Editor’s letter

Are you a selfie addict? I’m sure that lots of you regularly take photos of yourselves, having fun with friends or family, or at a special occasion. It’s a great way to capture the moment so that you won’t forget the event (although, to those of you who use selfie sticks: God gave you arms, they’re the perfect extendable accessory to help you take a photo at length… rant over!) But as an artist, have you ever taken this one step further and created your own self-portrait? You are your best muse – and freely available when you want, too! We get artists to discuss the merits and downfalls of such a pursuit over on page 20.

As for this manga edition, I’m particularly pleased with the talent in the workshop section this month. From pages 62 to 87, you’ll find stunning imagery and brilliant ways to get painting art in the style of manga. I loved FeiGiap’s retro environment workshop on page 82. I got transported to warmer climes and the different senses and smells that you encounter on overseas trips just by looking at his richly detailed image. Jade Mosch’s illustrative image on page 64 is a beautiful piece of unique art, and she shares some practical knowledge about her digital pastelling techniques, too.

How can I have almost finished writing this without mentioning the unicorn on the cover?! I’ve finally got a unicorn on the cover! Woo! My work here is done. Well, until next month that is…

I hope you enjoy the issue. As ever, we always love to hear from you and see what you’re painting, so get in touch!