Forging Dragons
John Howe
Impact
Nonfiction, Art
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Dragons have been an integral part of the human psyche and global myth cycles since the dawn of civilization. Even today, writers and artists seek to explore and understand the great beasts, the very embodiment of archetypical forces beyond reckoning. John Howe, a popular fantasy artist and illustrator, describes several dragon projects.
REVIEW: Much like his Fantasy Art Workshop, Howe doesn't use a step-by-step approach to recreate his paintings. Rather, he shows some of his initial sketches and the finished product, with notes on how certain designs evolved and certain effects were achieved. (He even points out flaws in his own work and things he felt could have been handled better.) He also talks about dragon legends from around the world, revealing a genuine interest in and appreciation of them beyond a mere paycheck. I still think he could use a little more variety in his dragon styles - they almost invariably have the same slick-scale sheen and dentition - but I can still appreciate how he does what he does with them.
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