Interview with concept artist Peter Yong
Visit his site to see more issues of Plump Mondays and buy his book here.
Plump Mondays No.9
War Pigs.
What’s your background? How did you get to where you are today?
I feel like I have always drawn and have always been fascinated by art. After studying Animation at the Qld College of Art, I was accepted as a trainee at Disney Toon Studios in Sydney and worked as an in-between animator. I then worked as an environment artist – modelling buildings and props for the games at Pandemic Studios in Brisbane.
When an animation position opened up I started animating in 3D and continued doing that for 2 years. I felt a bit restless because I wasn’t drawing and fortunately a concept art position opened up and I was lucky enough to be accepted into it. Pandemic closed its doors in February 2009 and after a little break and some travel I was employed at Blue Tongue Entertainment in Melbourne where I spent a year working on De Blob 2.
Now I am interested in establishing myself as a freelance artist and keep developing my own style while continuing to learn about the technical side of art.
In a few words, describe yourself…
I like the simple things in life, good food, a good job and good company. It’s hard to go wrong if you have these things. I am also bit of a foodie (probably comes from my food-crazy family) and I love good authentic, honest food.
What are you spending your time on at the moment?
At the moment I am doing some freelance work and in my spare time – working on my next book!
Do you have a ritual for getting into the creative mindset? Or a creative process?
Not really. Although…
I do have this annoying tendency of coming up with ideas just before I am about to go to sleep and then pray that I don’t forget them in the morning.
Violent Fridays No.14
Left: Violet Fridays No.22 – Drive-by head butt. Right: Beast.
What or who inspires you?
I’m inspired by a wide range of art. My biggest inspirations are definitely comic art and animation. I grew up surrounded by British 2000AD comics, some American superhero stuff and also some awesome Japanese Steam-punk/Cyber-punk Manga. The guys that I really look up to are Alex Toth, Glen Keane, Frazetta, Justin Sweet, Ryan Ottley, Mike Mignola, Greg Capullo, Simon Bisley and Frank Miller…. just to name a few.
I have been fortunate enough to work with some great artists, namely Lachlan Creagh, Milenko Tunic and a great art director by the name of Terry Lane. These people have had a huge influence on me and I am very grateful for that.
What are you most proud of?
I am proud of the career that I have had so far and some of the projects that I have worked on (namely Destroy all Humans! 2 for Playstation 2 and De Blob 2). But probably the thing that I am most proud of is my book, Its Just Another Violent Friday. It is the first book that I have ever made and I am so keen on doing more!
I had a great sense of pride when people at the Supanova convention just last weekend, having never seen my work, people would pick it up and “get it” nearly instantaneously and I’d see them having a chuckle. I believe a big part of art is communication and it was very validating to see that.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Believe it or not, I wanted to be an artist… or a superhero.
