An indispensable guide for anyone interested in improving and developing their fantasy art figures. Start with the basics of human anatomical drawing and musculature, and then learn ways to distort, develop, and transform the human figure, giving it features that range from monstrous or magical to super-agile or larger than life.
An indispensable guide for anyone interested in improving and developing their fantasy art figures.
Fantasy artists are unlikely to use models to draw from life but, to be successful, their creations must have a grounding in reality. This book by successful comic and fantasy artist Glenn Fabry, teaches you the principles of anatomy, from musculature and skeletal structure through to movement.
You can then develop your artistic style by breaking and bending the rules of anatomy through practical exercises and demonstrations, accompanied by incredible finished artworks. The step-by-step exercises help you to fully understand the subtle movements that combine to create expressions, and the flowing movements that constitute actions.
Anatomy for Fantasy Artists trains you in creating professional quality illustrations for comic book art, graphic novels, fantasy posters, sci-fi book covers and illustrations, and even computer games. In this book you will find valuable instruction from experts in the field, expanded from the original edition with additional pages that feature many more how-to, step-by-step illustrations.
Instruction starts with the basics of human anatomical drawing and musculature, facial expressions, hands and body language, and then follows with a review of the principles of perspective and composition. Subsequent sections instruct on ways to distort, develop, and transform the human figure, giving it features that range from monstrous or magical to super-agile or larger than life, including dynamic poses for superheroes and villans, as well as fantasy female poses.
Detailed artist's references and step-by-step instructions show how to build bodies that truly stretch the imagination. You also learn how to render characters in many different dynamic action poses, such as flying, spinning, punching, and jumping, as well as how to express each character's emotions through facial expressions. The cast of characters includes wizards, ogres, werewolves, winged avengers, goblins, aliens, enchantresses, barbarians, robots and more.
Author Glenn Fabry is a successful comic book and fantasy artist who has spent many years working in this field including work for both DC and Marvel Comics. Through his professional experience he has honed his skills, which he generously shares in this book, alongside professional artists Michael Cunningham and Ben Cormac.
Preface 6
Drawing styles 8
Section one
Fantasy artist’s master class 14
Human skeleton 16
Human musculature 20
Facial expressions 24
Expressive hands 26
Body language 28
Clothing the figure 30
Character and body types 32
Understanding light 34
Practicing drawing and sketching 38
Getting inspiration 46
Artist at work 48
Section two
Figure reference file 54
Classic figure drawing poses 56
Classic details: upper body 60
Classic details: lower body 64
Superhero and villain poses 68
Female fantasy poses 86
Section three
Cast of characters 96
Sven the barbarian 98
Sonia the adventurer 102
Myrddin the wizard 106
Charybdis the alien female 110
Mk2 the robotic female 114
Circea the enchantress 118
Brutus the hulk 122
Hermia the winged avenger 126
Sovann the werewolf 130
Mu the fat man 134
The barber’s daughter 138
Grenvil the comic sidekick 142
Orin the ogre 146
Gobbo the goblin 150
Kyvar the lizard 154
Index 158
Credits 160
