Simari - Design & Illustration

I've always loved drawing and creating, and knew from an early age that I wanted to pursue a career in art. Much of my childhood was spent drawing and painting pictures and cartoons, designing characters, and constructing models. Much influence was drawn from movies and 2000 AD comics. I also became fascinated with cinema concept design and special effects, particularly the work of ILM, Ralph McQuarrie, Brian Froud, Stan Winston, Rick Baker, Jim Henson, and Ray Harryhausen. Thankfully, my adolescent creativity was greatly encouraged by my parents and school teachers.
I studied fine art, design, special effects make-up design, photography, and computer graphics to college and university level, eventually attaining a BA (Hons) degree in Art and Design in 2000.
I've been a freelance illustrator, artist, and designer for the past five years, and in that time I've produced a wide range of work, from book illustrations, portraits and paintings, to promotional and web design, for a varied collection of clients. My fantasy artwork has been featured in numerous books and publications sold worldwide. I still draw a lot of influence from movies, and so I try to evoke a cinematic feel in my illustration work, with emphasis on composition, mood, and light. It's always my goal to make the fantastical seem realistic, while trying to avoid the clichés associated with fantasy art. I try to apply that same attention to detail to every type of art and design work I produce.
Outside of art, my other great obsessions are movies, music, and books. I love all kinds of movies, from mainstream blockbusters to obscure art house, and I enjoy reading cinema-related literature. My music taste is eclectic; embracing everything from Abba to Zappa. I also love to read music literature, history, biographies, comic books, and graphic novels.