Otherworlds: how to imagine, paint, and create epic scenes of fantasy

334 Pages·2010·52.597 MB·English

by  Kidd, Tom

OtherWorlds
HOW TOIMAGINE,PAINT ANDCREATE
EPIC SCENES OF FANTASY
TOMKIDD
OtherWorlds.Copyright ©2010by Tom Kidd. Manufactured in China. All rights reserved. No part of this book
may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and re-
trieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief pas-
sages in a review. Published by IMPACT Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cin-
cinnati, Ohio, 45236. [phone]. First Edition.
Other fine IMPACT Books are available from your local bookstore, art supply store or online sup-
plier. Visit our website atwww.fwmedia.com.
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Library of Congress Cataloging in publication Data
Kidd, Tom.
Otherworlds: how to imagine, paint, and create epic
scenes of fantasy / Tom Kidd. — 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-60061-866-6 (alk. paper)
eISBN 13: 978-1-4403-1361-5
1. Fantasy in art. 2. Painting--Technique. I. Title.
II. Title: How to imagine, paint, and create epic scenes
of fantasy.
ND1460.F35K52 2010
751.45'47 — dc22
20100178603
edited bySarah Laichas
designed byJennifer Hoffman
production coordinated byMark Griffin
METRIC CONVERSION CHART
To convert to multiply by
Inches Centimeters 2.54
Centimeters Inches 0.4
Feet Centimeters 30.5
Centimeters Feet 0.03
Yards Meters 0.9
Meters Yards 1.1
About the Author
TomKiddhasbeenatopaward-winningfantasyartillustratorforovertwenty-fiveyears.Hisworkhas
beenfeaturedinmanyvolumesoftheSpectrum:TheBestinContemporaryFantasyArtseries,andhe
is the author of Kiddography: The Art and Life of Tom Kidd (Anova Books/Paper Tiger 2005). He has
won multiple awards for his science fiction and fantasy art, which has encompassed book covers and
interiors,magazines,filmsandfigurines.Hehasexhibitedatmanymuseumsandprovidedconceptual
and design work for companies as diverse as Disney and American Express. The breathtaking vistas
oftheartofTomKidd,aliasGnemo,aliasNewellConvers,canbemistakenfornoother.Visithisweb-
site athttp://spellcaster.com/tomkiddand bloghttp://kiddography.blogspot.com.
This book is dedicated to my wife Andrea Montague who shares in all my ups and downs even when I
flew in a blimp.
Acknowledgements
I'dliketothankmyeditor,SarahLaichas,forpatientlyshepherdingmethroughthemakingofthisbook
and my designer, Jennifer Hoffman, for making the pages beautiful.
All of the following people graciously took the time to teach me something that made it into this book:
Julia Jackson, Abe Echevarria, Cortney Skinner, Elizabeth Massie, A.C. Farley, John Pierard, Sergio
Martinez, David Mattingly, Barclay Shaw, Paul Chadwick, Eric Peterson, Rick Berry, Michael Whelan,
Mark Ryberg and the Artlisters.
Contents
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
Part One
THEBASICS OFGETTINGSTARTED
Part Two
TECHNIQUES, THEORY& SUBJECTMATTER
Part Three
PUTTING ITALLTOGETHER
CONCLUSION
FOREWORD
BY MICHAEL WHELAN
Tom asked me to write an intro for this book. I haven't seen the book yet, but I think it's bound to be
good.Infact,I'msureofit.Yousee,thatwasourdeal;Iwriteanintro,Tomgivesmeacopyofhisnew
book. Then, hopefully, mysteries are answered: I learn something of how he does what he does, ac-
quiresomeofhisgloriouscolorsense,absorbhisfeelforthree-dimensionalstructure,learnwherehis
fantasticideasgrowfromandhowhenurturesthemintofull-floweredpaintingsofwonderandbeauty.
I imagine that's why you are holding this book, too.
WearegoingtohavetorelyonTom'sownwordsandexamplesforthisinfo.Iwentoverhisbiograph-
icalbackground,askedhimsomeannoyinglypersonalquestions,andallIcangatheristhatheisTom
Kidd the celebrated fantasy and science-fiction artist, more in spite of his history, than because of it.
His life wasn't so special, as he often points out.
Like many of us, he was born.
He grew up some. He got very sick. (St. Louis encephalitis, or SLEV as it is called by the CDC, is an
uncommon but occasionally fatal nervous system viral infection, nearly impossible to treat.)
He recovered … but slowly and haltingly.
Nevertheless, he continued to grow.
He read. He was curious. He learned. He drew.
Then —
He got the idea he could make a career out of illustrating.
HisfamilyandfriendsassumedthepoorguywasfeelingtheeffectsofalatentSLEVhallucination,but
it was not so.
He worked at it. He ignored doubters. He refused to take no for an answer.
Entering the 1974 Florida State Fair art competition, he won a scholarship to Syracuse University.
At Syracuse and afterwards, he diligently worked on developing a portfolio, and worked very hard to
get that portfolio seen by the right people in the publishing business.
So, because he would not accept otherwise, he got his first assignment. He got another assignment.
Is still getting assignments.
Alongthewayhehaswonmanyawards,andworkedonawidevarietyofprojects,includingmovies
(Disney's Treasure Planet), theme park conceptualization, a series of works in an alternate persona
[the Gnemo collection], and so on. At the same time he has developed a following and a reputation
for excellence that makes him a much sought-after and perennially popular artist.
Sodespitemyjokingandhiscommentstothecontrary,Tom'swasanunusualandonerousupbring-
ing to be sure. But even a glance at his history makes it plain that it is his artist's mindset [powered
bydeterminationandintelligence]thathasturnedhisexperiencesintoart,nottheotherwayaround.
Hisexperiencesdidn'tmakehimanartist,butovercomingthemmayhaveendowedhimwiththepa-
tience, tenacity and wisdom that informs one's work and ensures a successful career. We readers
maynothavesharedhisexperiences,butweareluckytobeabletobenefitfromthem,becauseTom
is sharing what he has learned in these pages.
Ithasoftenbeennotedthatadversityspawnscreativity,butitisnotsooftenrecognizedthatadversity
can encourage a sharper desire to separate the wheat from the chaff and go to the heart of a thing,
avoiding the superfluous and redundant. Though he obviously has a restless and broadly inquisitive
mind, when it comes to his work it is my guess that Tom realizes life is too short to waste on nones-
sentials. This distillation of knowledge also informs these pages. Treasure it; the knowledge gleaned
thereby did not come easy or overnight!