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3DTotal: Your early years were somewhat nomadic compared to many people. Do you feel as though your exposure to different cultures has had much impact upon your artistic development and if so, what aspects of living abroad have had the most influence on your work?
Brom: Well, moving around certainly opens your mind up. I lived in Japan in my preschool years and I credit a barrage of Ultra-man and Manga for getting things going. But it was more than just a visual influences; being good at something helped me to be accepted when moving into a new school. It helped to fill the loneliness of adjusting to new places and people. |
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3DTotal: TSR will evoke happy memories amongst many people of your generation, and the countless hours over summer holidays spent indulging in fantasy worlds and role playing. What was the experience like for you as a full time artist?
Brom: I didn’t know much about gaming when I started. To me working at TSR was primarily a chance to do fantasy art full time. I was in a studio with several top industry pros such as Clyde Caldwell, Jeff Easley, Fred Fields, and Robh Ruppel. Being able to learn the basics of the craft from so much experience was a real break. Also it was very competitive; I believe we pushed each other to do our best work. It was an incredible time of artistic growth for me. |
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3DTotal: What do you feel were the key lessons you learned during this period that have gone on to influence your work today?
Brom: Mostly it was the basics: which paints to use, how to mix my medium, how to properly gesso a board, best brushes and so on. Little tricks that take a lifetime to learn on your own were there to be picked up.
3DTotal: Since going freelance you have ventured into the realm of comics, films and computer games. In what ways have these disciplines helped broaden your expertise as an artist?
Brom: More than anything, I seek out new ventures and experiences to keep art fresh. I find doing too much of any one thing to be creatively stifling. Writing is where I have been putting so much of my creative efforts of late. The learning curve is exciting. I find the writing and art really feed each other. |
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3DTotal: Do you see this collaboration between writing and painting as something which will continue in your future schedule from now on?
Brom: I hope so. I enjoy writing every bit as much as painting and the two complement each other so well.
3DTotal: Many of your characters have a very monochromatic treatment, which helps lend them an abstract quality and boldness in your compositions. This is somewhat reminiscent of early Italian paintings - Piero Della Francesca comes to mind. Where does this artistic device stem from?
Brom: It’s a shortcut. I work instinctively with color. In other words, I don’t really know what I’m doing right, just what I’m doing wrong. So I usually put down a basic chromatic wash and work everything out of that. If you keep all the colors in a similar palette there’s less chance of screwing up. |
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