The new tutorial video "Fantasy in the Wild: Painting Concept Art on Location" has been getting some enthusiastic reactions from professionals in various fields:
Darren Rousar, painter, publisher, and instructor of the sight-size method, says:
"The main focus of the video is Concept Art, something which Richard Lack and R. H. Ives Gammell would have called Imaginative Painting. This is where the artist invents a composition and then brings together real objects in order to paint what he or she imagines, while literally seeing a modeled version of it. Doing this helps give the painting more verisimilitude than would be likely when solely painting from one’s imagination. In James’ case, at times he brings his props out to nature, rather than bringing plein air sketches into the studio to combine them with maquettes. Seeing this was an “a-ha!” moment for me as I’ve always done the latter.
Read the full review at Studio Rousar
On his blog Art and Influence, Armand Cabrera says:
"You hear him talk about the backstory he invents as he visualizes each scene. We get to watch and listen while he creates pencil roughs, color studies, sketches from life of different elements and each of the final paintings on location. As he paints he describes his story motivations, his reasons behind his choices for color, shapes, values and brush calligraphy. When he changes his mind about something we see how he corrects it to improve the statement of the particular painting."
"The other half that is mesmerizing is his continued gasp on analog tools. His mastery over the traditional media is wonderful, and if you are not excited about breaking out the easel and running to a picturesque, rustic New England township to paint floating cars at magic hour, then there is definitely something wrong with you. Seriously, I'm looking at plane tickets right now."
Mark Frauenfelder, founder of the blog BoingBoing and one of the leaders of the Maker movement, says:
“James Gurney is one of the best book illustrators alive today. His work is in the league of N.C. Wyeth and Howard Pyle…James’ teaching style is so friendly and warm. I have met him a couple of times, and this video captures his personality perfectly.”
Read the full review on BoingBoing
Nathan Fowkes, Concept Artist for Dreamworks, Blue Sky, and Disney says:
“With the thousands of tutorials out there I'm not aware of any others like this. James Gurney shows how on-location inspiration is an indispensable part of imaginative painting and concept design.”
-----
Treat yourself to a New Year's gift.
"Fantasy in the Wild" is 71 Minutes long and is available for purchase as a HD video download for $14.95 from Gumroad or as a DVD at Kunaki. The DVD is also now available on Amazon
.
"Fantasy in the Wild" is 71 Minutes long and is available for purchase as a HD video download for $14.95 from Gumroad or as a DVD at Kunaki. The DVD is also now available on Amazon
.
CONGRATULATIONS!! Such fantastic reviews, you must be thrilled, but they are so totally deserved. You are an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your knowledge so generously.
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching my copy, and I think it is really something special, going beyond the basic technical level to open up a view the imaginative process. The way that a visual experience can lead to a story idea, which prompts a trip to a new location, where a conversation with a construction worker lends corroborative detail, which in turn informs the composition... it's not your typical linear idea-to-finished-painting process, and yet it's not haphazard - the elements of chance are expected, and in some cases courted, as part of an organic multi-modal conceptual evolution. There's also some nice footage of working with casein and other media.
ReplyDeleteMatthew Mattingly
Do you think you are going to do some of dinosaurs walking around next to houses and stuff like that?
ReplyDeleteBob, We did that theme as a workshop at the Millburn High School in New Jersey: http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2010/10/dinosaurs-invade-millburn.html
ReplyDeleteJames, ok thanks. I checked out the link. Thanks for that. That's seems like a great school and art class. It sounds like they really help students who are interested in art.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr Gurney. I buy “Gouache in the wild” and “Fantasy in the wild” two weeks ago. It’s been a pleasure to follow your videos. I’m very happy with it’s content and the way it is been edited/produced. I've been amazed every minute I spent studying them. Now I'm very excited and looking forward to purchase the watercolor one. Thankyou
ReplyDelete