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Robert Marzullo

In this course you will learn how to digitally draw and paint a variety of fantasy art elements. You will learn how to create magical weapons, rock formations, power effects, foliage, and a fully detailed character step by step. You will be given all sorts of neat tricks and techniques to create this type of artwork while using the very powerful and affordable program Manga Studio 5 / Clip Studio Paint. This course starts with the basic elements and allows you to grow at your own pace until you are ready for the full character creation by the end.

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In this course you will learn how to digitally draw and paint a variety of fantasy art elements. You will learn how to create magical weapons, rock formations, power effects, foliage, and a fully detailed character step by step. You will be given all sorts of neat tricks and techniques to create this type of artwork while using the very powerful and affordable program Manga Studio 5 / Clip Studio Paint. This course starts with the basic elements and allows you to grow at your own pace until you are ready for the full character creation by the end.

You will also get all the art files and custom brushes to study along with. I am here if you have any questions or feedback for me. Thank you for visiting my course and good luck with your studies.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • By the end of this course you will be able to draw and paint a variety of imaginative concepts.
  • You will be able to construct a complete character design from sketch to finish paint.

Syllabus

In this course you will learn how to paint everything from magical weapons to a full character design. I will walk you though that process step by step while using Manga Studio 5 to create the art.
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This is the introduction explaining what you will learn in this course.

In this lesson you will learn how to set up a basic canvas and start with a simple shape to paint from.

Art file and brushes are attached to this lesson.

In this lesson you will learn how to apply some simple digital paint effects and blend them into the rock formation shape that we are creating.

In this lesson you will learn how to apply some additional colors to the base painting.

In this lesson you will learn how to apply some final color effects using combine modes ( blending modes ). You will also learn how to merge the layer effects without loosing their appearance. We will finalize the artwork and then move on to the next study.

In this lesson you will learn how to draw a sword and axe in a fantasy art style. This will give us our concept to work with in the next few lessons.

Art file is attached to this lesson.

In this lesson we will clean up the line work on the sword design. You will learn some techniques for clean line making and how to use the curve tool to aid in this process.

In this lesson you will learn how to create selections by using the line work of the sword as a guide. We will also be applying some base flat colors to start with.

In this lesson you will learn how to apply textures and detail the sword handle. This helps to add a bit more realism to our fantasy art weapon.

In this lesson we will detail the rest of the sword with the techniques that you have learned in the previous lessons.

In this lesson you will go through the process with me again as we apply these same effects to the axe design. This lesson is time lapsed with a narration of the process. We then finalize the artwork and get it ready for our portfolio.

In this lesson you will learn how to go straight to painting with no line work. We will start with a solid color and paint in a silhouette of our concept art.

Art file and brush pack is attached to this lesson as well.

In this lesson you will learn how to block in the larger shadow and begin to shape the concept. We will also be open to making changes to the silhouette as we progress.

In this lesson we will start to paint in more of the details and work into the smaller forms. You will also learn how to use the quick mask feature to control the painting process.

In this lesson we will be making more edits to the shape of our design. We will also be adding some more details throughout the concept.

In this lesson you will learn how to apply details to the face of our creature. You will also learn how to make a quick brush to texture the grass area more effectively.

In this lesson you will learn more about the brush settings and how to use the brush to add texture. You will also learn how to paint some foliage effects on the tree concept.

In this lesson you will learn how to apply some more details to the work. You will also learn how to apply some lighting and contrast effects to the work by using the combine modes ( blending modes ).

In this lesson you will learn about organizing your work with the "groups" feature. We will also continue to add details and tighten up the work after merging down some of our layers.

In this lesson we continue to detail the work and make small changes to the design. We will be sampling color from the existing artwork using the color picker tool. This can be a quick and easy process once there is enough information on the canvas to work from.

In this lesson you will learn how to make significant changes to the design even after much of the painting is in place. By copying and merging the artwork you can make big changes in a shorter amount of time. We will change the face design here to illustrate this idea.

In this lesson we will be finalizing the artwork and going over some of the main points. We will also add a small bird to this concept. Little details like this can give the image more narrative.

In this lesson you will learn how to set up the basic layers to this scene. We will then be applying some texture to the clouds and mountain shapes. These lessons are 3X the speed of the paint work with me narrating the techniques used.

Art files and brushes are attached to this lesson as well.

In this lesson we will continue to detail the shapes. We will be working from large to small and jumping from the various layers to edit the work. We will also be using a few different brushes to add variations to the effects.

Now with much of the painting in place we will be working into the smaller areas and sculpting in the details. In this process you want to use the existing information and try to imagine what else you might see. It is a very imaginative process so be sure to experiment with your ideas.

In this lesson we continue to add in smaller details. We also work on tightening up some of the edge work.

In this lesson we continue to refine the work. We also add some additional colors to the mountains to make them look a bit more interesting.

In this lesson we finalize the artwork and add in some last minute details and textures. There is much more that could be added to this work but it really comes down to your needs and your vision as an artist. You must also think about the end result of the digital art to guide you in the amount of detail needed.

In this lesson we will rough sketch our character concept using the pencil tools.

Art files is attached to this lesson.

In this lesson you will learn how to refine the character concept and add in details to the design.

In this lesson you will learn how to clean up the line work and get it ready for the painting process.

In this lesson you will learn how to create the base selection or silhouette of our character concept. This will give us a clean edge to work with throughout our painting process.

In this lesson we will begin to segment the work to aid in the painting process.

In this lesson we finish separating the various areas of the base paint work.

In this lesson we will begin brushing in the broad strokes to start the painting process.

In this lesson we will paint and detail the leather areas of the character design.

In this lesson we will paint the shield and add various details to the materials.

In this lesson you will learn how to shape the anatomy by adding in Shadows and Highlights to the Anatomy.

In this lesson you will learn how to apply some hard edge shadows to the character design.

In this lesson we will continue to paint in the fur areas and add in the details to that material.

In this lesson we will begin to clean up the edges of the paint work. This will help to tighten up the look of our design.

In this lesson we will add some more detail to the axe and refine the look of it.

In this lesson we will add more details to the hand and wrist armor.

In this lesson we will continue to detail the leg armor and refine the edges.

In this lesson we will continue to refine the edges and clean up the paint work.

In this lesson we will add in some textures to the skin area. By adding in some imperfections we can give the skin a more realistic look.

In this lesson we will add in some more colors to enhance the painting. We will then finalizing the artwork and make it ready for display.

Here is a tutorial sheet for you to practice painting a face. Do whatever character you like or follow along with this one. I would love to see what you come up with so be sure to share your work in the Q+A Section. Good luck with your studies!

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Uses Clip Studio Paint, a popular and affordable software, making it accessible for artists on a budget or those new to digital painting
Provides custom brushes and art files, which allows learners to study and practice with the same resources used in the lessons
Covers a range of fantasy art elements, such as magical weapons, rock formations, power effects, and foliage, catering specifically to the fantasy genre
Progresses from basic elements to a full character creation, which allows learners to build skills gradually and at their own pace
Includes step-by-step guidance on painting various elements and a complete character, which provides practical experience in digital painting techniques
Uses Manga Studio 5 / Clip Studio Paint, which may be an older version of the software, potentially missing newer features and updates

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Reviews summary

Digital fantasy art in clip studio paint

According to learners, this course offers a solid introduction to creating fantasy art digitally using Clip Studio Paint, particularly appealing to beginners and intermediate artists. Students consistently praise the instructor's clear explanations and the step-by-step approach, finding the lessons on creating various elements like weapons, landscapes, and characters to be very helpful and easy to follow. The inclusion of art files and custom brushes is frequently highlighted as a valuable resource. While the pace is generally found to be appropriate, a few mention wanting more advanced techniques or deeper dives into specific topics, suggesting it provides a strong foundational skillset rather than advanced mastery.
Focuses on using Clip Studio Paint effectively.
"Learned many specific tips and tricks for using Clip Studio Paint features for digital painting."
"The course effectively demonstrates the tools and capabilities of Clip Studio Paint for fantasy art."
"It's a great course specifically for learning digital painting techniques within the CSP environment."
The learning pace is generally well-received.
"The pacing felt just right, not too fast or too slow."
"I could follow along comfortably and practice the techniques at my own speed."
"The lessons are broken down into manageable chunks."
Course is accessible for those new to digital painting.
"As a beginner in digital art, I found this course easy to get into and learn the basics."
"Good for beginners who want to learn Clip Studio Paint for painting."
"I had some prior experience, but this course solidified my understanding of digital painting workflow, great for intermediates too."
Provided brushes and files enhance learning.
"The provided brushes and art files were incredibly useful for practicing and understanding the lessons."
"It's great to have the resources provided, makes it easy to follow along."
"Having the art files and brushes ready to go saved me a lot of time and helped me focus on painting."
Hands-on projects guide you through creating art.
"I enjoyed following the step-by-step process for creating fantasy elements and characters."
"The progression from simple shapes to a full character is very well thought out."
"Following along with the projects helped me apply the techniques immediately."
Instructor explains concepts clearly and concisely.
"Very clear instructions, easy to follow! Highly recommended."
"The instructor explains very well and gives practical tips."
"Amazing course! The instructor's explanations are very clear and helpful for someone learning digital art."
Some users desired more advanced or in-depth content.
"Could use more advanced techniques or a deeper dive into certain aspects of digital painting."
"While excellent for foundational skills, I was hoping for more advanced tips for professional workflow."
"Some parts felt a bit rushed, wishing for more detailed explanations on complex rendering."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Digital Painting - Amazing Fantasy Art in CLIP STUDIO PAINT with these activities:
Practice Basic Shapes and Shading
Reinforce fundamental drawing and shading skills to prepare for the course's digital painting techniques.
Browse courses on Basic Shapes
Show steps
  • Draw basic geometric shapes (cubes, spheres, cylinders).
  • Practice applying light and shadow to these shapes.
  • Experiment with different shading techniques.
Create a Fantasy Art Mood Board
Develop a strong visual library and understanding of fantasy art aesthetics by curating a mood board.
Show steps
  • Gather images of fantasy art elements (weapons, characters, environments).
  • Organize the images into a digital mood board.
  • Analyze the common themes and styles.
Review 'Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter' by James Gurney
Deepen understanding of color and light principles to enhance the realism and believability of digital paintings.
Show steps
  • Read chapters on color theory and light interaction.
  • Study the examples of how light affects different surfaces.
  • Apply the concepts learned to a simple digital painting.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Digital Painting Speed Challenges
Improve painting speed and efficiency by practicing quick studies of various fantasy elements.
Show steps
  • Set a timer for 30 minutes.
  • Paint a quick study of a rock formation or magical weapon.
  • Repeat with different subjects and time constraints.
Review 'Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist' by James Gurney
Learn how to create believable fantasy elements by studying the principles of imaginative realism.
Show steps
  • Read chapters on creature design and world-building.
  • Study the examples of how to create a sense of realism in imaginary scenes.
  • Apply the concepts learned to a personal fantasy art project.
Design a Magical Weapon
Apply the course's techniques to create a unique magical weapon design from concept to final painting.
Show steps
  • Sketch several weapon concepts.
  • Refine one concept and create detailed line art.
  • Apply digital painting techniques to create a finished illustration.
Portfolio Update: Fantasy Art Collection
Showcase newly acquired skills by creating a portfolio of fantasy art pieces created during and after the course.
Show steps
  • Select the best fantasy art pieces created during the course.
  • Create new pieces to fill any gaps in the portfolio.
  • Present the portfolio online or in print.

Career center

Learners who complete Digital Painting - Amazing Fantasy Art in CLIP STUDIO PAINT will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Digital Painter
A digital painter creates art using digital tools and software, often working on a variety of projects. This course is perfect for this role, because it teaches you how to digitally draw and paint a variety of fantasy art elements, such as magical weapons, rock formations, and detailed characters. The instruction in Clip Studio Paint will help you to use the tools and techniques of the profession. Anyone looking to become a digital painter can benefit from working through the projects in this course.
Character Designer
Character designers develop the visual appearance of characters for various forms of media, including games and animation. This course will be very useful for character designers, due to its step-by-step guide to creating a complete character design. The course specifically concentrates on the fantasy genre, teaching how to sketch, refine line work and paint, all essential to the design process. Learning Clip Studio Paint in this course provides a practical and immediately applicable skill. The detailed lessons and the focus on character design make this an excellent choice for aspiring character designers.
Concept Artist
A concept artist creates visual designs for characters, creatures, environments, and objects, often in the fantasy genre. This course helps build a foundation in digital painting, offering step-by-step instruction on creating magical weapons, rock formations, and detailed characters, all crucial for concept art. The course emphasizes practical techniques using Clip Studio Paint, a popular program among artists, providing a direct path into the tools of the profession. Specifically, the sections on character design and painting will be very useful. Anyone interested in becoming a concept artist should strongly consider this course due to its focus on key fantasy elements.
Visual Development Artist
A visual development artist creates the look and feel of a project, including environment, character, and prop design. This course helps build a strong foundation for a visual development artist due to its focus on creating detailed fantasy elements. The course emphasizes practical digital painting techniques, including creating magical weapons, rock formations, foliage, and character designs. The skills taught here will be directly helpful for the development of visual elements. The detailed lessons and step-by-step approach will allow aspiring visual development artists to grow their abilities.
Illustrator
An illustrator creates images for a variety of media, often focusing on narrative and storytelling. This course may be helpful to illustrators, especially those interested in fantasy themes. It covers creating magical weapons, characters, and environments, all valuable for illustrations. The course walks through the process of digital painting in Clip Studio Paint, which will help build a foundation in digital illustration. Lessons on character design, painting, and detailing will be particularly useful. Aspiring illustrators can gain practical experience in this course working through the projects assigned.
Video Game Artist
A video game artist creates the visual elements of video games, including characters, environments, and props. This course may be useful for those seeking video game artist career roles. The course offers a practical approach to painting fantasy elements, which could be valuable for those seeking to specialize in this genre. Furthermore, the step-by-step process of character creation and the use of Clip Studio Paint will introduce learners to industry-standard tools and workflows. The detailed lessons on digital painting techniques are directly applicable to video game art creation.
Freelance Artist
A freelance artist works independently to create art on a project basis for various clients. This course may be helpful for freelance artists looking to improve their digital painting skills. It provides a practical approach to creating imaginative concepts, and it teaches specific techniques, which are directly applicable to a variety of freelance projects, especially those leaning into the fantasy genre. The course offers useful knowledge on creating characters and props as well as using Clip Studio Paint. The course's step-by-step approach is helpful for those new to client work.
Animation Artist
An animation artist creates the visual elements of animated films and other types of animation. This course may be useful for animation artists, specifically in areas such as character and prop design. This course teaches digital painting and the creation of various fantasy elements, from characters to landscapes, which is useful in animation. The step-by-step process and instruction in Clip Studio Paint provides a foundation in the tools of the animation trade. The sections on character design and painting will be particularly useful. An animation artist can use this course as a starting point for more advanced learning.
Comic Book Artist
A comic book artist creates the visual narrative of comic books, focusing on characters, backgrounds, and action sequences. This course may help those seeking the career of a comic book artist. The course's instruction in drawing fantasy elements like magical weapons and characters, as well as digital painting using Clip Studio Paint, provides a solid basis for creating comic book art. The detailed character design lessons and the emphasis on step-by-step processes may be particularly helpful. These skills directly translate to working on comics, making this a reasonable choice for aspiring comic book artists.
Graphic Novel Artist
A graphic novel artist creates the visual narrative of graphic novels, depicting characters, environments, and action sequences. This course may be helpful to those studying to become graphic novel artists. The course's instruction in drawing fantasy elements, like weapons, characters, and landscapes, as well as digitally painting them in Clip Studio Paint, establishes a foundation for graphic novel art. The detailed lessons on character design may be particularly useful. These skills directly translate to working on creating graphic novels, making this course a reasonable choice for aspiring artists.
Texture Artist
A texture artist creates surface details of three-dimensional models, adding realism and visual appeal to digital art. This course may be helpful for someone seeking a career as a texture artist. It offers instruction in digital painting and creating various fantasy elements, all of which require a close eye for detail. The course teaches the application of colors, shadows, and blending to create detailed imagery using Clip Studio Paint. Lessons on painting metallic surfaces and foliage are helpful in understanding textures. This course can provide a helpful introduction to digital painting techniques.
Art teacher
An art teacher educates students in various art techniques and concepts. This course may be helpful for an aspiring art teacher, as it can enhance their own skillset in digital painting. The step-by-step approach to creating detailed fantasy elements will provide the art teacher with effective techniques to demonstrate to students. Also, learning how to use Clip Studio Paint will broaden a teacher's knowledge in digital art tools. An art teacher could point their students to this course, as it provides a focused, project-based approach to learning.
Storyboard Artist
A storyboard artist creates visual representations of scenes for film, animation, and other media. While this course focuses on creating single images, the step-by-step instruction in drawing characters, weapons, and landscapes can build a base for visual storytelling. The course's approach to creating detailed images and understanding visual elements may be useful for storyboarding. While not a direct correlation, students can find the course helpful for the development of visual design in the fantasy genre.
Art Director
An art director is responsible for the visual style and images in various media, often guiding a team of artists. While this course is not focused on management, the course's focus on creating fantasy elements and digital painting will help an art director to be able to understand the work that artists are doing on their team. This course will help to achieve a deeper understanding of the artistic process, which is beneficial to anyone looking to direct artwork. The step-by-step process and instruction in Clip Studio Paint can enhance communication with artists. This provides valuable insights for those aspiring to lead creative teams.
Tattoo Artist
A tattoo artist creates designs for tattoos and applies them to clients' skin. While this course focuses on digital painting, it offers a useful way to build skills in design, which can then be applied to tattoo art. The course teaches how to create detailed characters and fantasy elements, which can translate into unique tattoo designs. The process taught of creating and refining line work, as well as adding color and detail, may be helpful for aspiring tattoo artists as they develop their style. While not a direct correlation, this course may be helpful as a basis for digital art.

Reading list

We've selected one books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Digital Painting - Amazing Fantasy Art in CLIP STUDIO PAINT.
Provides a comprehensive understanding of color theory and light behavior, essential for creating realistic and believable fantasy art. It delves into the properties of light, color mixing, and atmospheric effects. This book valuable resource for understanding how light and color interact in a scene, which is crucial for digital painting. It is commonly used by both academic institutions and industry professionals.

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