Artist Research Short: John Howe

Another illustrator who became well-known for tolkein illustrations and has also worked on the A song of ice and fire series.
If he looks iconic and typical it's because he's one of the foundational artists in the world of sci-fi/fantasy. I remember these illustrations from when I was a wee nessbeast reading these books the first time.

interested in: coherant color in a landscape, technical skill, building landscapes, inserting fantasy individuals believably in their rolling panoramic landscapes which extend beyond the picture plane.

Artist Research Short: Ted Nasmith

An illustrator who has done some work for A song of ice and fire, and Tolkein works. Fairly traditionalist.
Would like to be able to build landscapes in some fashion like this, and also all of tehse are goauche on illustration board-- would like to figure out how the hell they end up looking like oil paintings in gouache.  Sam Lacombe says the secret is using really thirsty paper so perhaps the paper i've been using just isn't thick enough? Though I use rag paper, which is so absorbant most watercolorists eschew it passionately, so i don't know.

http://www.tednasmith.com/