When reviewing a book as always, you try to put yourself in the position of the intended reader and form an opinion based on what you feel their needs are. Sci-fi Art is pitched as an inspirational read for every level of digital artist which is a broad spectrum of artists to cater for. With the use of step-by-step illustrations and comments by the artists themselves explaining the process, visually it gets off to a good start.

After a brief introduction, the book is broken down into three main chapters which begin by introducing the reader to a selection of 3D and 2D applications, giving an outline of the software and attempting to indicate the user-level of the package in terms of beginner, intermediate or high-end users.

Next we progress by reading a series of techniques and procedures used by contemporary artists such as motion blurring, texturing Poser figures, creating terrain and using effective lighting. The third chapter breaks down completed projects giving the reader chance to understand how an image was constructed and the procedure, for example, when taking a concept sketch from paper to the screen. On the 2D side the use of applications like Photoshop and Painter are catered for both in terms of postproduction techniques and creating textures for 3D models as well as using the tools of these applications to develop scanned line art sketches into into forms which leap off the canvas.

The final section displays a gallery of artists images using many different 3D and 2D applications to encourage you to turn on your computers and jump right in there!

So whats the verdict? I enjoyed reading this book and found the images clear and well referenced by the artists. Its always good to see how other people construct their artwork and this book gives readers the ability to see basic techniques and develop their own methods. One of the difficulties when working on the computer is, where do you begin, which is the best and most efficent way to capture the mood or atmosphere you desire? The book does not give you the definitive answers to these questions, but does point you in the right direction.

I did feel however that Sci-fi Art would appeal moreso to entry level readers or maybe traditional artists who may have invested in their first computer. As mentioned before, attempts are made to look at a variety of 3D applications, but I did find excessive reference to Bryce which to me emphasised the entry level pitch of the book. Not that I have anything against Bryce, on the contrary, it is a great 3D program and I cut my teeth in the 3D world biting down on this application, but it would have been good to see a little more variety. However, having said that, the techniques used in this book will prove useful to all Bryce users out there.

If you class yourself as more of an intermediate you will find this book an interesting flick-through, there are some more challenging examples in book which could help in tackling a more detailed or photorealistic project.

If you need to take your artwork to the next level, then there are a handful of techniques and projects to look over using more advanced programs such as 3DSMAX, SOFTIMAGEIXSI, Lightwave 3D and of course everyones digital buddy, Photoshop. It is sometimes the case that higher-end users will frown upon the cheaper software feeling it won’t yield the same results, all I can say to that is go to www.rustboy.com and see the amazing work of Brian Taylor who uses Infini-D and Cararra.

The more you read and reference this book, the more it will inspire you, whether you are a beginner or even an advanced digital artist, because of your creativity you will find yourself wanting to experiment. Having just appeared to have given Bryce a hard time, the most important element is not the computer or the 3D applications, but your creativity, which is what this book emphasises throughout by demonstrating how artists use multiple programs to achieve a look they want. As a beginner to digital art you will find the basic techniques described in this book at the forefront of any workflow; as an intermediate/advanced digital artist I’m sure you will be inspired to experiment further and try alternative techniques.

I would recommend Sci-Fi Art for one reason, you can never stop experimenting when it comes to digital art, the possibilities are endless. This book gives you a basic understanding of the main digital tools used and an insight into some of the techniques used by the featured artists, from then on its upto you to experiement and get published in the next book!