Interview
Dominic Carter talks to the mech master about honing his cyberpunk visions, character designs, and his new artbook
The future may be impossible to predict, but thanks to the art of Brian Sum we have a decent idea of what it may look like. That’s because the prolific cyberpunk artist, who has worked with the likes of ILM, BioWare and Microsoft, has developed a style that has defined the mech genre.
With hundreds of his illustrations recently released in AFTRMRKT (www.aftrmrktstore.com) – an artbook that has been over seven years in the making – we caught up with Brian to learn more about his work and what putting the compendium together has taught him.
Tell us a little about your background as a concept artist. How did you get started, and what has your career been like so far?
I got my first real experience as a concept artist with BioWare working on Dragon Age: Origins. At the time I was still experimenting and learning the tricks of the trade. It wasn’t until I started working on Mass Effect 2 that I found a passion for the sci-fi genre. Over time I guess I’ve kind of followed what I enjoy designing and have evolved to becoming an industrial design and hard surface specialist.
Which artists have inspired you the most and why?
I’ve been inspired by so many artists through the years, but if I had to choose the ones that have had a huge impact on my work, they would be Syd Mead and Moebius. Syd Mead’s vision of the future feels awe-inspiring yet grounded, and his work remains timeless even today. I’ve always been drawn to his technical drawings and his draughtsmanship.
I love Moebius’s surreal dreamlike style. His work is playful, and his designs offer an interesting range of varieties. Both are great artists but it’s their ideas, whether it be architecture or costume design, that really makes them masters of their crafts.
Outside of other artists, where do you get your inspiration from?
I get most of my inspiration online these days, just because it’s the most accessible method. Like most artists, ArtStation and Instagram provide a lot of material to inspire, or more like a good kick in the butt to make cooler stuff. I used to use Tumblr before everyone left. There were several curated sites that provided great sci-fi, cyberpunk content. I haven’t really found anything that compares to that now.
How has your art developed over the
