Book excerpt: Bring the power of realism to your fantasy drawings! Great fantasy art transports viewers to a realm where the impossible becomes less so, and all manner of strange beasts and beings dwell. It takes more than fierce imagination to create these worlds. Great reference photos make it easier to draw what you actually see, providing that all-important link to reality that allows fantasy art to take flight. Mastering Fantasy Art shows you how to use photo references of models and props to create more accurate, interesting and unique characters and drawings. Start by learning the dos and don'ts of working with a model, how to set up your lighting, and what makes a strong reference photos versus a bad one. Then follow along with 16 step-by-step demonstrations as master gaming artist John Stanko brings to life wizards, sorceresses, barbarians, elves, vampires, dragons and more. Starting with individual characters and working toward compositions with multiple figures and action poses, you'll learn how to go beyond the reference to create bold and original fantasy scenes of your own imagining! 16 action-packed demonstrations offer expert advice and strategies for: • Creating an imaginative cast of characters and creatures • Selecting the best poses, perspective and lighting • Developing authentic costumes and one-of-a-kind weaponry • Composing a battle scene • Seamlessly combining photo references with digital editing • Drawing fantastic landscapes