books

How can I be more creative? People from every walk of life have asked this question. Whether the motivation is to find more personal satisfaction in everyday life or to achieve success in the workplace, the desire for creativity, and the struggle to sustain it, is universal. Drawing on his varied experiences as a successful product designer and creative director, as well as a seasoned educator and a working parent, Fridolin Beisert’s Creative Strategies: 10 Approaches to Solving Design Problems uncovers priceless strategies to lead a more creative life—in any industry, at any level—whether you are a student, a teacher, a parent, or a CEO. Beisert’s approaches, cleverly and appropriately titled Pattern Breaking, Planting Limits, and Reality Hacking, to name a few, are revealed through case studies and personal anecdotes that are both entertaining and illuminating, and demonstrate that creativity is a skill that can be learned the same way that we learn how to ride a bicycle: by actively practicing it.

Creativity has no boundaries, geographic or otherwise, which is what the 15 international artists of The Line Art Challenge, set out to prove when they embarked on an artistic feat to each produce 100 sketches in 100 days. Based in 11 different countries, the artists used modern communication methods to share their work and motivate and inspire each other across continents to reach their collective goal of 1,000 traditional sketches. While the final drawing tally was 850, the resulting artwork from this challenge is remarkable in its diversity and complexity: fantastic warriors, menacing space beasts, Gigeresque villains, and whimsical everyday heroes are among the characters you’ll meet in this unique collection.

Perspective is a discipline often set aside when it comes to general art study, though it is essential to master in order to produce any piece of art that is and feels realistic. As intimidating as perspective may seem to aspiring artists, celebrated artist and author Marcos Mateu-Mestre takes the mystery out of understanding and applying it correctly with his highly anticipated two-volume collection, Framed Perspective.

In FramedPerspective, Vol. 1: Technical Drawing for Visual Storytelling, Mateu-Mestre equips artists with the technical knowledge needed to produce successful visual storytelling–related drawings: from understanding the basics of the space around us and how we perceive it, to more sophisticated endeavors such as creating entire environments that are believable.

Sure to be one of the most popular books in your art library, thanks to Mateu-Mestre’s thorough step-by-step explanations and awe-inspiring illustrations, Framed Perspective, Vol. 1 will train you to enjoy every curve and slope you see in the world and, more importantly, translate that vision into art with a solid comprehension of depth and proportion—in short, accuracy. Your perspective will never be the same!

Building on the foundation established with Framed Perspective, Vol. 1: Technical Drawing for Visual Storytelling, artist and best-selling author Marcos Mateu-Mestre delves deeper into particular elements that can make or break an illustration with Framed Perspective, Vol. 2: Technical Drawing for Shadows, Volume, and Characters.

Here he covers such challenging tasks as projecting shadows in proper perspective on various environments and depicting characters in perspective set in different situations—and makes them less daunting. You will also learn how to effectively observe a model or object in order to extract just the right amount of information to then translate it into an impactful graphic and visual image, the goal of every visual storyteller.

Only in Framed Perspective, Vol. 2, will you find Mateu-Mestre’s imaginative scenes explored in great detail, revealing invaluable drawing techniques—from how to capture the essence of a character with one gestural line, to using clothing folds to further define the shape and volume of a character—to help you drastically improve your drawings. It all depends on your perspective!

Simon Stålenhag’s Tales from the Loop is a wildly successful crowd-funded project that takes viewers on a surprising sci-fi journey through various country and city landscapes―from small towns in Sweden and the deserts of Nevada to the bitter chill of Siberia―where children explore and engage with abandoned robots, vehicles, and machinery large and small, while dinosaurs and other creatures wander our roads and fields. Stålenhag’s paintings and stories take place in an alternate version of Sweden in the ’80s and ’90s, primarily in the countryside of Mälaröarna, a string of islands just west of Stockholm, and how this reality came about: the development of the Loop, a large particle accelerator and the side effects of the massive project. These incredibly captivating works and accompanying text capture perhaps a not-too-distant reality that is both haunting and imminent: addressing the many ways developing technology and nature can create havoc and wonder in our world―plus, its impact on the next generation. This is the English edition of the first book in Swedish that sold out in its initial printing.

What is creature design? We all have a notion—mostly consisting of evocative images of otherworldly beings galloping, swimming, flying, and often attacking the hero of an epic film or story. But what makes a creature believable? In the follow-up to her best seller, Animals Real and Imagined: The Fantasy of What Is and What Might Be, world-renowned artist Terryl Whitlatch reveals the secret behind believable creature design: anatomy.

Anatomy is the cornerstone of successful creature design, whether the creature is real or imaginary. Accurate anatomy is often the key to suspension of disbelief, allowing you to draw imaginary creatures that viewers will believe in.

We invite you to delve into the intricate workings of numerous animal anatomies—and the beauty they possess—in the Science of Creature Design: Understanding Animal Anatomy. Whitlatch’s delightful and charismatic illustrations will inform and thrill readers with every turn of the page. She shares valuable techniques reaped from years working for Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Feature Animation, and on such films as Jumanji, Brother Bear, and The Polar Express. In addition, Whitlatch possesses an endless love for real animals that continues to inspire her fantastic imaginary creatures, which have captivated audiences around the world.

Three years ago, car designer Olivier Gamiette became fascinated with how watches work and began drawing them in his spare time. He started to educate himself on the different elements that watches possess and how to define their proportions. His goal was to not only draw credible and realistic watches, but also to have them tell time in ways he had never seen before. Thirty-four extraordinary concept watch designs later, SOON presents Gamiette’s creations in all their glory. Meet Sentinelle with its six rotating glass cylinders, the futuristic Celerity with horn-like propellers, and Sublissime with its mesmerizing crisscrossing bands. Discover these timepieces and the magic each one holds through Gamiette’s thoughtful watch descriptions, in-depth design tutorials, and, above all, his conceptual masterpieces.

Fifty-four artists contribute to this amazing third installment of the popular Nuthin’ But Mech book series, based on the eponymous blog started by designer Lorin Wood in 2009 to create a place for his friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to share a common passion: robots. The popularity of the blog led to the publication of the first Nuthin’ But Mech book in 2012 with the work of 31 artists, followed by the highly anticipated second volume in 2014 with 40 artists. Nuthin’ But Mech 3 is the biggest volume to date, with new and returning contributors, and it is dedicated to the memory of contributing artist Francis Tsai, a remarkable talent and inspiring figure who passed away from Lou Gehrig’s disease in early 2015. In addition to featuring exceptional portraits that Tsai created using eye-tracking software, mech fans will appreciate the breadth of high-quality digital paintings, 3D models, as well as traditional works, by some of the most prominent artists and designers working in the entertainment industry today. In appreciation of Francis Tsai’s contributions to the artistic community, proceeds from the sales of this book will be donated to his family.

From animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Batman to video games The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, the 10 concept designers of Punch Drunk Moustache 2 have thrilled audiences worldwide with their work on some of the most popular animated films, TV shows and video games produced today. Prepare to be knocked out by more imaginative worlds and characters created by artists John-Paul Balmet, Molly Denmark, Andre Kirk, Dela Longfish, Jim Moore, Will Nichols, Carlos Sanchez, Jeff Sangalli, Amy Beth Christenson Smith, and Chris Voy, whose original art and stories will take you to fascinating imaginary lands.

WOOSH! is a collection of personal spaceship sketches created by entertainment designer Lorin Wood as he decompressed on his couch after a long day at work. While “analog” in its execution, there’s nothing dated about his vision of the future. His detailed ships will have you dreaming of space exploration with every line and brushstroke. And artists, hobbyists, and anyone who enjoys sketching will also appreciate Wood’s tips on what traditional tools to use and how to render.

During the 1960s, out-of-this-world automobiles took America by storm, care of pioneering custom car designers like Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and George Barris, whose dazzling chrome creations—each with its own name and personality—captured the hopes and dreams of thousands of youth ready for their first joyride.

Simultaneously, the music world was getting its own punch of adrenalin with Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, and Dick Dale providing the perfect soundtrack for a time when experimentation was the order of the day. The counterculture that emerged was one of pure innovation—hot rods, MAD Magazine, Rat Fink, Von Dutch, Robert Williams, Stanley Mouse. Never before or since has there been a time when the border between imagination and engineered physical reality was crossed with such boundless, almost reckless regularity.

Joyride/Flatout: Hot Rods and Dream Machines is a tribute to this formative time through the eyes of author and designer Dan Quarnstrom, whose love of hot rod culture, and those who were a part of it, is as fresh and contagious as it was more than 50 years ago, when he was a young boy attending his first hot rod show. From thumbnail sketches to finished drawings, Post-it squiggles to thorough model breakdowns, Joyride/Flatout is a testament to what can happen when you hold onto your enthusiasm and infuse it into everything you create.

Do you dream of becoming a concept artist in the video game industry but don't know where to start? The Big Bad World of Concept Art for Video Games: An Insider's Guide for Beginners gives aspiring artists an honest, informative, and entertaining look at what it takes to do just that. Author Eliott Lilly will help you on your journey from finding the right school and how to get the most out of your education, to preparing your portfolio to land that first job. In addition, renowned concept artists—David Levy, Sparth, Stephan Martiniere, Ben Mauro, and Farzad Varahramyan—share their own dos and don'ts to making a career in the video game industry a reality.

Darren Quach is a Los Angeles–based concept designer who has contributed his creativity to numerous video games, including Hawken, Fuse, Ratchet & Clank Future: ACIT, Total Overdose, and all three Resistance games.

Worldwide, Quach has worked with video game studios Adhesive Games, Insomniac Games, Etcetera, Universal Entertainment, and Killer Game. He is currently with BLUR Studio in Culver City, California.

“The painter laureate of the car” —AutoWeek

Be dazzled by gorgeous paintings from award-winning automotive artist Harold Cleworth. From illustrating the elegant curves of the multimillion-dollar 1936 Bugatti Atlantic, to perfectly depicting the brilliance of the head-turning red of Ferraris past and present, Cleworth brings an incredible photo-like quality to his work that not only captures the beauty of a car, but elevates it. With a precision that is beyond photography, it is no wonder that he is one of the world's most sought-after artists: commissioned by car companies to paint originals of their newest models, and by celebrities and private collectors to create portraits of their beloved automobiles.

CLEWORTH: an ARTFULLlife is the first publication to compile his life’s work, and is a captivating visual journey of an illustrious career that has spanned almost four decades. A must-have for automobile aficionados, it features Cleworth's most highly coveted paintings to date, and the fascinating stories behind them.

Akihito brings inimitable and interesting characters to life. The Heart of Art welcomes one to look deeper into the creative process and motivation behind the work of Akihito. Whether you are a designer, sculptor, makeup artist, or fine artist, this book will regale, challenge and inspire. The Heart of Art features the extraordinary work of an artist that creates characters that meld a love of Japan, its culture, and its rich history into fantastic works.

This book is about the fundamentals of light, shadow and reflectivity; the focus is firmly on helping to improve visual understanding of the world around and on techniques for representing that world.

Rendering is the next step after drawing to communicate ideas more clearly. Building on what Scott Robertson and Thomas Bertling wrote about in How To Draw: Drawing and Sketching Objects and Environments from Your Imagination, this book shares everything the two experts know about how to render light, shadow and reflective surfaces.

This book is divided into two major sections: the first explains the physics of light and shadow. One will learn how to construct proper shadows in perspective and how to apply the correct values to those surfaces. The second section focuses on the physics of reflectivity and how to render a wide range of materials utilizing this knowledge.

Throughout the book, two icons appear that indicate either “observation” or “action.” This means the page or section is about observing reality or taking action by applying the knowledge and following the steps in creating your own work.

Similar to our previous book, How To Draw, this book contains links to free online rendering tutorials that can be accessed via the URL list or through the H2Re app.