Manuel Piedra

Manuel Piedra: I discovered my passion for art when I was about ten years old and then went to a local academy to learn techniques for two years, which was my first contact with traditional art. I never had a specific art education per se but I consider my artistic journey a never-ending learning process. From Dragon Ball to Caravaggio, the range of my influences is wide open, including nature, video games, the animation industry, and, of course, other artists.

Manuel Piedra: I have lived in different countries around the world due to my architecture career but geography never played an important role when becoming a concept artist. This current global world we live in, fortunately, brings incredible opportunities without even having to leave your house. That being said, I feel those years experimenting in such different environments from my native one have done nothing but enriched my creativity and filled up my mental library with resources.

Manuel Piedra: I believe art is an independent concept, not tied to the medium. Blockchain technology allows artists to discover new ways and unleashes new paths of creativity, which is tremendously interesting to me. There is certainly a shared pattern between artists who have been producing work for clients.

Manuel: We wouldn’t ever be technically able to achieve realism unless we understand reality and how the world works. After that, there is no other limit but our imagination when it comes to representing an idea, whether it is about a fantasy world or a real one. I have come to understand that architecture and concept art share the same creative process i.e. problem-solving.

The thought pattern when undertaking the design of a building, combined with the imagination and hunger for creation, makes for one of the best combo tools to tackle even the most surrealistic world-building.

Manuel: It was probably the project that led me to fully understand I could make a living from art and to start considering it professionally, so I hold it in high regard. We were an amazing young team full of talented people and it was fun to contribute to creating a whole complex fantasy world with deep lore and charismatic characters that also made for a game with advanced and very fun mechanics.

The art direction was very open and we were all allowed to participate with our own ideas to shape the concepts. I will always remember that first moment when a person approached me to sign a card with my art on it.

Manuel: I really do believe in fundamentals and I have been trying to develop ways of painting that don’t rely on “happy accidents” (although those still feel incredibly satisfactory) so as to deliver my best while avoiding stress. It really depends on the type of image and finishes required but I believe that a solid foundation of deep understanding of light, color, and values is much needed in order to be able to focus on other important aspects such as ideas or storytelling.

Manuel: There are so many things to share from my personal experience but I would always encourage everyone, no matter the age, to stay curious, proactive, and hungry for learning. An explorer mindset will most likely open more unexpected doors. As a very inspiring person said once, most success comes from experience and experience comes from trying. So we are on the right path as long as we keep trying.

Manuel: My overall portfolio is a bit of a rabbit hole because I have done so many different things that I couldn’t pick a representative one. I constantly adapt my style according to the specific piece and I like to think of it as a strength but I can certainly state that the most exciting part of the creative process is when the idea sinks in and starts blossoming with different branches and possibilities that keep adding sense and building the overall harmony.

Manuel Piedra: The biggest effort, I would say, always relies on that first stage where the painting happens inside your head, followed by the time to put it down in a simplified way while making sure everything reads as it is supposed to.

Fortunately, we’ve got tons of digital tools to achieve any possible effect but I tend to think that approaching paintings in a more traditional way will result in a more traditional finish. I believe decision-making plays a big role when achieving a more painterly style, solving big problems first and going into smaller ones after – the same way an oil painting would be tackled in a tangible way.

Manuel Piedra: On a personal level, I would like to experiment with technology and new ways of art. Professionally, I would like to collaborate more with other creatives and focus on building a solid artistic identity.