We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stratis Mortakis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Stratis thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I’ve been lucky enough to work on a good range of creative projects so far; from big budget videogames to small indie animation and short films. I like having the option to try out my ideas and I find that at its core the creative field is more about knowing your audience. When I was younger I used to think that the audience is something you should not care about in the sense that it would limit your creative vision. And while that is certainly true to a good extent I learned from experience to look at myself as an audience too. In the same way that I get angry and frustrated if a Bladerunner movie sequel or prequel hits the mark or not, if a reprinted version of a Geof Darrow comic book has the colors right, it’s fair to say that any videogame and art project I work on must have some audience out there waiting to see if it all works together in their eyes. It’s part of what I find meaningful in projects I’m involved in. In the same way that I look out to be inspired by other artists and what they produce, I also strive to create artwork with intent.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I got into concept design for video games through a long and maze-like pathway of education. Even though as a kid I loved comic books I never saw myself as someone who could draw in my adult life. What kickstarted my interest in art were a series of high school classes on architectural drafting. Through that I learnt to be patient and find pleasure in the process of drawing. As I kept learning I tried to keep an open mind about the careers that were possible for me. The combination of design and illustration drove me towards concept art. I find that video games elevate the immersion into the fantastical worlds of novels I loved as a kid and the sense of being present in a faraway place. That’s what I enjoy the most about it and aim to focus my work towards it for the rest of my career. In terms of potential clients and future goals I have to say that I’d rather be surprised sometimes, rather than get the same exact brief, and that is why I’ve pushed myself to work on theme park projects, VR simulations for architecture as well as indie movies! I am always looking to learn!

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I like the idea of it, but not the outcome. I grew up collecting science fiction novels for their cover art and comic books for the incredible drawings. Those were all copies of the original art and in my mind I always imagined how amazing it would be to see the one, single artwork that exists in the world, the piece of paper or canvas that the artist touched. Go into a museum or any exhibition and you see it standing there in front of you; the original. I think that’s the magic of traditional media! NFTs try to bridge the gap between the immateriality of the digital and that ‘uniqueness’ of the original. But it just doesn’t work for me. The financial incentives are higher than the artistic / cultural value of the work.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

It’s all on parents I must say. I mean really if we were to tell our young kids that it’s ok to draw, dance, make short films with your friends and all in all just play, then society as a whole would have a healthier understanding of what artists and creatives do for a living.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stratismortakis.com

Image Credits
All images copyright © 2023 Stratis Mortakis