Digital Painting Techniques: Masters Collection Vol. 1
by 3dtotal
Focal Press
2016, 288 pages, 8.8 x 11.2 x 1 inches (softcover)
$30 Buy a copy on Amazon
At first glance, Digital Painting Techniques appears to be a step-by-step tutorial book. It is . . . in a way. This isn’t a follow-along/how-to-draw book where you copy what you see. Rather, it introduces you to both the techniques and styles of many artists and the steps that they take to accomplish goals. It’s really more liberating this way – you’re free to work on any subject matter while still following along with the tutorials.
Digital Painting Techniques focuses on essential basics like creating custom brushes, speed painting, creating environments, nailing key human characteristics, integrating photography, and more. Some of the artists have even provided free resources (brushes, images, and artwork) that can be downloaded from the Focal Press website for free.
Filled with more than just great tutorials, the book is filled with inspirational artwork that will get your creative juices flowing. The only downside is that you will want to try to replicate the artwork, and then you will feel discouraged when it fails to meet the same quality as the original. For this reason, I highly recommend applying the methods and techniques to your own original creations. This book is for beginner and intermediate digital painters, and great works of art are not going to come pouring out of the computer right away. But, with some practice, you can be on your way to creating your own unique paintings and illustrations. – Robert Nava
