by Eliott Lilly | Mar 14, 2016 | Interviews
Neil Blevins is a veteran concept artist and illustrator with 17 years of experience working in the video game and entertainment industry.
Check out his Portfolio
Be on the lookout for Neil’s upcoming book: “The Story Of Inc” coming out this summer, http://thestoryofinc.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/thestoryofinc
Neils Blevins’s current portfolio examples:
In this first part of the interview, we asked Neil Blevins specific questions about what it’s like to be a concept artist in the entertainment industry, discuss some of the one-the-job challenges, as well as his educational background. Here’s what he had to say:
HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU DECIDED TO COMMIT TO BEING AN ARTIST? WHAT WERE YOUR MOTIVATIONS/ INSPIRATIONS?
When I was 4 years old, I grabbed a screwdriver, hammer, and piece of scarp wood, and on my own carved a detailed ATAT from The Empire Strikes Back, including all the pipes on the side etc. I think after that incident, it was sort of inevitable I’d become an artist. However, it was a tough sell to the family since art isn’t exactly known as a stable or lucrative career. Thankfully, my art interests were a little more commercial in nature (film, videogames, etc), so I didn’t do the starving artist painting portraits type of thing, I wanted to make spaceship and aliens. I guess I got serious when I switched from Computer science to fine arts in college. Thankfully, not long after I got my first art related job offer, so my switch worked out.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES ABOUT YOUR JOB AS A CONCEPT ARTIST?
In general, the biggest challenge for me (and probably many artists) is figuring out the mind of the client, figuring out what they want to see, and then provide them that.
One misconception I see a lot is that you get to draw/paint/create whatever you want in this industry. This is a job, and your role is to make the artwork that the clients want to see. Your goal is to produce someone else’s vision.
Even the greatest artists or directors have to answer to whomever is paying for the project. Sure, you get to inject as much of your own vision as you’re able, but your first goal is to make the client happy. Which is one reason I really recommend finding some way to do your own personal artwork on the side, so you have at least a little area where you are your own client, and you can focus on something that’s 100% yours.
CAN YOU SHARE A PERSONAL STORY, ABOUT A HARD LESSON THAT YOU LEARNED, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, HAD YOU BEEN BETTER INFORMED?
Health is probably one of the biggest. As you get older, stuff like stress, late nights, being worried about the project you’re on, this all takes a toll on you. And that can lead to very serious health problems. Like life and death issues. No project, no role, nothing the entertainment industry can provide is worth crippling yourself over. So work hard, but remember that you are not a machine, and take care of yourself. I have found Yoga and meditation for example to be excellent ways of reducing stress and doing something away from the computer.
DID YOU STUDY OR TAKE ADDITIONAL CLASSES, OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL? IF SO, HOW FREQUENTLY? ARE THERE ANY CLASSES YOU TOOK WHICH SURPRISINGLY HELPED YOU IN THE LONG RUN MORE THAN YOU THOUGHT THEY WOULD?
I found it important to try out a lot of different sorts of art. I did etching, I did screen printing, I did sculpture, art history.
Don’t just limit yourself to one technique or subject when you’re learning, try anything and everything that involves producing an image, all of those ideas and styles can help you find your own unique voice.
As for surprising classes, I did find a little computer science to be helpful, it helps me talk to people developing the tools that I use to make my art more effectively.
IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF INEXPENSIVE AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE ONLINE TRAINING MATERIALS, HOW VALUABLE IS GETTING AN EDUCATION FROM A UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE?
A formal education still has several advantages. One many people don’t think about is work visas. If you are not working in your own country (which is often), you will need a work visa, and despite what you may think, not every company will be able to easily get you one. If you have a degree in your field, a lot of work visas become easier to get. I have seen before companies not hire someone because their work visa situation is too complicated. Help reduce that complication as much as possible. Another big advantage of a school is that you are in a class with other people who want to do the same thing you want to do. You will learn a lot from these people, possibly more than you’ll learn from even the teacher. They will teach you, inspire you and push you in an immersive way that online teaching really can’t. And these other students will be excellent contacts who may help you land a job later on. So while you can be self taught at home, a school can still be very helpful.
DID YOU HAVE ANY OUTSIDE HELP PUSHING YOU ALONG WITH YOUR TRAINING? FROM A MENTOR, PASSIONATE TEACHER? FAMILY? FELLOW STUDENT?
I am in general a very self motivated person, no one pushed me towards art, it was something that I’m just super obsessed about. But I certainly had help along the way.
For example, I attended a semi-private art class since age 6, the teacher, Canadian wildlife painter Renate Heidersdorf, was integral in teaching me a lot about art. And once I got into the industry I have learned so much from the people I have worked with.
This concludes Part 1 of our interview with Neil Blevins. In Part two, we discuss with Neil his Dos and DONTs of portfolio building, how he branded and marketed himself in the beginning, and much more. All images used with permission by the artist. ©Neil Blevins
by Eliott Lilly | Mar 14, 2016 | Interviews
Neil Blevins is a veteran concept artist and illustrator with 17 years of experience working in the video game and entertainment industry.
Check out his Portfolio
Be on the lookout for Neil’s upcoming book: “The Story Of Inc” coming out this summer, http://thestoryofinc.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/thestoryofinc
Neils Blevins’s current portfolio examples:
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Part One of this interview, where we asked him specific questions about what it’s like to be a concept artist in the entertainment industry, discussed some of the one-the-job challenges, as well as his educational background. Here, in Part Two of this interview, we ask Neil Blevins specific questions about building his portfolio, marketing himself in the industry and more. Here’s what Neil Blevins had to say:
HOW DID YOU STRUCTURE THE PORTFOLIO THAT LANDED YOU YOUR FIRST GIG? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE TYPE OF WORK YOU HAD IN IT? WHAT STUDIO/ CLIENT WERE YOU APPROACHING-
So I started just as the internet was becoming a thing— In fact, it was CompuServe, and I participated on a number of forums there showing my artwork, not to get a job specifically (I was still in school), but more as a way to participate in the community, and get feedback as I tried out new digital tools. I would post still images, usually sci-fi, some robot or landscape, using 3D software and then hand painted in Photoshop over top. Then one day, Tim Miller from the company Blur in Venice CA, approached me online and said to keep them in mind once I finished school, they may be interested in hiring me. So in fact, my first job didn’t come from any sort of full portfolio, it just came from me participating in an online community.
IF YOU WERE JUST STARTING OUT TODAY, AS AN INTERMEDIATE DIGITAL ARTIST, WHAT TACTICS WOULD YOU EMPLOY TO LAND A GIG INTO THIS INDUSTRY?
There are many many ways to get your artwork seen by the world at large. I’d certainly start with an online portfolio, say at Art Station or the like. I’d heavily participate in online communities, so people get to know you and your skills. While I haven’t done this much, if starting out, I’d also participate in real life events, where professional artists do workshops and such. Not only is it a great learning opportunity, but also a great place to network, and show people your work in real life.
WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU ASPIRE TO THAT DISTINGUISHES YOUR ARTWORK FROM OTHER ARTISTS? WHAT LED YOU TO DEVELOP THOSE QUALITIES? . WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ARTIST WHO WANT TO OBTAIN A “STYLE” TO THEIR LOOK.
I didn’t plan on having a style, but I’ve made enough images it just kinda happened. My style usually includes a single figure or main focus, dramatic lighting, for the most part a single color palette, and a misty environment. I love making robots, when I make them, I try and focus on a single bold shape, with then tons of tiny details.
My style just came from me making image after image after image that interested me, and eventually a naturally gravitated towards a certain look.
But I am always trying to push that look as well in subtle ways. Most recently, I am trying to introduce more dramatic camera angles and a little more color complexity than a single color theme. In general, I don’t suggest trying to make a style, they usually grow organically from repetition, but if you do want to work at it, take some of your favorite artists, break down what elements you enjoy the most in their work, and then try and incorporate those things into your own work.
This concludes our interview with Neil Blevins. If you would like to read more, be sure to check out his Words Of Wisdom. All images used with permission @Neil Blevins.
by Hector Ruiz | Mar 7, 2016 | Words of Wisdom
Neil Blevins is a veteran concept artist and illustrator with 17 years of experience working in the video game and entertainment industry.
Check out his Portfolio
Be on the lookout for Neil’s upcoming book: “The Story Of Inc” coming out this summer, http://thestoryofinc.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/thestoryofinc
Neils Blevins’s current portfolio examples:
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE(S) OF ADVICE YOU CAN OFFER STUDENTS THAT YOU WISH THEY HAD TOLD YOU IN ART SCHOOL?
99% of the job is working well with others. No matter how talented you are, working well with others will get you more work and get your kept on. I wish art schools taught more about the business of art, I see a lot of new artists coming out of schools and they never learned much about the business stuff. For example, there’s so many schools preparing kids for jobs in the vfx industry, when the vfx industry is in horrible trouble right now, with tax subsidies, long hours, moving ever few months to find new work. Students need to be prepared for these realities. Also, some basic life things, like putting money away for when you’re older, making sure you have health insurance and stay healthy, what sorts of jobs are best for you if you plan on one day having a significant other and/or kids.
I found art school teaches you a lot about art, which is really important of course, but misses the mark on teaching you all the other stuff you really need to know to have a successful career.
ARE YOU AS SUCCESSFUL AS YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE AT THIS STAGE IN YOUR LIFE? ASSUMING THAT THERE ARE NO SPACE-TIME PARADOX’S INVOLVED… IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME 10 YEARS (KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW NOW), WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF TO DO DIFFERENTLY IN YOUR CAREER AS AN ARTIST?
I am pretty happy with my current place in life, I have been very lucky. Of course, no matter how well things are going there’s things that could be better But things could have gone very wrong in so many ways. If I could go back a little earlier than 10 years, I probably would have told my younger self to push my drawing more. I had reached a certain point in my traditional drawing when I started dabbling on the computer, and then got completely sucked in. While that eventually got me to where I am today, I sort of let my core drawing skills atrophy. While you don’t need to draw well necessarily to have a strong visual eye, I have found at times having better drawings would help in the idea communication process. So I’d recommend to myself to draw more, even while playing with digital tools.
AS AN ARTIST, WHAT DOES “SUCCESS” MEAN TO YOU?
I saw a great documentary not long ago called “making it”, which is about artists trying to make a living from their art. One thing that was evident is success means a lot of different things to different people.
To me, success means getting to work with really cool people making artwork that interests me. It means being able to support my family. It means having the time to do both collaborative and personal art.
The three things I think that help lead to success are
1) Work hard. No amount of talent will replace this. This goes hand in hand with loving what you do. If you love making art, then the hard work won’t seem hard. If you have a lot of trouble motivating yourself to work hard at your art, maybe art isn’t your true passion. But everyone gets in a funk now and again, and if you do, take a quick break, then get back to working hard.
2) Work well with others. A big portion of your job will be working with other people, whether that be in a staff position on site, or taking criticism from a client. You will only get called back if you play well with others.
3) Life / work balance. If you do nothing but work, not only will your body eventually give up, but you aren’t refreshing your brain with new experiences that you can use to inspire your artwork. Travel, relax, do non art related hobbies, spend time with your family, read books, its good for you and will help your artwork out as well.
