It's an excellent book for artists who want to elevate their craft. Not merely draw or paint better but develop better art concepts and create final pieces more thoughtfully. Having a sneak peek into the approach of the author helped me not only to improve my practices but also to appreciate art in a new, more informed way.

James Gurney is a professional artist specializing in painting realistically things that don't exist for National Geographic, fantasy and sci-fi book covers, and his own illustrated book series Dinotopia. In this book, he breaks down the creative process behind many of his phenomenal art pieces. There is a lot of preparation, conceptualization, and planning done to make sure that the final result will be:
a) not only realistic but more importantly believable,
b) not simply correct but also intriguing and original,
c) telling an interesting story.

Each method or practice is explained in bite-sized chunks that are written in a conversational manner, without "artsy" words that would confuse beginners. However, if you are just starting your art journey this book might be overwhelming. It's inspiring to see how great art comes to be but the amount of time and effort necessary at this level and scale can be intimidating.

Most of the book focuses on developing the piece (rather than actual delivery) - meaning research, exploration, and prototyping - and is full of invaluable tips for any creator, regardless of medium or art form. The style of the author is very realistic. He can go the extra mile to find or create real-life references for his unreal art subjects but, at the same time, he emphasizes letting the imagination run free whenever it serves to tell a better story.

I'm dropping a half-star because there are a few ideas that seem out of place in this book, being either beyond the reach of mere mortals or tackling a different subject, e.g. eye-tracking analysis or the whole Careers chapter. Also, some points are very specific to an art piece illustrating them and are hard to generalize for another usage - it feels like "show and tell" of the author but the task of extracting insights is fully the reader's job.

This book is a valuable resource for anyone who mastered the basics of drawing or painting and wants to get serious about creating art. I will certainly be referencing it on regular basis, looking for inspiration and honing my own creative process. ( )

I grabbed this book on sale from Strand Books a few years ago. It is one of the BEST books out there on artwork, in preparing your work, researching, designing characters and costumes, compositions, and so on.
And from what Gurney discusses in the book, he backs it up with information, examples, and photographs. The confidence projected in the text is one that reveals Gurney's faith in his method of working. I had the honor of meeting James Gurney at Anthrocon in 2010; he definitely knows what he's talking about.

The only downside to this book is that it's meant more for an experienced artist. You probably should brush up on your drawing and art skills before studying this book. Other than that, Imaginative Realism is a winner! ( )

From someone who just loves to admire other peoples' art, I couldn't put this one down. Gurney is a great guy to think to share his knowledge and experience in this way.
His model building is awesome. ( )

Of the many books I've read on drawing and painting, Imaginative Realism by James Gurney is the most conversational and practical in terms of realistic approaches to creating science fiction, fantasy, and other creative scenes. Drawing on a wealth of diverse experiences including the memorable work Dinotopia and his many National Geographic illustrations, James Gurney provides useful insights on a wide range of topics from setting up a studio to plein-air studies. I was encouraged by his use of a variety of strategies including the sketches, models, maquettes, and photo references. His suggestions related to composition were unique, exciting, and useful. Although I'm just beginning the transition from informal sketching to professional illustration, his encouraging words are reassuring. I highly recommend this innovative book for anyone who is interested in imaginative realism. ( )