ImagineFX: My one collection. (ImagineFX)

Member Name: TylinaVespart

Product:	ImagineFX
Date:	22/12/08 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stunning artwork, useful tutorials, the reviews, interesting articles...

Disadvantages: Can't think of any.

As far as magazines go, this one is a real gem. It's been running for a few years now, and it's one of the few magazines that I'll buy the instant it's out and treasure. It really brightens up my day buying it, and even looking over them months later they're still a valuable resource.

So what is it actually about? Well, a typical issue will have a selection of new digital art from various artists around the world - these vary per issue - some tutorials on programs such as photoshop, maya, and similar, reviews on some of the new films, books, art software releases, and sometimes art supplies. In addition, there is a user questions area, a main featured article, and fxPose, which I'll describe a bit more later.

Also included is a disk, on which you'll find the files needed for the main tutorials, and an assortment of other things like wallpapers, textures, video tutorials, and suchlike. Sometimes included there are trial versions of expensive art programs like Photoshop, and occasionally there are other programs that you can keep forever and ever.

Now, fxPose, as I said I'd get to later, links to their online community - they have a forum, and run various competitions throughout the month. You can also host your portfolio on the site, and I have one there myself. Anyway, it links to the magazine in two ways:

* Certain portfolios are selected and a few of the images are printed in the magazine each month (the fxPose part), with a short word from the creator of the images.

* The competition winners throughout the month have their images shown in next month's issue. This is basically the main prize for the competition, and they're a lot of fun to enter in and of themselves (you're given a theme that you can interpret in any way you desire, and it'll then be judged against other people by voting).

In short, it's a really great magazine, and worth a look - if only for the stunning artwork and tutorials.

Summary: If you've never seen it, hunt out a copy and have a look - you won't be sorry!