MATTIAS ADOLFSSON

My name is Mattias Adolfsson, I live in Gothenburg with a wife and two kids. I work at a game studio as a senior Artist, but aim to start working as an illustrator/artist on a freelance basis some time this year.

I have a blog that I update at an insane basis: http://mattiasa.blogspot.com/

and a home site that I haven't updated for quite some time: http://www.mattiasadolfsson.se/



When did you first decide to become a graphic designer/ illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?

There was no pivotal moment, I just gradually fell into it, I've been drawing all my life but didn't think you could live off it, and I still don't. ;)


Who or what inspires you?

I'm inspired by what I see and hear in our world, I read quite a lot off books, I scan the web regularly. I used to see a lot of films as well but tend not to do that so much any more, I'm losing touch with the times.


Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?

I've got a Master of Fine arts in graphic design, but most of my drawing skills are self taught. The education was directed on design rather than illustration.

How do you keep "fresh" within your industry?

Well this is a hard one, I'm working in the game industry and most of my work is not very creative. The time I have for my creativity is focused on my free time. So for the keeping fresh part is to be outside of the industry.

What are some of your current projects?

At the moment it's pretty slow. I'm waiting for a couple of interesting projects to happen though, one is a music video, a project that is very exciting. I hope to be able to focus on a book that I'm planning.

Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why?

I was pretty satisfied with an illustration I did for a publication this autumn, the theme was the future, I kept on with this for quite a long time, and I had to add some extra paper in order to get it all in.


Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?

I would like to try traditional animation, but I know how time consuming it can be. I've worked a lot with 3d animation and I'm not so keen on doing a personal project with it at the moment. Hopefully if the music video fall through I'll be involved with moving media.

Any advice to the novice designer/ illustrator?

Try to find a personal style but don't get stuck in it, progress is good.


What makes a designed piece or illustration successful?

Hard to explain in word as it's so subjective, I get bored easy with a lot of conceptual work, warriors and scant dressed woman. It's good to get a new view on a traditional theme, something new.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?

This is a hard one I'm rather bored with my work and I see illustration as a way out of it.
And finally, what is the best thing on prime-time TV right now?

Well in order to be able to draw I tend to skip television or if I watch draw at the same time, I will have to say a Swedish program Musikministeriet and Musikbyrån, my wife and I have a soft spot for English produced crime series as well.


Related Links:
http://mattiasa.blogspot.com/
http://www.mattiasadolfsson.se/


Recent Work: