What mediums do you work in?

I have worked in quite a few mediums.

1992—1993: The Dungeons & Dragons books were Pilot V5 extra-fine ball-point pen on laser bond paper. They were colored in Berol Prismacolor alcohol-based graphic markers and detailed with Prismacolor colored pencils and pastel pencils.

1993—1996: For Planescape I upgraded my tools. Understanding mediums comfortable to my evolving style, I moved into working on both cold and hot press Bristol board, which I would purchase by the pad. I began inking my work with Crow Quill dip pens (using Speedball’s Hunt 102 and 101 nibs with sepia FW inks). Images were then colored in student watercolors and various diluted FW colored inks, which were also run through an airbrush. Details were then added with Berol Prismacolor colored pencils.

1996—2003: Magic cards, Magazine covers and my first books saw an evolution of my painterly work. I paint with Holbien Acryla Gouache on Strathmore 3 or 4-ply plate Bristol. Sepia or Dark Umber Berol Prismacolor colored pencils are used for layout and detailing. During this time, I stopped using an airbrush.

Pen & ink work was either done with the FW inks or Pilot microball pens. Preliminary sketches were done with a standard #2 Ticonderoga pencil.

2003—present: Nowadays, I use whatever medium will help me create the finished image I see in my mind. From The Spider & The Fly onwards, I started using Photoshop to help clean up my preliminary sketches and to fix minor errors in final paintings.

In 2005, I colored my work digitally for G is for One Gzonk! in an effort to recreate the spot color process that was prevalent during the mid-century. I continued this exploration with Adventure of Meno and with The Search For WondLa.

For general pen & ink work, I still use Speedball’s Hunt 102 nib with FW inks. Usually I work on Strathmore smooth Bristol board. If I color the image, I usually lay down a base underpainting of Liquitex acrylics (usually Raw Umber or Burt Sienna) and build up layers of Holbien Acryla Gouache. My preferred watercolors are Yarka St. Petersburg professional watercolors.

My art mediums have evolved organically over years through trial and error. Experiment with as many mediums and art styles as you can to discover which work best for you.

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Never Abandon Imagination Tony DiTerlizzi: Never abandon imagination.

Imagination is a world of possibility that exists within each of us. It is what makes us uniquely human. It is our creative fingerprint that touches and influences the world around us. Imagination is essential to art and science; to innovation and prosperity. It gives us hope, calls us to action and leads to change.

Whether it’s fairies, dragons, robots or aliens, all of my children’s book characters are siblings born of my imagination – an imagination strengthened through years of encouragement from family, teachers and friends. While so many others abandoned it during their transition from childhood to adulthood, I fiercely held onto mine, hoping for a day when I could share it to inspire the next generation of dreamers. Innovators. World changers.

Imagination empowers us to envision and create a reality of what could be. We must hold it dear, foster it and never abandon it.