This painting, ‘The Scribe’, is the back cover to my art book, Ralph Horsley: An Art Adventure. The book is a career retrospective, and this image encompasses the processes and techniques for creating fantastical oil paintings that I have developed over the past 30+ years of my career. These include a dynamic point of view, interesting lighting, storytelling and detail. My work process has evolved through experimentation, trial and a degree of error. I believe that having a clear methodology helps me create stronger work. This article breaks down my approach into a series of tips that lead from the initial idea and thumbnail sketches through to a completed oil painting. I encourage you to think about your own approach, experimentation and decision making.
Art has been an exciting journey that has taken me from being a teenager playing Dungeons and Dragons to painting cover artwork for the game. I hope this helps you on your own path.
Ralph is a traditional artist who has successfully forged his passions for gaming and fantasy art into a career painting dragons and goblins.
