Artist Spotlight & Interview With Igor Lomov

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Igor Lomov is one of the digital art world's shining talents whose inherently exquisite work showcases Igor's capacity to render, among otherworldly objects, the female figure masterfully. From the gorgeous witch flying through the clouds, "In the flow of dusty routines," to the whimsical "Leeloo Dallas" from The Fifth Element - his striking illustrations are unique and beg their viewer to gaze listlessly for hours on end. Trust me; I've been there. We're honored to showcase Igor's works on FableHatch and have an in-depth interview to share with our readers.

Artist Biography: I am Igor Lomov (aka blik_47 on Instagram). I live in Jyväskylä, Finland, but I grew up in Medvezhyegorsk, a small provincial town in Russia. I remember I saw painting software for the first time in an IT classroom at my secondary school and was blown away by all the creative possibilities it provided. That day must have defined the rest of my life.

I had no personal computer growing up but I was very fortunate to have a friend who allowed me to use his computer for hours on end and this is how I started developing my digital skills. After high school, I went to university and obtained a degree in fine art. Upon my graduation in 2009, I realized that marketing and advertising is where I could make decent money so I focused on growing as a graphic designer working with both 2d and 3d graphics. In 2016, after years of making all kinds of promotional materials, I decided to shift my focus onto my true passion - digital art.

I have tried my hand at developing board games, corporate identities, and fashion items. However, my prime focus today is digital painting. My passion for anything cyberpunk-related in books, movies, and games has found its way into my creative works. I have actually developed my own board game Azil that is set in a cyberpunk world. The game highlights the problems of a world that are driven by an addiction to new technologies. Developing this game required me to create a number of original characters that you can now see in my art.

artist INTERVIEW:

What City, State & Country do you currently live in?: I currently live in Jyväskylä, Finland.

What is your primary art application?: Photoshop

What are some of the other mediums, or applications you use?: I sometimes draw on paper using markers and ink.

What are some of your favorite reference materials?: I watch a lot of youtube digital art lessons, for instance, Sinix Design, Proco, Marc Brunet, Ethan Becker, CG Speak, and time-lapse process videos from Wlop, Jeremy Fenske, Emilyena

What are some of your favorite things to draw and paint?: More than anything I enjoy creating new characters. I love experimenting and try out different styles and techniques. I am especially happy whenever I manage to design characters that interact with their environments and there is a special atmosphere.

Who are some of your favorite concept artists, or illustrators that you draw inspiration from?: I really like Ilya Kuvshinov, Cedric Peyravernay, Loish, and of course incredibly skilled Wlop.

Did you have any professional training? If so, what schools or classes did you attend? If not, what process did you use to achieve your level of artistic talent?: I studied at university for 5 years and received a Specialist degree in Teaching Fine Art. Then I worked in visual marketing for a long time and got industry experience. Nothing helps you more to develop as an artist than practice and experiments.

What is an interesting bit of personal info about yourself you could share with our readers?: I love movies and animation and I never care what their genre or country of origin is. What I care about is that there is something fresh and innovative in a film.

What is one bit of advice you would give to an aspiring artist like yourself? Something you've learned from experience along your journey?: I drink a lot of coffee and work on my art for at least 5 hours a day but usually much more than that. After a long day, I sometimes dream about drawing/painting which feels extra exhausting. This means that I need a break.

OUR TOP TEN:

Timelapse Video by Igor Lomov: