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Favorite Artists: Jim Lee, John Byrne, Neil Adams, NC Wyeth, James Montgomery Flagg and
Edward Hopper...the list goes on.
Favorite Games: Half-Life 2, Quake 3, etc...been playing alot of the classics like
Galaga and Robotron lately...still amazed how simple and entertaining those games
are.
Favorite movies: Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Big Lebowski, Raising
Arizona, The Incredibles...actually just about anything from Pixar and the Coen
Brothers.
Favorite music: New Order, The Smiths, The Clash, Radiohead, Old country stuff...on
goes the list.
Bad habbits: Listing my favorites in things like games, movies and music
Future Goals: Continued sucess in the game industry...honestly, it is the best job
I've ever had and I love it.
How do you bounce back from a bad day? Drive...real fast. Well, that and my wife and
kids...unless they caused the bad day to begin with...then I guess it's drive real
fast again.
What's a good day? Most days...honestly, crap happens you gotta let it go and get on
with the dance...most things work themselves out in the end.
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 Let's start at the beginning, how did you become an artist? |
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Well, I started drawing as a kid. My folks encouraged me alot. And when I got to high school I drew all the time...on notes, on the back of tests, notebooks...whatever I had I drew on. I was that "art kid" in school. Went to college for awhile. I had a break and while on it decided to go back to what I enjoyed drawing in middle school and high school...comics. Got accepted to the Joe Kubert School and then looking at how much art school cost decided to take a shot and go to San Diego for Comiccon. I ended up with some work and did comics for 2 years for Marvel. When that ended I had a friend that mentioned that Hasbro Interactive was looking for a 2D artist and I said what the heck. I've been hooked ever since. |
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How in the world do you come up with your ideas? Background? TV? Games? Visions
from the spirit world? Where? |
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I do alot of freelance stuff...that's pretty easy since someone has an idea already. As for my own stuff, ideas come from everywhere. My background in comics is still in there, but honestly, it's a mish-mash. While working on Blacksite, the game I just wrapped up, I was watching a show on TLC about the history of motorcycles and they were talking about next generation bikes with unique frames and composites. Well I was also working on the designs for some aliens in the game and the unique shapes kind of stuck me and became a huge influence in the final sketches and designs of one of the main aliens. So it comes from all over. I think in order to think freelyin concept and not retread the same stuff again and again you have to do that...take 2 parts this and mix it with 3 parts that and a dash of something else.
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Is the competition subject and specs important to you, or did you simply enter to
express yourself? |
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Well it sounded like alot of fun...I like a challenge. Subject and specs change from project to project but if you aren't really interested in someway, even if it's just the personal challenge of something new, then you aren't going to suceed at it.
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What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough or
when you are feeling down? |
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It's hard to go paint and draw when you have other things pressing or keeping you from getting motivated. Honestly, I try to focus on some aspect of what I am doing that I find really rewarding...sometimes I have to motivate myself with a
reward...work 4 hours on this and then take an hour for this other thing...you have to be disciplined though or you end up working on the other thing...not an easy thing to manage but I'm getting better with the discipline thing.
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What is the most exciting and rewarding part about being a concept artist? |
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Thinking up new stuff...that is the coolest thing. The hardest is that last 10%,
but that first 90 is manna from heaven. A point in a project where you are just
throwing things against a wall and its sparking all kinds of other
things...especially when things are really on and just coming together with how it
fits with other things. When it's good it's really good.
It also rewarding at the end of the day to see something you created printed or
released and out in the world...still doesn't get old. Strangely enough, it doesn't
even much matter how it is received...sure we all love a good review...but it
ultimately it matters that its out and I feel satisfied that I feel good enough
about it to say "I did that". Thats a good feeling.
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If you have any warning on what not to do in art, or what to be careful for, what
would
they be? |
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Hmmm... do your thing. Be aware of the trends and if you want to work somewhere that does something a certain way learn that, but be yourself. It's one thing that always drove me crazy in comics...too many people emulating their hero but not really stopping to learn why they drew that way and make your own take on things. With all concept I think it is important to take the influences, whether other people's work or a show on TV and blend it all in.
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What would be your advice for aspiring concept artists out there and what type of
training do you think would be helpful in becoming a successful concept artist? |
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Learn the basics...composition, color, etc. It all starts with the basics. Learn to see and render what you see...A solid grounding in the basics of art will save you alot of time and give your work strength. After that a concept artist has to be
willing to challenge his own thinking on something...watch something and have it inspire him/her even though it has nothing to do with what they were doing...basically to visually read between the lines. To visually read the world for content and not always so literally. Sometimes that means taking a drawing and rotating the page for inspiration sometimes it is a shoe or song that sparks a different approach. I get some of my best ideas driving in the car or watching TV.
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Was there someone, or some thing that helped make you who you are today and is
there
someone you would like to thank, or at least give a shout to? |
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My high school art teacher, Mrs. Dolezal...honestly, I didn't think of art in a commercial and applicable way until her class. She let me skip out of some of the projects to focus on things that were more the direction she could already see I
was going. My folks, they realised at an early age they had a creative child although neither one of them was, and they supported that all my childhood. My wife, Shelley, whom I have known more than half my life now...she is literally almost my other half. We complete thoughts at the same time...its weird...and she has given me the 2 best things I will ever create in my kids. They come in the morning and ask to see what I painted last night...still the most amazing thing to see their reaction...complete and utter surprise and glee.
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Your work in Extreme Makeovers was an inspiration to all! Thank you for your time and I am positive that we are all looking forward to seeing more of your fantastic work on GA.org in the future!
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