Gamers Corner
An interview with Jeff Miracola
Eric Lowe
Issue date: 4/29/05 Section: Features
EL: Who are your influences and why?
JM: The great Frank Frazetta was my major influence. During my sophomore year of high school, a friend gave me some of Frank Frazetta's art books. I was blown away. I had never seen anything so powerful and imaginative. I was hooked. I took a road trip out to the Frazetta Museum in Pennsylvania and met Ellie Frazetta (his wife) and got to see tons of original paintings by Frank. It was a trip that influenced my entire life after that moment. Over the years, I have been influenced by many other great illustrators including: Brom, Sanjulian, Jeff Jones, Berni Wrightson, Kent Williams, and Phil Hale, as well as some artists of the past like John Singer Sergeant, William Adolphe Bouguereau, Waterhouse, Sir Alma Tadema and many of the Pre-Raphaelites, although my professional work has yet to reflect any of those classical influences.
EL: How could someone who was interested in painting professionally get a start?
JM: Know what it is you want to do. If you want to do art for RPGs or CCGs, focus on creating artwork with subject matter relevant to that industry. If you want to do editorial illustration for magazines and books, focus of that content. Once you know what you want to do, build a strong portfolio. It is better to have five strong pieces in your portfolio than five good and five bad. Don't ignore the "business" of art. Go to the bookstore and read as much as you can about the business of art. Stuff like contracts, copyright, how to approach art directors or editors, ethics, etc. Being a good artist is half the battle. The other half of the battle is surviving in an ever growing and competitive market. Professionalism is the way you will continue to get work.
If freelancing for the gaming or comic industry is what you want to do, try very hard to get out to a convention so you can meet art directors, editors and other creators face to face. Sometimes it may not be possible because you don't have the money or you live too far away from a convention. Don't worry, just go the normal route of mailing out samples. It may take some time, but you must be persistent. Eventually, you will reach your goal.
JM: The great Frank Frazetta was my major influence. During my sophomore year of high school, a friend gave me some of Frank Frazetta's art books. I was blown away. I had never seen anything so powerful and imaginative. I was hooked. I took a road trip out to the Frazetta Museum in Pennsylvania and met Ellie Frazetta (his wife) and got to see tons of original paintings by Frank. It was a trip that influenced my entire life after that moment. Over the years, I have been influenced by many other great illustrators including: Brom, Sanjulian, Jeff Jones, Berni Wrightson, Kent Williams, and Phil Hale, as well as some artists of the past like John Singer Sergeant, William Adolphe Bouguereau, Waterhouse, Sir Alma Tadema and many of the Pre-Raphaelites, although my professional work has yet to reflect any of those classical influences.
EL: How could someone who was interested in painting professionally get a start?
JM: Know what it is you want to do. If you want to do art for RPGs or CCGs, focus on creating artwork with subject matter relevant to that industry. If you want to do editorial illustration for magazines and books, focus of that content. Once you know what you want to do, build a strong portfolio. It is better to have five strong pieces in your portfolio than five good and five bad. Don't ignore the "business" of art. Go to the bookstore and read as much as you can about the business of art. Stuff like contracts, copyright, how to approach art directors or editors, ethics, etc. Being a good artist is half the battle. The other half of the battle is surviving in an ever growing and competitive market. Professionalism is the way you will continue to get work.
If freelancing for the gaming or comic industry is what you want to do, try very hard to get out to a convention so you can meet art directors, editors and other creators face to face. Sometimes it may not be possible because you don't have the money or you live too far away from a convention. Don't worry, just go the normal route of mailing out samples. It may take some time, but you must be persistent. Eventually, you will reach your goal.