Interview with an Artist – Virgo

Thanks for agreeing to this quick Q&A. So we are done with Act 1. It’s been a blast for me and I’m a huge fan of your art. I really appreciate all your hard work you’ve done for the project. I know you haven’t done much fantasy before Drach Tales. Was it hard to adapt to a new universe which includes elves, dwarfs, demons and whatnot?

V: It was a challenge, indeed. I’ve had very little experience doing work in fantasy like settings, one specific case I can think of is one the first projects I worked on, which was a series of illustrations based on a Vampire’s Castle, in medieval times. I’d say that was the closest I’ve been to work on something like this, and still it doesn’t even compare in practice. I really had to research references in classic art, movies and comic books all the same.

Do you like fantasy at all? Like the Game of Thrones series or the Lord of the Rings movie?

I’ve always liked some elements of the fantasy genre. But I’ve never been too hardcore into it, mostly because my attention was already caught by other “fantasy settings”, being a kid that grew reading and watching things like the Harry Potter books and movies, and the entirety of Star Wars. The LOTR saga is one I started watching, to my own personal shame, very recently in my adult years. I was quick to realize I’ve been missing out in some of the most epic movies out there, but then again, I’m admittedly very slow at catching up with pop culture.

Are the fantasy themed illustrations harder or easier than the stuff you usually do?

Definitely harder, especially because of the whole not being used to it. The style I like to think I have made a “specialty” is the sort of gritty noir, Casablanca type of stuff. Most of the work I do is usually following those themes, so it’s easier for me to draw a glass of whisky, a trench coat and a fedora hat after having drawn those elements a thousand times before. With Drach Tales I’ve been forced to draw stuff that’s unfamiliar to me, but I’d be the first one to say that’s been the biggest fun of it. Sometimes I get stuck with a page for days trying to figure just what the best way to draw this part of the castle or this Knight’s armor is, but that’s the sort of thing that makes it a challenge, and taking on challenges are what makes any professional grow.

What was your first impression about the project when I first reach out to you to ask for the very first illustration? Did this change over time?

First two illustrations I honestly thought it was just these two and done. I wasn’t aware or expecting it to be such a big project, and such a rich story. After we got to the third illustration, where we saw the characters facing off Blup, a personal favorite of mine and one of the first challenges ahead of them, that I started to catch up on how big the story might actually be, as well as started to feel a certain fondness of all the characters, which continued to grow as we worked on the rest of it, to the point I’ve really invested myself not only in the story, but the actual character living through it. I’ve got to laugh at their occurrences, having small moments to myself while drawing them, as well as suffer their loses, and genuinely feel for them. What started as a fun one-time work eventually became a project I feel very personal about.

You’ve mentioned on several occasions that Wilhelm is your favorite character. Why is that?

Because he is just the best. Wilhelm is that character that can be such a jerk, but you can’t help but love him, his quirks, how he sees everything. He reminds of characters like Dr. House, he always thinks he is the smartest in the room, and he always has to have the last word. And while sometimes his ego and cockiness might actually have some ground, it just might also get him in trouble, at least from what I can see. And characters as charismatic and quick-witted as Wilhelm are some of my favorite. We all love the Dr House and Tony Starks of their stories, we like how amusing their personalities can be.

We’ve done the illustrations in a different order than the one in which the scenes are published. Did this influence your perception of the play? W ere you surprised by the final sequence of events or how the plot advanced?

One hundred percent, yeah. Something people think is that when producing a story, being in the behind-the-scenes of it takes away from the magic. From my personal experience, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Only difference is that I get the privilege of adding bits of my own interpretation of the events to it. I’m enjoying this ride just as any other fan would, and having the scenes out of order just makes it harder for me to guess where it’s going, which makes it that much more entertaining to get there.

What’s the hardest part in illustrating Drach Tales and why?

Definitely the backgrounds. Castles, dungeons, outer gardens, it’s a handful of very colorful, very tricky playgrounds for our characters, and making those look boring would be the biggest disservice to the story.

Do you have a favorite scene in Act 1?

The chess match between Wilhelm and the Demon, hands down. Mostly because of how that illustration turned out to be, I’m very happy with it.

How would you rate the other artworks we have on Drach Tales from your professional perspective?

Honestly I see some of the paintings and concept art the other guys are doing and I have to ask myself “what the heck am I even doing here when they got guys THIS good?”. They all just mesmerize me at how beautiful they are. Many of these illustrations from my fellow artists in the project have been the basis for the style I used while depicting many of the characters, such as Wilhelm or Drachenfels, so I’d say they are not only some true work of art, but essential for the whole visual personality of Drach Tales.

Did you learn anything new or tried some techniques you’ve never used before when illustrating Drach Tales?

Yes! I’m mostly a digital artist, and working on Drach Tales has pushed me to try out many different tools at my disposal. Some small scenes even have textures, small textures, I did with a small brush on a piece of paper and then just scanned it and sort of “photoshopped” it in. As well as using even two art-based programs at the same time to mix brushes and effects. There’s a whole illustration where there’s fire, a big castle, and a water creature that was done I’d say 80% through experimenting on new techniques, brushes and tools. And these little experiments have definitely found their ways into the rest of my work in other places and projects.

Did you show any of the illustrations to your friends or family? If so, what were their impressions?

Mostly to my girlfriend, and a couple of friends that are into comic art. Actually, many of the illustrations have small details altered or added due to her (my girlfriend) suggestions. Their impressions have been great for the most part, and many of them have been as supporting as to follow the whole project just to see how it goes, so I’d say it was a good reception.

You work as a freelancer on Fiverr. Would you share what are your future plans related to your art?

Working as an artist of any sort is very hard without an audience, so Fiverr has been a great place to actually tell the world “hey! I’m here! I can draw some stick figures and make them look cool!”. I’m currently working alongside this project on two graphic novels I’m hoping will get published during this year (2022). I hope to be able to keep on working on stuff like that. I love doing art, but even more than that I love telling stories, so projects like these are what I’m looking forward the most.

There are still 12 acts to go. Hope you are not getting tired with Drach Tales? Is there anything you find annoying when working on the illustrations?

Not even close to! The reason being, I adore these characters and I actually want to see where they are going. Now yeah, maybe if I was to drop out of it the stories would still continue with someone else taking my place, but where’s the fun in that? I’m excited both to see what comes next and to be a part of making it happen.

As to what I find most annoying while working on these illustrations? I’d say my own speed. I wished I was able to make them just as well or even better and taking less time, but between balancing other projects and the day-to-day it sometimes takes me more than I’d hope so. But I guess that’s something every Artist has struggled with.

Thanks for your input!

Virgo is a 23 years old, self-taught Dominican comic book artist, with a degree in advertisement. He began to cultivate a love for comics and art in general at a very young age, but it was after learning about the works of comic artist like Brian Bolland, Greg Capullo and Sean Phillips that he saw himself pursuing a career in creating sequential art. That added to being a movie buff with preferences for film noir have heavily influenced his art style.

If you’d like to see some other Virgo’s artworks or commission a piece for yourselves, check out his profile on Fiverr.