2DArtist Magazine for the Creative Masses

Let's talk about this magazine right here: 2DArtist Magazine. Honestly, when I first heard about it, I was introduced to the December 2013 issue, which is as awesome as it is a little off-putting. That's, funnily enough, what drew me in. I went ahead and looked into it on the official web site and saw that you could subscribe £23.99 ($39.33). Honestly, I would have done it, but I didn't have the funds. Instead, I bought individual issues. For just £2.99 each (that's $4.85), I bought the September 2013 - January 2014 issues. I skipped over October for a reason I can't honestly deliver to you right now. I'll've to go back and get that.

I know that it was a little... ambitious to buy so blindly, but from what I saw on the website that introduced it to me in the first place, I believed that I wouldn't regret the purchase.

And I was oh so correct.


I apologize ahead of time for not adding more pictures in here, but I can assure you that there's so much to do and so much to see. I'm not a creative individual in any respect, but this book gives me so much hope to try and do better with what I am able to accomplish. This issue is 44 pages filled with tutorials, interviews, and creative jams. Artists show how they work, in no way are they giving you an all over "This is how you should do this". They're showing you their process and giving you detailed instructions on how they achieve their certain looks.

Such as here, this is taken from pages 70 and 71 of the January 2014 issue:

(click here or image for bigger)

Jan Urshel shows readers how to paint swamp themed fantasy artwork complete with background and buildings. This isn't just a tutorial, but this is a (as quoted) "comprehensive breakdown" of what you would need to do to achieve this look or anything similar. The breakdown goes on for pages, making sure not to leave you in the dark if at all possible. Even if you can't or don't want to mimic this look, you will still learn something, and that's what's so absolutely important.

Each of the contributors are listed in the beginning pages, but prefacing their own features, they also have a profile box that gives a little background information on the artist and gives a link where to find them, if applicable. This magazine celebrates artists of all types and styles, and that's why I fell so easily and so quickly for 2DArtist Magazine.

You can buy this issue and all others online either directly from the main web site or from the 3DTotal store. As I've said, I do plan on subscribing to this magazine in the future. Also, I will buy more and more of the back issues (I'm looking at you, October 2013).

What's even better is that there's another magazine called 3DCreative, which focuses, as it says, on 3D aspects. This is one that I really want to look into as well, seeing what kinds of tips, tricks, and creative jams it offers to those in the 3D field. Maybe one day, who knows, I might subscribe to them both.

Be sure to check out everything out for yourself. Go to the store; shout at them on twitter via 3DTotal or LayerPaint; and remember: tell 'em GDR sent ya.