This image, which I've titled Storm Peaks, is one that I believe reflects my overall workflow pretty well, because it has combined 2D, CGI and brainstorming elements.
When I start, the first step is going to be the brief, from a client or from myself. Here I wanted a mountain environment, with dramatic lighting and Gothic ruins. While working on this piece, I wanted it to be a homage to the art of the legendary The Lord of the Rings artist John Howe, who captures Middle-Earth so well.
While I admire a lot of artists, I've never really been inspired by a single particular artist. What really inspires me is, simply, nature. I totally love to transcribe the beauty of nature in terms of playing with depth of field and different lenses; especially when I shoot photos. I like to picture them in a natural history style and think it makes the image more believable.
Usually, the challenge is more technical than being about finding inspiration. When I start on a project or with a brief, I begin with research and find things that inspire me.
I'd describe my style and aesthetic as very realistic and photographic. Specifically, I like to play with depth of field and natural light to depict natural environments. I'm always trying to bring more storytelling to my images, and that's what makes an image stand out.
1 Seek out the right references and moods
To get going, I picked out a mountain photo that I particularly liked to get an idea for the lighting, angle and composition, as I thought it would give me a good head start. Additionally, I drew inspiration from photographs of buildings, snakes and fish as starting points for the fantasy elements, which includes dragons and a ruined hilltop fort; essential motifs in John Howe's work.
2 Inspiration to preliminary sketch
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Jan Wessbecher
Dominic Carter talks to the visual artist about creating his own comic and why sketchbooks are great for creative experiments
Kyounghwan Kim
The Korean character concept artist speaks to Dominic Carter about staying open to ideas and the value of drawing regularly
Slawek Fedorczuk
Dominic Carter talks to the concept artist about what keeps him motivated and the advantages of using physical sketchbooks.
Raquel M. Varela
Raquel is inspired by magic, fantasy and fairy tales. She loves designing female characters from distant worlds. \"My greatest reference is Loish's art, thanks to her I learned to draw the movement and fluidity I like to convey.\"
Estrela Lourenço
Estrela is a children's book author and illustrator. Her work is influenced by her background in character animation and storyboards for clients such as Cartoon Network, and she channels comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes.
Daria Widermanska
Daria, also known as Anako, has been drawing for as long as she can remember. Inspired by Disney and classic anime, she loves creating new characters and often finds that a single sketch can spark a unique story.
Allen Douglas
Allen has been painting professionally since 1994 for the publishing and gaming industries. Inspired by folklore, he distorts the size, relationships and environments of animals, and calls his paintings 'unusual wildlife'.
Thaddeus Robeck
Thaddeus has been drawing from the moment he could hold a pencil, but it was the 2020 lockdowns that gave him the time to focus on honing his skills.
DRAW FASCINATING SYMBOLIC ARTWORK
Learn how JULIÁN DE LA MOTA creates a composition from his imagination with a focus on crafting figures, volumetric modelling, and light and shadow
First Impressions
The artist talks about his journey into the mythological world
