Artist Spotlight & An Interview with Hugh Pindur.
Hugh Pindur:
Hugh ‘Pindurski’ Pindur – A Brief Bio
For those of you with an interest in fantasy artwork, Hugh ‘Pindurski’ Pindur is a name that many of you will probably find recognizable.
Hugh Pindur is a Canadian-born illustrator who over the years has made a real name for himself in the fantasy digital art community, especially the MTG (Magic the Gathering) community.
Known as the Canadian Magic Artist, Hugh has created some truly astonishing works over the years, which would not look out of place in a fantasy epic on the big screen that would give LOTR a real run for its money.
From elves and wizards to sorceresses, dragons, and mages, it’s clear from the outset that Hugh Pindur is a fantasy buff through and through, and is a real asset to the community.
Here’s a more detailed look at the fantasy illustrator and concept artist known as the Canadian Magic Artist.
Who is Hugh ‘Pindurski’ Pindur?
Hugh ‘Pindurski’ Pindur is a father of two, a husband, a triathlete, a graphic designer by day, and a digital art specialist by night.
Born in Canada in 1976, Hugh grew up with a real passion for magic and fantasy and was a very creative child.
As he has stated in the past, as a child growing up, he grew up drawing and it was clear from a young age that he had a real talent for it. He drew regularly throughout school, right up until he left High school when he decided to pursue other options and became a graphic designer by trade.
Now, most artists would say that, despite focussing on other passions, they still found the time and passion to draw and create in their free time, just simply not as frequently. Not Hugh. For more than two decades Hugh did not create a single drawing.
Getting the itch again
For more than two decades, Hugh concentrated on graphic design and enjoying life. Despite indeed enjoying great success, he began to feel as if something was missing, a part of himself perhaps. The catalyst for his return to fantasy artwork came when, on his lunch break one day, he stumbled upon some concept art speed painting videos on YouTube, which rekindled his passion and was why he returned to drawing and digital art.
At 37, the itch to create fantasy artwork was back, and boy, did it need scratching.
He would wake up early every morning, typically around 3am, and would create art until his graphic design daytime job began at 7.30am. To say he was sleep deprived would be a vast understatement.
Hugh began creating fantasy artwork in his spare time and gradually began uploading his drawings to various websites such as artstation.com and conceptart.com.
This talented concept artist found that his works caught the eye of a project manager on the hugely popular RPG system Pathfinder, and they requested that Hugh design some pieces for an Adventure Path. The rest, as they say, is history as he has been working for them ever since.
Whereas in the early days his work was done with pencil and paint, these days the vast majority of Hugh’s work is done digitally, although he does still keep sketchbooks and does occasionally put pencil to paper.
What is Hugh’s most famous creation?
Hugh has created some truly astonishing works of art over the years, and while every fan has their own unique favorites, his MTG: Hard Cover is certainly one that is way up there.
This piece of work depicted a young, cocky, fearless adolescent male still in his teens, confidently brandishing a levitating spell book down a dark and seedy alley, with all manner of threats in sight.
Each page of the spellbook is a brilliant shade of sapphire blue, which really helps bring added mystique to the character. The pages of the book are breaking free and merging into a protective spell surrounding him, which would explain his confident/arrogant expression.
Interestingly, Hugh created two versions of this image and initially went with a yellow color for the pages, though he was asked to alter the color of the spell from yellow to blue, and he happily obliged.
ARTIST INTERVIEW:
What City, State & Country do you currently live in?: London, Ontario Canada
What is your primary art application?: Photoshop
What are some of the other mediums, or applications you use?: Traditional pencil for sketching, and the odd bit of acrylic for small studies.
What are some of your favorite reference materials?: I think you have to take the reference where you can find it. Sure there are a million resources online, the Artstation Marketplace has become a good resource for me lately. But when I need something super specific I shoot it myself. I am very accustomed to hiring models for photoshoots so get exactly what I need. Sometimes I will also build small maquettes and then photograph those.
Do you have any artistic weaknesses that you're actively working on to improve?: I think the ability to create art is like a muscle – use it, or lose it. Unfortunately, right now, I don't have the time I once did to really put a lot of work in... we have three small kids now 6yrs, 3yrs, and 4 months... so the time I used to make to make art is now spent trying to scrape together as much sleep as I can!
What made you want to become an artist?: I spend my days as a graphic designer, but after 17 years of that, I began to realize I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. So when I was 35 I started to teach myself illustration and how to draw/digitally paint. Back when I first started learning ConceptArt.org was a big resource... there were tons of great artists that helped us newer ones learn and grow. After a couple of years, I started getting small jobs that led to bigger ones, and so on. Eventually, I will switch over to being an "artist" full-time, but with a family, mortgage, and life commitments the timing needs to be right!
What are some of your favorite things to draw and paint?: II don't make paintings for the sake of making them... I don't have the time! Aside from client work I love to tell stories with my work. So, often an idea about a scene/narrative develops in my head while I am out running, or washing the dishes, or driving... and then I spend a few days or nights just working the idea out in my head. It's not until I really develop the idea in my head that I begin to create!
What artistic accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years?: I'd love to be a full-time artist! Aside from that, I think I would really like to work on some official D&D projects.
Who are some of your favorite concept artists, or illustrators that you draw inspiration from?: In no particular order here are my top 5!
Jim Lee
David Finch
Sidarth Chaturvedi
Brad Rigney
Wayne Reynolds
Did you have any professional training? If so, what schools or classes did you attend? If not, what process did you use to achieve your level of artistic talent?: I am largely self-taught via YouTube and the odd Patreon mentorship that I sought out. I did, however, invest in a semester at SmartArtSchool.com and did a mentorship class with Donato Giancola which launched my Magic the Gathering "career" :) I believe if you don't invest in your art self no one else will so it's important to acquire whatever training you are able to.
What is an interesting bit of personal info about yourself you could share with our readers?: Well, when I first started my art I already had a full-time job so I woke up at 2:30 AM 5 days a week for about 2.5 years and practiced my art before my day job began at 7:30 AM. That dedicated time of no distractions (cause every other sane person was sleeping) really helped me grow fast. Now, that was when I didn't have children or the commitments I currently do... I wouldn't be able to pull that off today.
What is one bit of advice you would give to an aspiring artist like yourself? Something you've learned from experience along your journey?: My advice, especially for maybe the older aspiring artists out there, would be to paint what you love. Forget what everyone else is doing, and paint what you love. Focus on learning only those specific things that will help you with your next painting. This laser-like focus may help you from getting discouraged while trying to learn all that there is to know, because... FOR REAL, it will take you years, decades, and a lifetime to learn it all.
Artistic achievements? This could include jobs, projects, awards, accolades, etc... Anything you consider significant in your art career. Please also include any links to process videos or anything else you'd like included!: I think the highlight thus far was learning under Donato Giancola and Greg Manchess.... we follow in the footsteps of giants.
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