Letters Your Feedback & Opinions
Contact the editor, Claire Howlett, on claire@imaginefx.com or write to ImagineFX, Future Publishing, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA 1 1UA , UK Follow www.twitter.com/imaginefxus on twitter: Tell us your thoughts on: www.facebook.com/imaginefx Post your art or photos on: www.instagram.com/imaginefxmagazine
Good and bad
I wanted to write in and say how much I’ve enjoyed my subscription to ImagineFX. I’ve learned a lot from the tutorials and my own work has improved so much!
I was disappointed by the recent manga issue, though. Despite the arresting cover art, there was nothing about actual manga – that is, the sequential art. Manga style illustrations are nice, but they’re the icing on the cake. It would have been nice to see workshops that addressed making actual manga pages, or working in different genres of manga. Sonya Kinsey, via email Claire replies Good to hear from you, Sonya. With the most recent manga art special (issue 140), we wanted to try something a little different. We regularly produce a manga themed issue and it’s usually one of our most popular issues. We felt we’d covered off those aspects in previous issues and wanted to bring something new to the table. But we’ll certainly bear your view in mind when we’re planning the next one. What do other readers think? Are we getting the balance right? Please email in and let us know.
Under cover
I’m a long-term reader of ImagineFX – thank you for all the great digital art – and I have a question about something that has long intrigued me. Namely, how do you select your cover artist for each issue? Or instead, do they in fact choose you? June Krieger, via email Claire replies Thanks for your question June. Because ultimately we need people to pick up the magazine and buy it, the cover is the most important page in it. Art editor Daniel Vincent and I always pick the artist, after a lot of research online. We try to get the best possible artist within the issue’s genre or theme, approach them and tell them what we are after. They usually say yes, and then two or three weeks of email exchanges between the three of us begins. The cover direction process can be a challenge because it’s over email – we’d much prefer a face-to-face discussion – but is always rewarding in the end. Hopefully, most of the time, we get it right!
Turning over a new leaf
I just wanted to write in and let you know how much I enjoyed your book illustration special. It’s not an area of digital art I’d given much thought to before. But the issue, and especially both the interview with the fascinating Marc Simonetti – his story, his work ethic, his opinions – and the piece on how to break into children’s illustration really opened my eyes and fired up my imagination. Thank you ImagineFX. Marion Meeks, via email Claire replies Many thanks for emailing in Marion. We’re so glad the issue hit the mark.
Traditionally speaking
I’m really enjoying your magazine and feel like I’ve just sat through a digital art class after reading every issue. On putting the magazine down, I always feel full of both fresh ideas and techniques I’m compelled to try out. My only request, if this isn’t too impertinent, is that I’d love to see even more traditional art in ImagineFX. Though I consider myself primarily a digital artist, I find it so inspiring and it’s made me pick up a paintbrush again after a long absence. But otherwise, please keep up the great work. Kian Griffin, via email Claire replies Hello Kian, thanks for getting in touch. We’re fairly happy with the ratio of digital and traditional art in the magazine at the moment, although it’s an open question we will continue to monitor. What do other readers think? Do get in touch and let me know!
However, you may be pleased to hear that a new special issue of ImagineFX, Practical Painter Vol 2, has just come out. It’s packed full of traditional content from the finest professional artists around. You’ll find more information about it on page 92. We all hope you and other artists like it.