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3DTotal: Similar to a number of other artists we have interviewed, your career path seems to have started with comics, moved into the games sector, and then eventually on to a broader freelance position. Why is it do you think that comic artists often switch to games and then perhaps go it alone?
Stuart: I think for the more design driven artists, the games industry - especially in the mid nineties - offered more of an arena to be creative in. It also seemed to fill the sci-fi/fantasy film industry hole that we’ve always had here in the UK, and of course it was a new and promising industry. The thing with most projects in the games biz is that concept guys are only required at the start of the project, and once that role has been fulfilled you tend to find yourself getting involved more and more in the 3D side of things, which can be really rewarding in itself but for me it personally wasn’t as fulfilling as the creative rush of the design process, hence my move back to freelance… |
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3DTotal: It is interesting to hear you mention the sci-fi/fantasy genre as it is one that crops up frequently amongst digital artists. In view of the fact that everything and anything is a potential subject, why the universal fascination with these two topics and elaborate on the “hole” that you refer to?
Stuart:The arena of sci-fi and fantasy allows the artist’s imagination to let rip, as you can place the scenario/characters etc. within whatever context you see fit. I’m not saying there isn’t any artistic freedom when dealing with real world scenarios but from a professional stand point, especially in games, you’re usually asked to inject a flavour of futuristic/fantasy into most things anyway. I guess the “hole” I’m referring to is the apparent lack of financial support within the British film industry for pretty much anything that brushes with sci-fi or fantasy themes; I mean, look at the US and European markets - we just can’t compete. Things are starting to improve though, although for a long time it seemed that if it wasn’t a stuffy period drama you were developing it would never see the light of day. There are brighter days ahead though, with the likes of Shaun of the Dead and Dr Who proudly waving the flag, shows we still have a lot of talent and imagination here to export, just too few projects to pump it into. |
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3DTotal: Your work covers a wide spectrum of subjects and genres and demonstrates more than one approach to working. How would you sum up your style/styles and who do you regard as being an influence?
Stuart:I’d like to think that my style retains certain energy, is tight enough without being too sloppy, and doesn’t lose sight of its objective/brief - whether it be a pure design sketch or a finished production piece. I guess some of the approach depends on the genre you’re dealing with at the time. Growing up, I was influenced by most of the usual suspects; Syd Mead, Harryhausen etc., but I think it was Joe Johnston and Ralph McQuarrie who really burnt my eyes out. I couldn’t get enough of Johnston’s sketches as they had such a funky rawness to them, and McQuarries work was just the painted equivalent for me: dynamic with such rich palettes. At the moment, I’m really into the aviation artist Michael Turner - his stuff is so sketchy and bold. |
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3DTotal: It is self evident from looking at your portfolio that your style varies according to certain subject matter, but can you give us some specific examples of how this may dictate your approach in terms of materials and the overall look?
Stuart:Sure, as always it depends on the brief to a degree, for example the work I did for Supernaturals was set within a 19th century time frame so I felt it immediately lent itself to more sepia based tones in terms of palette, as if the images themselves were somehow dated. This approach helps with the design pitch as it subconsciously plays on visual frames of reference and in the mind of the viewer helps lock the characters and design within that time and universe. |
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3DTotal: Your personal projects feature several cityscapes and a retro looking detective. Are there any Blade Runner references in there at all?
Stuart:Oh definitely, that was kind of the brief: Blade Runner without the product placement. This was for a writer friend of mine who was playing around with a real hard-core, future-noir piece. I only spent a day or so on this stuff but it was kind of fun... Thing is, you can’t even go near that subject without referencing Blade Runner - it’s too seminal.
3DTotal: Which other films do you regard as being benchmarks in shaping a creative style that has been widely referenced?
Stuart:Star Wars of course; it changed everything in the 70’s, but in some ways though I felt it ended up referencing itself in the new trilogy through most of the other sci-fi genres it generated. Lord Of The Rings has, for now, at least defined the quintessential medieval fantasy look and I’m sure will influence many films for decades to come. It’s a strange one though as the sci-fi movie landscape as it exists today is
still quite recent; I can already see Minority Report starting to influence nearly everything - it’ll be looked back on as being as influential as Blade Runner, decades down the line. The biggest influence aesthetically on the games industry though HAS to be Aliens, that movie especially has been riffed more than any other. Where would modern sci-fi games be without marines, dropships, bevelled rusted
panels with sunken screws and, of course, the obligatory chevrons?
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