Redstar
Green Marine
Posts: 45
Registered: 08-10 |
I recently conducted a brief E-mail interview with Doom II cover artist Brom that I felt some of you might be interested in reading. It's a very general interview that covers how he got the job, how he approached the piece and what he's doing now. He did look around for any of the early sketches he did, but unfortunately can't find them right now.
Feel free to let me know what you all think!
http://files.drdteam.org/index.php/image/direct/m2Dgi5m1xR/poster-doom2.jpg
How did you come into doing the artwork for DOOM II?
ID called me out of the blue. My schedule was completely full and I started to turn them down when they mentioned that it was a sequel to DOOM. Being a big fan I did without sleep in order to squeeze it in.
Were you familiar with the original DOOM at that time? If not, did you take the time to play/research it or did you just stick with DOOM II?
I was/am a big fan of DOOM! So I was very familiar with the franchise.
What direction, if any, were you given in designing the piece? Did Id Software want to see specific elements or bar the use of others?
That was back in the day before over paid marketing teams were involved in the process, so the project went very smoothly. ID was great, they sent over a handful of elements and let me pick what I liked, pretty much just let me do my thing.
Were you given any official artwork or sculpts to use for reference for the characters featured in the piece? Did you use the in-game graphics for additional or alternative reference?
They sent a few concept drawings and screen shots. Game elements were pretty low rez back in those days, which I found enjoyable as it gave me plenty of room for interpretation.
Were you set on the theme/concept eventually seen or did you initially experiment with other situations and demons? Why were these early concepts dropped?
I did a few rough sketches all around the same set up. They picked one and I went right into finished art from there. Creating game covers was a much simpler process back then.
Unlike later depictions, the Cyberdemon doesn't seem too large compared to the "Doomguy." Is this just a matter of perspective or personal taste? Did Id Software provide any information on demon height comparisons?
I tried to keep things as close to game play as I could, but also, I am sure I was concerned about getting both figures to fit comfortably on the cover.
Many people have commented on the unusual buzzcut worn by the "Doomguy." Where did that design come from?
Hmm, not sure if I came up with that on my own or if it was in some of the concept art. But, given the chance, I am more than willing to take full credit for it.
What was your intention with the project? Did you feel at the time that you had met them? How do you feel about the piece now, looking back?
My intention was to capture the excitement of DOOM game play. Not sure if I did or not, as that is a high bar, but for me it was very exciting to work on one of my favorite game franchise. Looking back, I'm just thrilled to have been part of such a great game.
What was Id Software's expectations with the project and their reaction to your final piece?
They paid me, so I'm gonna take that as a thumbs up.
Were you approached to do artwork for any other DOOM games, such as Final Doom or the recent DOOM 3, or other Id Software titles?
Schedules have not lined up, but I hope to have the opportunity to work with ID again in the future.
www.bromart.com
Last edited by Redstar on 10-13-11 at 07:16
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10-12-11 03:06 
