About this item
All You Need Is a Pencil, Paper and Your Imagination! Ever wondered how you could become a character designer for video games, film or animation? Veteran art director and concept artist Marc Taro Holmes shares proven methods for honing the skills and building the portfolio necessary to become a pro gaming artist. This is the first and only work-at-your-own pace home study program that teaches the crucial insider knowledge needed to break into the entertainment-design industry and develop your own style--all you need are a pencil, paper and your imagination. The projects within this straightforward guide are constructed to help you apply your existing drawing and digital art skills to character design. Or, if you're still working on your skills, it will help you improve while at the same time turning your mind into an idea-generating machine. Unlock the Secrets to Character and Creature DesignFollow the creature design process from start to finish: 35 projects are divided into 4 challenge levels, ranging from brainstorming and drawing character blueprints to completing market-ready illustrations. As the levels advance, the projects become more complex.Learn to solve design problems: Every project introduces you to an open-ended fictional assignment inspired by industry experience. Each project has a list of minimum deliverables--the basics to get to the next stage--plus bonus goals. You receive virtual merit badges for each achievement you complete.Think like a pro: Over the 155 possible artistic achievements, you'll be asked to find a solution to every type of conceptual problem you might encounter as a professional creature or character designer.Build your portfolio: Work toward creating an outstanding portfolio. Improve your skills and push yourself to create a fine-tuned presentation that could get you your eventual dream job."This is a workout for the imagination, a boot camp for creativity." --Marc Taro Holmes
About the Author
Montreal based artist Marc Taro Holmes is a plein-air painter, art educator, illustrator, and sketchbook artist working in ink, watercolor, and oils.
He is the author of "The Urban Sketcher: Techniques for Seeing and Drawing on Location", as well as the online classes "Travel Sketching in Mixed Media" and "Sketching People in Motion".
Previous to his life as a travel sketcher, Marc worked as an Art Director and Concept Artist for video game and animation studios such as Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Disney. His design work appears most recently in 2014's award-winning "Dragon Age: Inquisition".
Marc's second art book "Designing Creatures and Characters: How to Build an Artists' Portfolio for Video Games, Film, and Animation" is available now for pre-order.
Since 2009, Marc has been a correspondent for the international website of reportage artists UrbanSketchers.org. He has served as a founding board member of Urban Sketchers, and continues to be a volunteer instructor at their annual International Symposium.
Marc's website CitizenSketcher.com is an ever growing journal of stories and images from his travels, where you'll find free lessons on drawing, Marc's own latest works, and news about the wide world of location sketching.
