Ian Dean
Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creativebloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and leading video game title Official PlayStation Magazine. In his early career he wrote for music and film magazines including Uncut and SFX. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on AI, digital art and video game art and tech, and more to Creative Bloq, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5. He's also a keen Cricut user and laser cutter fan, and is currently crafting on Glowforge and xTools M1.
Latest articles by Ian Dean
![Folio Book Illustration Award; illustrations for Neil Gaiman's book covers](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7yQXp7fa4jtgQqYeFXWQgZ-320-80.jpg)
You could be Neil Gaiman's new artist
By Ian Dean published
Submissions for The Folio Book Illustration Awards are now open.
![Zoe van Dijk Folio Society interview; a woman in red with black hair closes her eyes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c3KTqXPsBfQd4HRaDL7LVi-320-80.jpg)
"Illustration is the artwork of the people," says The Folio Society's newest artist
By Ian Dean published
How Zoë van Dijk's art brought The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet to life.
![Gtanblue Fantasy Relink review; anime fantasy characters line up](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XVrqrcNp4TdR6fMniYX2od-320-80.jpg)
Granblue Fantasy: Relink review: a visually elegant but limited action RPG
By Ian Dean published
Enjoyable and artistically impressive anime action.
![Granblue Fantasy Relink; anime characters pose against a fiery background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/C8rEjthc8wMrRxo77VvMjJ-320-80.jpg)
Making Granblue Fantasy: Relink's watercolour visuals was "extremely taxing"
By Ian Dean published
Director Yasuyuki Kaji reveals what it took to bring the hit JRPG to life.
![Rebel Wolves, Dawnwalker; a silhouette of a man leaping across a red background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fVgizbvm9YLJgqQZJLj8Ld-320-80.jpg)
Dawnwalker's creative director offers a glimpse of the future: 'more AI'
By Ian Dean published
New game dev Rebel Wolves discusses AI, skills advice and more.
![Rogue Trooper movie; uses Unreal Engine 5; a blue faced man in a solider helmet](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SePJKqXaw5asWg92D6Ek4e-320-80.jpg)
Duncan Jones' new Rogue Trooper movie will use Unreal Engine 5
By Ian Dean published
The 2000AD strip gets Epic.
![Atari Gamestation Portable; a retro console handheld on a park bench](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wKaJPSvjJbBxsHQ3mjNPbg-320-80.jpg)
The quirky Atari Gamestation Portable is perfectly designed
By Ian Dean published
It's my most-wanted retro console.
![The Creator; a child robot pats another robot](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yToc7fBayvMYkxnWx9bLA7-320-80.jpg)
The Creator's ingenious VFX detail that's changed how I watch the movie
By Ian Dean published
The Oscar-nominated film reveals how robots feel.
![Day in the life, Jerad Marantz; a man in glasses](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k3ia2UjYNptnRHU4G466sG-320-80.jpg)
A day in the life: creature designer Jerad Marantz
By Ian Dean published
The Zack Snyder and Marvel creature concept artist shares the benefits of creating art for personal projects.
![Patrick Lay Death Strikes; a man in glasses](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NQWCus5RqYDRYeyzEQg53m-320-80.jpg)
Creating Death Strikes, the year's best comic - "where gritty and polished meet"
By Ian Dean published
Artist Patrick Lay explains his process.
![Songs of Silence interview; a male warrior painted in the art nouveau style](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/v4n7QHCpgfi8F564cPUiug-320-80.jpg)
"It's a huge risk": exploring the Art Nouveau style of video game Songs of Silence
By Ian Dean published
Why standing out from the crowd matters more than ever.
![rem Collection Volume 1 review; a spaceship with tentacles](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h85V5BRyWssvjQWRowf86K-320-80.jpg)
Irem Collection Vol.1 review: a cult shooter bundle that could go further
By Ian Dean published
A solid collection of challenging, anime and HR-Giger inspired retro shooters.
![First impressions Adria Alvarado; a woman holds up a paint brush](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rcbnTv8Y4dD64FpL5ukknn-320-80.jpg)
First impressions: Peruvian artist Adria Alvarado mixes digital and traditional techniques
By Ian Dean published
Advice from Boris Vallejo inspired her to become an artist.
![Palworld; a yellow creature on a tank](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fFBk9KQjTMp5HpZT2pPDrR-320-80.jpg)
The Pokémon 'AI plagiarism' row engulfing Palworld raises so many questions
By Ian Dean published
Not if, but why, when and how to use AI?
![Xencelabs Medium Bundle Black Friday drawing tablet deal](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qrDFDmcB5kwj5dq9bu6bRn-320-80.jpg)
Save $100 on the drawing tablet that we gave a rare 5-star-review
By Ian Dean published
The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle is one of our favourites.
![Senua’s Saga Hellblade II; a woman has hands wrapped around her face](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yowjaNyafYtFdBacRa8Bwh-320-80.jpg)
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is the Unreal Engine 5 game to beat in 2024
By Ian Dean published
New dev footage looks incredible.
![Madame Web posters](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Ks2MEqBhGCH2cAngGGMeTc-320-80.jpg)
The new Madame Web posters are impressively poor
By Ian Dean published
A web of design controversy.
![Indiana Jones and the Great Circle; a classic watercolour painting of a character with a whip](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ftgkpXvxehYjyrKMRXMaMg-320-80.jpg)
Why are fans in meltdown over Indiana Jones and the Great Circle?
By Ian Dean published
It's all about perspective.
![XPPen Magic Drawing Pad; a tablet on a wood table with clear case](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SwvKdTsXitLNC7a3uLAZ67-320-80.jpg)
Whisper it, but I think this Android tablet could be better than an iPad for artists
By Ian Dean published
XPPen's new Magic Drawing Pad is an iPad-alike designed for artists, and I'm impressed.
![The Atlas Artist Edition Vol 1 Joe Maneely; a retro comic page](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M4HvUsMAjNYL4YSfuU4673-320-80.jpg)
Marvel’s top artist from the 1950s finally gets reprinted in full
By Ian Dean published
The Atlas Artist Edition Vol. 1: Joe Maneely is pure retro fun.
![The best digital art software; a mix of logos of the leading art software](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3G43V9Xyow2kmEgeTmYePo-320-80.jpg)
The best digital art software
By Ian Dean last updated
Discover the best free and paid-for digital art tools around.
![Atari 400; a retro computer](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NWCpNkDgKARvehMN98SoLP-320-80.jpg)
THEAtari 400 is on pre-order now – and I want it so badly
By Ian Dean published
Retro Games' new mini console brings back a forgotten gem.
![Artist in residence, a woman sits at an art desk with a cat](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/S2fBWTzuqb9zE4dVYmNynS-320-80.jpg)
Artist in Residence: award-winning digital illustrator Laura H Rubin
By Ian Dean published
Take a look around this Tim Burton fan's studio.