Does your blank canvas feel like a black hole?
We’ve all sat in front of a blank screen and felt, well, blank. Now imagine sitting in front of the blank canvas with the assignment of creating the next culture-defining character. Instead of the blank canvas feeling like a world of possibilities, it might feel like a black hole instead. So how do artists approach the blank screen without it swallowing them whole? Enter concept artist and illustrator Anthony Francisco. As a former visual development artist for Marvel Studios and the “Visual Father of Baby Groot,” Anthony’s impressive portfolio includes Black Panther’s Dora Milaje, Okoye & Nakia, Loki for Thor Ragnarok, Tazerface and Teen Groot, and many more.
Into the creative pipeline
Let’s first understand where these billion-dollar blockbusters begin. A visual production department is usually the initial step in the production process, meaning Anthony is one of the first checkpoints within the creative pipeline. Visual development artists are responsible for creating the overall look and feel of imaginary worlds and the characters that inhabit them. The process of nailing down a character takes more than just a few attempts; each character that makes it to the silver screen has at least 200 unused iterations.
Experience and imagination
So how does a visual development artist break through the empty canvas? For Anthony, it’s all about experience. “When I create these characters, I draw from personal experiences. To get me through to Baby Groot, I was heavily influenced by my kids.” Anthony also refers to his Filipino heritage when designing costumes. In Black Panther, the Dora Milaje costume gives nods to the Igorots, indigenous peoples of the Northern Philippines. “A lot of it also extends from different emotions I’ve experienced through life...your success is only limited by how much you can imagine.”
For those who often run into creative block, Anthony has developed a signature “creature pyramid” which helps budding visual development artists pinpoint certain elements to construct a new character. Anthony will be walking through a creature pyramid demo during his session – you won’t want to miss it.
