Speculative Fiction Art
Sci-fi concept design: avoiding revision budget traps
Sci-fi concept design fails financially at a predictable point: the client starts correcting decisions that should have been…
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Speculative Fiction Art
Explore curated collections of Craig Maher's work, from initial sketches to finished oil masterpieces.
Speculative Fiction Art
Cyberpunk illustration: a roadmap from sketch to neon glow
The technical failure in most cyberpunk images occurs before the first neon sign is painted. The perspective is weak. Buildings…
Speculative Fiction Art
Sci-fi book illustration: print traps that cost money
Sci-fi cover art fails in print for predictable physical reasons. The common specimen is an RGB file built around electric cyan…
Speculative Fiction Art
Dieselpunk concept art: from reference to final render
A dieselpunk image fails long before the final render. It fails when the artist treats riveted steel, painted timber, oxidised…
Speculative Fiction Art
Steampunk book cover design: budget traps in artist hiring
A steampunk cover fails financially long before the invoice arrives. The first distortion occurs when an author compares a $150…
Speculative Fiction Art
Steampunk book cover design: from brief to final art
A steampunk cover fails long before the painting fails. It fails when the brief substitutes props for structure: “brass gears, an…
Speculative Fiction Art
Speculative Fiction Art Styles: Which Fits Your Book?
The most expensive mistake I see in a cover brief is not a bad painting. It is a perfectly competent painting wearing the wrong…