Interview
Dominic Cartertalks to the artist about drawing for Magic: The Gathering, personal projects and staying energised
Freelance illustrator Zezhou Chen has emerged from humble beginnings to work with some of the top names in the industry. We caught up with him to hear how he went from not having enough money for cigarettes to illustrating Magic: The Gathering, why he quit teaching, and how computer games stop him burning out.
Tell us about your art background.
Between 2004 and 2008 I studied computer arts and design at college. It was a total scam, but luckily I didn’t waste too much time on it and instead bought a Wacom tablet to teach myself digital painting. Later on, from 2009 to 2011, I completed a master’s degree in graphic design at the Ukrainian National Academy of Fine Arts. After completing my studies, from 2011 to 2012 I worked for a couple of games companies in China.
At that time, Chinese companies typically required overtime, which I couldn’t tolerate. So I went back to my hometown and started accepting freelance work. At first I didn’t have many orders and I was broke. I couldn’t even afford to buy cigarettes, so I had to quit smoking. But during that time my life was relatively easy, and I had more time to deeply study my technical skills, which helped me improve my professional level.
From 2015 to 2017, I moved to Chengdu and taught digital painting at an educational institution on a parttime basis, while also receiving more freelance work. My financial situation quickly improved.
I’m skilled in organising and teaching abstract concepts [only in Chinese], but I lack the patience with others. Dealing with the students on a daily basis made me feel suffocated, so I quit my teaching job and have been working as a freelancer ever since.
How has your art developed, and what has driven those changes?
Exploring feels like playing an openworld game. There are interesting points, challenges, and ways you can overcome obstacles as you get closer to them. After practising and gaining experience, you’ll gradually develop arich, solid understanding of the game, much like drawing. I can’t pinpoint each step as it likely includes emotions and experiences beyond just drawing.
How do you interpret a brief from a client when you receive it?
Commercial illustrations are basically about a real object. My main job is to figure o
