I.A. - Do you think that your creative process has evolved? Why and in how?

I.A. - My creative process hasn’t drastically changed, the most obvious difference is the experience I gained, the way I approach a problem and the solutions I come up with to meet a deadline. However, I can see some interesting similarities between language and the concept art field: the way we (artists) think is also defined by the structure of a language and the number of words we actually know. Moreover our job is limited by a number of constraints which are our imagination (creativity) and our technical ability to represent what we have in mind. The more techniques and knowledge we have the better. Indeed, our creative process is a direct result of those parameters; its evolution is linked to our personal as well as our professional experience. I love learning new languages and new software but time is so limiting.

I.A. - Do you think your artwork now has a 'signature', something which makes it different from others?

T.D. - I already answered that kind of question and I honestly think I don’t have a definite style, a “signature” like you say. When you think of Sparth, Mullins, Ryan Church or other famous digital artists then it’s really easy to explain what makes them unique: their original palettes of colors, brush styles, patterns or composition habits…etc. It’s very easy to spot them among others. Because I experiment a lot I don’t have something particular to offer, and that’s not what I’m looking for. With the exception of flashy basic colors maybe, I don’t have a strong original universe.

I.A. - Do you think first about colors, shapes, or/and composition when you start creating new artwork?

T.D. - There are no rules really when it comes to creating something; I tackle work and see what happens next. If it is a more polished illustration, then I think about a story and the way I’ll tell it.

I.A. - Is your creative process when you create for your own pleasure different from that of work projects?

T.D. - Yes definitely. At work you are one piece of a long chain, just another brick in the wall. The constraints are very different because you are making a mass market product and your creativity will always be restricted by the reality of production. It can be a lot of fun or extremely frustrating. At home, well, you do what you want!

I.A. - What have you learnt from the digital tools over time?

T.D. - That productivity is increased and that there are no limits to your imagination. This is just the beginning. The current tools are far from being perfect though. The revolution must come from artists.

I.A. - What do you like/ dislike about digital art?

T.D. – Monopolies like that of Adobe who are just adding ridiculous features on and on when what is needed is a big change (money, money). Painter has some cool features but the user interface isn’t very ergonomic. Concerning 3D, animation or VFX it’s the same problem. We depend on ever changing software and technologies, whereas traditional tools haven’t evolved so much since the Renaissance.

I.A. - What do you think about the amazing growing number of artworks presented on the internet? In your opinion, what makes for quality?

T.D. - This is a logical evolution; it is now easier to become an artist than before. The internet has changed so many things and broken so many barriers! Quality, however, is a very subjective matter. I guess people notice when someone is good, and they don’t need the right words to explain why… like a good wine indeed. But we have to differentiate artworks and production works. The qualities required are really different.

I.A. - If you were asked to paint something you love, what would it be? Why?

T.D. Production art for an animated « Science-fiction » TV series…

I.A. - Anything else?

T.D. - Have fun everyone! Don’t stay in front of your PC and enjoy life instead.

Links

Comment in the forum : www.itsartmag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=795

Thierry Doizon's Website : www.barontieri.com

Interview Published in IT'S ART Vol #09 : store.itsartmag.com

CG Gallery : cggallery.itsartmag.com

See Also Interview with :

Neil Blevins / Philip Straub / Pascal Blanché / Raphaël Lacoste / Nick Harris / Bobby Chiu / Juan Siquier / Meats Meier / Tim Borgmann