Structura 3: Sparth Interview - Notes (29/09/2016)

• Structura book (first art book) Lots of images, little text, explanations when necessary.
• Structura (1) smaller book, easier to carry around.
• Structura 3 - Larger book, images look better in a larger scale, especially with vertical composition.
• been pursuing/developing a more graphic style. Older images more rendered/detailed.
• Graphic style process is faster to achieve.  
• Sparth says he is a better artist with deadlines. Plan in advance, give self a time-scale to produce best work. (30 minute exercises/3 hour exercises)
• Better to have an image that is straight to the point, this is easier to achieve when on a time style because it makes you prioritise.
• He uses flat brushes with no pressure sensitivity. Uses brush tool as displacement technique. 
• Custom shapes, clone stamp tool makes images look fresh, (uses them often in his process).
• Rather than old work with detailed rendering all the way through, he uses his quick graphic design techniques as the base for more detailed, production pieces but just spends more time adding detail after the main image has been blocked out.
• Production vs fast stuff (good to have both processes displayed)
• big pieces can take 24 hours. Not practical all the time however because of time constraints, hence having fast processes.
• Fast pieces have to be snappy with an instant message (with focus on a composition that works.
• He uses a lot of diagonal lines to help with visual flow through an image.
• Concepting is like writing a text, but explain things with lines.
• He talks about where young concept artists struggle the most with image making:
• He thinks photo bashing if done wisely, using specific amount of photos, crediting is important if you aren't the image source.
• Issues come from bad composition in students, foundation of image is often weak.
• Better to have unrendered image, if images are placed in best way with good composition.
• From a distance, no one gives a crap about details.
• Thing that catches the eye is the way storytelling is applied to canvas through good lines/composition. This is way more important than rendering.
• Make a conscious effort to practice compositional skillset.
• THINK: What is purpose of image, what is intent? Everything in image has to prove a function/intent. WHY are you putting a specific brushstroke somewhere?
• He focus' better without having music on in background.
• Silence is most focused atmosphere.
• WHY are you creating this image?
• Linework first > then shape (This is the opposite to what I'm usually told) This is unusual. subject? > composition.
• Wanting images to always look simple.
• Has a graphic nature to shapes in recent work
• Simplicity can drive image to success/less is more sometimes.
• Better to convey something with one great point, than multiple small features. 
• Image never needs more than 3 focus' or viewers attention will be too divided.
• Keep simple path to convey visual intent.
• Creates more experimental work with primitive shapes. Squares, circles, line tool. Maybe bit of gradient at the end. (gives focus point and strong visual lines).
• Learn to use tools differently and originally.
• Use some full bleed images in artbook for emphasis
• By using smudge tool at 1% opacity you can push images around to create different shapes by displacing the image. (create great shapes out of a few design tips and tools, make work very fast by pushing simple shapes around.)

Examples of (quick/bottom 2/3 image sets are 30 min) work from Structura 3:

A more rendered example of work from Structura 3:

Old example of Sparth's more rendered/less graphic design inspired work from Structura (1):

 As you can see, the shapes/concepts are less clear and defined with less/few hard edges, when compared to his more developed/recent work.