In this course we will discover what makes environments and images feel the way they do. This is essential for the storyboard and environmental design, Illustrators and fine artists. We will cover the four main types of images: hostile, mysterious, romanticized and tranquil.
One of the greatest gifts of sight is our ability to distinguish colors. The human eye can distinguish around 10,000,000 colors. This may be why the Impressionist movement had and continues to have a large following. The transition from black and white training can feel daunting. There are so many choices, so many variations of paint colors and formulas. Do we use viridian green or pthalo green? Opaque or transparent? What about limited or extensive palettes? How do we learn to observe color? With a plethora of combinations, it is wise to break our studies into small manageable portions. We will first learn some of the terminology of the color language, followed by simple color exer- cises, and graduating to more complex observations.
This video showcases a longer-format still life painting. We will cover the tools necessary to embark on a more complicated scene. A cohesive theme can be formed with a basic arsenal of elements such as flowers, metals and glass. Other topics are discussed ranging from the supply of a still life "larder" to color comps. This video is a fifteen part exploration of a garden theme with roses, bird nests, and antique metal objects.
Join Robert Watts, Jeff’s father, as he walks you through a variety of illustrative scenarios and visual problem-solving solutions, using one of his favorite mediums, Gouache. Robert will lend insight from his 40 plus years as a commercial illustrator and fine artist, and use his eclectic and masterful skill sets to demonstrate how to put… Continue reading
The goal of this class is to familiarize you with each of the seven key folds, as well as their function and usage in the process of drawing and painting. Through diligent practice of these principals you will eventually gain a mastery of drapery that will open you up to explore your creative and artistic potential.
The goal of this class is to simplify the elements and procedures that produce excellent compositions…from motifs, overlap, linking and the monster power of shadows to the concept of contrasts and that mysterious thing called mood.
Join Erik Gist as he delves into the essentials of perspective. The goal of this course is more than simply learning the techniques and geometry for creating a convincing illusion of three- dimensional space; It is about dictating how an individual perceives your image, how they enter and interact with the scene you have created.… Continue reading
In this course, Robert Watts will show you how to execute a studio landscape painting with a focus on structures.. Watch as Robert explains the differences between plein air painting and studio landscapes, and learn the importance of color studies and how to properly utilize reference in the studio. Follow along as Robert demonstrates these… Continue reading
In this phase we will be exploring one of the most important aspects of figure drawing, anatomy. We will be taking an in depth look at the arms and legs, starting with the skeleton and working our way up to the surface morphology. Along the way we will be examining the form and functionality of… Continue reading
This Course will cover the fundamentals of drawing features and facial expressions. Construction of each feature will be the focus of the first portion of the course. Facial anatomy will then be taught as a transition into drawing facial expressions. Students will then move on to cover the seven main facial expressions.
This course will cover the fundamental aspects of Character design for work in Conceptual Design. Here you will learn various methods for maximizing a high creative potential. There is introduction and demonstration of mediums commonly used in the industry. The course covers fundamental aspects of design and how to add personality to your characters. You will also be walked from sketch to completion through a common way industry professionals achieve their results.
This course will teach you some of the background and techniques that go into painting dragons for illustration. You will be walked through a process of designing a dragon with personality and weight in order to achieve a highly inspirational and believable design. You will learn to mannequin a dragon so you are able to visualize and draw a dragon from many angles. Lastly the course will take you through a process of staging a dragon for an illustration.
These videos are a collection of useful tips and approaches for both design and the necessary tasks of perspective and shadowing for all 'Tech' genres. The solutions range from the rather involved, but carefully explained... to the very simple. Unlike previous courses, the workbook will actually expand upon what you see in the video with clear, defined steps and diagrams plus much new material and additional concepts along the way.
When painting a cover for a comic book, less emphasis is put on narrative and more on creating an iconic image that jumps off the rack. In this series of lessons we will be going over the process often used in the generation and refinement of concepts. We will then continue, and spend a majority… Continue reading
This course will teach you some of the background and techniques that go into painting an illustration for card art. You will be walked through each phase of the illustration process that I use, starting with receiving the assignment all the way through the final painting. We will also talk about common ways to go about getting your first job and some of the best ways to increase your chances of getting work in the increasingly competitive job market.
An in-depth understanding of anatomy is key to become a successful figure artist. In this course, Erik Gist will teach you the skeletal structure, muscle groups, attachments and muscular insertion points of the torso. This detailed knowledge is then put to practice, as you logically apply the exercises to rendered drawings, solidifying your understanding of… Continue reading
In this course, you will learn how our instructors use a variety of approaches and techniques to explore ideas in their sketchbooks. Follow Erik Gist, Lucas Graciano, and Robert Watts as they utilize a vast array of different media to explore preliminary thumbnails, dive into personal studies, work out character, monster, and environment designs, and… Continue reading
In this phase we will be exploring one of my favorite subjects, the figure quick sketch. It is an amazing skill to execute these to their highest level, and takes years of diligent practice to really feel comfortable navigating the human form in such a short period of time. I have done this exercise consistently… Continue reading
Join Jeff as we delve into Bridgman Anatomy! This first phase will encompass the torso, front and back. We will be using a variety of techniques in this phase to accomplish the task of cleaning up and understanding Bridgman's Drawings, interpreting his design into photos and then embellishing our own drawings by doing master studies from Frazetta. Make sure to pick up the companion book to this course, Watts On Bridgman Volume 1: Torso Front and Back.
Join Jeff Watts and Doug Stambaugh in this long anticipated phase as we start to understand the basics of inking to help cultivate superior dexterity, foresight and design. This phase of inking will start with introductions to inking through the use of ball point, technical and brush pens. Next, we will start to break down the basics of quill and brush inking through technical exercises to learn concepts such as cross hatching, line weight, tone building and rendering.
In this second phase of Inking, Doug will be walking you through inking with a brush. In this course he will cover landscape with a forest scene, architecture with a Gothic building, a master study from Joseph Clement Coll and lastly a variety of animals utilizing various techniques for textural indications and style.
In this last phase of inking Jeff will take your through various master studies and photo reference interpretations in ink. Utilizing brush and quill, he will be focusing mainly on heads and figures. In the middle of this phase, Jeff will be tackling an ink of Solomon J. Solomon's Samson, based on the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. This is more than just a one dimensional master study. It requires a heavy amount of interpretation to translate Solomon's highly rendered painting into ink, meaning that you have to unpack several layers of learning to understand the technical decisions being made. Strap in and get ready for this fantastic phase!