Steve Mcdonald is a widely recognized Canadian illustrator. Steve views himself as an ‘Image Crafter,’ A type of visual storyteller.
His work has taken many forms over the years but he is best known for his highly detailed line drawings and fantastical illustrations of both architecture and landscapes. He is an international best-selling author and illustrator with his ‘Fantastic’ series from Chronicle Books. A few past notable clients include Architectural Digest, Blueman Group, Amazon Prime, Entertainment Weekly, and The Atlantic. He is a fan of many techniques and has even spent the last year experimenting, researching, and mastering some of the new ai rendering platforms. Steve doesn’t see these platforms as a bad thing – he views them as a progression of the evolution of image crafting. Tools. Really good ones.
To classify Steve’s artwork one should look at his influences. Moebius, Terry Gilliam, Luc Besson, Imperial Boy, Hayao Miyazaki, Roger Dean, Noriyoshi Ohrai, Looney Tunes, and then painters…The Canadian Group of Seven, NC Wyeth, Norman Rockwell, and even Frank Frazetta. His new work could be best described as ‘escapist fantastical realism’. Steve believes almost all approaches and tools are legitimate as long as the work you are producing is striving to be singular and unique. He also believes in having fun and hopefully making you smile.
