Deviant Art user swinspeed has a way of creating captivating landscapes. Each one has an elegance and solitude about it. He makes great use of dark clouds and highly contrasting colors in many of his works, which creates an ominous yet epic feel.
I am a huge fan of Michael Ostermann's digital art illustrations. Each one sucks you into a surreal alternate world. Here is how he describes his process:
"Every project is different; in both needs and approach, he usually likes to start with a good photograph, a good idea that sets the mood of the overall image. He then applies his self-made resources and uses several photo-manipulation techniques, seeing where it leads."
Check out his Blog, Portfolio, and Twitter account to keep up with his amazing work.
Charles II – The Merrie Monarch (1630 -1685)
You might recognize the style from Alexia Sinclair's sister series, The Regal Twelve. This one features twelve nobles and monarchs.To create these amazing works, Alexia weaved together very specific elements from her own photos and illustrations. Here is how the series is described on her site:
"Legends of the lives of the nobles continue to captivate us today, from the pampered decadence of Louis XIV to the epic legend of Alexander the Great. Other rulers who also form this series are less renowned yet equally intriguing. An unusual blend of Royalty, their selection was based on their contrasts in leadership, their flamboyancies and their enduring influence upon society."
To read more about this series, check out her website post.
Vlad Drăculea – Son of the Dragon (1431 – 1476)
Alexander the Great – Son of Zeus (356–323 bc)
Genghis Khan – The Mongol Warrior (1162–1227)
Hannibal – Grace of Baal (247–182 bc)
Pope Alexander VI – The Borgia Pope (1431 –1503)
Shah Jahan – King of the World (1592 –1666)
Louis XIV – The Sun King (1638–1715)
Peter Romanov - The Great (1672–1725)
Marquis de Sade – The Sadist (1740–1814)
Napoleon Bonaparte – Emperor of the French (1769–1821)
Lorenzo de' Medici – The Magnificent (1449–92)
Christina of Sweden - The Androgynous Queen (1626 – 1689)
This is an absolutely incredible digital art series by Alexia Sinclair. Here's an excerpt from her site explaining the series:
"Alexia Sinclair’s The Regal Twelve is a series that combines hundreds of photographic elements and illustrations to form complex digitally montaged artworks. The series portrays twelve European monarchs who have ruled supreme and whose lives span over two millennia. Through the study of history and portraiture, a series of contrasting regals formed, whose stories are revealed within each artwork. Travelling to Europe to photograph a host of regal backdrops, Sinclair returned to Australia to photograph models and props in the studio. Like pieces from a jigsaw puzzle, she meticulously stitched together each element, along with a myriad of delicious symbols and motifs relating to each monarch."
To read more on the series, click here. I also look forward to The Royal Dozen series, which features a series of 12 monarchs.
Catherine the Great - The Enlightened Empress (1729–1796)
Eleanor of Aquitaine - The Eagle (1122 – 1204)
Marie Antoinette - The extravagant Queen (1755-1793)
Elizabeth Báthory – The Countess of Blood (1560-1614)
Agrippina - The Poisoness (AD 15-59)
Elizabeth I – The Virgin Queen (1533-1603)
Isabella of Spain - The Catholic (1451 – 1504)
Olympias - The Sorceress (376 BC – 316 BC)
Alexandra Romanov – The last Czarina of Russia (1872-1918)
Boudica – The Celtic Queen. (AD 26 - 61)
