With the digital world growing at a rapid rate, many people are becoming e-famous for various reasons – including artists. Fantasy and anime artists have found great recognition on the web, ranging from names such as messa to Wen-M. Who are the top 5 fantasy artists on the web today, though? We will look at 5 artists who have made their mark on the internet, ranging from an artist with a mastery of watercolors to an artist who has her own book released.
1. Linda Bergkvist
Perhaps one of the most well-known artists on the web, Linda Bergkvist hails from Umeå, Sweden, located in northeastern Sweden. She mostly produces digital-created work with dark fantasy themes, often showcasing androgynous characters. Linda comments on why she prefers this theme in her interview with CG Society:
“I love the visual element of fairytales. Things that are fantastic and unnatural and not quite real fascinate me to no end. I suppose I am in love with old, cruel tales and the wickedness that comes wrapped up in lovely forms. I suppose, in a way, I still enjoy the very same things that I have all of my life – a mixture of fantasy and horror with a little twinge of romantic idealisation.”
Although unknown to most of her fans, she is also a popular Sim artist on many Sims 2 sites, going by her alias Enayla. She has made a variety of customized skin tones and eyes for people to download.
Her most recent work was for the movie The Golden Compass, serving as a conceptual artist. She belongs to many art sites, such as Deviantart.com and Epilogue.net. Her personal site is Furiae.com.
2. Stephanie Pui-Min Law
First appearing on fantasy art site Elfwood.com in the late 90s, she has provided artwork for gaming and publishing clients, such as Wizards of the Coast and HarperCollins. She also provided the cover art for the role-playing game Blue Rose. Her art medium is mainly watercolors and she has shown a mastery of it. In an interview by The Wiccan/Pagan Times, she explains what inspires her:
“Most of the inspiration for my personal art comes mythology, legends, and folklore. Every once in a while, I’ll read a story, and some passage will really inspire me to paint something. I’m not quite sure what it is I am chasing after with my art, but it is an elusive feeling…. It is for the mystical, otherwordly…for the feeling that you are confronted with something that underlies your existance, but at the same time is otherworldly. Sacred. Mythology seems to be a natural starting point for that.”
She still hosts her work at Elfwood.com and has her own site, Shadowscapes.
3. Socar Myles
Also known for her witty commentary along with her delicate ink work, her artwork is reminiscent of work from the 1800s. Her current artwork heavily focuses on ink, but her earlier works also included digital art. She has a self-professed love for rats, often mentioned in her blog, and has lived in various places including Japan and Scotland.
Her work strongly emphasizes on rats, trees, and traditional fantasy themes, often in black-and-white. She hosts her art on Deviantart.com along with her personal site, Gorblimey.
4. Adele Sessler
Extremely popular in the fantasy circle, Adele contributes her artistry to hard work and dedication – not talent. Her work is traditional fantasy and focuses on her own characters from a book series she is planning to release, The Wars of Avenan. One book is already released subtitled The Rover’s Cripple, and has received many negative and positive remarks from fans and critics. Some have criticized it as a copy of the video game, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, because of its similarities. Adele Sessler had previously written Zelda fanfiction and drew fan art – she was one of most popular Zelda fan artists on the web besides her friend, Min Rho – so their reasons were factually supported.
She contributes her love for fantasy from her interest in medieval history and nature. She currently resides in Oregon and is writing her series of books, The Wars of Avenan. Her personal site is Meadowhaven, and also resides at Deviantart.com.
5. Diane Özdamar
A new and upcoming artist to the fantasy scene, her work is traditional fantasy and focuses heavily on digital art. Hailing from France, her work consists of stunningly realistic mystical and medieval characters in fantasy-like settings. There isn’t much known about her yet, but she has a blog and a Deviantart account.
The fame of these artists is growing rapidly, with some already receiving recognition outside the internet. Who will be the next 5 fantasy artists? Only time – and fame – will tell.
