Featured Pro Portfolio: Alex Figini
ArtStation Pro portfolio themes are so clean and customizable, and we’re still working on new features to make them even more successful! This week, we’re featuring the portfolio website of Alex Figini, a professional concept artist with over 10 years of experience making AAA games. Originally from London England, he now resides in Canada with his wife and cats and works as a Senior Concept Artist at BioWare while also teaching a course on Learn Squared.
Check out his ArtStation powered website.
Read his interview below to find out more about his work and his tips and advice for aspiring artists.
Where do you go to find inspiration?
I find doing quick sketches allows you to explore and put ideas down quickly.
There is obviously a wealth of information and reference online, websites such as this are a great source of inspiration for many artists. I would say I look here daily. Really though, it’s all around us but also a very personal thing. Anything can spark a train of thought. If I am having a creative block and need a quick fix I often look through my reference folders, art books or possibly scroll through a tumblr blog, letting my mind wander and develop ideas along the way. I find doing quick sketches allows you to explore and put ideas down quickly. Even if you don’t feel like it, doing something practical, by experimenting and making mistakes, you can create new lines of though and help unblock yourself.
What are some portfolio mistakes you see and how would you correct them?
Its a tough one to answer. You are always going to need to improve. Practice, be self critical. Also, beauty is in the eye of the beholder so everyone will have different opinions, for me thought, I see a lot of people who have great technical skill but a lack of the foundation in design. I find this is a turn off. I’m more impressed with a solid design that has been loosely sketched than a bad design that is beautifully rendered. I think with the tools and availability of excellent learning material available to us now, this is even more valuable important.
What are your tips/tricks in getting noticed?
Its human nature to want this but I don’t think there are many tips or tricks as such, not ones I would recommend anyway. There aren’t many shortcuts for getting noticed at the end of the day. My only advice is be prolific, both with your practice, personal growth and your online posts. Keep producing and your skill will improve, keep posting in the right places so people notice you. There is obviously an element of “luck” or chance in terms of being stumbled upon by a potential client, but that chance increases if the work is good and is being shared, voted up etc. With the advent of such strong online communities and social media, the cream usually rises to the top I’ve found, and those who are up there have all worked their asses off for years.
Advice for other aspiring artists
Keep doing what you love to do. Be aware of the competition but try not to let that influence you too much. Treat your practice like play and it wont feel like work. For me this is one of the most important thing for longevity.
See more of Alex’s work on his ArtStation Pro website. To find out more about ArtStation Pro portfolio websites, click here.
