There has never been a better time to get in to miniature painting. I say this without hyperbole. Think back to when you were 13, scrolling though those massive walls of texts in White Dwarf, trying to figure out how Mike McVey got those blends so damn nice. Think about that when you see the following pages and you’ll see that I’m right. 

The Rise Of Fantasy is part of a new wave in printed media that offers high-end tutorials aimed at taking your painting up a few notches through three key areas:

• The development of technique
• The creation of scenes around the miniature in order to tell a story
• The expansion of knowledge related to colour theory

The first quarter of the book is divided into sections covering the more technical side of the hobby. But rather than just being about technique (which is covered, but not in as much detail), The Rise Of Fantasy is pays attention to things like composition, and how to arrange your piece so that the eye is drawn where you want it to go. The book requests that you consider your projects the same way an artist considers a painting. This is not something new, but it will require a shift in thinking for painters who have only really focussed on painting armies.

The remainder of the book is focussed on a number of impressive, and beautifully done case studies. Covering the creation of different scenes using miniatures from some of the finest sculptors and companies working today. Just flicking through the book will provide plenty of inspiration and may well expose you to some miniatures you’ve not seen before.

But the real beauty of this book likes in it’s layout. The practical examples offered all show in detail the colours used and how they are mixed. This book is perfect for the intermediate painter who is keen to learn to push themselves to the next level. But that doesn’t mean this is perfect. The Rise Of Fantasy could do with more on the technical side to entice the mid-level beginner, but this is a minor criticism of a fantastic book that will provide a great reference for a great many painters the world over.