Ian Sokoliwski is a Canadian illustrator and colourist, working in fields as diverse as gothic photography, science fiction and cyberpunk illustration, and comic book coloring. He has done movie storyboards and work for novels, magazines, and television as well.
His work draws you into different worlds and your eye cannot help but wander around the images with their beautiful and story-telling details.
We are honored to talk with him about his work and share it with you.
His work draws you into different worlds and your eye cannot help but wander around the images with their beautiful and story-telling details.
We are honored to talk with him about his work and share it with you.
enFOCUS -You have a very distinct and recognizable style; how did you work to develop it and what are some of your major influences?
Much of my style developed out of the comic book work that I've done for the past twenty years, both the 'heroic' style poses that I like to do, and the metal texturing I liked using on characters like Iron Man. I quite enjoy working with reflective surfaces, creating a larger sense of depth in the setting that I'm working in by having elements that would be behind the viewer be reflected in armour and metal surfaces. My primary influences would be artists like Hajime Sorayama and Bob Layton, both with regards to this metal reflection approach and to composition and content in general.
enFOCUS -How do you integrate photography into your artwork?
My robot work ends up being a blend of photographic and hand-painted elements. Initially, I had been taking photographs of women and then began painting a metallic texture onto their skin, as well as creating more machine-like structures for joints and other anatomical elements. However, as the project continued and evolved, it became more and more about using the photographs just for lighting and anatomical reference, and the pieces became much more about traditional painting techniques.
Much of my style developed out of the comic book work that I've done for the past twenty years, both the 'heroic' style poses that I like to do, and the metal texturing I liked using on characters like Iron Man. I quite enjoy working with reflective surfaces, creating a larger sense of depth in the setting that I'm working in by having elements that would be behind the viewer be reflected in armour and metal surfaces. My primary influences would be artists like Hajime Sorayama and Bob Layton, both with regards to this metal reflection approach and to composition and content in general.
enFOCUS -How do you integrate photography into your artwork?
My robot work ends up being a blend of photographic and hand-painted elements. Initially, I had been taking photographs of women and then began painting a metallic texture onto their skin, as well as creating more machine-like structures for joints and other anatomical elements. However, as the project continued and evolved, it became more and more about using the photographs just for lighting and anatomical reference, and the pieces became much more about traditional painting techniques.
enFOCUS -While growing up, did anything happen that influenced your art?
My major influences growing up were mostly my love of comic books and science fiction art. The discovery of a few artists at key points, such as Layton and Sorayama, certainly contributed to that, as well as just being exposed to more and more science fiction and fantasy art and artists. Growing up out in the country with very little television (just three channels back in the 1970's) encouraged me to create my own imagery as well, as there wasn't much around me in the real world that looked like the things I enjoyed in novels and comics.
enFOCUS -How do you work through your “art blocks”?
I tend to keep a variety of projects on the go at any given time, so that can really help me with creative blocks. If I'm struggling with a particular robot piece, for example, I'll switch over to some pencil illustrations of more realistic characters or do a bit of writing. Just the act of working on a different set of creative muscles will usually overcome blocks like that. Movies and video games every once in a while will also help me get through those dry spells.
enFOCUS -What inspired you to start your online comic, Andronicus?
My major influences growing up were mostly my love of comic books and science fiction art. The discovery of a few artists at key points, such as Layton and Sorayama, certainly contributed to that, as well as just being exposed to more and more science fiction and fantasy art and artists. Growing up out in the country with very little television (just three channels back in the 1970's) encouraged me to create my own imagery as well, as there wasn't much around me in the real world that looked like the things I enjoyed in novels and comics.
enFOCUS -How do you work through your “art blocks”?
I tend to keep a variety of projects on the go at any given time, so that can really help me with creative blocks. If I'm struggling with a particular robot piece, for example, I'll switch over to some pencil illustrations of more realistic characters or do a bit of writing. Just the act of working on a different set of creative muscles will usually overcome blocks like that. Movies and video games every once in a while will also help me get through those dry spells.
enFOCUS -What inspired you to start your online comic, Andronicus?
I have enjoyed a lot of different adaptations of Shakespeare over the years, and I had read Titus Andronicus a long time ago, and found it quite fascinating, but I never saw it performed or adapted until the movie 'Titus' The bold style of that movie was something I really was drawn to, and got me wondering about how it would look and feel with more of a science fiction setting. As I toyed with this, I also came up with the notion of gender-swapping the entire piece. As months went by, the idea for that just kept working away in the back of my mind and wouldn't let me go. Eventually, I had to start actually painting it, and it just took on a life of its own.
enFOCUS -Professionally, what’s your goal for your artwork?
I don't have any single goal for my artwork. I like to tell stories, both in individual paintings as well as in long-format comic work, so I want to continue doing that. I have a lot of fun doing commission work, both paintings and comic work for individuals and companies, and that is great for paying the bills, but I also am lucky that I can devote a lot of my time on my own projects and vision, so I want to continue to do that. Perhaps I want to keep the 80's aesthetic of cyberpunk alive and well.
enFOCUS -Professionally, what’s your goal for your artwork?
I don't have any single goal for my artwork. I like to tell stories, both in individual paintings as well as in long-format comic work, so I want to continue doing that. I have a lot of fun doing commission work, both paintings and comic work for individuals and companies, and that is great for paying the bills, but I also am lucky that I can devote a lot of my time on my own projects and vision, so I want to continue to do that. Perhaps I want to keep the 80's aesthetic of cyberpunk alive and well.
enFOCUS -What piece(s) of artwork have you been the proudest of?
I tend to be proudest of whatever my most recent painting is, and I'm sure that's a very common thing for artists. This piece ( http://www.redbubble.com/people/sokoliwski/works/22042391-cyberpunk-painting-073 ) would definitely qualify for that, although a lot of what I am proudest about it is how it is integrating Japanese into the hologram (as I am learning Japanese right now). Certainly, any of the collaborations I've done with Bob Layton over the years, such as this piece ( http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1258941 ), would qualify, as I'm getting to work with one of my major influences on a regular basis. Certainly, growing up as a huge Iron Man fan, having gotten to work with him and with a lot of other Iron Man projects over the past twenty years has been amazing!
enFOCUS -Do you have any advice for aspiring artists and comic creators?
The advice I would give for aspiring artists and comic creators is just to do as much work as you can possibly do and keep putting the best parts of it out there on the internet. There are plenty of free gallery spaces that you can show your work, so the opportunities to get your work in front of people has never been better. But try to do it regularly, putting out regular content (weekly is best, but monthly can work as well). And, whatever else you do, make sure you have your contact information easily and obviously available wherever your artwork is posted! You want potential clients and customers to be able to easily get in touch with you!
For a deeper peek into Ian Sokoliwski's world see: http://ianthecomicartist.com/
I tend to be proudest of whatever my most recent painting is, and I'm sure that's a very common thing for artists. This piece ( http://www.redbubble.com/people/sokoliwski/works/22042391-cyberpunk-painting-073 ) would definitely qualify for that, although a lot of what I am proudest about it is how it is integrating Japanese into the hologram (as I am learning Japanese right now). Certainly, any of the collaborations I've done with Bob Layton over the years, such as this piece ( http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1258941 ), would qualify, as I'm getting to work with one of my major influences on a regular basis. Certainly, growing up as a huge Iron Man fan, having gotten to work with him and with a lot of other Iron Man projects over the past twenty years has been amazing!
enFOCUS -Do you have any advice for aspiring artists and comic creators?
The advice I would give for aspiring artists and comic creators is just to do as much work as you can possibly do and keep putting the best parts of it out there on the internet. There are plenty of free gallery spaces that you can show your work, so the opportunities to get your work in front of people has never been better. But try to do it regularly, putting out regular content (weekly is best, but monthly can work as well). And, whatever else you do, make sure you have your contact information easily and obviously available wherever your artwork is posted! You want potential clients and customers to be able to easily get in touch with you!
For a deeper peek into Ian Sokoliwski's world see: http://ianthecomicartist.com/