Interview: Jason Rainville
The Canadian fantasy and sci-fi illustrator tells Gary Evans why it’s crucial to build up a pattern when tackling a project
We talk to the Canadian fantasy and sci-fi illustrator on creating character moments.
J ason Rainville is thinking about how to describe his art. The fantasy and sci-fi illustrator begins with the render: he likes to emphasise form – a soft image is an unsuccessful one – so he lands on the word “chunky.” Pose and lighting help dramatise his work. It could be a drama that’s quiet and understated or a drama that’s loud and bombastic, but his work must be dramatic. In short, Jason makes tough-looking art that also tells a story.
Behind the scenes, Jason follows a strict regime. Day by day, he builds discipline, builds up a pattern, improves slowly but surely. This regime applies to both his art and to his everyday life.
“I love character moments and emotion,” the Canadian says. “Nothing holds a viewer’s eye like something they can relate to, something that strikes deeper than the ‘cool factor’” of the visuals or the design. There are two stages to an artist’s early development: before and after intentional study.”
Jason didn’t begin intentional study until he was 22. Before that, he doodled. Growing up in small-town northern Ontario – in the “lowermiddle class” – he had no idea how
So far I’ve worked every member of my close family into an illustration for various clients
to make art a career. It wasn’t until the second year of college that he had access to the internet. That’s when he discovered conceptart.org.
“It was a place where amateurs and professionals got together to objectively critique each other’s art,” he says. “I learned how actively studying from observation and a lot of hard work can lead to real progress. After that I was hooked.”
Two sides of the same card
Jason studied graphic design, but would always find himself including illustrative elements in his work. Still, he had doubts about making it as professional illustrator. After college, in 2008, work as a graphic designer was equally hard to come by. He moved home and looked for a job as a printer, and finally any job at all. “I couldn’t find work digging ditches,” he says.
The artist continued to study art and eventually got some “very low-level work” with Rite Publishing, a company that created content for Pathfinder, the role-playing game. More jobs followed. He landed projects with Paizo Publishing and later with Wizards of the Coast. Jason owes a lot to his mentor at Rite, Steve Russell, and to his family. The former supported him artistically, the latter financially.
“I’ll never forget Steve and the effect he’s had on my life. So far I’ve worked every member of my close family into an illustration for various clients, with the final family member’s illustration being released later this year. It’s my small way of paying them back for years of support.”
When Jason works with a new art director, he ask how they want to do things. Some like a lot of input, while others let him do his own thing. There are those who prefer to see concepts