Crafting Magical Worlds: The Art of Composition in Fantasy Illustration

As an illustrator, my creative journey has led me through a myriad of projects, from animation art to book publishing, to advertising, to comic creating. However, it's in my personal time where I truly delve into creating my own personal fantasy art, creating Risograph prints that are inspired by whimsical adventures that are fully my own. Through my monthly Riso print club, I share a new fantastical print every month, each one a testament to the magic of storytelling and illustration. It helps me make a new fantasy print each month, and has helped me find my own voice and taste in a field where a clients vision can sometimes take precedence.

Today, I want to take you on a journey into the heart of how I make my fantasy work all for myself, with the knowledge I bring from other fields. I’ll start with thumbnails and rough sketches that lay the foundation for captivating worlds sitting in your imagination, waiting to be revealed.

Tiny Thumbnails: To begin, I start with small thumbnails, like rough sketches but on a miniature scale. These serve as a warm-up for my compositional skills. By creating small boxes roughly the size of thumbnails, I can experiment with different designs and arrangements of shapes. For example, if I were to envision a scene with forests, fairies, and waterfalls, I'd sketch out where each of these elements might fit within the composition but experiment with moving those shapes around in each new thumbnail..

Rough Sketch: Once I have a general idea from my thumbnails, I move on to a skeleton sketch. This is where the composition starts to take shape.. For instance, if my scene revolves around a forest, I decide whether I want tall, dominant trees or gnarled, wide ones, and whether the composition should be horizontal or vertical. This rough sketch acts as the blueprint for the larger, more detailed sketch and line art to come.

Throughout this process, I find it helpful to pause and visualize the final piece in my mind's eye, organizing elements before putting them to paper. Sometimes, I even use a large round brush to block in the most important shapes, ensuring they're laid out as I envision.

Adding a decorative border to the illustration can further enhance its narrative, evoking the feeling of a storybook come to life. By incorporating hidden elements within the border, the illustration gains an added layer of intrigue and mystery, enriching the overall mood.

The journey of creating a fantasy illustration is one filled with exploration and experimentation. Don't hesitate to start over if you discover a more compelling narrative along the way. And remember to keep your inspirations close, taking breaks when needed to rejuvenate your creative spirit.

If you're eager to explore the magical realm of fantasy illustration further, I invite you to check out my new course on Domestika: "Forest Fantasy Illustration in Procreate & Photoshop." Let's embark on this enchanting journey together.