Section:

Interview with Jaehoon Kim - Clicker/Last of Us

Last of Us character artist, Jaehoon Kim talks about creating Clickers and the drive to produce top-quality work over at Naughty Dog.

 

Last of Us character artist, Jaehoon Kim talks about creating Clickers and the drive to produce top-quality work over at Naughty Dog.

Jaehoon Kim's Clicker in gasmask image sent shivers down the spine of many a gamer, specifically those who had played The Last of Us. Naughty Dog's character artist talks about working on this critically-acclaimed videogame and his artistic inspirations.

Tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you, what do you do, and where are you located?

My name is Jaehoon Kim and I live in Los Angeles, California. I create 3D characters, concepts, and illustrations. I am currently a character artist at Naughty Dog, and the latest published project I worked on is The Last of Us.

  

Tell us about your image Clicker in gasmask. Was it a challenge to create?

Yes, it was an enjoyable challenge to create a 3D illustration without the limits of a game engine. I picked one of the infected and re-rendered it using some additional touch-ups for illustration purposes. The art team and director had many ideas for the creatures, and with this illustration I was able to include all of them.

  

Can you give us an insight into how it was to work on The Last of Us?

The teamwork was very energetic. There was a lot of communication with people from other departments sharing ideas, having discussions. Our goal was to present the best character work possible in the game. Everyone wanted the product to be of the highest quality so we didn't stop polishing the game until it shipped.

  

Are there any particular things you worked on in The Last of Us of which you are most proud?

I'd have to say it's the character David. His facial expressions reflect his personality very well. The production of the facial expressions involved many people, such as the director, actor, rigger, animator, and so on. I am proud of myself and the team for the way his facial expressions turned out.

  

Tell us the story behind your artwork in general: What brought you into the digital art world and what software do you use?

My passion for art began when I was in middle school, when I first started using my pencil to draw comics. Not only did I really enjoy them, but my friends liked them as well, which encouraged me to keep at it. It was in high school that I started actually studying drawing, and it was then that I saw the Final Fantasy VIII cinematic trailer. Seeing it left me breathless. That's what first inspired me to want to create characters that move in three-dimensional space.

My primary softwares are Maya, ZBrush, Mudbox, xNormal and Photoshop. I've been using these for a long time, but I'm flexible when it comes to trying new software too because I believe the CG industry always creates new tech and we must adapt to them.

  

How did you learn to paint digitally?

I started to learn painting digitally using real photo references. The goal was to get closer to hyperrealism. But since I am now working in the game industry, I began focusing more on hand painting because it gives me more flexibility and creativity when it comes to the color range. Luckily, I've met talented artists in the videogame industry who have shared their knowledge and experience with hand painting. Nowadays, I am developing an interest in watercolors and oil painting for my personal artistic creativity.

 

How do you keep your portfolio up-to-date? Any tips?

Here are two tips for keeping your portfolio up-to-date for those who want to know:

First, find your own artistic identity. The portfolio should present your specialty. Popular artists have works that are instantly recognizable as theirs.

Secondly, organize your portfolio after you finish the project. The value of a portfolio goes down over time if it isn't updated because new works are constantly coming out. So update your portfolio after every project.

   

Who are your favorite artists, traditional or digital, and can you explain why?

I have tons of favorite artists, both traditional and digital. I've always been inspired by their talent. I'd like to mention a few from the digital area; as many people may know, these artists have been in the industry for a while.

Robh Ruppel: He does concepts for the film and game industry. He has a strong sense of color harmony and composition which contributes to his own unique style.

Jungseung Hong: He worked on the character Davy Jones from the Pirates of the Caribbean films and other major films. He has a strong knowledge of anatomy.

Soa Lee: She has been a specialized character illustrator for a long time and has developed her own unique style.

 

How do you like to unwind after a hard day's (or night's) work?

Try to avoid digital things to help my eyes and body to relax. I also like to walk around and come up with ideas concerning a story for my personal project.

If you could choose any superhero power, what would you take, and why?

I was never asked this question from an interview before. Well, this is very interesting.

I'd like to choose The Flash because I could work much faster with his ability. It would be amazing to be able to see the results of my labor in full 3D as soon as I thought of it.

Fetching comments...

Post a comment