Books, comics, graphic novels, boardgames and RPGs all need high quality artwork. Readers and gamers generally expect artwork to grab their attention and work alongside the rest of the content to make gaming and reading more enjoyable. Consequently, there’s always a demand for high quality artwork related to all manner of imaginative or ‘fantasy’ topics.
It’s not easy to reach the standards required to sell comic and/ or RPG artwork and a great many gamers who might be interested in developing their drawing or painting skills can’t afford to go to art school. Some gaming and artwork sites try to help in terms of offer opportunities to invite comment or display, e.g. ENWorld and Deviant Art. These sites can be useful, but they don’t offer the critical commentary, (and direct access to expertise), found in a select band of comic and concept art sites frequented by professional artists.
The following selection of sites fall into the category of ‘expertise’ or ‘tutorial’ sites. They are well worth visiting just to view the artwork. They’re also able and willing to offer various levels of support for new or returning artists.
The CAC is packed full of hundreds of examples of comic art drawn, inked and coloured to the highest standards. Much of the artwork is quite spectacular and it’s a great source of ideas and inspiration for any comic artist looking to learn about composition and characterisation.
The variety and high quality of the posts to one of the best illustration blogs on the Net offers a constant stream of the finest drawings and sketches around. The breadth of styles appearing in posts can be especially helpful to artists looking to develop their own style through coming into contact with plenty of variety.
The standard of the postings to the Web’s top concept art site can make it quite daunting to post in the forums. Deviant Art is, perhaps, less intimidating, because the critiques are less forthright. However, there are plenty of artists who ‘test the water’ in the Sketchbooks section to attract plenty of comments and advice. They welcome constructive criticism, which can help them to improve. Some go on to produce devastatingly good sketchbooks and/ or highly polished finished work.
ASIFA Hollywood Animation Archive
The Animation Archive brings together a wide choice of animation resources. There’s a blog, a large archive of animation related resources and some galleries, such as the one we’ve linked to. The site looks at animation in the broadest sense and has material of interest to illustrators, cart0onists, comic artists and, unsurprisingly, animators.
Not for the first time, many thanks to Kay Nielsen for the artwork.
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