I was given an exciting challenge by Free League Publishing for this piece, created for The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying game. Interpreting a beloved character like Gandalf is a massive artistic responsibility that pits you against a wealth of wellestablished imagery. It's complex to be both innovative and respectful.
Fortunately, Tolkien's work has a lyricism free from the excesses of other fantasy universes, which teams up well with the stylistic research I've been carrying out over time to bring aspects from traditional painting aesthetics into the digital world. On one hand, I wanted to suggest a fairy tale atmosphere, suspended in time, drawing inspiration from the great Alan Lee. On the other, I wanted to breathe in drama and intensity.
The difficult part is to harmonise the ingredients: composition, light, colour, acting and body language, and of course brushstrokes upon brushstrokes. I love adding symbolic elements that nod to the theme of the journey, such as the mystical value of the portal or the barn owl messenger. Even the little lizard you can see in the bottom corner has a meaning linked to the immortality and rebirth of the character. And finally, what could be more heroic, and satisfying, than painting a rearing Shadowfax?
How I create...
AN EVOCATIVE FANTASY IMAGE
1 Strong thumbnails
One of the key aspects of a cover is visual impact. Offering the essential elements of the image from the start encourages readability and grabs attention. That's why I often use effective silhouettes for my thumbnails, simple but capable of showing the image's strength.
2 Colour sketch
Denne historien er fra November 2024-utgaven av ImagineFX.
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Denne historien er fra November 2024-utgaven av ImagineFX.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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
CREATIVE STRENGTH IN COMMUNITY
Co-founder and creative force André Luís talks about the ethos and evolution of Trojan Horse Was A Unicorn
Gigi Murakami
Shock and terror! Step into the world of the American horror manga artist, where her tastes are on full display
The path to the top at a video games company
No cheat codes required Tanya Combrinck finds out exactly what it takes to make the leap from burgeoning student to game-shaping art director
