Apr 1, 2022
Hey Aniki… it’s time for another episode! This time I got to interview cover and poster artist Zi Xu. She is known for her incredible work for companies such as Sega, Mondo, Marvel, DC and Star Wars. We talk about the difficulty of being a freelance artist, how to deal with burnout, what inspires her and the importance of not being ashamed of your hobbies. Furthermore, we geek out over Yakuza, discuss Marvel movies and I get to learn more about her current obsession, world's fairs. Please enjoy!
Time – Topic Discussed:
0:00 - Intro
01:33 - Yakuza
06:00 - Guest topic: World’s fair
14:00 - Follow your passion
19:38 - The issue with Marvel and DC movies
26:40 - Concept art
37:34 - Inspirational artbooks
41:29 - Condensing a video game character
49:12 - Giving the client what they want
51:41 - Deciding what your time is worth
57:03 - Dealing with burnout
01:01:00 - Drawing hands and eyebrows
01:02:40 - Practicing
01:04:10 - Lessons learned at the Maryland Institute College of Art
01:09:02 - Lessons learned while watching Blue Period
01:10:31 - Outro
Things mentioned on the show:
Nerdy Paintings from the Neuschwanstein Castle
Social Media:
Zi Xu
Zi Xu on Twitter (@ziqqix)
Zi Xu on Instagram (@ziqqix)
Zi Xu’s Homepage
YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY
YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Twitter (@youmeindustry)
Dorian on Twitter (@DorianChou)
YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Instagram (@youmeindustry)
Dorian on Instagram (@dorian.chou)
YOU ME AND THE INDUSTRY on Facebook (youmeindustry)
Intro/Outro by FreshMcZone
Artwork by Thomas Martin (Instagram: @thomas.martin.martin)