This artist blends oil paints, photos and sculpture to create realistic fantasy scenes

Daniel Katz is a freelance traditional and digital illustrator based in the US. He creates art that combines imagination and real-world content, including photos and his own models as well as traditional oil paint. The result is a realistic, fantastical and expressive aesthetic.

Here he tells us about three examples of his work. If you're inspired, see our pick of the best oil paints.

Contemporary Dragon – Commute

A scene from a personal series with dragons co-existing with people in the modern world. I thought the two living together would transform everyday life and create amazing moments.

Walk the Plank

A scene from a series with airships. It also takes maritime situations and shows how different they’d be in the sky, whether beautiful or dangerous.

Riches and Ruin – The Count of Monte Cristo

Based on the scene in The Count of Monte Cristo where Edmund Dantes finds treasure and becomes super rich. A moment that would bring huge joy to others isn’t enough to satisfy him.

You can see more of Daniel's work on his website.

Need supplies for your own art? See our pick of the best oil paint supplies, or check out the deals below.

This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.