Getting to know our Judges: Mark Scicluna
Our third and final interview with the last of our judges has landed in our mailbox, this one by pop-culture-inspired illustrator, Mark Scicluna. For those of you interested in video game art, this interview is a definite must-read.
1 — What is the Proudest Moment in your Career?
My proudest moment would be the release of Red Dead Redemption 2. This was the biggest project I’ve worked on in my career as an illustrator so far. I’ve worked on RDR2 for more than two years, so it was amazing to see a project of that scale come together as a whole and released. Even though it’s a contemporary video game, a lot of historical research went into it.
2 — What’s a particularly Favourite Project you’ve worked on?
The projects I’ve worked on during my years at Rockstar Games were all valuable experiences and a great opportunity for me to grow as an illustrator. I also really enjoyed working on ‘A Space Boy Dream’, which was a weekly web-comic that reached a sort of cult following in Malta during its lifetime. Recently I’ve been working on another personal project that involves my favourite video games mashed-up with comic books. This has generated a lot of interest from video game fans and creators alike, including Naughty Dog co-president, Neil Druckmann and God of War director, Cory Balrog.
3 — Who is your current Favourite Illustrator and what do you like about their work?
I’m a big fan of classic comic book artists such as Jack Kirby and Moebius (Jean Giraud). I’m also a fan of several artists I follow on social media, one of whom is Steven Rhodes. His work has a retro vibe but with a contemporary cheeky twist.
4 — What is your secret to making good work?
I aim to create work that I enjoy doing. My recent work is typically a result of merging different concepts together to create something new. This tends to make the work relatable and familiar to the viewer, and that’s always a plus. I make it a point to look at my work from the viewers’ point of view. This helps me get a more honest perspective of the work and improve on it.
A sincere thanks to Mark Scicluna for taking the time to answer our questions, and a quick reminder that he (along with Katie Chappell and Julian Mallia) will be judging entries for this years Malta Illustration Annual. Submissions close June 25th.
Are you a Maltese illustrator or a non-Maltese illustrator who is based in Malta? We are documenting the best Maltese illustration year after year! Submit your work here.
