The Fantasy Artroom by Aaron Pocock would be a wonderful addition to any beginning or intermediate artist’s library, not only those interested in fantasy. It’s thoughtful, detailed, and filled with explanations of vocabulary terms and drawing materials, both in describing what they are and how they’re used.

This book is filled with beautiful sketches and artwork, and has excellent tips for beginning and improving your own artwork. Showing a step-by-step process of going from using a reference image as inspiration to turning it into your own fantasy artwork, it emphasizes the very basics of good drawing more than once, so the reader is reminded instead of forgetting about it when they reach the next section of the book.

Basic sketchwork aside, it also talks about character, mood, movement, and composition – and how important it is for any artwork to tell a story. In addition to sketchwork, it covers inking, watercolor, and gouache, and has examples of each at all stages of completion so you can follow the process the artist used to create a finished piece.

In all, it’s something I’ll be happy to add to my own art library, and will likely go back to repeatedly.

 

 

Disclaimer: I was given a digital advanced copy of this book from publishers registered with NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.