Fan Art Feature: Roxanne Meares

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Here at Save Game, we love artists.  There are a lot of great artists out there who have been so moved by some games that they’ve been inspired to create really great pieces.  We wanted to recognize some of those artists.  Fan art is truly a labor of love.  The subjects don’t belong to the artist, and they can never actually make profit off of any copyrighted material, but they still do it and they still share with others.  For our first fan art feature, we talked to Roxanne Meares and learned a little about what she loves and why. 

How long ago did you start making art in general?  Has it always been a part of your life or was there something in particular that inspired you to “take up the brush” so to speak?

I started making art when I was very little, both of my parents were artists in their spare time, so it was definitely encouraged in my home.  My father was an aspiring comic book artist, and my mom enjoyed creating abstract watercolors and pen and ink pieces, although she’s also an amazing figurative artist when she chooses to do so.

What was the very first piece of fan art you ever did?  Was it video game related or something else?

I honestly can’t remember the first piece of fan art I did, but again, it would have been when I was very young.  I was drawing comic book characters very early.  I was a big X-Men fan, especially Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, and Ilyana Rasputin, but I was always drawn to female heroes.  Whatever my first piece was, I’m sure it was of a female super hero.  

What are your favorite worlds and characters and games to use as inspiration?  What are you favorite things to make?

I’ve always been a big fantasy fan, so I’m more drawn to worlds like Dungeons & Dragons and Dragon Age to draw inspiration from, and my favorite things to draw are people, definitely.  When I was a kid, I would draw faces in the margins of all of my notebooks.  No particular characters, usually, just faces.  Some teachers didn’t mind, some HATED it.

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What is your favorite video game and why is it your favorite? 

My favorite video game…wow, that’s actually kind of hard.  I guess Baldur’s Gate 2, because of my love of fantasy, and how huge the game was.  Plus, I still love the combat.  The companion banters were great, the ending was epic…yeah, I know it’s dated, and everybody who loves RPGs cites BG2, but I will always enjoy playing it. 

Do you have a favorite medium?  What is your process of choice for creating these pieces (what programs, techniques, etc.) 

My favorite medium is oil painting, but I don’t have the space and resources, honestly, for a proper studio.  So digital painting is the medium for me nowadays.  I use Adobe Photoshop CS4 and a Wacom Intuos4 tablet, and my process is very “airbrush” like…I build up layers upon layers.  Lately I’ve been drawing exclusively in gray scale first, and only when the piece is near completion will I add color.  I still feel like a complete novice when it comes to digital painting, since I’ve had zero formal training and taught myself to use Photoshop, but I do think I’m getting better as time goes on.  

 What is it to you that is so satisfying about the art world in general?  And what is satisfying about fan art?

 What I love about creating art is the process of making something in my imagination come to life.  It can be a chore at times, but overall enjoyable, especially when I can make things look the way I wanted them to.  Art can be so many things to different people, but for me, it’s like looking into someone’s head, even when the art they create isn’t especially personal.  Every artist’s style is like fingerprints, and it fascinates me.  What I love about fan art is being able to create new scenes for characters I love, and also creating a tribute to unforgettable moments in games.  I definitely feel that I draw better when I care about the subject, and that’s why I choose to create fan art.

You can check out some of Roxanne’s art on her Deviant Art page, and if you know an artist you think deserves some attention for their work, let us know!

(It should be noted that the top artwork on this page is our very own Joe’s custom female Shepard Annika. That’s right, Roxanne is so awesome she makes gift art as well).




About the Author: (@Badpie24) Writer & Editor

Jen lives in Seattle and likes to play games and then write about them. Her all time favorite games include the Mass Effect series, Dragon Age: Origins, The Witcher, World of Warcraft, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. She likes coffee and wine and tacos, but not all together because that would be gross. Cats are awesome.

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