Lawrence Mann

The illustrator and artist reveals his painting – and Painter – setup

Can you tell us your background as an artist and Painter user?

I’ve been using Painter for the past few years. I started off in Photoshop back in the early 90s with a very small beige drawing tablet and while I still use Photoshop and my trusty Wacom every day, the technology has come a long way. I chose to explore Painter because it was a dedicated painting package with hundreds of unique brushes.

What’s your favourite feature in Painter 2016?

The introduction of the Dynamic Speckles Brushes. These were radically different to what had come before and immensely helpful to my fantasy art. I couldn’t wish for a better set of brushes.

Can you tell us a little about your workflow?

I’m a fully digital artist these days. I might do an initial thumbnail sketch on a notepad while on Skype with a client, but that’s really about it. Everything else is done digitally with my Wacom Cintiq 27QHD Touch – an absolutely wonderful tablet that I simply couldn’t live without.

What’s so special about the combination of your chosen hardware and software?

I could never go back to another tablet or monitor, especially as Painter has so many functions that demand the sensitivity and accuracy of the Wacom.

What’s the key to successful art?

For me, an image is about telling a story. It’s one of the reasons I love painting book covers. Adding in those details embellishes the story beyond the obvious or enriches the character, and help gain potential readers. It’s a great way to add extra value for my clients and bring a cover to life. I also have a background in marketing, so I know the importance of making your audience turn the cover!