Music Video - Symphony X Live

A few days ago I posted the trailer for the upcoming movie remake of Clash of The Titans. Let's stay in the realms of gorgons and deadly shores for a while, shall we? Here is one of my favorite songs with one of my favorite progressive metal bands. A great live version of The Eyes of Medusa.

I have seen this band live twice - once with Stratovarius (one of my favorite power metal bands) and once with Dream Theater (one of my favorite bands, all categories). Russell Allen truly has a magnificent voice. One of the best metal singers for sure. And Romeo, Rullo, Pinella and LePond are top notch musicians.

Also want to wish you all a
Happy New Year!


My resolution is to keep running and developing this blog further in 2010. Please tell me what is already great and what could be better about it. Which of the main categories (Movies, Music, Art, Games, Books) should get more focus? I'll do my best to make all our dreams come true. See you next year!

/M

Movie Trailer - Shrek Forever After

The first Shrek movie is one of my favorite cg-animated movies. The two following movies had their great moments and were enjoyable, but never felt quite as solid or inspired as the first one.

Now it seems as if a fourth (and final?) part is soon to be released. Here is the Trailer for Shrek - Forever after:

(Release: May 21st 2010)

Finished drawing - Seasight

Last night I finished the pencil drawing I've been posting "Work in progress"-images of here at Fantasytree (follow this link for the latest of those WiP:s).

Once again I found myself adding some hidden faces a' la Rackham. Really enjoy this kind of playfulness and believe it adds an extra, more "fantastic" dimension to the piece.

Hope you will like it -  here is Seasight:

(mechanical pencil 0.7 HB on Canson sketch paper)

Seasight (2009)

Size: 21x29,7 cm

Fantastic Music Videos Now on Fantasytree!

As well as hi-quality trailers I will try to provide readers of this blog with the best music videos of the greatest "fantasytree related" bands. Let's start with one of the best Power Metal groups, Blind Guardian. I wrote about this group a long time ago in the post The Two Kings of Epic Fantasy Metal and they still remain one of my favorite power metal bands.

Here is the studio version of their "The Bard's song":

Movie Trailer - Alice In Wonderland by Tim Burton

Hope you all had a great Christmas.

Let's continue with yet another really fascinating trailer. This time it's Tim Burton's adaption of Lewis Carroll's classic novel. One that I have read and reviewed here at Fantasytree: Alice in Wonderland.

While at my parents' place I realized that the "standard" trailer size is better for some browsers. Let me know if you prefer the large (720 pixel) one. This standard one is 450:

Movie Trailer - Avatar

It was possibly the biggest movie occurence this year. Here is the trailer to one of the most anticipated movies ever: James Cameron's Avatar. Enjoy.

Movie Trailer - Clash of The Titans

As long as I can remember I have been fascinated by Greek mythology. Therefore I'm really excited about the movie Clash of The Titans about Perseus and a struggle between the gods.

Here is a promising trailer for this movie and a

MERRY CHRISTMAS!


from me to all of you:

(Nudity!) From The Sketchbook - The Night

(This post contains artistic nudity!)

A sketch of Van der Schardts sculpture The Night that I recently did for the Sketchstorm thread I've started:

Hi-Quality Movie Trailers At Fantasytree!

Today I want to apologize to my readers. The reason is that I have been neglecting the movie category here at Fantasytree far too long, with an emphasis on fantasy (and my own) art. I am also aware that so far the most popular post is the one about the 10 Most Popular Fantasy Movies. Not very clever, since I'm constantly trying to improve this blog and make it more interesting to follow.

But - this will change from now on! Regard it a New Year's resolution from me that I will do my best to regularly post interesting fantasy-related movie trailers here as well. I just found the great site traileraddict.com, making it really easy to post hi-quality movie trailers.

I hope you will enjoy these trailers and this continually evolving blog even more from now on.

Enough talk. Let's start with the trailer for the follow-up on the Marvel classic Iron Man, shall we? Here is Iron Man 2:

Have A Great Christmas Week!

Monday and Christmas is almost here. I suppose you all have as much to do as I have, so for today I'll simply start decorating the fantasytree.

I wish every reader a great week and a fantastic Christmas!

Work In Progress - Free Eagle Design Coming Up

I have begun drawing another tattoo/graphic design in ArtRage3. This time it's an eagle drawn from photo ref. Here is how far I've come:

From the Sketchbook - Quick Portrait From Life

One of the best drawing exercises is to sketch people from life. I talk more about this kind of practice in the second of my free drawing lessons. Here it's enough to just mention that it is one of the most challenging - and enjoyable - things to draw.

This is a quick portrait sketch from life that I drew in my sketchbook this morning: (0.7 mechanical pencil HB on sketchbook paper)

Free Tattoo Design - Shakira

For those who have been waiting, here it is: A Shakira tattoo design.

Hope it will be useful and inspirational to you.

I am grateful for any feedback on my designs. Also let me know what kind of designs you would like to have available for free. Tell me if you would need any of my designs posted in a different size or color than I've posted them.

To download image just right-click and choose "Save image as..."


For more designs and terms of use please read this post.

From the Sketchbook - Kelly Manowar Cover Study

Did Frank Frazetta have any students? Yes, there is at least one great fantasy artist I know of that has been taught by him: Ken Kelly. Many of his paintings make me really nostalgic, since they were among my favorite covers during the "Dungeons and dragons-era" in the 80's (along with Frazetta, Royo and Vallejo).

Kelly is also famous for his many record covers for bands such as Kiss, Rainbow and Manowar. Today's sketch is a quick master study of one of his Manowar covers:

(mechanical 0.7 HB on standard sketchbook paper)

Coming soon: Shakira design!

I have begun drawing another design - this time of the famous singer Shakira. Hope too soon have it finished and posted here.

From the Sketchbook - Mossberg Birch Tree Masterstudy

One of the things I enjoy most to draw is trees. I can really understand why the tree has become such an important symbol throughout the ages.

Bo Mossberg is one of my favorite artists when it comes to painting nature. Once more I decided to do a masterstudy of one of his watercolor paintings. This time it's a Birch, drawn for the Sketchstorm thread.

Speaking of watercolor, I upgraded my version of ArtRage to ArtRage 3. Some great additions like "fill bucket", watercolor tool and ink pen is making me really happy. Hope to soon have an AR3 work to post here. Will certainly be useful for drawing tattoo/graphic designs.

Anyway, here is the tree study (mechanical 0,7 HB pencil on standard office paper):

Free Tattoo Design Concepts - Cats (3)

As mentioned yesterday, I have drawn some new designs. This time it's a popular animal: The cat.

Hopefully these will be useful and inspirational to you.

I am grateful for any feedback on my designs. Also let me know what kind of designs you would like to have available for free here. Tell me if you would need any of my designs in a different size or color than I've posted them.

To download image just right-click and choose "Save image as..."


For more designs and terms of use please read this post.

Coming soon: Free cat tattoo/graphic designs!

I have just finished drawing some more designs. This time the theme is "Cats". Hopefully I'll have them posted here tomorrow.

Work In Progress - Good Vs Evil (WiP 4)

Monday, new week and finally the grey clouds have parted. White snowflakes slowly fall to the ground and yesterday me and my son built the first snowman of the year.

No snowman, but at least a shoe-throwing Cinderella is what I have to offer in my latest digital piece. Here's an update of it.

Have yourself a great week hopefully enriched by innumerable snow crystals!

(Done in ArtRage so far)

Good Vs Evil - Work in progress (WiP4)

Free Tattoo Design Concept - Flower

Time for another free design, this time a flower.

Hopefully it will be useful and inspirational to you. For more designs and terms of use please read this post.

Please give me feedback on my designs. Also let me know what kind of designs you would like to have available for free and we'll see what I can come up with. Tell me if you would need any of my designs in a different size than I've posted them.

To download image just right-click and choose "Save image as..."  

From the sketchbook - Hot Air Balloon

Just finished drawing and posting another sketch for the sketchstorm thread at ImagineFX. This time it was supposed to be a particular vehicle - a hot air balloon:

(0.7 mechanical HB pencil on standard sketchbook paper)

Work In Progress - Frazetta Female Master Study

Woke up without fever this morning. Felt like returning to one of my beloved Frazetta art books and started drawing another master study. This time a female about to be attacked by a lion.

(mechanical 0.7 HB pencil on standard office paper)

From the Sketchbook - Winter Scene

Since I unfortunately have caught a flu, this is what I just drew lying on the coach. Some kind of simple winter scene:

Work In Progress - Landscape with Tree Update (WiP3)

Have continued drawing my Landscape with tree piece. Here is the latest update. Decided that there was just too much leaves. Also did the same "Rackham game" I did in my last finished fantasy work, Moonrise. That is, I hid a face somewhere in the picture. Can you find it?

Landscape with Tree - Work in Progress (WiP3), 2009

(Updated!) Free Tattoo Design Concepts - Stars (5)

One of the most popular tattoo designs are stars. The basic star shape offers many opportunities for further exploration, combination and development. Hopefully these designs will be useful and inspirational to you. For more designs and terms of use please read this post.

I am grateful for all feedback on my designs. Also let me know what kind of designs you would like to see next.

To download image just right-click and choose "Save image as..." 

Work In Progress - Good Vs Evil (WiP 3)

Have added some more color to my latest digital project. Used the oil paint tool in ArtRage set to a 20% size. Not quite happy with the look of the pages in the book that the characters are standing on. Probably will use the palette knife to spread the scattered darker colors.

Since there are so many characters in this composition I'll try to make the background rather simple. Otherwise the overall impression will be too cluttered. Which I feel it is at the moment:

Free Graphic Design - Tiger

Monday and a new week with the everreaching Fantasytree.

This lovely morning the birds are... not here, they have packed and left for warmer countries for the winter. The bright sun is...hiding behind thick clouds. Well, at least it's not...wait a minute, looking closely I can see tiny, tiny drops forming a moisty drizzle outside the window.

Hmm...the December weather seems unable to cheer us up. But don't worry, here is the sketch of a new tattoo design to give this week a good start after all.

This time it's a tiger, drawn by using a tutorial on tiger head drawing by the great Jack Hamm. I hope you'll like it. Please tell me if you do - and if you don't, let me know what should have been posted here instead.

Wish you all a great week.

/M

For more designs and terms of use visit this post.

To download image just right-click and choose "Save image as..." 

Work In Progress - Good Vs Evil

Here's a little update on the Good Vs Evil piece I'm doing for the December challenge at ImagineFX. Done in ArtRage 2.5 this far.

Have made a new transparent layer and begun adding some thicker color using the oil paint tool (thinner 50%). Only had time for parts of the background and some of the characters this far though.

How many fairy tales can you find? (it's supposed to be more than 5 there).

Free Tattoo Design Concepts - Tribal (1)

Tribal designs are arguably the most popular and most frequently occuring of all tattoo designs. Here is a variation on the tribal theme in the shape of a spider.

I hope thise design is useful and inspirational to you. Please give me feedback and let me know what kind of designs you would like to see next.

For more designs and terms of use visit this post.

To download image just right-click and choose "Save image as..." 

(Nudity) From the Sketchbook - Female Figure Master Studies

(Note: Post includes artistic nudity)

One of the best ways to improve figure drawing skills is to study the masters. Since drawing from the masters is something I just love doing this is one of my favorite ways to practice. I actually try to do some kind of master study every day and truly recommend this for anyone serious about improving.

Here are some quick female figure studies from masters like Tizian, Corregio and Dossi. Hope you like them and that they can inspire you to draw. (HB mechanical 0.7 pencil on regular office paper).

Have a great weekend.

(Updated!) Fantasytree Now With Free Graphic Designs!

I have decided to make this blog even more interesting by offering my readers free design concepts. These can be used as inspiration for more advanced designs or just as nice designs to develop further and use on different documents, letters, webpages and similar.

All designs are available free of charge and may be used by any readers of this blog until otherwise stated. All designs posted here have been drawn by Mindbender. If any design is similar to any artwork under copyright, please let me know and I will remove it immediately.

Please give me feedback and let me know which designs you would like to see available here.

I hope you will find these useful 
/Magnus

More than 20 Free designs:
Butterflies (4)     
Cats (3)  
Celebrity 
Eagle (New!)  
Flower
Hearts (4)  
Stars (5)
Tiger
Tribal

Free Tattoo Design Concepts - Butterflies (4)

One of the most popular designs among women: Butterflies.

I hope these designs are useful and inspirational to you. Please give me feedback and let me know what kind of designs you would like to see next.

For more designs and terms of use visit this post.

To download image just right-click and choose "Save image as..."

Free Tattoo Design Concepts - Hearts (4)

Another very popular design is the heart. Here are some examples of traditional and less traditional heart design. Hopefully these designs will be useful and inspirational to you.

Please give me feedback and let me know what kind of design you would like to see next.

For other designs and terms of use visit this post.

To download image just right-click and choose "Save image as..." 

Work In Progress - Landscape with Tree Update

Here's an update on the Landscape with tree drawing I'm currently working on.

(Mechanical 0.7 HB pencil on A4 Canson sketch paper)

I plan to cover the entire paper with pencil before picking out highlights in the water and tree with an eraser. Other than that, the main shapes are probably finished. Believe I will keep the sky simple and free from birds and clouds. We'll see...

Landscape with tree - Work in progress (2009) 

Good Vs Evil - ImagineFX December Challenge Entry

The other day the monthly theme for the ImagineFX december challenge was revealed. This time the theme will be "Fable, Fairy Tales or Nursery Rhymes".

My first idea (and sketch) is a battle between good and evil fairytale characters. Quickly sketched in ArtRage, here is what it looks like. So far I have only used one layer for the sketch (using the pencil tool) and one for adding the pale colors (blend mode set to "colors"), using oil paint tool with thinner on 50%.

Good Vs Evil - Work In Progress

Work In Progress - Landscape with Tree

Recently began another drawing project. This time a landscape drawing with a huge tree entirely from imagination. Drawn with a 0.7 mechanical HB pencil: