Charles Bernard the science fiction and fantasy book cover illustrator that produces the art instruction videos for ‘ImagineFX’ magazine has a website where you can access video tutorials that use sci-fi and fantasy paintings to teach you how to draw and paint.

Some of these video tutorials feature the greatest science fiction and fantasy artists in the world, such as Syd Mead, Jim Burns, Gambino, Chris Moore and others. The videos show you what it is that makes the paintings by these artists so great.

ArtTrek the video tutorial series will teach you all about design and composition. PaintingTrek will teach how to paint sci-fi and fantasy pictures. Their is also FigureTrek and PortraitTrek, as well as FREE podcasts that test your design sense and offer advice on how to improve your paintings, and much more.

Check out this Sci-Fi and fantasy website where you can watch art instruction video tutorials online or purchase DVDs.

Charles Bernard
Book Cover Illustrator and Art Instructor for The Online Art Academy
About The Artist

Olav from Norway pointed me to these interesting playing cards with sci-fi art. These cards were published in the early 1980s by Waddingtons (the set contained 32 cards). He trying to track down the artists who made the artwork and it was wondering if you know who painted them (except the photos and the ones from star wars). Unfortunately, I can't answer that question. Any suggestions?

Below are a few playing cards with sci-fi art for example. To see full set check out this page.

Link: Playing Cards with Sci-Fi Art.

David Burroughs Mattingly is an illustrator and painter best known for his numerous book covers of science fiction and fantasy literature.

About the artist from David Mattingly Illustration: David began drawing and painting as a small child, influenced by comic books, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and a wide array of artists from Jim Steranko, to N.C. Wyeth, to Jackson Pollock. After high school, he attended the Colorado Institute of Art at Colorado State University and later transferred to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. After school, he worked at Walt Disney Studios, ultimately becoming head of the matte department. He worked on The Black Hole, Tron, Dick Tracy, Stephen King's The Stand and most recently I, Robot for Weta Digital in New Zealand.

While at Disney Studios, David began doing freelance art. His first published piece was the album cover for "The Commodores Greatest Hits". His first sale of art for a book cover was for "A Wizard in Bedlam," by Christopher Stasheff, published by DAW Books. In 1983 he moved to New York City, and a year later across the Hudson River to Hoboken, New Jersey.

David has produced over 500 covers for most major publishers of science fiction and fantasy, including Baen, Bantam, DAW, Del Rey, Dell, Marvel, Omni, Playboy, Signet, and Tor. For Scholastic Inc, David painted 54 covers for K.A. Applegate's "Animorphs" series, along with the last 5 covers for the "Everworld" series. He illustrated the popular "Honor Harrington" series for author David Weber. He painted the latest repackaging of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Pellucidar" books for Ballantine Books. He is a two time winner of Magazine and Booksellers "Best Cover of the Year" award, and winner of the Association of Science Fiction Artists "Chesley" award. Other clients include Michael Jackson, Lucasfilm, Universal Studios, Totco Oil, Galloob Toys, R/Greenberg Associates, Click 3X and Spontaneous Combustion.

After 20 years of traditional painting, David bought a computer ten years ago and has mainly worked digitally since then, preferring the powerful new tools that working digitally offers the artist. Most of his work today combines digital painting, and elements generated in 3D programs.

Here are a few examples of his work in science fiction: the classic style of sci-fi art. For more information, please visit the David Mattingly Website.

Art Book: If you like art by David Mattingly, please use the link to Amazon.com: The Art of David B. Mattingly: Alternate Views, Alternate Universes by David B. and Cathleen Cogswell Mattingly. Over 100 color illustrations done by David Mattingly.

Note: All artwork and images copyright © David Mattingly. Please do not use images without the permission of the artist.

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Link: David Mattingly Illustration.

This set of digital paintings was created by Tobias Roetsch. On DeviantART he is known as Taenaron. Here are just a few examples of his space work. Click on images for a much larger version. To see more check out Taenaron's Gallery at DeviantART.

Note: All artwork and images copyright © Tobias Roetsch. Please do not use images without the permission of the artist.








DeviantART: Taenaron's Gallery

Website: GT Graphics (in German)

Collection of Space Art Wallpapers 1600x1200. I hope you like it. By the way, check out Space Art Gallery by Jesse Roberge at pbase.com, there you will find some other space wallpapers. For more beautiful hi-res images from space, visit the HubbleSite Wallpaper Gallery and Astronomy Picture of the Day. Well, and many more... just google it.

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John Harris is a British painter and illustrator, well known for his science fiction art and other work, such as landscapes and marine paintings. This is a classic style of sci-fi art like John Berkey.

Artist bio from Tokarta.com: John Harris was born in London in 1948, studied painting at Exeter College of Art and graduated from there in 1970. He has participated in numerous exhibitions both here and abroad, occassionallly showing with such groups as the Brotherhood of Ruralists. His first one-man show was at Double Vision Gallery in 1984. A preoccupation with scale and atmosphere is the hallmark of his work and which has led clients such as Shell, Phillips Electronics, George Lucas and many others to commission pieces from him. Sir Clive Sinclair has in his collection, many large-scale pieces of his work. In 1984 NASA invited him to witness a launch of the Space Shuttle and record the event in a painting, the first British Artist to be thus honoured. That work now hangs in the Kennedy Space Centre and is part of the Smithsonian Collection. Much of the work of this period may be found in the book "Mass: The Art of John Harris", by Ron Tiner. Since then, his work has broadened to cover other areas of painting, predominantly landscape and marine painting, and when not engaged in his own projects, still produces for the commercial sector.

Art Book: You can buy the book of "Mass: The Art of John Harris" from Amazon.com please use the link below.

Check out the official website of John Harris, there you will find his detailed biography. Here is a selection of paintings by John Harris. The main problem that are not alot of quality examples of his work on the web.

Note: All artwork and images copyright © John Harris. Please do not use images without the permission.

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Link: Official website of John Harris: Landscape, Science Fiction and Marine Artist. See also John Harris Biography.

Mass: The Art of John Harris by Ron Tiner

This is a huge collection of the work done by John Harris.
To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.

Book Description: John Harris’s grand vision and style have won international acclaim—and a NASA commission, never before given to a British artist. Yet, this is the first collection of his paintings in print. The work is truly colossal, featuring the innovative, ultramodern structures that brought him fame and conveying the sheer size that edifices built by future-fantastic technology might attain, and the awesomeness, even the terror, of their presence.

Andrew C. Stewart is a British freelance artist and illustrator that specializes in the space art, astronomy, science fiction and fantasy art. A small collection of his work have been posted here. Now I am glad to present to you the new website of the artist. There you will find his new space art and other beautiful works. Below are a few examples of his paintings.

Note: All artwork and images copyright © Andrew C. Stewart. Please do not use images without the permission of the artist.

Link: Andrew C. Stewart New Website and Gallery

Shigemi Numazawa is a Japanese photographer and astronomical illustrator, perhaps Japan's leading space artist. Many of his works are very impressive, but all these images are small size. Here are some his work includes a selection of artworks from space art and sci-fi based on scientific data. More artworks can be found on the Shigemi Numazawa & Japan Planetarium Laboratory (in Japanese).

Note: All artwork and images copyright © Shigemi Numazawa. Please do not use images without the permission of the artist.

Link: Shigemi Numazawa & Japan Planetarium Laboratory (in Japanese).

See also: Shigemi Numazawa at Astrofoto.de (in German). Great magazines covers.

Photo: Shigemi Numazawa Photography Page.

Fred Gambino is a British painter and illustrator, best known for his sci-fi book covers. He has created cover images for works by many famous authors in science fiction for 30 years. He is now acclaimed for his mastery of digital imagery, creating diverse concept images in sci-fi. Artist says: "I began my work as a sci-fi illustrator using traditional airbrush techniques. With the advent of graphic based computer technology, my work developed on the digital side as well. So, today it seems, I have my feet planted in two different worlds - the traditional and the contemporary. As far as illustration is concerned, there will always be a need for sound creative ideas and strong traditional drawing skills."

Here are some his work includes a breathtaking selection of artworks from spaceships, stars and galaxies, heroes and heroines of futuristic worlds. More artworks can be found on the web, but many these pictures small or medium size. For more information check out the Fred Gambino Illustrations.

Art Book: You can buy the book of "Ground Zero: The Art of Fred Gambino" from Amazon.com please use the link below.

Note: All artwork and images copyright © Fred Gambino. Please do not use images without the permission.

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Link: Fred Gambino Illustrations.

See also: Imagine FX. From paint to pixels, from books to film, Fred Gambino has led a legendary career in sci-fi illustration and concept art.

Ground Zero: The Art of Fred Gambino
by Fred Gambino

To order this book from Amazon.com, click here.

Book Description: The first collection of work from this highly-respected artist and illustrator Includes a breathtaking selection of artworks from spaceships, stars and galaxies, to the heroes and heroines of futuristic worlds Chapter introductions by leading SF artists and authors, including Jim Burns, Chris Moore, Robert Sawyer, David Brin and Elizabeth Moon Acclaimed for his mastery of digital imagery, Gambino's work is instantly recognizable - from covers for the Foundation series of novels by Isaac Asimov to works by luminaries such as David Brin, William Shatner, Ray Bradbury and Elizabeth Moon. Inspired initially by Gerry Anderson, Gambino first hand-made his hardware as small-scale sculptures, photographing them and creating the futuristic images that have almost become his trademark. He is now acclaimed for his mastery of digital imagery, creating such diverse images as the stunning "Heaven's Reach" to the sensuous figure of flight in "Nightwings". Ground Zero brings together worlds of unearthly contradictions in this single volume.

Chris Moore is a British painter and illustrator, best known for his book covers, especially in the field of science fiction. He has created cover images for works by many of the most famous authors in science fiction and fantasy, as well as for many other (non sci-fi) authors. Some his work has even been launched into space.

Here is a selection of some of his artworks. More artworks can be found on the Chris Moore's official site. His website provides information on his wide ranging skills and abilities, biography, as well as samples of his work. Prints of selected images are also available.

Art Book: You can buy the book of "Journeyman: Art of Chris Moore" from Amazon.com please use the link below.

Note: All artwork and images copyright © Chris Moore. Please do not use images without the permission.

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