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The fantasy and sci-fi art thread, post you favorites!
- Thread starter Silvergun-Blue
- Start date
- OT
As a kid I think one of the books that had the biggest impact on me was finding the Chinese edition of James Gurney's first Dinotopia - A Land Apart From Time at the bookshop. I was pretty mad about dinosaurs like most kids in the 90s, but it was a pretty refreshing take coming off Dino-Riders and Jurassic Park, with it mostly being an utopian fantasy world at peace. It was a relatively pricey book I guess and I recall it taking a lot of chores and convincing to finally get to take it home. It got me into painting in general, as well as European architecture and taking interest in design.
Now going back to it as an adult, it still holds up. I am not sure where else we've had such world building that so illustration based. Referencing the 19th century academic and orientalist painters like Alma-Tadema, the style of the illustrations and the way they are done informed us so much about the fantasy, so much so I think it's why TV/film adaptations never quite work.
I'm not sure why James Gurney stopped writing new Dinotopia books, but I guess he doesn't need to now and he does have a very informative art blog that he updates regularly.
Now going back to it as an adult, it still holds up. I am not sure where else we've had such world building that so illustration based. Referencing the 19th century academic and orientalist painters like Alma-Tadema, the style of the illustrations and the way they are done informed us so much about the fantasy, so much so I think it's why TV/film adaptations never quite work.
I'm not sure why James Gurney stopped writing new Dinotopia books, but I guess he doesn't need to now and he does have a very informative art blog that he updates regularly.
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The late Lebbeus Woods is someone else that I want to bring up. Even though he is an architect and not strictly a sci-fi or fantasy illustrator, he is pretty visionary who has been tremendously influential on a generation of architects and probably other disciplines too.
Lovely thread, thanks everyone!
My contribution is art by Seb Mckinnon, who I got to know from his MTG art.
My contribution is art by Seb Mckinnon, who I got to know from his MTG art.
Lovely thread, thanks everyone!
My contribution is art by Seb Mckinnon, who I got to know from his MTG art.
Love this one.
My jam is r/ImaginaryLandscapes
The best part about it is how varied the background of the artists are, so often you see things like South East Asia Fantasy - Think like FFX's Spira:
The best part about it is how varied the background of the artists are, so often you see things like South East Asia Fantasy - Think like FFX's Spira:
The late Lebbeus Woods is someone else that I want to bring up. Even though he is an architect and not strictly a sci-fi or fantasy illustrator, he is pretty visionary who has been tremendously influential on a generation of architects and probably other disciplines too.
These are fantastic. I absolutely think they qualify for this thread, they're more imaginative than most traditional fantasy.
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Well, this thread sure got a shot in the arm. I was worried it was starting to falter. Thanks for all the contributions everybody, I love the sheer variety on display.
Ooooh, I love these. The bleak feeling gives off a very Dark Souls vibe.I'm a big fan of Gérard Trignacs somewhat surreal, empty landscapes and cities.
It's surprisingly hard to find good quality images online of the FF covers and illustrations.Some Fighting Fantasy cover art from Peter Andrew Jones:
I stumbled across the whole Reddit imaginary network recently and it's an absolute goldmine. https://www.reddit.com/r/ImaginaryNetwork/wiki/networksublistMy jam is r/ImaginaryLandscapes
The best part about it is how varied the background of the artists are, so often you see things like South East Asia Fantasy - Think like FFX's Spira:
It really does. The second image I posted is so reminiscent of the DS 3 DLC that I'm almost certain that its not a coincidence.
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That looks Sci FI to me.Greg Martin has some cool space art, not sure if it counts as sci-fi?
Hire this guy for Bloodborne 2Lovely thread, thanks everyone!
My contribution is art by Seb Mckinnon, who I got to know from his MTG art.
Aside from many already quoted a lot, as a kid Chris Foss was doing a ton of the covers for the sci fi books I was into.
Also Boris Valejo, though most of his art is about muscular women wearing very little in fantasy situations.
I'll use that one for a change.
Also Boris Valejo, though most of his art is about muscular women wearing very little in fantasy situations.
I'll use that one for a change.
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Ron Cobb is a veteran concept artist who has an incredible filmography.
Ornithopter concept for the unmade "Jodorowsky's Dune"
Star Wars
Alien
Conan The Barbarian
The Last Starfighter
Back To The Future
Ornithopter concept for the unmade "Jodorowsky's Dune"
Star Wars
Alien
Conan The Barbarian
The Last Starfighter
Back To The Future
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The first one is gorgeous, has a great renaissance painting look to it.A few more by Seb Mckinnon
I have a feeling he has a thing for redheads...
I know I do
Here's some by the late Hiro Isono whose work should be instantly recognizable to many here.
The famous cover of Secret of Mana (and my current phone wallpaper)
Art for the sequel, Trails of Mana aka Seiken Densetsu 3
More of his work.
This thread is a visual feast.
The "Dreams of Gaia" tarot deck has some absolutely stunning art.
The "Dreams of Gaia" tarot deck has some absolutely stunning art.
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These remind me of Stephen Bradbury to some degree.This thread is a visual feast.
The "Dreams of Gaia" tarot deck has some absolutely stunning art.
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From the darkness of John Bauer to the familiarity of Rolf Lidberg, here are more nordic trolls:
and my personal favourite:
and my personal favourite:
If we're mentioning Slaine, we gotta put some Clint Langley work up in here, be it his digital photograph alterations or actual linework-
along with some of this 40k art which absolutely cemented Gaunt's look in my brain-
I'd also like to throw Katsuya Terada into the mix, one of my favorites for straddling a line between 70s French Sci Fi and Japanese manga sensibilities.
His early Zelda art should especially be familiar to many of us...
Which absolutely had to be an influence on Lokman Lam, one of the main artists behind Kingdom Death. It's very hard finding good photos online of the big splash pages that are throughout the printed materials for Kingdom Death, as the game designer likes to keep that stuff off the net. Even the color choices are evocative of Terada's early work.
along with some of this 40k art which absolutely cemented Gaunt's look in my brain-
I'd also like to throw Katsuya Terada into the mix, one of my favorites for straddling a line between 70s French Sci Fi and Japanese manga sensibilities.
His early Zelda art should especially be familiar to many of us...
Which absolutely had to be an influence on Lokman Lam, one of the main artists behind Kingdom Death. It's very hard finding good photos online of the big splash pages that are throughout the printed materials for Kingdom Death, as the game designer likes to keep that stuff off the net. Even the color choices are evocative of Terada's early work.
This is one of the former Bioware artists who previously worked on the mass effect series and his stuff his super rad. It also makes you sad for Anthem because obviously the artistic design behind was great.
www.artstation.com
Steve Klit
Concept Artist working in the games industry, with a focus on environment art.
www.artstation.com
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I'm going old school. These are some of John Bauers illustrations of old nordic fairy tales from around the turn of the twentieth century.
Because trolls were more fun before the internet.
Since we're doing Trolls/Nordic stuff.From the darkness of John Bauer to the familiarity of Rolf Lidberg, here are more nordic trolls:
and my personal favourite:
Paul Bonner
I'm sure I'm not alone in seeing the world and dungeons of Zelda as somewhat darker long before Twilight Princess came along because of artists like Terada and even Yoichi KotabiIf we're mentioning Slaine, we gotta put some Clint Langley work up in here, be it his digital photograph alterations or actual linework-
along with some of this 40k art which absolutely cemented Gaunt's look in my brain-
I'd also like to throw Katsuya Terada into the mix, one of my favorites for straddling a line between 70s French Sci Fi and Japanese manga sensibilities.
His early Zelda art should especially be familiar to many of us...
Which absolutely had to be an influence on Lokman Lam, one of the main artists behind Kingdom Death. It's very hard finding good photos online of the big splash pages that are throughout the printed materials for Kingdom Death, as the game designer likes to keep that stuff off the net. Even the color choices are evocative of Terada's early work.
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I really like this Brothers Grimm style.Some more nordic stuff. Theodor Kittelsen did a lot of folklore and fairytale illustrations.
I found some baroque Zelda art by Astor Alexander when I was searching for stuff earlier.
I posted a similar thread a few years ago so I thought we could do with a new one. It's simple, post fantasy and sci-fi art you love. From concept art to game and book covers to manual illustrations and posters, I want to see what everybody likes and hopefully find new artists to seek out. I'm sure a video game forum will be bursting with ideas.
Thread Guidelines.
Post the artist/source wherever possible please.
If you want to post multiple and/or large/hi-res images you may want to consider spoiler tagging them. Also, remember you can resize images by clicking on them after you've inserted them and dragging the corners. (I'm unsure of this process on mobile devices)
I'll kick things off with some classics from the late Keith Parkinson. Here's some of his art for Everquest and Diablo 2
Really solid old-school images.
Oh God, slaying me with that Everquest nostalgia.
Still have the original box with the first pictures art.
There's far better art out there. But this image? This image take me back to this moment when I was a kid, how it felt to get swept up in a story, and a character's death. It still evokes stuff looking at it now decades later.
Them feels! Lauralanthalasa and Sturm. RIP.
I love these 😍I really like this Brothers Grimm style.
I found some baroque Zelda art by Astor Alexander when I was searching for stuff earlier.
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The artist is insanely talented, the Midna one is just... chefs kiss
Here's the set on his artstation page, one of them is NSFW mind you.
Here's the set on his artstation page, one of them is NSFW mind you.
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I really like this Brothers Grimm style.
I found some baroque Zelda art by Astor Alexander when I was searching for stuff earlier.
The one with the mermaid/zora is amazing.
I might be stretching the definition of fantasy art here, but I still feel it fits. Giovanni Piranesis sketches and etchings of imaginary prisons and the city of ancient Rome from a time when the city still wasn't actually excavated.
The British Museum is going to have a Piranesi exhibit soon. I expect itll be one of the free ones up in room 90, but it still says TBD at the moment.
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Seems to be a thing for him.
Were there ever any games based on this? seems like a perfect match.David Petersens Mouse Guard is pretty lovely.
Seems to be a thing for him.
Were there ever any games based on this? seems like a perfect match.
Only a (very good!) pen and paper rpg. But if you have access to a VR system Moss is somewhat similar in style, and an absolutely beautiful game through and through.
PSA: Simon Stalenhag's new narrative artbook 'The Labyrinth' is up on Kickstarter!!
www.kickstarter.com
It got funded in 19 minutes lol, and has passed all its stretch goals in a few hours. Not sure if it warrants a new thread.
The Labyrinth – New Narrative Art Book by Simon Stålenhag
From award-winning visual storyteller Simon Stålenhag, creator of Tales From the Loop, comes a unique vision of a dystopic future.
It got funded in 19 minutes lol, and has passed all its stretch goals in a few hours. Not sure if it warrants a new thread.
As a kid I think one of the books that had the biggest impact on me was finding the Chinese edition of James Gurney's first Dinotopia - A Land Apart From Time at the bookshop. I was pretty mad about dinosaurs like most kids in the 90s, but it was a pretty refreshing take coming off Dino-Riders and Jurassic Park, with it mostly being an utopian fantasy world at peace. It was a relatively pricey book I guess and I recall it taking a lot of chores and convincing to finally get to take it home. It got me into painting in general, as well as European architecture and taking interest in design.
Now going back to it as an adult, it still holds up. I am not sure where else we've had such world building that so illustration based. Referencing the 19th century academic and orientalist painters like Alma-Tadema, the style of the illustrations and the way they are done informed us so much about the fantasy, so much so I think it's why TV/film adaptations never quite work.
I'm not sure why James Gurney stopped writing new Dinotopia books, but I guess he doesn't need to now and he does have a very informative art blog that he updates regularly.
the top two remind me of moebius. pretty cool work
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