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Thanks James. I'm an hour and a half away from that museum and wasn't aware they had drained that tank.

Can't wait to go check it out and see your Cumberland painting again. I still say you need to sell prints of it, I'd be first in line.

Wow, the heat and the noise inside that turret must have been extreme. Not a job I would want.

Just read the NYT article. Quite a story. Poor Mr. Ericsson. Kind of proves that a brilliant mind needs to be protected by a very verbal mind. Not that both qualities are mutually exclusive, of course.

I have family in Newport News and visit the Mariners Museum once or twice a year. I will be looking forward to seeing the new progress on the Monitor restoration. I also agree with Bill, I love your Cumberland painting, a real highlight to the museum (along with the Crabtree collection of miniature ships, "sigh" can never get enough of those.) Anyone visiting the area, should put the museum on their itinerary.

I grew up reading all about the battle of the ironclad vessels at Hampton Roads as well as about the ultimate fates of both the Monitor and the Merrimac.

I'm shocked though as to how a metal ship could stay well preserved in seawater.

side note
Ray Harryhausen models shown in Bradford (the jason and the argonaughts skeletons are pretty cool)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-13427576

"Photography has its benefits" [...]

to stimulate imagination, reality overwhelms us!

:)

I never knew Jones except through artwork I've seen, but one could argue that through that, I've known Jones a bit. Today I'm sad about the news.

As for reference, I'll be picking up the ImagineFX because in my recent painting I used reference photos that I followed too closely. I lost all the magic of my sketches. But as someone starting out on this journey of illustration, there are still many things to learn.

Learning illustration is like mountain climbing, it's hard to see the next hand-hold. Thanks for your books, blog and articles, James. With each one, you show me another hand-hold.

Finding the right reference and deciding what to use from it can be tough. Eric Fortune regularly quotes his old tutor's advice - "don't be a slave to your reference."

@My Pen Name
I leave my hometown and Ray Harryhausen's models move in - GUTTED!

James, my condolences to you on the loss of your friend and collegue, J.C.Jones, and of course to her loved ones. She was a magnificent artist. Thanks for the link to that site. Do you happen to know anything about the film that is mentioned there?

Your pirate looks like he may have a history of being *marooned*.

Wacka wacka wacka.

I look forward to reading it. I just got my magazine in the mail the other day. Your insight on this subject from earlier posts has helped me to improve my work. Thanks for all the help.

R.I.P., Jeff Jones...

おめでとうございます！

Is it me, or does the creature on the cover of this looks a bit Japanese himself?

Congrats!

Puzzling out reviews written in Japanese, German, and French has been a fun perk of being an author for me. Do the layouts of your books change significantly in a Japanese edition?

Congrats James! I got my copy of Color and Light for Christmas and Have been eating it up ever since.

Congratulations James! I have both and I'm about to buy 2 more copies for my mom who is a high school art teacher. If I were ever to teach, I would be using these as part of the curriculum. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say you are to the current art community what Pyle was to his time. Thank you for writing these and I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

That's great news James. You worked hard and long for it, and those of us who benefit from your intellectual and artistic generosity couldn't be happier for you!

YES to the above - when is the next coming out?? I've almost finished both & starting to already feel at a loss for more.

I guess I'll just have to re-read them to keep from withdrawals!

Good news on all the desire for your books out there in the various Artlands.

I just had my copies of Colo(u)r and Light and Imaginative Realism delivered this morning. I haven't read much just yet, but I'm already planning to recommend them to everyone on the illustration course at the Cambridge School of Art, and hopefully get some copies for the library. So far, they're filling a lot of the gaps in my education, and it's pleasant to see how your work for Dinotopia is made. I look forward to finishing the books and implementing the concepts within!

I got color and light for Christmas and have been trying to slowly absorb all that wonderful information and inspiration. Thanks so much for an amazing book. When's the next one coming out :-)

Congratulations are in order. Being a fan of both illustration and literature, I love having your books as part of my instructional library!

Thanks for your generous words, everybody. You've all been a huge help as a sounding board for all the topics in both books. The books are what make this crazy blogging habit possible.

Congratulations!

My mom actually admitted that she bought Color & Light for me for Christmas, and while perusing it before wrapping, loved it so much she had to buy a copy for herself. I let her know about Imaginary Realism, and she immediately went out and bought that one too! Sadly, I have not had time to dig my teeth into Color & Light yet, but I was almost late to work the other day because I was flipping through it. They really are fantastic.

Rayford--Thanks, but all I got was Pyle's hairline.

I wish my copy of IR had just the Japanese cover; the Kanji makes the whole design hang together quite nicely.

The Japanese text seems to fit the front image of the alien painter much better than an the original english font.. If only we could use whatever launguage fit our illustrations the best for the project every time..

Congrats! Well deserved.

Congrats...more importantly I'd like to see the Japanese edition translated back into English.

That might be fun.

=s=

That is great, and pretty amazing how fast Color and Light has gone to its second, but not surprised.

I just received my copy a couple of weeks ago. Thank you ..thank you ..
for the signing it and the wonderful little illustration. Am loving the book.

And thank you for generosity and sharing your wealth of knowledge.

Excellent news, indeed.

I recently bought Color and Light (gotta love bookstore gift cards) and it's absolutely marvelous. The application of realistic and coherent color and lighting in painting was something I'd been puzzling over for quite a while, but the book gave me a wealth of information that I can't wait to apply to my own work. When I get the means, I plan on buying Imaginative Realism as well. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

Congratulations! This book IS excellent. I rented it from the library and will be buying it soon.
Epically beautiful and wonderfully educational - I feel more capable after looking at only a few pages!
I also showed it to a friend who teaches drawing, and wants his own copy for the class. :)

I have both of your books and they are excellent. I am sure they will become "classics" and will still be educating and enlightening people long after you and I are gone. Looking forward to the next book!!

Both of your books are lined in my bookshelf side by side with R. Schmid, Loomis, Velázquez and other naughty guys...I am only looking forward the next one anxiously (it could be: "Destructive realism: how to pose for your reference photos and where to hide the pictures after that").

It would be helpful if you could break down the amount of time it takes to put an illustration together.
Possibly breaking it down into categories like:

Thumbnails
Roughs
Searching for reference
Building maquettes/props/etc.
Shooting models
Color roughs
Final drawing/drawing transfer
Finished Painting

Realistically I find that impatience undermines my efforts at different stages.

Especially when I can't find the right reference, or I find a problem in the final drawing and can't decide if I should go back to reworking the composition or fix it on the canvas.

Momentum and pacing can be a huge deal. It's a lot easier when you have a realistic view of the finish line. Granted we all work differently but a guidepost would certainly help.

=s=

Shane,
Good questions. I usually spend a third of the allotted time planning (such as making thumbnails, reference, maquettes), a third drawing, and a third painting. This breakdown is true whether I have six hours, six days, or six months.

The painting goes faster with the planning steps done. Sometimes those first four steps you've outlined happen in a matter of hours.

And sometimes because of impatience, overconfidence, lack of time, or just plain pigheadedness, I do skip some steps, but it shows in the final piece.

I love seeing the details of your process, James. It's amazing, but completely understandable that you put so much time into the planning and model making stages.

I can't sign off with giving a shout out to the locale of the show. I was born and raised in Pittsfield - the heart of the lovely Berkshires, and my father was proud to be a guard at the Berkshire Museum in his post-retirement years.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to tell you this, but you could make such awesome toys or collectible art sculptures from casts of your work. Maybe not with the maquettes if cotton doesn't mold well, but sculpy or something.

Hello UK students!!!!
Register before Jan 15thand get 1000 pounds student aid.


http://www.eurocallingcards.com/econet/

Steve McVey, a world class miniature painter, just released this sculpt to the miniature world:
http://studiomcvey.highwire.com/product/smm15-ruby
So yeah, I could totally see this in a Dinotopia miniature world ><

Great post James! I just finished experimenting with a dragon maquette. I painted gesso over a foil skeleton instead of my usual clay layer. It's really rough and far from being exactly like my drawing but it provides me with information that I would not have imagined. Sometimes I get impatient with the preliminary steps but from my experience it truly does help the painting move faster. There is always room for spontaneity as well. Everyone, figuring it out in the beginning is well worth the effort. Don't forget to have fun in the process! Thanks James!

James, and all GJ readers;
Just hijacking this thread to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and thanks James and all posters, for their insights!

Cheers.

Thanks, Pen Name, and I second your sentiments. All the posters and commentators have deepened my appreciation and understanding of all kinds of topics. Hope you all have a great holiday season.

I just checked the Bershiire museum site and don't see a 'children's book' exhibit listed...is it part of the Holiday Tree thing?

Yes, the Berkshire Museum doesn't have anything on their website, and I haven't been there myself, but by all accounts, it's set up there.

HAHA! I am from Singapore! I hope you do pop by Singapore Mr Gurney. Would love to see an exhibition on your works there! Congrats!

Well deserved. Ultimate compliment: I use it often in my illustration classes and had my copy stolen. I'm not worried though. I'll just keep an eye out for a student who makes leaps and bounds progress then I'll have my culprit.

The landscape one looks nice.

This is the book list I suggested for the students here:

Ernest Norling - Perspective Made Easy ISBN-13 978-0-486-40473-8 ISBN-10 0-486-40473-0

Stan Lee and John Buscema - How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way ISBN 0-907610-66-8

James Gurney - Imaginative Realism - How to Paint What Doesn't Exist ISBN-13: 9780740785504 ISBN-10: 0740785508

James Gurney - Color and Light - A Guide for the Realist Painter ISBN-13: 9780740797712 ISBN-10: 0740797719



and for a fifth - maybe "Drawing People" by Barbara Bradley, or "Figure Drawing without a Model" by Ron Tiner.

But so many great books are old and out of print, such as the whole How to Draw series from Studio.

Goat, I'd love to go to Singapore some day. I've heard so many great things about it.

Thanks, Bill. I'm not sure if your student deserves a medal or a warrant.

Don, what an honor to be on that list! What are the Studio "How to Draw" books? And where do you teach?

Congratulations! That is high praise indeed.

Your book definitely deserves to be up there, Mr. Gurney. Art and Fear is a worthy title too. I have a copy of it on my bookshelf.

I'm a bit disappointed though - I feel that the New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Dr. Betty Edwards should be on that list or at least get an honorable mention. That has not only good instruction on learning to draw, but some fascinating theories on the mind and how it relates to learning to draw.

I vote for the first one, Sleeping Dino. Some of the others would pigeonhole you into a niche (fantasy art, landscape art, etc.), but my guess is your book will be applicable to many styles, not any one niche. So very many people judge books by their covers! No point in limiting your audience unnecessarily.

I also vote for Sleeping Dino, best for the title. The last one also comes close.

Great news! Looking forward to it.

I also vote for the image at the top. I feel it is the most compelling and distinctive.

"Lamplight" gets my vote. It is an image that implies consideration beyond but not exclusive of imaginative creatures and dynos.

I agree.... the sleeping dino. For the genre-spanning subject matter and the type of lighting in that particular piece.

I vote for "Lamplight". The Sleeping Dino and Street Scene after that. Though they don't seem to be as balanced as Lamplight and thematically don't illustrate the title as well as the girl holding the lamp does.

I vote for "Montage" as it shows the books usefulness whether you paint standard landscapes or fantasy or anything in between. This book will be useful. I look forward to it being published. I had your last book for christmas and I love it. So much information and all of it usefull and interesting.

My vote would have to be for 'Lamplight'.
It's a good general image that covers a good range of subject matters.
(2nd choice would be 'Street Scene' for a general audience/art book.
3rd would be the 'Sleeping Dino' - it is the most striking & eye attracting to my eyes, but the subject matter may throw some 'off')

Cool!

Sleeping Dino is graceful, appealing and unique and is filled with light and color. It is very Gurney-esque and probably your best bet for a distinctive cover.

Street Scene is a very impressive painting and appeals to me more as a painter -- subtlety with light and color being a goal over simply bright and colorful. The one drawback is that on a book shelf, from a distance, the Street Scene cover might play as a photo.

Sunset is a very impressive painting, but as a "cover" for a painting book on light and color it seems to be a little bit of a cliche and could be confused with others I've seen.

Birdman is delightfully creepy -- but for many people creepy outweighs the delightful.

I like the montage idea -- but maybe substitute a dino sleeping detail for birdman or a figure/ portrait where the light and shadow is the dominant design element.

If you go with a single image for the cover, maybe you could fill the back cover with a montage of your color thumbnails (similar to page 34 of Imaginative Realism or pages 109 and 128 of Chandara) or smaller plein air studies where the emphasis is on the big shapes of color over realistic rendering. (I always turn a book over and look at the back before opening it up and if it surprises me with something different than the cover, I'm more likely to open it up.

I think street scene truly look like a color/shadows theory, not like some background, composition or creature theory...

I voted for the street scene.

The first one with the sleeping dino does tell a lot about light and what color can do with light. What bugs me is the cut-off tail on the right. It immediately grabs my attention in a bad way and therefore diminishes my attention the meaning of what it is all about.

Birdman is too scary and too sci-fi. Would be a great image for a sci-fi art book, not a book that deals of light and color.

The montage approach is used in a lot of books dealing with illustration- and painting techniques. It's quite daring to put one image on the cover that just says it all. Stick with that idea James!

Sunset is a bit boring to me.

Lamplight again puts more emphasis on the fantasy-relation and mood just like the birdman image. This one is not so scary though.

The street scene does it all for me. The real cool stuff is happening on the upper-half of the building, especially in the part of the white roof. I would reconsider the typography. It looks as though you're scared to put the text on top of the image and therefore hiding vital parts of the image. Still placing the text on top of the image would be better than the current sketch. It looks like you've looked for the one place in the image where the text would do no harm and place it there. That is exactly what has happened, right? Well, it shows.
Be bold James! You already made a statement by putting just one image on the cover. Now don't get scared dealing with the text. You can go down in the size of the font so that it looks less bulky.

Street Scene for me.

Its a really sophisticated color palette. I also wonder if putting dinosaurs on the cover of this one might turn away artists who aren't really into "fantasy" art. For your last book, sure, thats what the book is all about. For this one a dinosaur cover could prove distracting for those in search of a "serious" book on color and light.

My 2 cents, anyway! Good luck!

Well, this is interesting. While doing the dishes after lunch, I had the same idea as Daroo, do a montage cover but include Sleeping Dino. It would show that Mr. Gurney is much more than dinosaurs...but it would include a brilliant example of one.

I like the sleeping dino but I also like some kind of montage cover, but maybe substitute a dinotopia pick for the sci fi alien...ironically a lot of folks still dismiss sf art.

This makes me smile - to see the fantasy paintings next to the words "a guide for realist painters" -- somehow it tickles my funny bone. For that reason, I'd go with the non-fantasy covers. Either that or change the title to include your wonderful fantasy characters. :)
(Thanks for the smile),

Much as I like sleeping Dino I think you will reach a wider audience with montage. Although I like the idea of substituting in sleeping dinoas well.

My favorites are sunset and lamplight. The dino is really nice but something makes me feel it doesn't quite "fit". Street scene is a really nice painting but at the same time I think it's not all too interesting and doesn't exactly screem "buy me!" which I suppose is the purpose of a cover.

So, as I said I'd go with either the sunset or lamplight. But sunset might appear a bit boring too, so perhaps lampligt is the best alternative.

definitely the street scene, much more moodier...

I love the sleeping dino and lamplight. Next to drawing hands, I find painting back light and light under (and on) water the most challenging. I am looking forward to this book

The first one, sleeping Dino, is my favorite, it tells everything !

I'd vote for the montage.
I think more potential buyers can relate to it. It also alludes to the many KINDS of realism that are possible to paint.

Much as I like the images of the dinos, the fairy princesses and whatnot, I think an arrangement of varied 'realisms' will serve the book better in the long run.

I like "lamplight" and "sleeping Dino" the best. Besides drawing hands, I find illustrating back light and light on and under water the most challenging. I will look forward to this book whatever the cover you choose.

I vote for Street Scene. Of course, I love the painting, but I also think it best represents the subject matter and would appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers. You know that Gurney fans will buy it if it came with a plain brown paper cover. The genre specific covers might lead those not familiar with you or your blog (hard to believe right?) that the content might not relate to their work.

I think I may have accidentally voted twice, but I voted for the Sleeping Dino. I think it clearly illustrates the contents of the book - it's very colorful & uses light wonderfully.
Also the layout of typography & such really tie it in with the cover of IR which would really make the two look good together on the book shelf.

My second choice would be the Lamplight scene.

And I am THRILLED to hear about a new book... Imaginative Realism is one of the best & most useful books that I've ever had on my bookshelf. Thanks so much, and here's to another great one!

My vote goes to "Lamplight". It has appealing figures in an attractive environment, with a direct light source, which is tough to pull off.

If I had to make a second choice, I'd choose "Street Scene". I think this is a lovely painting. However, I may be biased; this reminds me of my hometown in upstate NY.

I love Sleeping Dino. I agree with Nancy that it wouldn't pigeonhole the book. There are so many painting books out there with beautiful covers it's nice to see one where you go..."Oh? What that's there? It's a different subject. And it's so beautifully rendered/painted." It would make want to look inside right away.

I'm for Lamplight... I've always loved the image and it seems less genre locked than the others.
(Honestly, I just think it would look great on my bookshelf.)

Always wondered why you hadn't used some dino art for the cover of Imaginitive Realism - I think it's got broad appeal and can make a passer-by realize that this book might be by the author of Dinotopia. I think that series has enough popularity that it could help sales with this book through the cover.

Sleeping Dino is my choice. You can really feel that sunlight shining down and enveloping the critter.

Street Scene for me, I think it appeals both to painters and illustrators, the same can't be said about the other covers

Gee, what a conundrum: Of all my exceptional examples of appealing, technically accurate, and award-winning work, which should I showcase? If only I had such problems!! :-)

"Montage" appeals to a broader market. Assuming you are not just targeting fantasy artists, this cover would appeal to most.

"Birdman" is probably on the "Montage" cover to broaden the range of colors and provide subject and gamut contrast, but the contrast seems too great. I recommend replacing it with "Sleeping Bird". You are dinosaurs; build off it.

Street scene is the one I voted for.

To me, that is the image where light itself seems to be the actual subject.

I voted for Lamplight, but what I would really like to see is a montage that included Street Scene, Sleeping Dino and Lamplight. Those three show the most dramatic use of light (in my opinion) and the variety of subject matter the reader should hope to experience. Sunset is beautiful, but it seems more common and less likely to demand someone to pick it off the shelf. Birdman is interesting and well done, but it doesn’t express the same wonderful use of light exhibited in the other three.

I like both Sleeping Dino and Street Scene. I don't know, for me the texture of the rock or gravel and it's color is just to amazing to pass up. Although I think Street Scene appeals to a wider variety of painters, I like Sleeping Dino. I'm really looking forward to this book!

I like sleeping dino for a cover, because it is most unusual. I don't know that it is most attractive (I think the street scene is most easy on the eyes), but it is eye catching & distinctive, imho.

Beth

I voted for "Sleeping Dino" - interestingly enough, I didn't immediately see it as a dinosaur - I saw "sleeping exotic bird". So perhaps not everyone will associate it with dinosaurs/fantasy.

That being said - the montage is also a good idea, and like most, I would suggest replacing "Birdman" with "sleeping dino" "Street Scene" and "Sunset" are both great paintings, but as stand-alone covers they are a little bit too much like everything else out there on the topic. I think it's important to show that you're bringing something new to the table. "Sleeping Dino" does that well - very few people writing about color and light use animals as demos - they usually use landscapes and people.

Lamplight is my vote, DEFINITELY a book that needs to be made and one I will add to my collection along with imaginative realism!

Jim,
I like the montage approach best. I would enjoy seeing a montage with a Dinatopa image, a fantasy and a plein air as the 3 components.
Thanks for letting us be a part of the input!
Good luck-
John

I love the sleeping dino (actually I love them all), but I think the street scene would appeal to a wider audience.

I attempted looking at each piece individually onscreen from across the room, and personal biases aside, I have to go with Sleeping Dino. It seems to have the most dramatic lighting and the most "punch" with the colors. It immediately shouts "Color & Light" to me.

As much as I like Street Scene, it was still a bit subtle to me and at first glance struck me as possibly a book on photography rather than painting.

Birdman is an excellent painting, but I believe the characters are a little TOO interesting. I find myself wanting to know their story more than about the actual subject matter of the book.

Montage at first glance I don't know what to make of it and my eyes tend to search for the title. Being a montage, that could probably be fixed with a rearranged composition, but it still strikes me as trying to say too much at once, like a magazine cover.

Sunset I feel suffers from the same thing as Street Scene. Nothing that jumps out at me right away.

Lamplight would probably be my second choice, as this one also speaks "Color & Light" to me, just not quite as dramatically as Sleeping Dino.

Looking forward to the book with great anticipation!

I think Birdman matches "Imaginative Realism" the most - it will really make it look like a companion to that book. But maybe it's not the one that is most distinctive about the subject of "color and light". Sunset and street scene both say a bit more about that, but I don't think they stand that much out compared to so many other covers. Which leads me to the sleeping dino. In my opinion, that one is a winner. It is a graceful composition that makes a stylish cover, it is very Gurney-esque and it shows a lot of clever and original use of light and color. It really shows that you have a few tricks up your sleeve and know how to use them for beautiful artwork.

But hey - a new book! That's some great news, no matter what you put on the cover!

I voted "montage", not because it's the one I like the most, but because it's the one that shows both traditional realistic painting as fantastic painting. By choosing a cover that only shows one of those two genres, you give the impression that you only cover one single genre...

I am torn between Sleeping Bird and Lamplight... however, because you are famous for your Dinotopia work... the dino cover is more 'appropriate'. Hope it helps!

I voted for street scene, too, and have to agree with Larry. I think you'd reach a wider audience with that cover.

They're all great, no doubt.

The BIRDMAN speaks to what has gone before but in terms of sales the STREETSCENE might draw in a greater breadth of artists.

If you do a third...or are setting out to build a series it's always nice to stick with a theme...right?

Either way I'm buying it.

=s=

P.S. Now I know what to ask for, for my birthday, heheh.

STREET SCENE first preference.
Lamplight comes in a close second.
This big project is very exciting!

lamplight works for me.

Sleeping Dino.

But if you want to go less genre specific I'd pick Lamplight (though I'd reverse it---maybe its just because I've seen that painting before and am used to it the other way, but it still seems backward to me).

I vote for "Lamplight." It brings in the fantasy element without beating you over the head with it like "Birdman" or overly evoking Dinotopia, like "Sleeping Dino." And it even has an actual light in the image!

I vote Lamplight, best range of subject matter. Was this image not used for the cover of Spectrum?

Sleeping dino is great but I feel that the title is cramped into the corner.

Lamplight would be my choice for the same reasons that others have stated.

I definitely think the first one is the best. It has the most interesting lighting out of all of them, and the subject matter makes it pop a bit more than the other ones.

I like Lamplight(I think the overall layout is strongest), Sleeping Dino is also great.

PLEASE DON'T DO THE MONTAGE
keep it simple.
I agree with the put stuff on the back of the book person

This is just my opinion, but I like the ones that don't have fantastic elements. I love those paintings, and I know the last one was on imaginative realism, but for a book that the cover says it's a guide for the realist painter -- for some reason the fantasy paintings look out of place.

It is really cool that we, your blog readers are being asked our opinion!

Houseguard makes a very good point about Lamplight letting us know that it is about realism, but not necessarily excluding realistic fantasy.

Honestly I love the very first image. What Nancy says (first comment) I agree with and deal with in my teachings. It's striking, it makes me think of you and your work, and it would stand out in any bookstore, AND it would look good on my shelves!


And I still need to interview you on my podcast sometime in the next two months.

I don't think any of them are very compelling, honestly. The content is bland, even the sleeping dinosaur. Maybe if it were awake, otherwise, it's a passive cover that does nothing to draw a browsers eye to it. The other covers looks like just about any other book on "color & light" that I've seen before. Which well ... we all know here you're an incredible artist with moving, compelling artwork. These covers don't even marginally reflect that.

Also, the title: you need to find a different typographer. It's borderline amateurish, and could use a font treatment that complements your art instead of weighing it down.

Suggestions for a cover: the street scene with the buildings shows color and light value splendidly, but have something moving in it, such as people walking down the street, a child chasing a dog, etc and possibly move the perspective to a slightly more dynamic angle. Nothing dramatic, but a slight camera tilt, a little more angle to really show off the contrast in lighting.

For a title font, You have very elegant artwork, so why not something with a little more elegance, style, and finesse? There are plenty of beautiful and readable script fonts that make gorgeous headers, or you could pay somebody to hand create one. Doesn't take long and doesn't cost much, and they'll be able to pick up the personality of your book like most premade fonts will not, especially with you working in a distinctly traditional style whereas modern fonts are primarily austere and well ... modern. The font that's currently on there, for all it's serif, is distinctly modern, and it doesn't match.

HA. Hope I'm not coming off as too harsh, but I used to approve book covers, and this one I would have sent back and said to try again.

I think the interior of the book should reflect the cover. That is why I chose the montage. It is appealing to a broader market of people who do not know your work. I would only swap the bottom image with the title to the top.

Sleeping Dino is my favourite. I think the others look too far into fantasy or too bland, especially the townscene one. Sleeping Dino has the light behind him, illuminating his feathers and creating a fantastic aura of light around him which brings him even more to life. He looks like he'll just jump awake and pop off the page to play fetch.

I like the Sleeping Dino, runner up is the Street Scene, both of which are absolutely gorgeous.

The montage I find tacky to say the least. Birdman and Sunset don't grab me at all, and Lamplight lacks the clarity of the other pieces.

Lamplight... well it is my favorite. The landscape looks like another how to paint a sunset book. The others are nice, but are as one puts it a bit restrictive.

Street scene is my vote. I agree some action needs to be added to it. My suggestion would be a couple of orange "Art Department" traffic cones, a unicycle, and a balding plein-air artist and his wife painting on the sidewalk with easels set at 90 degrees apart.

Definately version one for me!

So great!

Sleeping dino definitely.

Birdman looks too close to Imaginative Realism.

Street scene, Sunset and Montage are too generic.

And Lamplight reminds me too much of the cover of an earlier Spectrum volume.

Where can I line up to pre-order one ? :)

All interesting cover choices. Who did the graphic design on them?

For the love of God, don't use those generic landscapes. The last image is the most pleasing and fits well, but the typography is just atrocious. don't let them get away with that if you choose this as your painting!

The sleeping dino is nice too.

I rather like Sleeping Dino, followed by Street Scene and Lamplight.

My vote's for Street Scene. People who know you mainly from the Dino and Imaginitive Realism stuff (and this blog) will probably buy the book regardless (it's on my list).

Sleeping Dino! The other covers (excepting the Birdman) could be an instructional book from any number of great artists, but the dino says "Gurney!" loud and proud.

Sleeping Dino.

Why? Because it is very realistic which goes well with the tittle yet it is imaginary which goes well with your first book.

CANT wait. But I guess I'll just have to:)

Sunset 1st.

Lamplight 2nd.

wow, a ton of people chose sleeping dino! as it happens, was the first image that drew my attention (I loved it ever since you posted the step-by-step)

Montage.

As Marion points out: "It shows the books usefulness whether you paint standard landscapes or fantasy or anything in between. This book will be useful."

Together with the Dinotopia logo it should be well known that it is from your hand. Maybe an other montage Will suits many a little more, looking at the results.

I look forward to the new book. Loved Imaginative Realism...very inspiring. I voted for the Sleeping Dino cause I love dinosaurs and I love the way you bring them to life.

'Birdman' would look cool on the bookshelf beside my copy of Imaginative Realism!

I very much enjoyed the previous book so I'm thrilled to hear about this project.
The Sleeping Dino is an awesome painting, but I opted for Lamplight in the end because it fit with the theme of the book better in my opinion.

I like the sleeping dino.
It has a strong focal point and the light in the picture really grabs the passerby... ;)
The last one is very classic looking but may not be different enough to grab the average consumer.
The dino has an exciting aspect to it.

I go for the lamplight.
At first glanced over the pictures (like it would happen at the bookstore) my initial thoughts were:
A flamingo kind bird
A photo of a street
A full fantasy kids book
A montage - like most of those books just something put together from different sources
A photo of a sunset - most likely a book about nature photography
A lovely painting - what is this about?

As i wrote - that was my very first initial impression. The second glance revealed of course the true nature of the dino, that the "photos" were paintings and so on. Question is - would i give them a second glance?

I really like all of them, except for the montage. I think you should really think of the problem in terms of how you want the book to look next to Imaginative Realism. In a way, the Birdman cover ties them together in a nice way - both are portraits of alien/mythological creatures. On the other hand, having a more fine artsy landscape might be a nice contrast. Maybe the first book is more about creating fantastical worlds -hence the alien - while the second book is more about capturing the light and colour that already exist in our world - therefore, a more serene landscape.

I think in the end, I will vote for... Street scene. Or Birdman. Or Lamplight... Hmmmmm...

Either dino, or the street. I like dino a bit better, but the street might scare normal people less than a bird-dinosaur. ;)

Quite a privilege that our input is asked! And a very efficient way of marketing research...or is it?

I noticed that the Dino cover has the highest number of votes, but I think you need to keep in mind that the audience of this blog may for a large part be Dinotopia and Fantasy Art fans. They may not necessarily be the audience this book is aiming for.

I voted for the street scene.
Reason being that it has NO link whatsoever with fantasie art and (very personally) I think it evokes the theme of light and colour best. Furthermore, if I would see that cover in a bookstore, I would think "Ah...a technical book for artists". The other covers are just way to Dino and Fantasy for me.

It all depends on what your audience is, and how much of James Gurney's typical or recognizable subjects you want to be in that cover.

As a runner-up, I also like the composition a bit. Not so much aesthetically, but instantly recognizable as a technical art instruction book.

To go over the other covers as well:
I really like the dino painting a lot by itself, but I believe it's not the best choice for this theme.

The birdman is way too similar to the cover of the first book. (Although that might be a good thing for recognizability).
But I would intuitively think that a book with this cover would have very similar content to the first book.

The sunset and the lamplight work for the subject of the book, but they narrow the perceived theme of the book to either only landscape painting or only very academic painting, and I think you would like the book to reach a very wide range of artists.

(I'm a bit late with my comments, and I deliberately didn't read the other comments first, but I hope my input is still of use)

I took the time to read the other comments now, and most of the people make the same associations that I did...but everyone disagrees whether these associations are a good or a bad thing!

During my second look at the covers, I noticed that I liked aspects in most of the covers, except the birdman as not being representative enough.

About the composition, I think that the two outdoor scenes are perhaps a bit too similar, and the birdman just 'sucks' all the attention to him.
I wonder if other mosaics could be possible, with the dino, a landscape or streetscene and the lamplight picture. This way the compo would be way more diverse, and you would no longer have a too distractive portrait. (remember the eye-tracking tests of the first book?)

My vote is for "Lamplight" since it is an image every James Gurney fan knows I think it will be easier for your fans out there to know it's YOU if they aren't already following you on your blog.

Hey Jim,

I voted for Birdman. I'm leaning toward Birdman because you say that this book is a companion book to "Imaginative Realism" and Birdman would fit perfectly for that. The only thing that throws off the Birdman cover idea is the subtitle "A Guide for the Realist Painter". I think the "Realist" subtitle goes against what's in the first book, which leads you to believe this isn't a companion book. Maybe you could have a subtitle like, "A Guide for Painters" and leave it open to all forms of painting?

Also, it's hard to make a call without knowing the imagery you intend to use inside the book. We can't have Birdman on the cover if all of your examples on the inside are created from painting trips in the Hudson valley. ;0)

Maybe you could have another book that deals specifically with how to paint dinosaurs and throw some info in on the many different species of dinosaurs?

The sky's the limit!!!

Cheers!
Gene

I think Sleeping Dino is the cover that would draw the greatest attention. The lighting and colour are both beautifully "observed" and the layout is also the most interesting of all the covers. On a gut level, who can resist a sleeping dino? I am neither a fantasy nor a science fiction illustrator, but as an illustrator interested in learning more about colour and light this cover appeals to me most.
Can't wait!

Hello Sir! I love the Street Scene, but from a marketing point of view, I would rather suggest the Montage, which looks great. Perhaps I'd add a dinosaur in the montage. Dinosaurs grab attention... but who am I telling this to? ;)

I'm partial to landscapes, but sleeping dino has the best pizzaz.

Street scene or the landscape seems to have the widest appeal. I like the others, but it leads me to think about the work in terms of fantasy or illustration rather than painting -- not that there is anything wrong with either genres.

As always, great work.

Thomas Kitts

http://www.thomaskitts.com

Lamplight, for sure. Great, another book to add to my library! I think that the Lamplight has a really nice subtle metaphor and includes both the real and the fantastic. There are too many 'plein aire' type book covers.

I voted for Street Scene, Sleeping Dino makes me think this is another dino book and SS feels more "cover-y" from a design standpoint. I'm setting aside my "New Gurney Book" monies in preparation! I can't wait!

I vote for street scene. It has the look and feel of a classic text that I would want on my shelf. I love the fact that I had to take a second look to figure out if it is a photo. I think that will sell a book about realism to the masses the best. The other pictures feel too genre specific or have layouts that do not appeal to me.

I thought given the title that street scene worked best. ~Gary

Sleeping Dino.

I vote for Street Scene as having the appeal to a widest audience. But boy oh boy do I ever like Sleeping Dino and Lamplight!
What is that title typeface? Tiepolo? Not bad, but I agree with lilrivkah in encouraging you to be a bit more daring.
As far as the montage treatment - my first thought when I saw it was "Mark-Down Bin."

I voted for Sleeping Dino. I also enjoyed Street Scene, but I think Sleeping Dino would set this book apart from similar titles.

I disagree with the criticisms of the typeface. I think it's spot-on. I particularly enjoy how it looks in Street Scene.

I don't think Birdman works very well. I'm not sure that it is a bad thing that a version of Lamplight was already seen as the cover of Spectrum 1. It has a conceptual appeal, but I feel like Sleeping Dino has the best technical appeal. It simply looks impressive in terms of light and color.

Sunset is also nice, but again it looks too familiar compared to similar books I've seen.

I would stay away from the montage.

I'm really excited for this book! Thanks for letting us in on the process! :)

The bottom half of Birdman is the most similar with the previous book.
However a "big" montage with added Lamplight and Sleeping Dino can show that the book covers something more than a part of one genre.

On glancing through the responses, it sounds like most people voting for Sleeping Dino do so because it's clearly their favorite, while most of those voting for one of the others (Street Scene would be my second choice) think it will have a broader appeal and/or serve your purposes better.

Beware the mind readers.

Sleeping Dino.

i Vote for SLEEPING DINO

why: it was simple form of the dino catch my eyes first
then drove me to focus on the book.

can't wait for this book Jim, i'm looking forward.

I cast my vote for Sleeping Dino! Definitely caught my interest more than any of the others, although Lamplight is a close second!

I voted for Lamplight mainly for the same reason others did. I think it appeals to both the wider audience of artists while giving a solid nod to those interested in fantastic painting. Marketing-wise, I think that one speaks to the largest group of people.

But, that being said, the sleeping dino image knocked my socks off! I've been looking at it most of the day.

I have to say Sleeping Dino is by far my first choice. Second would be Lamplight.

I vote Sleeping Dino, then Lamplight. But then, I think Birdman ties in really well with the cover of the first book.

Another for "Sleeping Dino". In my rookie opinion, it displays the use of light as well as any of the other options, in a more spectacular way - shadowed pebbles, backlit subject, dark indistinct background and blazing white halo of feathers. The "Street Scene" and "Lamplight" options are just too subtle and rather generic when on a shelf with 30 other art technique books. If I were taking a painting class, for instance, I'd be proud to have my Color and Light textbook turning heads as I walked across campus.

Also, if I may be so bold, the "Montage" cover really does not work with those three images laid out as they are. Not only is Birdman distracting but there's not enough contrast between the landscape and street. If there's to be a montage, perhaps a better balanced one... such as the Sleeping Dinosaur primary with the brighter landscape and lamplight, or different examples entirely, as inserts?

Late on this one by a day, but I think that the Sleeping Dino ties together the most lighting elements (boca, subsurface scattering, effects, etc.)

That said, the street scene is fantastic and expertly rendered. It would make a fine cover as well.

Finally a quick thought: those past masters in your first chapter might have great artwork, but yours certainly belongs in their company. Besides, where is their blog? =)

Thanks for all your time and dedication, its truly appreciated.

I'm absolutely thrilled about the new book and eagerly look forward to getting my copy.

I voted for the sleeping dino. It's eye-catching, unusual, and very effectively summarizes the title of your book - how light affects color and how wonderful it is. The other paintings, while excellent, don't encapsulate the title concept as effectively as that little sleeping dino - in my 'umble opinion. They don't have that "zing" for a cover :)

Your article is very good.I like it very much.
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I am reading the previous one again, and finding new things in every paragraph; so you have a sure buyer here.
I vote for the two tops. But if you want to make sure everyone notices it is a companion of the previous one, the one with the critters should be the most appropiate.

When are you coming to Spain James? The Prado and the Thyssen await you! (and me and my book wanting to be signed)...

Sleeping Dino

I've gotta tell you - I would skip right over the ones with buildings or landscapes...I just feel like I've seen them before.

If I'm not too late - I vote for Sleeping Dino- the light on the ground and feathers is fantastic. And I like that is says 'a guide for the realist painter' combined with the dino. I have become fascinated with the color tricks of the eye lately and I look forward to reading your book.

I vote for the Street Scene. It is a beautiful painting and has good areas for the type. Sleeping Dino and Lamplight are great paintings, but I like the plein air effect that the Street Scene has without looking too much like a landscape book (the mountain scene reminds me of my Kevin McPherson book). I would steer clear of a montage, though. It makes it look kind of cheap, and a single great painting holds way better on its own.

I vote for Street Scene

I was going to vote for 'Montage' as it has the most variety but on second thought it looks too generic.
I am voting for 'sleeping dino': it says 'Gurney', it's different, and c'mon, it's a SLEEPING DINO!
what more do you need?

Birdman could serve as a nice companion image to the little frog goblin character on the cover for Imaginative Realism. The sleeping dinosaur is also very nice and does speak to the rest of your dinosaur work, for which you are well known. Good luck, can't wait for the book.

Birdman is compelling. Why not have them all as big chapter themes

sleeping dino for sure

ps- I CAN'T WAIT to get this book!!

Thanks much for noticing, and for your kind words! I'm very proud of the artists on our blog, and always aiming to bring more knowledge and celebration of nature to the world--and our own backyard.

Congratulations on your OWN award, too...I've recommended your work to my readers and students for years.

Thanks for the link, Jim. And thanks for writing such a great book! It was a pleasure to review.

Read my copy this past weekend, Jim. Great book! Funny how so many of us approach illustration procedure in such similar fashions. I've lost count of how often I've related much of what you've written to fledgling artists at so many cons. Wonderful reading and a welcome addition to my ever expanding library!

this was usefull,Thank you for posting it! Hugzz.

Mag

it's interesting

It's interesting

Interesting so much... but, i just hope to click FOLLOW you, but i can't find it,,, so this all the way I have to say that your blogspot is so adorable...
I'm from Indonesia, Asia,, and wanna see more about your creator world... ^__^

James, I have a strong feeling that you feel guilty for using our remarks during the blog in your book, without paying us any royalties ;-).

Many thanks for the mention of my review.

It is always a pleasure to be able to highlight your excellent work and advice.

hi, i like your blog

its a honor to see blogs like this...

i used to have a little passion towards painting in my child hood but after seeing this i feel like start all over agin

thank you

yes, please do!

If we like???

I'd like that very much!

I received a copy of Imaginative Realism almost two weeks ago, and while I haven't yet read all of it (unfortunately I had to go to Venice for a week - you know how it is...), I must say I like the book very much and i will no doubt make use of the information in it!

I can say to potential European buyers, I bought my copy off amazon.co.uk. After solving some issues regarding payment (I don't have a credit card, but the British Amazon accepts Visa Electron, but my bank doesn't allow online purchases, bla bla bla..), the book dropped down in my mail box here in Finland just a few days after it had been shipped, and several days before it's estimated shipping date. I don't know about other countries, but i didn't have to pay any import tax or anything.

So thank you, Mr. Gurney for a wonderful book!

Yes, please!

Yes please! Can't wait to pick this up. They tend to arrive in the states a month after UK release.
I'll have to exercise some patience..

"If you like, I'll serialize some of these tips in future blog posts"

I'll join the chorus: Yes, please!

Marshall Vandruff is an awesome guy and teacher. This issue is worth it just for that.

I subscribed to the magazine this summer because it fit everything that I love into one magazine; sci-fi, fantasy and art. When I heard that you were going to be in the next issue I couldn't wait to see it.

Definitely do! Thanks for the heads up on the issue as well.

This is a perfect post to share my first experiences with the book.
Being a devoted reader of this blog - I've read it about daily since almost the beginning of the blog - I already knew most of the concepts of this book. Nevertheless, it's a joy to finally be able to hold these concepts in my hands, physically, as a book. And it will not take too many years for it to turn dogeared, to get stained with paint, waterstains and charcoal fingerprints. You see, I have a tendency to always have the same books lying around my workspaces. Sure, I frequently put all the books back onto the shelves, but somehow, within days, some books always seem to pop up on my desk and drawing table again. And it's always the same books. They only reason I can find for this, as they do not serve as direct reference material, is that they 'surround me with inspiration'.
Thanks to this book I can now 'surround myself' with James Gurney's work, world, ideas and methods.

Secondly, this book is a nice compilation of some of his work that has either never been published before or only as a book cover or only as a small thumb on this blog or even only as a much smaller size. Example of the latter is the full page rendering of the "Palace in the Clouds" that was originally shown at about half the size in the first Dinotopia book.

Thirdly, more than just some tips on imaginative realism, this book is testimony of a very developed and over the years finetuned methodology. While in artistic circles it is bon ton to favour intuition over tuition, to believe rather than to question, to romanticise rather than to analize, James Gurney took another approach to art. Being and archeaologist himself, he examines the process of art creation slowly and carefully, layer by layer. A methodological approach that he has shared with us on this blog and now, in his book. To pick out one example: the way he worked together with scientist to unveal the truth about how a viewer 'scans' a painting.

So, Erik, no criticism at all? Have you gone all soft?
Of course not!
There is one serious irritation I have with this book.
The double-page spreads.
I hate that. Already the spine of the book is showing signs of serious physical abuse from my attempts to flatten the pages on these darned spreads.

Having said that, I do love that I'm able to see the finest details of some paintings now (including a curved scratch, dent or hair in the left side of the sky of the Shandara vista). Very dim, but noticable.

And to finish today's spam, some questions.

What's with the sky on the Giganotosaurus painting?
This book's version has no clouds, while all other versions I've seen have some featherlike sirrus clouds.

What's with the sun on the Chandara vista? It's present in the color sketch as well as the line drawing. But it's in an imposible location. An unnoticed mistake or a distracting moon?

Your work is Awesome!!! I like this skeletons by diferenly animals!!! Sometomes i make this things too. But I have a question for you- "you make all this from Papier mache or not?". :)
Enter in my blog's world!!!

Erik, Thank you for all those thoughtful responses, questions, and critiques. I value them all, as I do your always surprising and interesting comments about the blog itself.

You are very observant! For the Giganotosaurus, I accidently sent in a transparency that was shot of the painting in an earlier state, before I added the clouds and the flock of pterosausrs. The disk in the sky in the Chandara sketch is supposed to be a moon rising as the sun is setting behind us.

About the spreads: some of the images are long horizontals, and I wanted to reproduce them as large as possible. So working across the gutter was the only way to really see the detail.

One thing I insisted on is that the publisher use folded and stitched signatures rather than a glued in binding--the way most books are done these days. The back of the binding may get a small crease in it, but the pages should hold together.

About being analytical--it is my gift or my curse. Someone recommended to me a book on writing where the basic message was "Don't Think." It is funny because on my wall I have the word "Think." Yet when I'm actually painting I become completely intuitive. What is intuition? It is merely rationalism made automatic.

I also wanted to leave a comment about the book, which I got a few days ago. I knew it was going to be good, because it was inspired by the blog and the blog is fantastic, but I didn't know it was going to be this amazing.

First of all, the book itself is just beautiful. The print quality is amazing, with excellent colors, and the layout of the pages keeps interest but isn't too cluttered. It's a joy to read. In fact, for the first half hour or so, I didn't even read any of the articles, just flipped through and looked at all the pictures.

Second, the wealth of information in the book is just fantastic. It seems to cover nearly everything you could really want to know. It doesn't surprise me at all that it's listed as the top instructional book on Amazon. After I got the book, I promptly took it to class so I could show all my friends (most of them going into some form of illustration themselves) and my teacher.

I really am a little bit in love with this book. Thank you so much for putting it together.

Thanks for the replies.
Glad you insisted on the pages being stiched rather than glued (and keep the price down).
Page spreads in combination with glued pages should be forbidden by law.
I agree with the definition of intuition.

I showed Josefien, our daughter, the little green creature on the cover, and first she uttered that it was a naughty strange animal. But when I showed her that the little green fellow was actually painting (just as I and Josefien had been doing the day before), she concluded that it had to be a nice guy :-).

Yes, I'm trying to give our daughter a good eductation!

There's your next book, Jim. Images My Fans have Sent Me. I've received a few spontaneous unsolicited images like that recently, and I can't think of a more touching tribute. It's always blown me away.

You could probably come up with a pretty hefty book if you hung onto every image somebody sends you, myself included. You've earned every one.

Jim (if I may be so informal), I think your link might be broken. I could not get it to work.

Every night I do a sketch on a toned background with only black and white to hit the darker and lighter values.

Its obviously an old technique but very effective for quickly getting some sculptural form.

I use it because it lets me focus on fewer issues, and the ones that I routinely botch: angle, size and position.

I hope that those are the things you are addressing in your article (otherwise I'll feel more blow-hardy).

Hopefully the link works now.

I received my copy of "Imaginative Realism" the other day, and I am so impressed. First, let me thank you for shipping it before my check cleared. I appreciate the faith. I loved the original sketch in the front. The quality of the binding, paper, printing, and clarity of the pictures is outstanding, and worth far more than its price. The amount of information is staggering, and I've already spent several hours poring over its contents, thanks to the flu and a couple of sick days I had to take. I especially like the tone of the writing; always down-to-earth, helpful, friendly, and inspiring. Never high-brow, condescending, or self-promoting. At 224 pages it is certainly not short, but I would have been willing to read much more. Well done, a true home run. THANK YOU!

Congratulations Mr. Gurney. These are just a small recognition to your great work.

I expect to get my copy shortly!

Just got mine yesterday! Beautiful work, man. With this blog and your book you've really earned your spot alongside Loomis and Bouguereau IMHO as one of the all-time great art instructors.

BTW, plugged you on Facebook, hope it helps.

Thanks, everybody! You are all so generous. To those of you who ordered during last week or so, I appreciate your patience. Jeanette and I will be returning home to ship your order on Monday.

--James Gurney

Dear Sir,

it arrived yesterday and I can only add to the superlatives used by everyone.

Thanks for this!
Have a nice day,
Johan Derycke
Belgium

I gotta gets me my signed copy!!!!!

Hi Mr. Gurney,

I was at your lectures at LAAFA the other day. Thank you for coming out, the lectures I was able to stay for were great they were both highly informative and entertaining as well! I have been reading your book non-stop since I picked it up the other day and it was worth it alone if it only had the section on composition! Definitely one of the best art books I have ever read. Thank you!
-Jeff

Hi JG,
I knew this book would be good, but it exceeded my expectations with even more illustrations, examples, and tips than I bargained for! Great to see lots of stuff in addition to the blog material. Mucho satisfaction.
Cheers,
Mark