D&D and IFX Sitting in a Tree


That's the subject line of the email Claire Howlett, editor of ImagineFX magazine, sent to me. It had me singing that silly little children's tune most of the day. Partly because it is one of those insidious tunes that buries itself into your brain and you can't shake it loose, but the primary reason I was walking around singing had to do with the news that she shared with me. If you are one of those lucky folks that live in the UK, then you might have wandered past your local magazine stand and seen the ultra cool Dungeons & Dragons issue of ImagineFX that hit the stands on the 16th. Those of us in the US have to wait until next month to get a copy! What's so cool about this issue. Well, it's about Dungeons & Dragons! Does there need to be more than that? Well, it seems that some of you aren't convinced yet! The Dungeons and Dragons special edition of ImagineFX comes with a 2011 fantasy and sci-fi art calendar, plus it's free DVD full of tutorial goodies. Within they look at the history of D&D and how it helped to define fantasy art for many, in a 10-page feature filled with some of the greatest D&D art.


Providing the cover is Dan Scott, artist for D&D, Warhammer and World of Warcraft, and he accompanies it with a workshop of his elfin image. They've also got Eric Belisle to bring a key D&D encounter to life, and Dave Allsop takes a simple brief and makes a sprawling monster being for a game card. Aside from D&D, they also throw in additional content. In the tutorial section, Daniel Murray looks at mixing 2D and 3D to bring new life into a familiar comic book character. Brett Bean provides a tutorial on creating a glowing industrial character in Sketchbook Pro, and Sergio Paez shows you how to storyboard your scenes like a pro. They profile the book cover artist John Picacio, looking at how he blends mediums and styles to produce his iconic images, as ever there’s loads to find on the free DVD, with over eight hours of video advice. Sold yet? You should be. I know I am, and can't wait for my issue to show up.