Designing Dragons: An artist's guide to the legendary mythical creatures - PRE-ORDER!
Designing Dragons: An artist's guide to the legendary mythical creatures - PRE-ORDER!
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Let your imagination take wing with Designing Dragons, the must-have guide to bringing mythology’s most iconic beasts to life. Discover step by step how professional concept artists take inspiration from the rich biology of real animals, using their scientific insights to design believable dragons, drakes, and serpents from myths and legends around the world. Packed with knowledge, tutorials, and inspiring artwork, this book is essential for aspiring creature artists and fantasy fans.
This book features a customisable cover with six possible dragon designs.
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book
Let your imagination take wing with Designing Dragons, the must-have guide to bringing mythology’s most iconic beasts to life.
Discover step by step how professional concept artists take inspiration from the rich biology of real animals, using their scientific insights to design believable dragons, drakes, and serpents from myths and legends around the world.
The in-depth introduction to the history and anatomy of dragons is written jointly by Stephen Oakley (Naughty Dog, God of War) and Alexander Ostrowki (Wizards of the Coast). These two expert artists discuss the craft of creature design and how they turn real-world inspiration into eye-catching fantasy.
This is followed by 13 epic step-by-step tutorial projects, where professional artists take a dragon from mythology and bring it to life with their own unique understandings of biology, art theory, and concept design.
- Ideal for creature artists of any skill level and fantasy fans of all ages
- Featuring 13 dragons from myths and folklore across the globe
- Guest gallery featuring the inspiring work of talented dragon artists
- Cut-out cover window with a pocket containing multiple card designs – customize your cover with the card of your choice!
Product details
Hardback 288 pages
Dimensions: 279mm x 216mm
Paper quality: Full-colour premium paper pages
ISBN: 978-1-915992-12-3
About the artist
About the artist
Featured in this book...
Francisco Garcés, otherwise known as Dibujante Nocturno, is a professional illustrator from the Canary Islands, Spain, who creates art with a dark aesthetic reminiscent of the drama of Greek epics. Specializing in the design of fantastical creatures, he is an extremely passionate artist with a love of the fantasy genre that has followed him since he was a young child. Creating personal work is something he has never stopped doing as he considers it fundamental to his wellbeing, and sees sharing that work with others as an integral part of his creative way of life. Alongside crafting deeply personal projects, he produces commissions for clients based in the gaming industries.
Contents and contributors
How to use this book
INTRODUCTION
by Stephen Oakley & Alexander Ostrowski
From myths to pop culutre
Real-world inspiration
Dragon anatomy
Colour and texture
Realistic versus fantastic
Dragon life
THE DRAGON
Amphisbaena by Dominique Vassie
Cockatrice by Gabriel McAlpine
East Asian dragon by Entei Ryu
European dragon by Kate Pfeilschiefter
Hydra by Anna Podedworna
Jaculus by Allie Irwin
Jörmungandr by Giovanni Lazzari
Lindworm by Damien Mammoliti
Mušḫuššu by Hazem Ameen
The Questing Beast by Allison Theus
Salamander by Jordan K. Walker
Tatzelwurm by April Prime
Wyvern by Vincent Coviello
THE GALLERY
John Tedrick
Robin Boonacker
Dibujante Nocturno
Charles Hamel
Glossary
Contributors
