
Imaginative Realism
How to Paint What Doesn't Exist
by James Gurney · first published 2009
3mentions
2recommended by
3HN commenters
2012–2025first – last mentioned
67% recommend33% neutral
From the author of [Dinotopia][1] an instructional book on the technique and thought behind painting subjects, or a subject matter that cannot be direct observed while maintaining visual realism. [1]: http://openlibrary.org/works/OL58401W/Dinotopia
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…for a while. I can recommend the Andrew Loomis classic from the 1930s-40s, Creative Illustration. It's full of all kinds of filtering tricks. For a more modern book, James Gurney's Color and Light and Imaginative Realism are both quite good. You can also pick up a copy of one of his Dinotopia books, it won't help designing graphics, but, hey, dinosaurs. Right? (He also has an excellent website: http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/)…
on “Pixel-fitting – how antialiasing can ruin your logos and icons” ↗james gurney wrote a fantastic book on precisely this subject >https://jamesgurney.com/products/imaginative-realism-how-to-...
on “How to Draw Animals (1930)” ↗…bookshelf are: - Figure Drawing - Design and Invention, Michael Hampton: The author also post on Youtube - How to Render, Scott Robenson, Thomas Bertling - How To Draw, Scott Robenson, Thomas Bertling - Imaginative Realism, James Gurney - Color and Light, James Gurney - The Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression, Gary Faigin - Classic Human Anatomy, Valerie Winslow - Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing from Life…
on “Ask HN: Best books on various topics of drawing, art and animation?” ↗