Most art instruction books show you how to draw or paint something you can see — a still life, landscape, or portrait. But what if you want to make a realistic picture of something you can only imagine? This book shows you the time-tested methods used by artists since the Renaissance to turn your dreams into reality.

Award-winning fantasy artist and Dinotopia creator James Gurney instructs and inspires in Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist. Renowned for his uncanny ability to incorporate amazing detail and imagination into stunningly realistic fantasy settings, Gurney teaches budding fantasy artists the step-by-step techniques that won him worldwide critical acclaim.

This groundbreaking book examines the practical methods for creating believable pictures of imaginary subjects such as dinosaurs, ancient Romans, alien creatures, and distant worlds.

Beginning with a survey of imaginative paintings from the Renaissance to the golden age of American illustration, the book explains not just techniques like sketching and composition, but also the fundamentals of believable world-building including archaeology, architecture, anatomy for creatures and aliens, and fantastic engineering. It concludes with details and valuable advice on careers in fantasy illustration, including the fields of video game, film, and toy design.

More than an instruction book, this is the ultimate reference for fans of science fiction and fantasy illustration.

Author — James Gurney.

Paperback. 224 pages. 9" × 10½" (23 cm × 27 cm).