Illustration

Mecha, a generic term well known in the manga and anime community, is short for mechanically-based humanoids—as well as anything else mechanical, high-tech, and really cool. If it can fly, swim, fire a weapon, explode, or destroy stuff, it’s mecha.

Comic book and animation fans hunger for mecha. From the Gigantor animated TV series in the early ’60s to today’s Neon Genesis Evangelion, mecha is the king of anime. Most Japanese mecha animation features giant robots in epic battles. These giant robots are as tall as buildings—and teenage heroes enter the robot’s deathpit and navigate it like a fighter jet. Mecha is also popular in such Nintendo, Playstation, and Sega Dreamcast computer games as Mech Warriors, Battletech, and Combat Assault Vehicle.

While some budding artists may not have a feel for human anatomy or drawing the expressive faces of cartoon characters, anyone who can draw blocks and circles can draw mecha. Mecha Mania demonstrates how easy it is to draw fantastic mecha vehicles, robots, space stations, and more. The 300 step-by-step illustrations make it simple for anyone to master this wildly popular comic book genre and achieve dramatic results.

Mecha Mania features all of the coolest mecha designs and variations, along with outrageous battle scenes. Also included are informative interviews with a company that creates mecha-based games and a Japanese publisher of mecha. Whether one’s a beginning or professional artist, Mecha Mania is the best how-to reference ever published for mastering this hot, hot comic book art.

The Guild Handbook of Scientific Illustration, Second Edition
Sponsored by the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and written by top illustrators, scientists, and industry experts, The Guild Handbook of Scientific Illustration, Second Edition is an indispensable reference guide for anyone who produces, assigns, or simply appreciates scientific illustration.
Offering broad coverage and more than 620 outstanding illustrations, this new edition offers up-to-date coverage on all aspects of this specialized field, from illustrating molecules and 3D modeling to important material and advice on copyright and contractual concerns, as well as establishing a freelance business.
With step-by-step instructions, in-depth coverage of illustrative techniques and related tools, and helpful advice on the day-to-day business of scientific illustrating, it is easy to see why scientific illustrators refer to this book as their "bible."

How do your find an illustrator to create a piece of work? At present, there are a number of methods: looking through myriad agents' promotional books; browsing annual competition collections; trying to find that pile of unsolicited illustrators' cards you just had on your desk the other day; searching the web -- for a few hours!; asking a colleague. All of these methods can work, but they're all time-consuming and haphazard.

What if you need someone to draw some salad on a plate with a glass on wine next to it? You could go through the above processes, and -- after a while -- you'd probably find someone to draw or paint it in the style you wanted. Or you could pick up The Big Book of Illustration Ideas. Flip to the section marked "Food and Still Life" and find pages and pages of illustrators who can draw all manner of food in all manner of styles: pencil, crayon, watercolor, collage, and so on, and so on. A smorgasbord of illustration ideas! In fact, within these pages, you'll find the best illustrators, from all over the world, found together in one place along with all their contact details.

For ease of reference, illustrators' work is cataloged by theme: People; Portraits; Food and Still Life; Buildings; Landscapes; Abstract Concepts; Diagrams; and Miscellaneous. Each section shows hundreds of examples to allow a quick and accurate list of illustrators suited to your needs.

This extensively illustrated book is a collection of the papers given at the 2007 annual conference of the British section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) and the National Centre for Research in Children's Literature (NCRCL) MA course, Roehampton University London. It reflects the convictions of the editors and the participants that picture books and other illustrated texts for children are vitally important as substance for academic debate, and that people in the English speaking world are far too often ignorant of the wealth of literary and artistic material deriving from other cultures and traditions. The papers explore the diversity of modern children's book illustration and consider its potential as a space for cultural dialogue and exchange. They also look at ways in which illustrations are themselves histories of art and style, arising from cultural tradition, and the extent to which they enable us to traverse boundaries and dissolve barriers. The sections into which this volume is divided to some extent represent different areas of debate: the work of illustrators from Europe and from the rest of the world, and the response to such books by their youthful primary audience. Attention is also paid to some of the new talent in the area of children's book illustration. While it would be impossible for any book to convey the richness of the visual experience of the conference, we hope that the illustrations may go some way towards recreating it.

A comprehensive, visually-led overview that covers all areas of fashion drawing, presentation, and illustration, Fashion Illustrator both teaches students how to draw the fashion figure and provides an extended showcase of established and emerging illustrators.

From initial inspiration through to finished illustration, the book teaches the student how to draw from life and accurately depict body proportions, and also includes advice on exaggerating proportions for effect. A technical chapter outlines the use of different media, showing students how to use color, and features techniques for rendering different materials and patterns. Dedicated tutorials explore both digital and traditional media (Illustrator, Photoshop, photo-montage, mixedmedia, drawing, ink, embroidery) through the work of leading fashion illustrators, giving the student the confidence to experiment with different illustrative styles.

Later chapters outline the history of both twentieth-century and contemporary fashion illustration, and profile influential fashion illustrators and other industry professionals, with interviews providing an insight into life after graduation. There is also guidance on careers for the fashion illustrator, portfolio presentation, and working with an agent.

With global brands like Nike, Adidas and Virgin Cola using illustration in their campaign designs, creatives who can incorporate original illustration in their work have the potential for great commercial success. Experimental illustration equips the professional designer with the tools, both traditional and high-tech to do this. This title tracks how illustration as personal work can evolve into a fully-fledged commercial concern, identifying the different themes and contexts of the work featured. New technologies and techniques are changing the face of the craft and the book deals with the processes by which the professional designer can turn them to advantage. A diverse selection of illustration is showcased, with detailed process notes - from self-generated and independent projects, editorial, advertising campaigns and large-scale projects. Interviews with top international talent and commissioning editors offer further insight into how to succeed in this area.