Isingrad Graphics: Beautiful, Simplistic and a Robot too! (Englsih)

Beautiful, Simplistic and a Robot too!

Interview with character designer: E. Abd ElRahman Zaki

(اقرئة بالعربية)

Abd El-Rahman Zaki, student in the Architecture dept. at Shorouk Academy- Third Year. His interest in art and graphics took him beyond his field of study and into the world of cartoon and caricatures.

When did you start getting interested in drawing and design? And what are the steps you took to develop your artistic style?

-Back in school, I was greatly influenced by my art teacher Ehab Mar'i. He gets credit for teaching me drawing in general. I became fond of the idea of designing cars when I was given a number of video tapes for the car designer Scott Robertson. I learned a lot from him. After becoming an architecture student, I found that the artistic aspect of the study in Egypt has little presence. That's why I try relentlessly to develop my art by tracking art schools worldwide. I also make sure to keep an eye on many experienced artists and illustrators. It is watching their masterly work that always motivates me to keep up raising the level of my work.

Almost certainly what helped me the most is watching tutorials on Youtube, to be able to follow visual illustrative of the art of composing image. I learned that all visual elements are inspired or referenced from nature, accordingly, I began to study the elements of nature itself - cloud formation, light fall and reflection on surfaces. Through my personal analysis I was able to deduce many special notes to use in composing my pieces.

Was your studying art wholly dependent on self-teaching?

-Indeed, but there are many experiences I acquired from my honored professors at the academy which had intense influence on developing my artistic study, and some from my classmates as well.

How were you able to balance between your academic tasks and developing your art?

-Always, like any visual artist, I carry my sketchbook everywhere and when I find time I get some sketching in, whether in between lectures or in my spare time.

Did you find difficulties when you shifted from traditional art to digital painting?

-After developing my free sketching skills, I was achieving far better quality than that realized through Photoshop. But when I moved to using the Tablet, it was a huge transition that influenced the quality and level of my art positively. Nonetheless, I still seek to develop my capabilities and my artistic level in using it. Usually I start on Photoshop by creating work lines on a layer and then I commence in adding detail gradually until I realize a final product.

All artists have begun to use the Tablet. So it had become a rare occurrence to find someone who still adheres the old pen and paper. Despite my thinking that this is a setback, looking up to all these craftsmen gave me some fervor to work with the Tablet, and a determination to produce a final product with it.

The robot character appears to get your special attention, so where from did you conceive the concept of this character?

-Well, originally, I hadn't given it a name. I remember it was 2010, I was spending sometime at the library when I found myself sketching this character. And then I redrew it several times in various poses. It's when I was taken in by the idea that I began to show this character on facebook. That's when public grew an interest towards this character, 'Zo'lot', which is the name my friends chose.

I wanted to come out with a simple form of the robot, and I might have been influenced by some animation movies such as Robots - 2005. In essence, designing Zo'lot is inspired from the simplest elements that form a robot.

Most artists have a liking for black and white pieces. But most, if not everyone, resort to this style to rely on the balance of black and white, and usually black fills are the most prominent in these works. This trait, however, does not appear in your work, where bright white is the evident element.

-First of all, I love simplicity in drawing and shunning exaggeration. Secondly, my target on a personal level was to learn to draw Zo'lot in many poses, in 3D. For example I would design a certain body move in a certain pose and then apply it to different poses to train myself, and repeat that for every move.

Was this simplicity of design a hindrance in showing expressions and different psychological changes that the character may go through?

-At all. I love to reach the simplest forms of facial expressions without overdoing it. That's why you'll find the facial elements of the character very straightforward, a simple geometric shape (the cylinder for the head), eyes, mouth, eyebrows and maybe a nose too. Still, the character can display plenty of facial expressions such as sadness, despair and joy, and sometimes even bizarre ones like mixed misery and delight.

What are the future steps you're thinking about concerning the robot character? For example, have you thought of turning it into 3D for employment into an animation movie? Or to make it be the hero of a comic book?

-Zo'lot reflects the story of my life. That's why I designed it, to be able to come back after a long while, look at my sketches and see the memories of a life passed. But of course, I don't mind for it to take part in short cartoon movies.

What are some of your favorite animation movies? And which artists and illustrators do you like to follow the works of?

-I am a good follower of movies but currently not many names of the ones I love come to mind. However, there are ones that influenced me such as Wall.E - 2008 and maybe all of Pixar's movies used to drive me crazy. I appreciate the Disney movies as well, for it conveys special emotions to the audience. Like a movie of theirs I watched recently named Paper Man, which left a unique impression on me. Concerning the artists, there are many but on top of the list comes the Japanese artist Feng Zhu and Scott Robertson.

In the end, what would you like to say to beginners trying to develop themselves and their capabilities generally?

-Very recently I read an article about this point in exact, and in the end of it the writer presented four pieces of advice:

1- Surround yourself with a number of artists and painters.

2- Maintain your contemplation in nature.

3- Carry your sketchbook with you everywhere and draw in at least four pages daily.

4- Draw everyday for a minimum of two hours.