Illuxcon 4 Pt 4 - Acrylics Unite
Ok! It’s time for the last installment of my four part post on Illuxcon 4. This time it’s about other practitioners of my medium, acrylics. There were a bunch of artists at Illuxcon 4 representing the medium in fine fashion.
I got to meet one of my favorite newer artists who doesn’t make it over to this part of the world too often, Jesper Ejsing. Jesper does a lot of work for Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and his work has been on many Fantasy Flight Games’ boardgame covers. Jesper was kind enough to take the time to run through some quick hits with me. 
Quick Hits: with Jesper Ejsing
1. Where did you travel from to be here today?
Copenhagen, Denmark.
2. What is your favorite artist tool in your arsenal?
My palette. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without my Sta-Wet palette. That is the best of my tools except for the brain. That and my espresso machine is extremely important.
3. Do you keep a sketchbook?
No. I don’t sketch that much. I have one but my sketches are just prework for something real. They are rough and sloppy and in of itself it is nothing.
4. What is your favorite medium to work in?
Acrylics.
5. What is your favorite subject you like to illustrate?
Monsters, beasts mostly, and women. And old people. I like to draw nasty, old, wizards. I think creatures are my favorite. You can get away with more and you can do crazier stuff. I mean, with people, everybody knows how anatomy works so if there’s just one little mistake it shows. But, with a large, giant, beast it can go so many ways and still look right.
6. What time of day do you feel you are most productive?
That’s easy. I’m at the studio from 9 [am] and I leave at 3 [pm]. I’m super focused and charged within those six hours. I have a family and I need to get the most of those six hours. Before that I was working all the time and the night too. Now with kids and family it’s just better to be focused.
7. What do you listen to while you work?
The worst gangster hip hop you can find. Preferably very loud that is when I need the energy from that music. If not, if I need to relax I listen to jazz music.
8. What question about your work do you least like being asked?
I don’t think there is any dumb question or annoying question. When young people ask me about stuff the little annoying thing is that when I can hear that they are searching for that cheating trick or the secret to jump ten years of experience. I’m like, hey, there’s just no short cut there’s ten years of hard work ahead of you. That’s it.
Thanks for your time Jesper
Find more of Jesper’s work at www.jesperejsing.com and occasionally on www.muddycolors.com.
Another artist with a similar client list is…
Ralph Horsley
Ralph returned this year showing off some quite large original paintings like this one.
The cover to the Talisman Dragon expansion (by Fantasy Flight Games) of which I did a couple of cards for, which I talked about a few posts back.
You can see more of Ralph’s artwork at www.ralphhorsley.co.uk
Also returning was Steve Prescott. During one of the lulls in the action I managed to get in a few questions with him.
Quick Hits: with Steve Prescott.
1. Where did you travel from to be here today?
Columbus, Ohio.
2. What is your favorite artist tool in your arsenal?
My mechanical pencil I’ve had since college, .05 lead size.
3. Do you keep a sketchbook?
Of course.
When was the last time you drew in it?
A couple days before coming here.
4. What is your favorite medium to work in?
Acrylic paint.
5. What is your favorite subject you like to illustrate?
Serene, quiet scenes. Anything where I can go crazy with the costume or the armor I would say. Costuming in general.
6. What time of day do you feel you are most productive?
Early afternoon. Roughly noon to 4pm.
7. What do you listen to while you work?
Movies, soundtrack music, or classical music.
8. What question about your work do you least like being asked?
Where do you get your ideas from?
Thanks for your time Steve.
Find more of Steve’s work at prescottdrawblog.blogspot.com and on Facebook.
Christopher Moeller had a unique set up. It was like visiting him in his portable living room. A very relaxed “table” where lots of folk throughout the show would be hanging and chatting or playing a game or two of Magic the Gathering with him. I was one of those people who hung out and talked shop with him.
Quick Hits: with Christopher Moeller.
1. Where did you travel from to be here today?
Pittsburgh, PA.
2. What is your favorite artist tool in your arsenal?
Brushes.
[Prof- Is there a specific type of brush you like to use?]
This brush right here [takes a brush from a jar holding many brushes at his table] it’s a Grumbacher 3.5, #6 flat, it’s like a 1 inch bristle brush. The great thing about it is you can use the side of it and the tips so you can get like these marks from it [showing me examples on the large painting behind him]. I use them [flat brushes] a lot and I use the artificial type stuff [synthetics] because of the acrylics, it tears them apart. Another tool is a mirror. I use a mirror a lot. I have one of those little hand held mirrors. I’m always using that.
3. Do you keep a sketchbook?
I do.
When was the last time you drew in it?
I was using it a second ago. I’m thinking of doing a rooster painting. I just started keeping chickens and I’ve got this really handsome rooster so I’m trying to figure out the first piece I’m gonna do of him.
4. What is your favorite medium to work in?
Acrylic. I’m starting to play around with oils now and acrylics like merging the two. Since I’ve been coming to Illuxcon and getting to know some of these oil painters and stuff there are some very inspirational people here. Some of my recent Magic [the Gathering] cards are acrylic with oil in selected areas.
5. What is your favorite subject you like to illustrate?
Beautiful women. And recently, chickens.
6. What time of day do you feel you are most productive?
Mornings. I’m definitely a morning guy. I’ll usually go out. I’ll go for a bike ride, do meditation, pretty much every morning now, and then come home, grab some coffee and start painting.
7. What do you listen to while you work?
There’s two different modes that I get into. If I’m doing stuff where I have to be very awake a be paying attention I’ll listen to music or I’ll listen to nothing.
[Prof- What kind of music?]
Really all kinds. Eclectic, classical music, opera, and I’ll listen to alternative rock too. Then when I’m cranking, like when I’m doing pages or whatever and I have got everything blocked in and just going through finishing I’ll listen to books on tape and all sorts of stuff like radio and stuff.
8. What question about your work do you least like being asked?
What’s the favorite Magic card you painted? ‘Cause I like all of them.
Find more of Chris’ work at www.moellerillustrations.com and on Facebook, just Chris Moeller.
Thanks for your time Chris.
Most of my time at Illuxcon was spent at the main hall in between attending the many demonstrations and lectures being held by the exhibiting artists. That’s when I would talk shop with my friends, make new friends, take some pictures, and record the Quick Hits you’ve been reading.
After hours at the hotel one of the nights, my roommates and I went in search of a quiet place where we could hang out and sketch. We decided to crash the closed dining room area of the hotel’s restaurant. It was much quieter than the bar/lounge and no one seemed to care that we were there drawing at the table. We slowly gained more artists and had a little sketch jam going which was fun. This is what I ended up drawing while shooting the shit with everyone there.
Mercenary Knight
(4”x6”, 80 lb Strathmore sketchbook with natural toned paper, Sepia tone Prismacolor pens)
The last morning of the show is always a mixed bag. You’re tired and worn out from all the late nights with artist friends (old and new), wandering about for days in the artshow and the seemingly endless intake of images, information, and inspiration. On the other hand you’re also pumped up with excitement and inspiration from all that you’ve experienced throughout your time there. You’re excited to get home and dive into some new artwork and use that inspiration and new information you’ve gained from talking to all these professionals and put it all to good use.
(Starting the last day, outside the Illuxcon entrance with coffee and a few friends.)
One of my roomies, Chris Seaman
and yours truly.
Membership passes for next year’s Illuxcon 5 are now available on the Illuxcon website. The Artist Showcase tables sold out in AN HOUR, but membership passes for the show are still available. If you’re thinking of going, I would strongly suggest putting your payment for the show in earlier as the space is limited. They keep it that way so everyone attending can still get that intimate, low key, experience with the exhibiting artists and the attendees.
This will be the last year it will be in Altoona, PA. Illuxcon 6 is slated to be held in Allentown, PA, at the Allentown Art Museum.
Onwards and upwards.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my long, four part post on Illuxcon 4. Next time we’ll get back to our regularly scheduled randomness ;).
Later,
Prof.
