Artist Interview - Martin Lathbury (Part 1)
Prince of Pixels - Martin a.k.a PixelPunkz recently met our FLICKING PR guru Katie Barclay, for a good virtual giggle.
Flick Solitaire’s newest artist friend, Martin brings pixelated mischief and magic in bucket loads with his playing card deck - Regal Rascals. From Harry Potter to Pokemon discover in Part I / II what gets our cheeky awesome pixel artist pumped...
Pixel Punkz! Martin... Do you dream in pixels?
- I wish I did! I do see the world in pixels though. I can be walking along and see the most inanimate object and instantly start thinking 'how would that look in pixels?'
Is there anything difficult to pixelate?
- Animation is hard, which is why I avoid it. To the true animators out there who can do it - I tip my hat to you, and bow low, and offer you any sacrifices you want. Large scenes can also be difficult when you're using different saturation levels to convey distance. It's annoying but just takes endless interaction and playing.
Harry Potter or Lord of The Rings?
- Please, I'll answer anything else!! But if push came to shove, I would probably say Harry Potter. I grew up with it and it's such a defining part of my childhood that I constantly revisit. Let it be known I am a fan of Harry Potter - this is not an endorsement of she-who-must-not-be-named.
Books or films?
- These days I would have to say books. After a long break I started reading again about 3 years ago and can't seem to stop. I recommend the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas for all my fantasy fans out there who enjoy strong female leads kicking ass!
How much do you love Harry Potter? Fav character?
- I can't even begin to describe it. I have distinct memories of getting a Gameboy Colour for my 11th birthday and the Harry Potter and Philosopher's Stone game with it (seriously underrated rpg-like game btw). I was bullied a lot at school, didn't have many friends, struggling a lot with my identity, and that world gave me a safe space I could visit anytime I wanted. It's still my safe space today. Fav character is either Hermione or Professor McGonagall. Both have a courage and intellect I could only dream of!
Who or what inspires you?
- Honestly? Other gamers and artists. I've got Gamepass which - for all of Xbox's faults - gives me access to some amazing indie games on there. Just seeing what other artists are creating is inspiring in itself. I also love to see what other pixel artists are doing, seeing how they improve. It gives me motivation to keep creating and keep trying to get better. I have a mantra I've recently started to write down every day: 'Stay focused, keep trying.' Whenever I'm doubting myself or feeling uninspired, I try and remember that.
How much fun was it working with the Flick Solitaire family? Any challenges?
- SO MUCH FUN! I couldn't be more grateful to the team for giving me the opportunity. This was my first professional gig as a pixel artist, so it was very daunting. I learned a lot about what my process is. My faults, my strengths. The challenge of making pixel art for a smaller visual area but having it be readable for someone playing on mobile definitely took some trial and error. But Ian Masters (Flick Solitaire developer) really helped to guide me through that, and I feel like a better artist for this project.
Part II coming soon….
Start collecting the mischievous characters in Martin’s deck - Regal Rascals now!