Scholarship

by Arnie Fenner



You might think we'd forgotten: we haven't. Dan's post about enrollment opening to the 2012 Illustration Master Class (June 9-15) got your attention: now it's time to turn it up to 11.



With the cooperation of the gracious Dean Rebecca Guay, Spectrum Fantastic Art will award a scholarship to an artist—young, old, or in between: age doesn't matter—to attend the IMC.



Getting to Amherst, Massachusetts and back home (as well as securing any materials needed for the workshop) will be the responsibility of the artist: the scholarship pays the tuition to IMC, which includes food, a dorm bed, and an unparalleled intensive learning experience with some of the most amazing artists working today. Though there will be all manner of workshops and lectures covering every aspect of a career in the arts, the emphasis will be on drawing and painting with traditional media: count on long days that are both exhilarating and exhausting—and definitely plan on getting some paint beneath your fingernails.



We'll keep the process simple: send Cathy and me one or two jpegs (say 7"x9" or so, 100dpi) of your best work and a few lines about yourself (not a lengthy term paper, just a few sentences about who you are and what you want to accomplish by attending the workshop) via e-mail to: director (at) spectrumfantasticart.com



In the subject line of your-email, put "IMC." The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2011. We will announce the recipient of the scholarship on the Spectrum website December 5, 2011.



Don't send us everything you've ever done. Don't feel like you have to drop everything and create something new to submit. Don't spin tales of woe ("Life is not a comparison of Chambers of Horror," as Harlan Ellison says). Do visit the IMC website and read through the info and what is needed to participate: then decide if it's something you have a passion to be a part of. The Illustration Master Class isn't a vacation, it isn't a social club (though there will be lots of camaraderie), it isn't a convention: it's a place to work the craft, to have a personal learning experience with some of the best instructors you'll ever have. We're looking for an artist with "promise," a promise that can be nurtured and hopefully advanced through this opportunity.



Ladies and Gentlemen: the ball is in your court. Show us what you've got!

Read More

Spectrum 18 Preview

In case you've missed it, a preview flip-through of Spectrum 18...

This is an advance copy we received last week. The bulk of the print run is scheduled to arrive from overseas in a few weeks. It is currently available to pre-order from Amazon if you want to ensure getting it as soon as possible!

Read More

A Dream



by Petar Meseldzija

I don’t know if these words will be for you – the right words, on the
right place, at the right time, or the wrong words, on the wrong place, at the
wrong time, or any other combination in between these two extremes. You have to
decide for yourself.



-----

Some time ago I had a strange dream. I was
walking along the steep path that led towards the hills and a mountain behind
them, when I came across a man who was descending down the same road. When we
approached each other he said:



“Hello there! It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it!

“Yes, a very pleasant day, a perfect day for hiking”,
I replied.

“Every day is good for hiking, though not every hiking
path is good for you. Talking about hiking, how is your latest painting
progressing?”

I probably had that funny expression on my face of
somebody who was suddenly struck by a great surprise, for a wide and friendly
smile appeared on his face.

“Do we know each other, sir? How did you know that I
was an artist?”

“Well, perhaps it’s my job to know. Sorry, I can’t
tell you more about that”, he answered, and then quickly added, “ but there is
something else I can and should tell you”.

“I know that you are enchanted by the technical side
of creating Art and the impact it makes on others. Therefore I perfectly
understand why you are on your way to the top of this mountain. This mountain,
in fact, is not built of rock and soil, but of skillful drawing, lucid picture
compositions, appealing color combinations, intelligent use of light and
breathtaking brushstrokes. It contains  ideas of promoting your work and
selling yourself and your art. Likewise it is partly composed of  the
wishes that you might one day be able to say - I have worked for this or that
prestigious company. And at last but not least, it contains hopes for filling
your piggy bank with glittering coins, your ears with flattering compliments
and your shelves with golden awards. 



You say “I am hiking on this road”.
No, my dear, you are not hiking. The truth is that you are dancing the
everlasting dance in a vicious circle. You are dancing a perilous dance of
vanity and idleness. Above all, most of the time you are dancing to somebody
else’s music. And although you claim that this music contains some notes of
your own, it is still being composed and played by others. You might say after
all: “well, I am just a dancer and need some music to dance”. But you are
wrong, for you are much more than a mere dancer.

However, once you have finally climbed the steep and
tricky slopes and have reached the highest peak of this mountain, you will
discover that there is even a greater mountain in front of you. This mountain
will be covered in mist, and although you will not be able to see the peak, you
will sense its presence behind the curtains of fog. You will then know that
there is a splendid peak that is waiting to be conquered by you. You will be
attracted by this newly discovered mountain.  In order to reach its
invisible peak you will have to rely on your own intuition and your previously
gained insights. There will be no charts or maps to show you the way. You will
have to create them for yourself. And because most of others did not dare to
leave the comfortable position on the lower mountain peak, there will be not
many whom you can turn to and  ask for advice.

And when you ( if you) reach this higher ground, there
will be no one to witness your great achievement, except for the mountain
itself. If you in the meantime did not manage to realize who you are and how
good you are, you will be in trouble, my friend.”

“I believe I know these things; why you are telling
this to me?”, I replied in an angry manner.

“Believing and knowing is not the same. Besides, who
says I am telling it to you only?

He then lightly touched his hat and went down the
road. I stayed behind puzzled by his words and asking myself who this guy was.
The conviction that  I have previously seen his face quickly grew in my
mind.

”Damn it” , I finally realized, “ it’s William Blake!”.

Then I woke up. My eyes fell on the book that I read
last night just before I fell in sleep. The book’s title was: William Blake,
The Complete Poems.

William Blake, painted by Thomas Phillips in 1807.

                 

Read More

It's that time again....

Heritage Auctions is once again holding it's Illustration Art Signature Auction. As usual, the Heritage site has posted incredible scans of thousands of pieces of art. There are some absolute gems in there, so be sure to check them out as soon as possible. The live auction starts tomorrow, and soon after that, the scans won't be available any more.



Here is a little taste of what's in store for you!

Read More

George de Forest Brush

Here's some inspiration from the book  "George de Forest Brush - The Indian Paintings". I've always admired his work and thought I'd scan a few images to share here.



Hope you enjoy them,

-Justin

Read More

Monster Brains

Monster Brains, and art blog specializing in fantasy and horror art, just posted scans of the Official D&D coloring book from 1979. I've already printed these pages out and my kids are coloring the Beholder as we speak!



Also, be sure to check out the Monster Brains post from a few weeks ago, where they posted two dozen high resolution scans of classic Hildebrandt paintings.

Read More

Pirate Paintings for National Geographic Pt. 6

Gregory Manchess



The Whydah went down in a storm not far off the coast of Cape Cod in April 1717. Seven survivors were rounded up when they made it to shore. They were held in prison for some time, wearing the same clothes as when they were captured. They got pretty raggedy by trial time.



Most of them were hanged. Two were made slaves again. Second from the left is Hendrick Quintor, whose portrait I did for the first post of this series.



The title is "FATE." I designed the trial scene from a couple of thumbnails. Again, moving very fast as the deadline was approaching.

The sequence of painting. I modeled for many of the figures, just to get the anatomy and attitude right. Definition of insanity: painting a gazillion faces in a crowd from 1717.

At the last, I realized I had to change one of the faces from a black man to a Mojito Indian man, third pirate from the right. And I really liked that black guy’s face, too.

The Puritan minister in front of the podium is Cotton Mather, son of Increase Mather, notorious minister of the Salem Witch Trials.

Read More