Today we’d like to introduce you to Roger Motzkus.
Hi Roger, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Mediums including watercolor, acrylic, oils and using airbrush. My portfolio that I developed in High School allowed me to get a full-ride scholarship to the University of Utah and I majored in painting and drawing. During college, I began working as an independent contractor, doing background layout and storyboards for animated TV shows such as Mr. T, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Thunder Cats. That really gave me a strong sense of how important drawing is.
After college, I was able to get freelance illustration work from local agencies and publishers. Then I was able to get a Representative in NYC that allowed my work to go national. After getting married we moved to Southern California to pursue my dream, which was to get into doing movie posters. That never happened, but I was fortunate to have enough work to stay busy in a number of markets. I came to specialize in rendering children and young adults in advertising projects, book covers, editorial projects and game box covers.
I stayed in LA for over a decade, but then decided to move to Utah to raise my family. Unfortunately, that’s when the markets dried up and (poorly executed and cheap) digital art, and photoshop photo compositions dominated what little work was available. That pushed me into becoming an adjunct college art instructor, along with whatever freelance work came in. During that time I was able to translate my style to work digitally, but keeping the same look and feel of traditional illustration.
I still teach art, but most of my time is doing “Alternative Movie Posters” for private collectors using traditional mixed media of acrylic and colored pencils. Fortunately, after 3 decades of freelance illustration, I’m now as busy as I’ve ever been doing exactly what I got into art to do.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Nothing about being an artist is typically smooth or easy. It was always a constant effort to get enough work as a freelancer. It could be “feast or famine” with dry spells or the stress of very challenging deadlines. It can also be a challenge to satisfy clients’ expectations. I never got to paint exactly what I wanted, or what would necessarily make for the best piece of art. I was often asked to do things that went against quality artistic principles. I’d often have to cut corners to meet a deadline. So growth as an artist was limited as a result. Plus, tastes change in the markets. One must adapt to those changes and continually reinvent one’s work as an artist.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in telling a story visually, by painting people realistically with extreme expressions and circumstances. I’m most grateful to have been able to pursue my life goals and learn from those experiences and have the life flexibility of freelancing. Doing art can be a very solitary endeavor, and freelance illustration can be like a “job” like any other. But once in a while I get to do something memorable. There is a resurgence of nostalgic interest in artwork that is made by hand, and particularly illustration that what was done before the digital age. I have since come to be considered somewhat of a ‘legend’ in the gaming world for doing the game box art for the DOOM video game and several others. At the time, it was just another commission. So, that’s a lesson that we really don’t know the full impact that we have on others in the future.
I believe the work that I am doing now in making movie posters for prints is the best work I’ve done of my career. I’ve been a Featured Presenter and Comic Conventions because of the work I’ve done over the course of my life. Perhaps what has set me apart is diligence to quality and attention to detail in every square inch of my illustrators. Often, folks talk about “talent,” but my experience is hard work over a long period of time can be what makes all the difference.
Any big plans?
I’m so happy doing what I am now, Alternative Movie Posters and teaching art. I will keep doing that unless markets change again and I have to reinvent myself as I have done before.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.motzkusart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rogermotzkus/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/454601649148511
