Wayne
Creating the Storyboards Behind Stories
Can you tell us a bit about your background, education, experience and how did you end up in the creative industry?
When I was a little boy, I loved finger painting, and soon after I fell in love with cartoons. From this, I fell in love with art and drawing and painting and music and fashion too! Then I discovered Spider-Man and Marvel comics. I developed a love for drawing and wanted to become an animator.
What is it being a storyboard artist in your own words?
Being a storyboard artist means that I can create a way of telling a story using my drawing abilities to make a convincing plan for the director and creative team to follow. Including having and showing the ability to create action, actions, and character acting, conveying emotions and camera moves.
Being a storyboard artist means that I can create a way of telling a story using my drawing abilities to make a convincing plan for the director and creative team to follow. Including having and showing the ability to create action, actions, and character acting, conveying emotions and camera moves.
Some of your storyboard designs are simple hand-drawn sketches while some are much more detailed, with color, light, shadow everything. Does your storyboarding style change with the demands of the project? And how does it affect the outcome?
Yes, storyboards can be made with crayons, stick figures to fully colored illustrations, or loosely colored illustrations to even animatics (motion or moving storyboards).
Art is your passion as well as your profession, how do you maintain a balance between the two?
…The difference only occurs when or if I am working for a big company creating work for them. If I am freelancing for a movie or working on my work there is a very fine between work and pleasure
You have worked on a lot of big productions from Marvel Comics to Avatar games, were comics and video games always a part of your life? Is that what inspired you to take up this profession?
Comics yes, video games, no. Movies, cartoons, comics, and dreams are what inspire me. In video games, the story or “cutscene”, part and character design, and concept design aspect of video gaming is what I enjoy working on.
What inspires you?
Life, Love, art, the physical human design, The Earth, physical and spiritual energy, sports, physics, UFOs and aliens, the stars in the sky, my Family, and travel, and great positive possibilities. All in different orders.
Can you tell us about your process?
I receive a script, then sit with a director and or writer, sometimes I make thumbnails before meeting my meetings, sometimes not. With concept art, I receive a character or location profile and I gather references for those profiles, and sometimes I can create elements from scratch.
In your artwork on Instagram, you explore a lot of different media, be it pencil, pen, or ink. Which has been your favorite and why?
Pencil, ballpoint in pen, and dry black and white marker. I can add dark brown or black ink and brush to that list. I love these materials because every project starts from this and I just love it!
You have an affinity for black and white in your artwork, while your professional work uses a lot of color. Any reason for this?
No real reason. However, I do want to start using more color in my work. I’ve already started slowly.
What is the one project/artwork you want to be remembered by?
…My favorite sketchbook! 😆
