I got a chance to sit down with the CG expert himself.  Some of his credits are: Art Directing with the likes of Warner Bros and the gaming industry, producing top quality books, and one of the main players behind The Computer Graphics Society.  With a resume deeper than the meaning of his imagery, follow me into the verbal conversation with Seattle, Washington’s Philip Straub.

STAMP: Introduce yourself.  What is something you want the world to know about you?
Philip: My name is Philip Straub and I’m an American illustrator, concept artist, and Art Director who  sometimes tries to be an author too. J

STAMP: When did  you become interested in art?
Philip: I’ve been painting and drawing for as long as I can remember. I started out with pencils, watercolors, and acrylics and eventually into oils.

STAMP: What is your medium of choice and why?
Philip: My medium of choice now  is digital and has been for quite some time.  Digital tools allow for so much flexibility and experimentation that was never possible when I was working traditionally. Working digital also support the changeability needed in a game and film production environment.

STAMP: Did you study at an art school?  If so which one and how was that experience?  If not, do you wish you did?
Philip: Yes, I did go to college for art, graduating from Paier College of Art with a Bachelors Degree in Illustration.
It was a good experience where I studied many of the fundamentals in good picture making. It was in school where I also began development of my work ethic and process.

STAMP: How were you able to take your love for art and make it into a career?
Philip: Through lots of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. I really like to win and enjoy healthy competition. In addition, I’m a pretty passionate person that tries to give everything I have to whatever I do.

STAMP: You have a very recognizable style.  Do you find it challenging to infuse this signature look with your diverse range of clients?
Philip: Thanks!  
No, I don’t really find it hard to infuse my style to the variety of clients I work with. At this point my style is pretty well developed and the final product is a result of how apply  what I believe are the key pillars in creating good visuals. Now, I do have a  few different styles that I work in; loose concept art, matte painting,  commercial illustration, and children’s book but, within these styles there  still is my core style.

STAMP: Have you ever felt limited or trapped by your style? With so much pressure on mainstream art, have you felt peer pressured into conforming?
Philip: Maybe in the early years of trying to be a professional I felt a bit trapped by my style- mostly because I really didn’t know it was. Nowadays, I feel pretty comfortable in my own artistic skin probably because I do work with a pretty large array of clients whom really look for quite different things. For example, the concept scene in the entertainment industry is all about dramatic POV (point of view) and lots of action. The licensing side of business is nearly the polar opposite where its all about making things beautiful and working on subject matter that is familiar to the consumer. Both are fun and am really happy I’ve had the opportunity to produce work for different media channels and the ability to touch a variety of people.

STAMP: Can you remember the first piece you ever did and what inspired you to do it?
Philip: I’m not sure exactly what my first piece of art was but, I do remember doing a series of dragon type paintings and drawings at a very young age. I think it was inspired by some album covers that were lying around the house.

STAMP: Can you tell any interesting stories about specific pieces, artists, or projects that you’ve worked on?
Philip: Probably the most interesting creative story in my life so far has been the work I did on my Utherworlds book. The book took nearly 6 years to make and a ton of sacrifice personally and financially to complete.  Since then the book has gone on to win awards and many of the images have been licensed out on a variety of products.

STAMP: When a clients approaches you for a project, what factors, enter into your decision to take  it (besides money)?
Philip: Since I do have a full time Art Direction gig at Warner Brothers that I really enjoy I am pretty choosy  about what additional projects I take on.
Typically, it is based on timeframe, subject matter, and budget- probably in that order.
 

STAMP: Are there any clients you wish to work with, that you haven’t already?
Philip: Oh yes, there are quite a few. ILM, Pixar, and Dreamworks come to mind. J

STAMP: What have been your favorite projects to work on to date? Why?
Philip: My favorite project to date was the creation of the Utherworlds IP.
Weaving the story, imagery, and music into a book and website was an incredible challenge but, also very rewarding. The coolest thing about the project was that I had the chance to take all that I’d learned about brand development and product visualization and channel into a project of my own.

STAMP: What are your challenges as an artist?
Philip: The lack of time is the biggest challenge I have these days. My Art Direction gig at Warner Brothers keeps me very busy during the week and I’m constantly trying to find the time to work on personal projects and/or freelance work that interests me.

STAMP: Have you ever shown in galleries? If so, what was the experience like? If not, how come?
Philip: Sure have- quite a few times with my traditional and digital work. The experience has been mixed mostly because there is still quite a bit of resistance towards the validity of digital work within the gallery scene. I am hopeful that over time the respect for digital work will grow and also that I can find the time later in my career to get back to working traditionally.

STAMP: Have you  ever created an amazing piece by mistake?
Philip: Haaa- they’re all by mistake I think if I do have any amazing pieces in my gallery. I just paint what comes out of me and try and capture an interesting moment in time or emotion and  hope that people like what they see. 

STAMP: What role do you feel the internet has on art? Positive or negative?
Philip: I think the internet has primarily played a very positive role in art.
Through the global connectivity of the internet, artists all over the world can now share their work via forums and cyber art organizations. This has opened up more opportunities for artists to learn from each other and opportunities for commissions that probably wouldn’t have been available to them 10 years ago. The advent of the internet also means that an artist can promote their work to millions of online consumers through a blog or website for little to no investment.
The only downside I’ve experienced is piracy- not a week goes by that I find my work being used/sold illegally for something without permission. It’s a bit of time suck for me to work with my attorney tracking down these folks- time I’d much rather spend creating or maybe even sleeping. J That said, all in all, most folks are really gracious and will contact me for usage rights

STAMP: Do u feel like your work is evolving?
Philip: I don’t know- I definitely felt there was a big evolution a few years ago but, not so much lately. I think I may be in a bit of a plateau right now in the evolution of my work. You know, I’m ok with that for the time being only because the last 5 years have been filled with so much change around me that a little normalcy sounds good. 
The area I could see the biggest evolution is in my children’s book work with my wife. We’ve been doing a-lot of work together to expand out the “Secret Places” images that I have in my portfolio. The existing images I have are the most popular in the licensing market and have a big following so I’m looking forward to see how that work evolves when we finally finish the book and get it published.

STAMP: What advice would you give a young artist just starting or trying to get started?
Philip: I always get asked this question and pretty much always have the same answer. The illustration and concept art fields are extremely competitive. They are not for the weak of heart. The best thing one can do is practice, practice, and practice more. It’s the artists that are open to learning new things and constantly push themselves  to get better that survive in this industry. So stay focused, have a plan and you will persevere!

STAMP: What can we expect in the future from you?
Philip: Hopefully more books, more art, more writing, more game Art Direction, and perhaps a film adaptation  of one of my IP’s that I have in the works. J

STAMP: Do you agree with the overall objective of STAMP Magazine?  Why or Why Not?
Philip: I think its great and support it 100% Any vehicle that allows for artist to have a voice and be seen  gets my vote.

To see more of Philip’s work visit his portfolio website at http://www.philipstraub.com; to check out his amazing book visit http://www.utherworlds.com