CELEBRATING OUR 200TH ISSUE!
NO.1 FOR DIGITAL ARTISTS ImagineFX
As we mark 200 issues and 15 years of ImagineFX, we look back at some of the milestone moments that have helped shape the magazine and the wonderful art community that it serves
Turn to page 8 to get hold of workshop videos created by our featured artists!
Two hundred issues over 15 years – that’s how long ImagineFX has been bringing you the best fantasy and sci-fi digital art. That’s not to mention discovering, championing and working with the world’s most inspiring artists to put stylus to tablet, or brush to canvas. And there’s been no shortage of highlights, either!
From the time our first issue was published in 2006, Team ImagineFX has scoured the globe to bring you the best technical tools to tackle your own work, and also that more elusive element that artists constantly require: inspiration. As a rule of thumb, if it’s inspired us, then we’ve been confident it’ll inspire you.
We wanted to share with you some of our favourite memories: from having front-row seats as the digital art event industry boomed, to seeing our art heroes open up their studios. There’s been ground-breaking tech and sad losses along the way. But one constant for us has been you, our passionate readers – and we certainly hope we’ve returned the favour.
We’ve had a lot of fun putting together ImagineFX’s milestone moments, so grab a fresh brew, sit back and enjoy!
Download issue one of ImagineFX See page 8
Issue one of ImagineFX
In January 2006 digital art was in its infancy. Launching a related magazine seemed a bold move, but it was a hit! Issue one featured cover artist Kyoung-Min Cho together with George Hull, Jonny Duddle, Don Seegmiller, Henning Ludvigsen, Frazer Irving and Robert Chang. And in FXPosé? Only Sparth and Jamie Jones!
Artist in Residence
Debuting in issue 43 with Lee Carter, and still one of our most popular features, Artist in Residence goes behind the scenes of an artist’s studio. These range from the tidy to the chaotic; like Magic: The Gathering artist Steve Argyle’s, which he dubbed “a decadent little corner crockpot of clutter, slow roasting Heaven and Hell”.
© 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Mining Middleearth’s riches
Fantasy art and fantasy literature has always been entwined, and though there have been many classic combinations since the popularisation of the genres in the 19th century, it was the 29 July 1954 release of The Lord of the Rings that set generations of artistic imaginations alight. ImagineFX has had the pleasure of collaborating with artists synonymous with JRR Tolkein’s world. We’ve worked closely with John Howe and Alan Lee – whether talking about their original LotR book illustrations, or their concept work on The Hobbit films in issue 91. And, as the films began to dominate everything from 2001, we’ve also worked closely with the army of creatives over at Weta. So many highlights from one of our favourite fantasy worlds!
Wacom launches the first Cintiq
Released in 2007, three years before the iPad, Wacom’s Cintiq enabled artists to draw directly onto a screen without having to look up at a second monitor. With continued updates, such as the Cintiq 22 (pictured), Wacom built on this early advantage to remain the champion of drawing tablets today.