Books

Ron Ashtiani brings together twenty-five years of experience directing creative projects for games and film to share what it takes to be a successful art director in the entertainment industry today. Using his well-honed art direction skills and diverse project experience, real-world examples, and clear diagrams, he educates his readers on every element of stellar art design for both video games and movies.

Providing creative and business leadership, as well as being a specialist consultant and regular industry and educational public speaker, he is one of the most resourceful and well-educated practitioners in the field of video game and movie art design, making him perfectly poised to teach others in the industry.

The fully illustrated The Art of Direction book, leads the reader on the journey of the art director, from how to craft an artistic vision to how to successfully manage a team of artists in bringing that vision to life and making the best creative decisions along the way.

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Derek Stenning’s last few years have been challenging, particularly from a personal work point of view, and a lot of this time seemed lost to him.

A terminal illness in the family put him in the position of a primary caregiver. This, along with too much professional work, injury, and family duties left him burnt out, with little time for his own art.

During these busy times he often turned back to his Entartete Kunst series to distract him from the craziness going on in his life. This art project had rejuvenated him once before with his book Born in Concrete; maybe it could do it again. A sketch here or there, or a painting, started to get him through a difficult spot. Few of these pieces were finished; many were begun and left, as he had no time or energy to complete them.

Thankfully, he has had more breathing room recently, and he circled back to finish those pieces. EK2: The Lost Years is a collection of model kit design work and production paintings, personal commissions, and a selection of material from a resin statue project.

He hopes, by completing this work, it will allow him—from an artistic point of view—to reclaim these lost years.

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After a 12 year absence from creating his own art, Derek started to focus on his personal work in 2009.

His first personal project, Born in Concrete, now available as this second edition, was undertaken to dispel his biases towards expressive art, overcome his own perceived limitations and to rejuvenate his creative spirit. A section of the book will also be dedicated to a step-by-step breakdown of how one of the art pieces was created. This collision of Soviet inspired retro sci-fi and Jewish mystical and qabalistic symbolism has evolved into a filter, or framework, that emotions, ideas and images are pushed through to be given shape and form. This project has been well received, being featured in numerous exhibits, international publications, as well as book and album covers, it continues to unfold and expand…

This book will feature a gallery section of artwork, a chapter on the artwork created for use as graphics on snowboards, the snowboards and the corresponding marketing material as well as a chapter on the creation of a resin model kit by Industria Mechanika.

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Return to the final days of the Dyer expedition in the remote Antarctic wastes. The letters from expedition leader Professor William Dyer grow increasingly more desperate as the expedition presses on, leaving sanity behind them. What they discover beneath the ice is meant for no living man to see, Cyclopean structures and alien landscapes that defy history itself. The final act of the Dyer Expedition is a descent into cosmic horror and utter madness.

H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness, first published in 1936, is one of the greatest classics of American horror literature. The most ambitious story Lovecraft ever wrote, it has served as a source of inspiration for filmmakers and authors in the decades since his death. This is the second volume of two.

François Baranger, an illustrator with experience working in both the film and gaming industries, was fascinated early on by Lovecraft’s creatures and visions which populated the darkest recesses of fantasy. Having previously illustrated The Call of Cthulhu to great acclaim, this book is his most ambitious creation so far.

Graphic L.A. is part practical instruction, part guided meditation on the importance of color values and objects in art. The reader is led by the professional instruction of Robh Ruppel; instructor at the Art Center College of Design, Gnomon School of Visual Effects, and Concept Art Academy. He is also a multiple award-winning art director of video games. By reducing environments down to basic shapes and colors (or “symbols”), Robh builds astounding images. Robh documents the progression of building an image while referencing basic techniques. By using color with surprisingly bold brushstrokes, he produces images of incredible depth with intricate handling of light and shadow. It is a rare exploration into simplicity without resorting to minimalism. Readers will be certain to take away both a sense of admiration for Robh Ruppel’s work and a greater understanding and appreciation for the importance of color value relationships in all forms of art. This second edition includes sixteen new images and their accompanying words of wisdom.

Following the success of four titles in the Nuthin’ But Mech series, Lorin Wood pivoted skyward to his passion for space travel. Inviting the work of 51 artists, Wood has curated a collection of imaginative inventions sharing one common theme: Traverse. This compilation draws on each artist’s proven ability to design an aesthetically pleasing mode of transportation, a clear narrative, and a stunning backdrop. Be it rustic freighters, streamlined sentries, or a fleet of modular ships, every original piece portrays an exceptional vision. Traverse celebrates an impressive lineup of contributors—from a range of industries including video games, animation, film, and transportation design—each recognized with their own unique biography. Featuring some familiar names from the Nuthin’ But Mech series, Traverse also celebrates the work of dynamic new talent—delivering an exciting collaboration of innovative and inspired passion projects. Delve into the world of Traverse with this trove of intricate and compelling works, each as immersive and engaging as the next.

The human body is a challenging subject to depict because of its intricate complexity and movement. “To do it well requires an in-depth knowledge of anatomy and an awareness of what lies beneath all parts of the body, for the greatest figurative art gives the impression that there is a living skeleton inside the body,” notes artist and veteran art educator Rey Bustos. With Rey’s Anatomy: Figurative Art Lessons from the Classroom, Bustos provides essential anatomical information, detailed studies, and valuable drawing tutorials to equip artists with a basic understanding of the skeletal structure and muscle system of the human body. Having taught figure drawing for 30 years, he presents complex concepts in a remarkably accessible manner, referencing works from the Old Masters to demonstrate how an artist can take the same anatomical knowledge and express it in diverse and personal ways and, with study and practice, portray the human form without being hindered by the process or the intellect. Rey’s Anatomy explores anatomy first, followed by daily drawing exercises to help refine one’s figurative work, while featuring the extraordinary work of his students throughout the book―alongside his own―a testament to how his lessons have benefited generations of artists.