Creative Report - Mario Martinez OUIL502

WHO IS IAN MCQUE?

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Ian McQue is an illustrator and concept artist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. McQue studied illustration and printmaking at Duncan, where he started as a freelancer after finished his career. His unique science fiction aesthetic led him to get into the video games industries, where he is currently the art director in Rockstar North.

INFLUENCES ď Ź

Moving to his influences, one of the most characteristics features of his artwork is the science-fiction aesthetic of floating boats and flying robo-structures .

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One of the first questions that people may wonder is where did he get inspired by? During Serge Birault interview for Mody Colors( A fantasy art community), Ian McQue mentioned " Like most people I don't think I realised the job of 'concept artist' existed until I saw the work Ralph McQuarrie had produced for the original Star Wars, and in a way it was a job that hadn't really existed before that [...] The floating ships that crop up in my work can probably be traced back to the motifs Moebius would use in many of his stories, but closer to home I think I must have been inspired subconsciously by the shipyards I grew up alongside in the North East of England" .

ABOUT HIS PRACTICE

About his practice, Ian McQue can be very ellastic. McQUe studied printmaking and also do traditional paintings, although his main media is digital, more specific Photoshop, 3D Studio Max to build light scenes and sometimes Brushes app from iPad to work on colour sketches . Ian McQue, like many another artist, has his developing process.

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One of the features about his work that first get my attention was the sense of lights and colours produced in his images. When colouring, McQue normally works an early composition on his sketchbook using lines. Once the composition is right, he then will add 'multiple' layers blocking the colours. Ian also mentioned that sometimes uses an overall colour before start a new design, providing a ' key' before the beginning.

INDUSTRY Apart of his personal portfolio worked through years and years of practice, he also was the lead concept artist at Rockstar North until 2014 , where he recently get back to freelancing. Rockstar had been guarding his professional work to the world very quietly , which it has become almost impossible to find . However, as the character design artist and concept art assistant director, McQue has worked on names such as the franchise Grand Theft Auto, Bully or Manhunt .

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE We talk about who is Ian McQue, about his practice and a little bit about the industry. However, I would like to dedicate the last part about sharing his wisdom and knowledge as a concept artist.

McQue keeps repeating that the best advice he can give relies on the sketching process. Bringing a sketchbook and something to draw with you all the time or join a life drawing class and lots lots of life drawing are just examples, but at the end what it really matters is "the thing that's going to make them look convincing is how their form is defined by your understanding of light and shade so always be observing the world around you, be inquisitive and record what you see." .

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