Learn Character Design From The Masters

d'artiste Character Design provides a Master Class in character design from talented artists working in game, TV and collectables. Each Master Artist shares their techniques and approaches for creating compelling characters through their insights and detailed graphic tutorials.

d'artiste Character Design provides a Master Class in character design from talented artists working in game, TV and collectables. Each Master Artist shares their techniques and approaches for creating compelling characters through their insights and detailed graphic tutorials.

This new 208-page book features a wide range of character styles from fantasy, to game and manga-inspired creations. Kekai Kotaki shows you how he creates characters for ArenaNet's 'Guild Wars' RPG along with 36 character designs from 'Guild Wars', 'Guild Wars 2' and 'Guild Wars Nightfall'. Anne Pogoda shows you how to create character variations and how to rescue characters that aren't working. Gonzalo Ordoñez shows you how to create fantasy and manga-inspired characters drawing on his inspired work on trading card franchises like 'World of Warcraft' and 'Legend of the Five Rings'. Inside d'artiste Character Design

Each Master Artist presents their character design techniques through a series of tutorials that start with an idea and step through the process of bringing the idea to fruition. The book is divided into three sections based around each Master Artist. Artists' sections include a personal gallery, the artist's work and thoughts in their own words, a large tutorial section, and an invited artist gallery featuring character work from some of the most talented character artists in the world. "The d'artiste series has helped tens of thousands of artists improve their skills with a unique mix of tutorials, production showcases from game and film, and an inspiring community of contributing artists. It's humbling to see the world's best artists share their knowledge with and inspire the artists who will follow in their footsteps in years to come," explains Daniel Wade, Publisher at Ballistic Publishing.

The heart of d'artiste series

Each featured artist in d'artiste Character Design draws on years of experience in the entertainment industry to deliver detailed tutorials on all aspects of character design. From the challenges of creating different types of characters, to creating variations, and saving designs that are not working, there is something for every character artist looking to improve their techniques and understanding of the craft.

Production focus: Guild Wars

d'artiste Character Design continues the d'artiste series' production focus with a behind-the-scenes look at the hugely popular 'Guild Wars' RPG series through Kekai Kotaki's amazing character designs. Kekai's personal gallery features 35 characters from 'Guild Wars', 'Guild Wars 2' and 'Guild Wars: Nightfall' showing a huge selection of fantasy characters for many character classes. Three expansive tutorials cover many of the techniques regularly employed by Kekai when creating characters for 'Guild Wars', and include 'Wild', 'Heroic' and 'Evil' character designs. Finally, Kekai's invited artist gallery features the work of fellow ArenaNet artists including Daniel Dociu, Horia Dociu, Richard Anderson, Levi Hopkins, and Donald Pham.

Exclusive Poster Offer

The first 200 customers to complete their purchase of d'artiste Character Design on the Ballistic Publishing website will receive a beautiful A3 poster featuring the work of Gonzalo Ordoñez. Offering a new level of presentation and quality, the unfolded A3 poster will arrive separately in a special flatpack poster mailer preserving the poster in its original condition.

About the artists

Kekai Kotaki was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii, and has always had a passion for art. Finding the sunshine and beautiful scenery distracting he moved to dreary Seattle in 2000 to attend art school. After graduating he joined ArenaNet, the makers of the 'Guild Wars' franchise as a texture artist. Through hard work and a little luck he moved into the role of concept artist. Kekai is now the Lead Concept Artist on Guild Wars 2, and also works with Wizards of the Coast on its trading card series like 'Magic: The Gathering'.

Gonzalo Ordoñez grew up in a port city in Chile with a love for games, comics, and manga. He spent his childhood years recreating his favorite characters over and over again, until he set off for art school in Santiago. With an emphasis on Design, Gonzalo decided that art education suited him better, and started his career as a teacher. Not long after, the call of exciting freelance work for his favorite game franchises drew him away from teaching, and he has since created memorable characters for well-known trading card games like 'World of Warcraft', 'Street Fighter', 'Legend of the Five Rings', and 'Ultimate Fighting System'.

Anne Pogoda attended Art Academy Berlin where she majored in Communication Design and Photography. She developed a fascination with digital illustration that took her on her current path that has included lecturing, many magazine workshops, and most recently a creative lead role at Germany's
biggest TV and film company. Anne's work can be seen in Germany's version of 'American Idol' where she created and animated "Freddy the Frog" who is injured spectacularly every week on the show.