|
Ted Halsted, Artist and Co-Founder at Human Head Studios, was kind enough to answer some of our questions we had about his past projects, what it's like to work at a small (but talented) development studio like Human Head, and even looking forward a bit to his still-secret future projects. The original Rune sketches that Ted sent along of his, are of the Lizard Rider, Sark Warrior and Sarkamen, respectively. Enjoy!
| Looking
Ahead With Ted Halsted |
Interview
by Gwynhala |
![]() |
- OK, what does an "art director" do, anyway?
 I'm not entirely sure! We didn't have one on Rune--the team was very
small and everyone was on board with regard to the artistic direction and
look we wanted to achieve. For that project, I tried to fill the role of an
art manager/traffic manager...basically checking in on people and making sure
that things were moving forward in as timely a fashion as possible. An art
director on a larger project has a variety of tasks that include co-developing
and maintaining the project's visual direction, making final decisions on
content, contributing to the project with his or her own content, co-ordinating
technical/development issues with the directors or leads in other departments
and making decisions for his or her team based upon those results, and a host
of other hair-whitening activities. The art director essentially has to crack
the whip. But as I said, Rune was made by a small team
and we were able to effectively communicate without an overly elaborate
hierarchy. There was a great "studio" feel during the creation of the game.
- How did your past work at Marvel Comics influence the style of art direction
you've brought to Human Head?
My comics artwork was certainly much improved
by the time I started drawing for Marvel. I originally started out at Valiant
Comics, where I worked to improve my basic storytelling skills. At Marvel,
I was given more free reign over layout and panel structure, and so I went
a little more gonzo with that stuff. Drawing comics taught me to strive to
tell a story in a medium of pictures and words. Sound simple? There's nothing
more complex and fascinating than working with the tools you have at your
disposal as a graphic illustrator working in the field of sequential art...you
are art director, lighting director, stage and props manager, casting agent,
acting coach, set designer, special effects manager, stunt manager, director,
key grip, and on and on. It's all in your hands.
Drawing comics as a freelance illustrator also teaches you to get your work
done on time. Or you get fired. This is something I hear of lacking in video
game development companies from time to time. Salaried freeloaders coasting
on the efforts of harder-working co-workers. Come to think of it, it's a problem
in all businesses. I propose penal colonies for the slackers. There is nothing
less manly than not working at what you love, and working at it hard (gestures
gripping Manly Handbook).
- What was your inspiration for the characters in Rune?
Viking mythology and bad dreams. While I did
a number of the sketches for the game, the ultimate realization of the characters
came to be through Shane Gurno's modelling and Tim Bowman's textures. So Shane
must have bad dreams, as well. And I don't think Tim sleeps.
- Fantasy deathmatch odds: Venom, or Ragnar with Bloodlust and Rune
Ragnar. That's a whole heapin' helping of firepower.
- Do you miss inking Venom?
Nope! Because I never had to. I pencilled the
issues that I worked on. Several poor inkers had to decipher my sludgy linework.
- What influences inspired you to study graphic arts?
The desire to never wear a suit and have to
get up before 10 AM. As a wee tot a-rollin' about in me parents' land cruiser
on the veldt (Not one of those great gruesome Yuppie Pot Hole Management Vehicles),
I would tend to yell a lot as it was hot and dry somethin' awful. My mom would
hand me comic books to shut me up. I didn't know why then, but some of the
comic books seemed great and most of them, I thought, were merely average.
Looking back, I realized that the ones I liked were Batman comics (good taste
for a 6-year old), but that the ones I loved were Batman comics drawn by Neal
Adams (very good taste for a 6-year old). So I was an art snob for mass-duplicated
pop art from waaay back.
What continues to inspire me is other people's work. Good drawing really gets
me pumped. As does watching people improve. Jeff DeWitt is improving something
fierce. Which is nice, because then I won't have to sit there for hours with
a pencil trying to remember a bad dream that I'd rather forget, anyway. Jeff
will.
- Where were you born?
Kampala, Uganda.
- Rune comic book - "it could happen" or "no way, jose!"
It'd be great.
|
