Gamers Corner
An interview with Jeff Miracola
Eric Lowe
Issue date: 4/29/05 Section: Features
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This week I went above and beyond and got an interview with artist, Jeff Miracola. Jeff has painted many cards for Magic: the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons and many other things. He started his career as a freelance artist when he was 22 and has amassed quite a library of extraordinary art.
Most notable are his paintings for the Kamigawa set for Magic: the Gathering. He even has a few painting coming up for the next Kamigawa set called, Saviors of Kamigawa.
You can get more information on Jeff and view his paintings at his website: www.jeffmiracola.com.
Eric Lowe: How did you get your start in freelance painting?
Jeff Miracola: For about two years after college I worked on developing paintings for my portfolio. Once I had ten or so strong pieces, I went to the GenCon Gaming Convention and showed my portfolio to art directors and editors. I left them samples (color copies) of my work and a month or so after the convention I started to get my first professional assignments. Make sure your contact information is on every single sample you leave behind. If you haven't heard from a publisher in a month or so, give them a call or send them an e-mail. It is also a good idea to get some full color postcards made up to send out as follow-up pieces just to remind them you are out there. Remember, art directors and editors can see hundreds of samples in a week. It may take then a while to get back to you so don't quit your day job just yet.
EL: Did you always want to paint? What was your motivation for becoming a painter?
JM: I never did any serious painting during my school years. Only the occasional assignment, but nothing that I could learn from. I worked in dry mediums only during school. After school, I bought some paints and brushes and just dived right in and taught myself. What helped was spending hours upon hours looking at the work of artists I admired. I would try to understand how they achieved certain effects and then try to duplicate that. My motivation for becoming a painter was that I didn't do anything else as well as I did art, so it seemed the logical path to take.
Most notable are his paintings for the Kamigawa set for Magic: the Gathering. He even has a few painting coming up for the next Kamigawa set called, Saviors of Kamigawa.
You can get more information on Jeff and view his paintings at his website: www.jeffmiracola.com.
Eric Lowe: How did you get your start in freelance painting?
Jeff Miracola: For about two years after college I worked on developing paintings for my portfolio. Once I had ten or so strong pieces, I went to the GenCon Gaming Convention and showed my portfolio to art directors and editors. I left them samples (color copies) of my work and a month or so after the convention I started to get my first professional assignments. Make sure your contact information is on every single sample you leave behind. If you haven't heard from a publisher in a month or so, give them a call or send them an e-mail. It is also a good idea to get some full color postcards made up to send out as follow-up pieces just to remind them you are out there. Remember, art directors and editors can see hundreds of samples in a week. It may take then a while to get back to you so don't quit your day job just yet.
EL: Did you always want to paint? What was your motivation for becoming a painter?
JM: I never did any serious painting during my school years. Only the occasional assignment, but nothing that I could learn from. I worked in dry mediums only during school. After school, I bought some paints and brushes and just dived right in and taught myself. What helped was spending hours upon hours looking at the work of artists I admired. I would try to understand how they achieved certain effects and then try to duplicate that. My motivation for becoming a painter was that I didn't do anything else as well as I did art, so it seemed the logical path to take.
