watercolor

GOING GREEN Learn how to improve your watercolour skills while getting in touch with the natural world, with this affordable guidebook

FXPosé

SHOWCASING THE FINEST TR ADITIONAL ARTISTS

IMPROVE YOUR COMIC PANEL SKILLS

DAVID ORELLANA reveals his approach and techniques when creating a simple comic page, from planning the action to the addition of lines and colour

First Impressions

Exploring her own personal challenges has helped this artist