The Encyclopaedia Of Fantasy & Science Fiction Art Techniques by John Grant and Ron Tiner (book review).
Catching up on my backlog of artbooks, I have ‘The Encyclopaedia Of Fantasy & Science Fiction Art Techniques’ by John Grant and Ron Tiner. Although just over 20 years since release, the information it covers is still relevant and I’m surprised hasn’t been reprinted, although considering that on the long river bookshop there is a different cover variant and even a copy in German tends to suggest there are a variety of editions out there.
This book really is a mine of information that can be applied to all art mediums. Although digital art was still taking off back then, this book should be inspire for showing not only technique but in the means to inspire you to put pencil, pen or brush to paper and turn your ideas into a physical reality. Imagination is one thing. Creativity is being able to show other people what you can imagine.
Although the book is by John Grant and Ron Tiner, there are art samples from a lot of famous genre artists, including one of our own, David A. Hardy, away from his space art work.
There is guidance for the amateur and pro alike, plus advice on how to start looking for that lucky break. Ensure you have at least a dozen decent original samples to show in your portfolio which essentially translates into at least treble that to choose from. There are a lot of test brainstorming practices to work from as well to get your brain ticking over. For practice, this is good because it’ll teach you to be able to work to what art directors want for their publisher’s book covers.
If you draw or paint or just like looking at good art, there is a lot to recommend to just having this book in your collection.
Considering how far we’ve come into the digital age, it might be worth Titan Books considering not only re-releasing this book but updating and looking at how digital painting has changed what is available and can be done today.
GF Willmetts
May 2017
(pub: Titan Books, 1996. 175 page illustrated indexed oblong hardback. Price: varies, I got mine for £ 2.68 (UK) on the secondary market. ISBN: 1-85286-702-7)
