ImagineFX

MAKING IT WORK

Stephen Gibson on the challenges of making a big project fit into your life

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How do you think artists benefit from working on personal projects?

It keeps the fire alive inside of you. I certainly think that most artists would prefer to bring their own ideas to life rather than someone else’s. I think that if your own personal creativity is suppressed and put on the back burner for too long, you’ll start to lose your passion. The idea of doing art can become too intertwine­d with the idea of work, grind, clients, revisions, and so on.

How does a project like this fit around your work life?

It doesn’t! Well, not really, anyway. Doing something like this requires a lot of sacrifice. Do you watch another episode with your significan­t other before bed or spend that hour working on your project? Do you spend your days off working on the project or going out with friends? Do you quit your job and try to make your passion into your day job? There’s a balance to be had, and one that I’ve certainly wrestled with.

What research did you do for Grimslinge­rs?

A lifetime of being a weird geek. Since my projects are an expression of all the things I love and am, all the content I consume informs the art, story and game. Late nights listening to Art Bell on 'Coast to Coast' discuss the paranormal, reading books like 'The Dark Tower' and 'Off To Be A Wizard', watching weird movies like Labyrinth, and Tom Cruise’s Legend more than I should have.

 ?? ?? Stephen Gibson is an art director at Arcane Wonders, soon to move into video games at Sumo Digital. artstation.com/stephengib­son
Stephen Gibson is an art director at Arcane Wonders, soon to move into video games at Sumo Digital. artstation.com/stephengib­son

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