Ian Dean

Bath

Editor, Digital Arts and Design at Creative Bloq

Editor, Digital Arts and Design at 3D World Magazine

Editor, Digital Arts & Design @Creativebloq, ex-editor of @OPM_UK, ImagineFX, @Playgamingmag @3DWorldMag, XBM, X360, and PSW.

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Articles

I never expected Dungeons & Dragons to look like this – how Dragon Delves Is redefining fantasy art for a new generation

2 days ago | creativebloq.com | Ian Dean

Typically, Dungeons & Dragons is seen as a moody, mythic world of dark dungeons and fire-breathing beasts, acid blobs, dark elves, dwarves, and orcs. But a glance at the art for the latest rule book reveals a bold change in direction for Wizards of the Coast. (Read our celebration of 50 years of D&D for more.)Dragon Delves, an upcoming anthology of ten adventures, is set for release on 8 July.
I tried this 19th-century painter's trick in my digital art – and now I can't go back

3 days ago | creativebloq.com | Ian Dean

Impasto is a traditional painting technique that originated in oil painting and can be used to bring art to life through thick, textured brushstrokes. It's most famously used by impressionist and expressionist painters, such as Vincent van Gogh's thick swirls of paint and texture to create movement and even affect how light interacts with the canvas. But it can be seen in earlier art Titian and Tintoretto as well as later from Howard Pyle and Leon Kossoff.
How Moonlighter 2 builds on its Zelda-inspired twist as it moves from 2D to 3D

1 week ago | creativebloq.com | Ian Dean

The Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is making 'the shopkeeper' the heart and soul of this fantastical video game. The classic gaming character trope is lifting the counter lid and leaving the store, and it's looking quite wonderful. When it comes to video game NPCs, the most memorable is surely the merchant who's always conveniently around to hawk you new wares to help you on your adventure.
How Moonlighter 2 builds on its Zelda-inspired twist as it moves from 2D to 3D

1 week ago | inkl.com | Ian Dean

Moonlighter 2; a cartoon knight runs away from monsters. The Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is making 'the shopkeeper' the heart and soul of this fantastical video game. The classic gaming character trope is lifting the counter lid and leaving the store, and it's looking quite wonderful. When it comes to video game NPCs, the most memorable is surely the merchant who's always conveniently around to hawk you new wares to help you on your adventure.
How Moonlighter 2 builds on its Zelda-inspired twist as it moves from 2D to 3D

1 week ago | flipboard.com | Ian Dean

NowSkin gambling and esports are reportedly becoming popular amongst teens and young adults in Finland, but these activities currently fall outside the scope of regulated gambling. The action of using ‘skins’ in games to exchange, alongside other virtual goods, for virtual gambling chips is a new form …
I created an AI-generated ASMR video – here's what surprised me the most

1 week ago | creativebloq.com | Ian Dean

There's a breakout AI video trend on TikTok and Instagram for ASMR AI shorts, showing a knife cutting through glass fruit, which is engaging. But how easy is it to do? You hear AI is simple – write a prompt and click 'generate' – but is it that easy? And more importantly, is it fun? With the hype surrounding AI tools, and my own experience of visiting the AI Upscale conference, I decided to test out the latest AI tools and try and make my own polished videos.
I used Wacom's latest drawing tablet for 3 weeks, and it's the custom options that blew me away

1 week ago | creativebloq.com | Ian Dean

Despite reviewing and testing drawing tablets all the time, there's something uniquely exciting about getting my hands on the latest from Wacom, and after using the new Wacom Intuos Pro Medium, I can honestly say it remains the gold standard for pen tablets in 2025.
I didn't expect to like Wacom's Pro Pen 3, but its modular design feels like it was made for me

1 week ago | creativebloq.com | Ian Dean

I'm currently testing the new Wacom Intuos Pro drawing tablet, and it comes with the new Pro Pen 3, a 'modular' stylus that can be taken apart, reassembled, and generally tinkered with to suit your needs. The Wacom tablet is great – you can read about it in my upcoming Wacom Intuos Pro review – but it's the Pro Pen 3 that has left an impression. I have a drawer of styluses, many have the same design and are similar in feel.
You can hate iOS 26 and Liquid Glass but the Steve Jobs nostalgia needs to stop

1 week ago | creativebloq.com | Ian Dean

The launch of iOS 26 and the new Liquid Glass UI last week caused a stir and mobilised the Apple Defense Force; no one liked it, and some even hated it. We reported on the iOS 26 jokes and even Microsoft's Liquid Glass jibes. There was also a train of thought that began to circulate, that had Steve Jobs still been with us, he would have hated Liquid Glass. He would have taken the designers 'into a back alley and kicked the sh*t out of them'. I'm not so sure.
You can hate iOS 26 and Liquid Glass but the Steve Jobs nostalgia needs to stop

1 week ago | inkl.com | Ian Dean

Apple iOS26 Liquid Glass. The launch of iOS 26 and the new Liquid Glass UI last week caused a stir and mobilised the Apple Defense Force; no one liked it, and some even hated it. We reported on the iOS 26 jokes and even Microsoft's Liquid Glass jibes. There was also a train of thought that began to circulate, that had Steve Jobs still been with us, he would have hated Liquid Glass. He would have taken the designers 'into a back alley and kicked the sh*t out of them'. I'm not so sure.