--- product_id: 1606561 title: "Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist (Volume 1) (James Gurney..." price: "£29.11" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/1606561-imaginative-realism-how-to-paint-what-doesnt-exist-volume-1 store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist (Volume 1) (James Gurney... **Price:** £29.11 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist (Volume 1) (James Gurney... - **How much does it cost?** £29.11 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/1606561-imaginative-realism-how-to-paint-what-doesnt-exist-volume-1) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description See and shape the world in a way you never before imagined with this realistic fantasy illustration guide from award-winning artist and author James Gurney. “Gurney's Imaginative Realism is a gold mine for artists who want to create images that sing with authority and delight the viewer with rich otherworldly visuals.” – Erik Tiemens, concept artist, Star Wars: Episodes II and III “ Imaginative Realism is an indispensable, flawless reference for vision-makers in any discipline to create their own imaginative realms.” – Frank M. Costantino, ASAI, SI, FSAI, JARA, cofounder, American Society of Architectural Illustrators In Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist , Dinotopia creator James Gurney instructs and inspires beginning artists and fans of fantasy art, sharing his uncanny ability to incorporate amazing detail and imagination into stunningly realistic fantasy settings and teaching, step-by-step, the techniques that won him worldwide critical acclaim. This groundbreaking work examines the practical methods for creating believable pictures of imaginary subjects, such as dinosaurs, ancient Romans, alien creatures, and distant worlds. Alongside a survey of imaginative paintings from the Renaissance to the golden Age of American illustration, the book explains not just techniques like sketching and composition, but the fundamentals of believable world-building, including archaeology, architecture, anatomy for creatures and aliens, and fantastic engineering. It concludes with details and valuable advice on careers in fantasy illustration, including video game and film concept art and toy design. More than an instruction book, this is the ultimate reference for artists as well as fans of science fiction and fantasy illustration. Review: For those who want depth in your art - If you are a regular reader of James Gurney's blog, Gurney Journey, you would expect nothing less. This book is as good as I expected. He dispenses his knowledge as freely as he does on his blog. Here's what he says about his own book from the introduction: "This is not a book about figure drawing, anatomy, or perspective. It's not a step-by-step guide on how to draw dinosaurs. It's also not a recipe book for a particular paint technique, although all these topics are addressed in passing. What this book contains is a distillation of the time-tested methods that I've found to be most helpful for achieving realism in imaginative pictures." If you haven't got the hint from the title, this book is about making your art real and believable. In every chapter, James Gurney shares with us what he learned when creating his paintings. There are topics on people, dinosaurs, architecture, vehicles, composition and his step-by-steps (not techniques but process). The tips he gives can be applied on other subjects as well. The importance of research is emphasized and the amount of research he does really shows. While creating an illustration on ship wreckage for National Geographic, he talked to survivors to get an accurate account. He found out there's a drummer boy who used his drum as a float and drew that in. He also acted out the various poses of sailors in distress, rather than drawing them from imagination. The result is a painting that tells its story convincingly. The same goes for many of his other paintings. Another interesting read is the story of him trying to design a Dinotopian fire engine. When he presented his concept art to a professional fire engine designer, it was critiqued to have form but not function. There's lack of heat protection for the dinosaur, lack of understanding on how water hose works and a complicated water pump design. The revised concept is a huge improvement in believability that I thought it actually might work. He has provided lots of photos and his own work in the book. You'll get to see how he stages the props for reference, sketches and drafts, plenty of commissioned work (especially from National Geographic), the bird on his shoulder while he's drawing, the lousy-art incinerator he created from mirrors and other entertaining stuff. Imaginative Realism is an enlightening and fun read. Highly recommended to professionals, beginning art students and those who wish to push their art to the next level in terms of depth. (More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my desertcart profile for the link.) Review: Loved it - Great book ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #43,368 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #29 in Science Fiction & Fantasy Art (Books) #43 in Arts & Photography Study & Teaching #116 in Painting (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.8 out of 5 stars 2,106 Reviews | ## Images ![Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist (Volume 1) (James Gurney... - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/9102z+QtLrL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ For those who want depth in your art *by P***A on October 26, 2009* If you are a regular reader of James Gurney's blog, Gurney Journey, you would expect nothing less. This book is as good as I expected. He dispenses his knowledge as freely as he does on his blog. Here's what he says about his own book from the introduction: "This is not a book about figure drawing, anatomy, or perspective. It's not a step-by-step guide on how to draw dinosaurs. It's also not a recipe book for a particular paint technique, although all these topics are addressed in passing. What this book contains is a distillation of the time-tested methods that I've found to be most helpful for achieving realism in imaginative pictures." If you haven't got the hint from the title, this book is about making your art real and believable. In every chapter, James Gurney shares with us what he learned when creating his paintings. There are topics on people, dinosaurs, architecture, vehicles, composition and his step-by-steps (not techniques but process). The tips he gives can be applied on other subjects as well. The importance of research is emphasized and the amount of research he does really shows. While creating an illustration on ship wreckage for National Geographic, he talked to survivors to get an accurate account. He found out there's a drummer boy who used his drum as a float and drew that in. He also acted out the various poses of sailors in distress, rather than drawing them from imagination. The result is a painting that tells its story convincingly. The same goes for many of his other paintings. Another interesting read is the story of him trying to design a Dinotopian fire engine. When he presented his concept art to a professional fire engine designer, it was critiqued to have form but not function. There's lack of heat protection for the dinosaur, lack of understanding on how water hose works and a complicated water pump design. The revised concept is a huge improvement in believability that I thought it actually might work. He has provided lots of photos and his own work in the book. You'll get to see how he stages the props for reference, sketches and drafts, plenty of commissioned work (especially from National Geographic), the bird on his shoulder while he's drawing, the lousy-art incinerator he created from mirrors and other entertaining stuff. Imaginative Realism is an enlightening and fun read. Highly recommended to professionals, beginning art students and those who wish to push their art to the next level in terms of depth. (More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.) ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved it *by H***B on December 31, 2025* Great book ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An absolute must read for any artist! *by T***. on January 22, 2025* After an initial read followed by a 2nd, I promise it’s not hyperbole when I say that this might be one of the best art books ever written. Between the insights into his setup and process, the general advice and practical wisdom on offer, and the brilliant and inspirational artwork he provides on every page, James Gurney has given us a modern classic. It’s a must-have and must-read for any artist of any level. Clear. Concise. Powerful. It may not be a step-by-step book in the traditional sense, but it truly is a manual for a practical approach to ingesting, digesting and creating great art. ## Frequently Bought Together - Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist (Volume 1) (James Gurney Art) - Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter (Volume 2) (James Gurney Art) - The Artist's Guide to Sketching: The Classic Book about Making Art on Location --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/1606561-imaginative-realism-how-to-paint-what-doesnt-exist-volume-1](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/1606561-imaginative-realism-how-to-paint-what-doesnt-exist-volume-1) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-27*