About SteveSteve A Roberts is a talented artist of vision and technique, Steve is entirely self-taught in his skills. This he did by studying the works of his childhood heroes - legendary fantasy artists, from Frank Frazetta, to The Brothers Hildebrandt. Steve received his only informal training, when he sat in on classes at the Ringling School Of Art. He was born in central Florida, in a little town called Palmetto, a stones throw from the Gulf of Mexico. Steve new as a child there was something very wonderful about creating images on paper, or what ever he could draw on, this led him to painting, and a life as an artist. Later he moved to Alaska, a place that had all ways stirred in his imagination. In that time Steve studied Gods handy work in this fantastically beautiful place. He searched within his soul, and started to paint the wonders of this Fairytale land. As time pasted, so did Steve's artwork, drawn between painting nature in it's purest form, and painting the fantasy he loved. His artwork slowly started to evolve into what we see today, a stunningly beautiful canvas of color, and at the same time intelligent, with characters, and atmosphere, so real, you seem to be able to walk into the canvas, and loose yourself in it, if just, for a little while. Steve's work was starting to receive more and more attention. Returning to Florida Steve started his company "Fantasy Graphics". Steve is now being recognized as one of the most talented new artist in the field of fantasy illustration.. Steve's artwork can be seen on fantasy novels, RPG game cards and covers. He has created art for leading puzzle publishers, magazines, and the greeting card industry. Steve's work is always a standout, his grasp of color and composition enables him to bring a story to life with the magic and wonder that only an artist with the unique vision and skill of Steve A Roberts can accomplish. "Here is what Fantasy Author"Scot R. Stone had to say about Steve's artwork.When searching for an artist that could capture the world of Elvana for The Snowtear Wars series, Scot R. Stone discovered the world of Steve A. Roberts. "His work is beautiful and intelligent, a tribute to the realm of superior fantasy art," Stone says when describing Steve's work. "Steve has surpassed my expectations each time he has completed a cover for one of my novels." Fans have not only come to enjoy the story of the series Stone writes, but also the package it comes in. "My goal is to give the reader something they don't want to give up. There are few books that I have that I truly cherish. A lot can be said about authors and publishers if they put out a quality product-- inside and out. There are many stories that die in the marketplace, simply because they do not have the proper representation for the story on the cover." "These are some of publishers that Steve has worked with.Palladium Books "Rifts"RPG series, Ceaco Inc. beautiful fantasy puzzles, Hayhouse's and American Greetings wonderful greeting cards, and Jason J. Bilicic's fantasy adventure "No Gods OF Conscience",published by Last Lamp Publishing . Be sure to check out Scot R. Stone's new Fantasy novel, "The Mirrors of Methalis " the fourth in the Snowtear Wars series that Steve has illustrated, along with many more.
 
Four examples of my artwork, and descriptions
 You will find these examples in my gallery
#1 Pegasus 30x40 on canvas
This is an example of some of my early work. I used only traditional media such as acrylic, and oil paint. Pegasus was painted on stretched canvas, and I layered the under painting in with acrylics, I then applied several washes over that to get the desired lighting, and tonal effects. At that time, I then finished the detail in oils. After the painting had cured for a few weeks I then applied a final oil wash to blend the oils and acrylic paint into one layer. This smoothed the appearance, and had the added effect I found of giving the painting more depth, and luster.
 
#2 Enchanted Forest 24x36 on board
 
Enchanted forest is another earlier work I did in the 90's. The only difference is I stopped using oil paint in the final detail work, old habits are hard to stop, but I had learned how to use acrylics, so they acted and had the look of oils. All I can say about this technique is it takes time to learn your media, and how it can be used
 
Emerald City-Digital,Published by Ceaco Puzzles
OK about 1998 I got my first PC, I had no idea how this was going to change my art at that time. I played with it, bought a few graphics programs, but continued to paint the same way. Slowly as I Learned how the vast graphics tools that photo-shop, Core-paint. and other graphics programs, could be used to emulate my traditional paint brushes, and washes, I started to see how I could use them in my work. Another great benefit of the digital world of art creation, is the turn around time. I could finish a painting in a fourth of the time it took using traditional media. Although, this did not come over night, it took many months of  using my new array of tools to be able to get the results I was looking for. At first for a few years, I used just my mouse to paint with, this took a lot of practice to learn to draw lines, and detail, but some how I made it work. I was starting to get a lot of commercial jobs by this time, and I was putting out better, and better work.
 
 
#4 A Dragon's Tale-Digital,
 
  A big brake through came when I purchased my first WACOM. This changed the feel and control to more closely that of traditional brushes. I was beside myself to be able to get rid of the mouse for most projects. Things started to really pick up, I guess this had something to do with the WACOM, I don't know for sure.
One very important note, I think that my understanding of traditional media, gave me the background, and knowledge to be able to see how the digital tools could be used to create real art, that looks, and feels like it was painted on canvas, and I think this is what most people, and especially publishers are looking for.